Survey Time: Editing your child's school work

Barfly
Sat, 13 Jun 2015 14:47:13 +0000

@alh writes:

What about discussing reading with kids? Is it unethical for kids to discuss the books they are reading in school with their parents over dinner? Do parents have to be careful how they respond?

I do not consider this unethical at all. I think this is just the way things do and should work in a home where the parents value education. We are raising lifelong learners, and our family enjoys discussions like this. But I think there is a big difference between discussing a book they are reading for a class, and discussing an actual assignment for the book. If my kid were to say “Tomorrow we have at test over this book. Can we discuss the book together at dinner to help me study?”, I think that would be fine. But if the kid said “I have to write an essay on this topic for a grade”, well I don’t think that should be discussed.

We have a local family where the parents basically did all the projects for the kids. What did this teach the kids? Well, the oldest kid got caught cheating on a Spanish test in middle school. The youngest one was a known cheater in high school. I guess the plan worked, though, as all 3 are going to Ivy League schools and want to be doctors. I, personally, would never go to one of them. I’d be concerned that they might have cheated their way through med school, or that the parents might be performing the surgery once the patient is put under.