Should parents check their kids' homework?

Editor's note: Many Chinese primary or middle schools make it parents' obligation to check and sign off on the homework of their children to help supervise their studies. Taiyuan education bureau recently banned schools from asking parents to check and correct their children's homework. Do parents have the responsibility of engaging in their kids' academic education? How much parents should get involved? Readers share their opinions.

mbursian

Who's to say the parents know all the correct answers? I would certainly agree that parents should instill proper study habits and supervise their study. Parents need to help their children develop social skills and graces, build character and independence, build confidence and self-esteem. When my three kids were in school, I would check their homework every night... sometimes questioning their answers and having them re-look or re-read questions or text... sometimes offering suggestions with a thorough explanation and when necessary showing them how to solve math problems/equations. I didn't do my kids' homework for them, but I made sure they understood it and how to solve problems and arrive at answers. Showed them how to use encyclopedias, dictionaries and a thesaurus... pre-internet days. Yes, that is time consuming, particularly for a single parent, but I instilled in them the importance of learning and developing good study habits. It comes with parenting... it is a responsibility of raising a child. Leave teaching academics to the teacher. A lot of parents today simply aren't cut for it; they're too lazy or too busy... and unfortunately with the latter it's because of social media.