Surprise: Who Is Responsible For Scary Nevada School Hours?

There is a debate raging about early school hours for school children. While extracurricular activities have long asked students to show up earlier and stay later, (I'm talking about you early track, theater and seminary). The hours have creeped up longer for average students. This trend has sparked a debate as it seems that are children are getting overwhelmed by their schedules.

Keeping a child on task for too long seems like it would have obvious issues, I mean many of us can't sit through an entire meal without feeling restless. So how did we get here?

It turns out the problem is probably you...and me. It is our work schedules that often determine the preference for longer school hours. OK, look in the mirror, take a breath and own it and I will blame you so I don't have to face myself.

I wonder how the kids in the UK survive with their 'live at school' options that seem prevalent—at least in the movies.

The mirroring of our schedules represented in our kids' school hours came home to me when we were in the pandemic years. I was teaching an extracurricular class (yes, I have been one of those demanding more hours from the kids, so I'm doubly to blame), but I was amazed at how many students had housekeeping duties going on at the same time as school because of working parents.

I know it is a struggle to juggle all we have to do, but maybe before we (including me) cast blame on the system for overworking our kids, we should look in that old crappy reflective glass. I know it hurts.