Mom needs to vent so please bare with me!  My daughter is in first grade this year and it seems like the homework, cookie sales, bd parties (just to name a few) keep piling up.  I'm an SAH mom and you would think homework wouln't be such an issue... wrong!  They have a spelling test every Friday that includes anywhere from 10-15 words.  I help her review these every night 'til Friday which can take  about 20 - 30 minutes each night.  They also have frequent reading assignments  and worksheets 2-3 nights a week.   And I know one hour may not seem like much, but we also  have two younger girls age 4 and 2 to keep occupied (without screaming or fighting), fix, eat, and clean up supper, get shower/bath, and sometimes run errands or have a "family night".  All that has to be squeezed into about 4 hours before bedtime.  This doesn't include any extra carricular activities either and some nights I feel like I can't get organized no matter what!  Again, no answers need just frustrated and venting.  Anyone else get this way?

OMG!!!  I SO could have written your post tonight.  My daughter is in 2nd grade and I also have 4 & 2 yo sons, and I'm definitely not holding it together.  We don't have as much of a homework load, but the little we do have is making me crazy, along with everything else that comes along with kids getting bigger.  I'm beginning to think that the early years were all about physical effort, and now the older years are about managing skills, discipline, and all the stuff that is actually much harder than when they were tiny.  Thanks for validating all my stress -- it is great to know I'm not alone. 

Best of luck to you (and all of us!!!)

I totally agree on the differences of when they're a baby compared to now.  The infant/toddler stage is more about feeding, bathing, sleeping (when they sleep) and keeping them from being sick.  School age is a whole nother phase ... don't even know where to begin accept that coffee is my friend(lol)!