No Time to Play

When a school schedule is overloaded, it is worthwhile to open up a dialogue with school administrators.
Q
My school hours are too long -- from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Then there's homework and studies and daily tests (at least two). I am student in ninth grade but I have no time for other activities/entertainment. Is it fair?
A
I am concerned that your school day and your academic workload are not allowing you the opportunity to develop yourself in other areas and the opportunity to be just a kid. Asking me if it's fair is a question I cannot answer because fairness has to be judged based on too many other factors that I don't know about (in your case). You will be a person who is much more appreciative of free time than most and your backbreaking schedule will give you a mental toughness that will benefit you in many of life's trials. Perhaps you and some other students could open up a dialogue with school administrators to discuss the debilitating nature of your schedule.

Carleton Kendrick has been in private practice as a family therapist and has worked as a consultant for more than 20 years. He has conducted parenting seminars on topics ranging from how to discipline toddlers to how to stay connected with teenagers. Kendrick has appeared as an expert on national broadcast media such as CBS, Fox Television Network, Cable News Network, CNBC, PBS, and National Public Radio. In addition, he's been quoted in the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, USA Today, Reader's Digest, BusinessWeek, Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and many other publications.

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