Mom Emails Son's Teacher to Opt Him Out of Homework After He Comes Home with Packet: 'We Are Done'

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock photos of young students.Photo: Laurence Mouton/Getty Images

For one mom, kindergarten homework was just not working.

In a now-viralTikTok, Arizona-based mom of three, Cayley (known as cayleyxo on social media), explains why she emailed her son’s kindergarten teacher at his charter school to opt out of homework assignments. In the video, she describes how her son received a 15- to 20-page, double-sided August homework packet on the first day of school, which stressed him out.

“I sent my son’s kindergarten teacher a cutesy little email saying, ‘I’m sorry. Based on the stress, mental, physical anxiety it’s causing my kid, we are done,’ " the mom explains in the TikTok.

She adds that the email came after she and her son tried to work on the homework packet together. On Aug. 26, she had him sit down quietly during breakfast and work on finishing at least one or two pages of the packet because he was behind.

During that moment, Cayley says they both started crying.

“It was an emotional mess. I felt so guilty dropping him off at school,” she says. “He didn’t want to be there. For the last two weeks, he told me he doesn’t even like school and doesn’t want to be there anymore, which hurts my mama heart because you’re 5. The only thing you should be worrying about is learning and what time snack time is.”

“Work to live, we don’t live to work,” she adds, explaining how she wants her kids to love school.

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Stock image of a kindergarten student.d3sign / Getty Images

d3sign / Getty Images

Stock photos of young students.Laurence Mouton/Getty Images

“I’m a substitute teacher, and homework is SO outdated and unnecessary! Most teachers at the district I work for have made it a thing of the past, but some are still hanging on. Good for you, though!” another teacher replied.

Other parents also chimed into the conversation, one adding: “My kids get SO much homework. They’re GRADED on it too, starting in 1st grade public school! The pressure on these kids is insane.”

“We had kinder orientation tonight and my son’s teacher said “homework! It’s kindergarten, I’m not giving homework. Just read with them.” And I thought “good because we ain’t gonna do it” 😂,” another parent said.

Stock photo of children at school.CaiaIamge/Robert Daly via Getty Image

On Sept. 7, Cayley posted a follow-up video to theTikTok, revealing that after emailing, the teacher reduced the homework to one page. She also included more interactive assignments like keeping a reading log and practicing sight words.

“I told her I would be up for meeting in the middle and working as a team because that is what we’re here for — the benefit of our children,” Cayley says in the video. “This is your sign to maybe say something to your teacher, nicely and politely, if something doesn’t sit right with you at their school.”

source: people.com