Neighbours have asked my partner to take their class 2 children for a homework hour. Good idea?

breezy_lantern_71821 Jun 2026

My partner is on a planned career break this year and has been sitting with our daughter for her homework after school. Two families in our building noticed, and now they've asked whether their children could join. A small fee, one hour on weekdays. My partner is keen. I'm less sure. I can see it working well for a month and then turning into a daily obligation that's hard to step back from, especially if the break ends sooner than planned. If you have run or used this kind of informal homework group, what did an ordinary week look like? How many children, what hours, and how did it end?

2 comments

pebble_puzzle_865221 Jun 2026
A colleague's spouse ran something similar from their flat for three years. What made it workable was writing the terms down at the start: fixed days, a fixed end time, a month's notice either way, and no extra sessions before exams. Families who wanted more than that went elsewhere, which was fine. The part they had not planned for was the children's friendships. When one child stopped coming, it became awkward at the building level. That is worth thinking through before you begin.
- breezy_lantern_71821 Jun 2026
  The written notice period is a good idea, thank you. The friendship point hadn't occurred to either of us. Our daughter is close to one of the two children, so that would matter.
ivory_lantern_289721 Jun 2026
Keep it to three or four children at most. With class 2 the hour is mostly sitting beside each child while they write, and more than four means someone is always waiting. Also decide upfront whether your partner checks homework or teaches it. Once parents are paying, they tend to expect the second.