I would write their essays, speeches and poems. And cover their books. Because they are boys and I enjoy it and because I don’t really believe it makes much of a difference. Neither of them are planning on becoming academics, nor will they major in English.
It irritates their girlfriends, and my friends with daughters always shake their heads. But my friends with boys just smile. Moms with daughters are less likely to help out with homework because I suppose but daughters are encouraged to just get on with it, while boys are molly coddled by the women, forever and ever, amen.
My kids have full, active lives filled with sport and overwhelming amounts of homework. Besides, I realised early on that teachers either realise that the child did not write the essay, but choose to say nothing, or they don’t realise at all. And after fourteen years, I am leaning towards the latter. Which borders on the criminally inattentive to my mind.
My eldest took art up to his final year. Because of the sheer workload in grades 9 – 10, I aided and abetted throughout. He did the practical work and I did the theoretical, both which were vast. I would sit with him to hammer out concepts, then write the stories to suit. Or I would spend time in the garage while he was fabricating, make notes of every single little detail before writing the rationale, relation factors, essays and everything else that went with it. We generally got good marks. I always ask for my marks.
I read to them from when they were born until they became too grown-up for it. Yet, neither of them read. It used to sadden me but I have since realised it is not the end of the world. But unfortunately it affects their comprehension as well as reading speed.
I am more interested in well-rounded children who participate in sport, do their homework and have active social lives, than I am in distinctions. I try not to add to the already pressurised lives they live by pushing too hard for A’s.
I think, generally, that Dads push sons and Moms push daughters. And both are okay.
thornblanket 
January 27th, 2012 at 6:00 pm
So let me get this straight… you decide to do your children’s essays because their teacher’s won’t notice anyways, and you enjoy doing them? If this is the case, what will your children think about this? Will they grow up to be honest citizens if they see that they can get away with this? Just asking.
January 27th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Lol Neil, my children are grown-up already, and they are honest, hard-working men. They think their mommy loved them enough to help them when they were snowed-under. I don’t know if you have had children in high school yet, and if you have any idea how much work they get. But if I had committed an offense, and my conscience accuses me, I will be the first to apologise to them.