I set my five and six year olds kids extra homework and fine them for bad behaviour – I don’t care if trolls say I’m a mean mother

A mother-of-three has revealed her controversial parental quirks, saying she doesn’t care if ‘lazy parents’ don’t like them.

Rosie Graham, 29, from Bedfordshire, gives her children extra homework because she doesn’t feel she can trust schools to provide them with a full education.

The parent insists the extra workload is doing wonders for her three children, six-year-old Hunter, five-year-old Dakota and two-year-old Saint.

This includes doing worksheets on the weekends, as well as learning different life skills, such as helping around the house.

The busy mom isn’t afraid to punish her children if they haven’t followed her rules, claiming she’s preparing them for the real world where actions have consequences.

Rosie said: ‘I don’t just rely on the school system to educate my children because teachers are under so much pressure to teach well with a mountain of paperwork.

“They don’t have time to work one-on-one with kids and give my kids undivided attention when it comes to teaching.

‘The British school system is under-resourced and it is unfair to expect teachers to teach an entire class with different needs to an exceptional standard.

‘I see the school system as a support for my children’s education, it is a luxury that so many people around the world do not have access to education.

“A teacher’s job is not to raise our children; it’s our job. My children’s school has fantastic teachers, but that doesn’t mean it has to be solely up to them.

‘As a parent it is my responsibility to ensure that my children receive an education, the school system is a luxurious bonus.

‘Every weekend we do maths, English and science, in the form of worksheets, experiments and everyday life.

‘Sint also does extra activities to practice his fine motor skills, flash cards and educational games.

‘I also teach them life skills, cooking, cleaning and survival skills such as making shelters, staying safe in water and identifying plants.’

Rosie, who shares her insights on TikTok account @liferaisingthreealso has strict meal and bedtimes that her children follow.

She said: ‘Children between these ages need between 10 and 14 hours of sleep a night.

‘When they sleep, their heart rate and blood pressure drop, allowing their heart to recover and rest.

‘Children need sufficient sleep for good development, especially for brain development.

‘I’m often told they go to sleep too early – between 6.30am and 6.30am – but they fall asleep within a few minutes and sleep 12 hours a night.

“I don’t care if Jane down the road lets her kids stay up until 10 p.m. because she can’t be bothered to sort out a bedtime routine.”

‘It doesn’t affect me. I’ve been doing this routine with my kids for years, so it’s normal for them.”

Before putting the children to bed, Rosie makes sure they eat, play and relax together, take a bath and read them a bedtime story.

The busy mom makes sure to cook dinner before her kids get back from school, to avoid burdening them with snacks that would leave them without dinner later.

‘It doesn’t make sense for me to give them a snack when they come in and tell them they’re full and won’t eat.

‘Currently there are no exceptions to this; after-school clubs take place from 4.30pm so they eat before they leave’.

Rosie, who also doesn’t allow her children to sleep over with anyone other than an immediate family member, is also cautious about too much screen time and emphasizes outdoor play.

She explained, “I’m not trying to raise kids who live their lives through a screen. As long as you have the right clothes and shoes, there’s no reason why kids can’t explore outside in all weather conditions.

‘It encourages them to use their imagination, social skills and teamwork and improves their physical health.

‘My children like to be outside and are only allowed to use their tablets at the weekend. We don’t use technology during the week and we get to spend good quality time together.

‘They don’t spend their time indoors on consoles, we are outside together and enjoying nature.

“They also get up early, so we get to spend two to three hours together before school.”

Rosie also chooses to pay her children pocket money, which she says helps teach discipline and budgeting skills.

She said: “The children get £8 pocket money a week.

‘They should save £3 from it and get £5 to spend on the weekend if they have been respectful and done things like making their beds during the week.

‘If they don’t, they will get a £1 discount for every time they have been disrespectful to us or each other.

‘It is important that this consequence is introduced, otherwise they will not learn cause and effect.

“They will grow up thinking that it is okay to act disrespectfully because there will be no consequences and that doesn’t happen in the real world.

“My family and friends know I’m a self-confessed control freak, so they’re used to it.”

She said she has been criticized online for the way she is raising her children.

Rosie said: ‘I often get comments online about ‘poor kids’, ‘they’re not having fun’ and ‘when do you spend time with them?’

‘But these are often comments from lazy parents who lack the discipline to implement and maintain such a routine. I often receive hateful and insulting comments on my social media.

“But if that’s what it takes to raise respectful, intelligent, resilient, kind and caring children, then that’s fine with me.”