Nine-year-old Arieanna Shaughnessy and her mom say she is buried under a heavy homework load.Mark van Manen Bev Shaughnessy says she and her daughter are being eaten alive by the homework monster.

The myth of boundless, unbearable homework assignments seems to be boundless in itself. Fueled by anecdotes and spread by journalistic sensationalism, the homework monster has become entrenched ...

What can and should you do to ease the homework burden? Obviously, you shouldn't do the homework for your child, or give them the answers even though they might ask. But here are some concrete tips ...