Are kids today given too much homework?

Homework is rediculas, how can someone justify sending so much home with the children. My son spends and hour and a half on the bus every morning to get to school, then another 6 hours at school, supposedly learning, then another hour and a half to return home. He gets up at 6am gets home at 6pm. When he returns home, he assists with feeding farm animals and doing other farm chores, by this time its 7.30pm. When were finished we make dinner together or I make it and he sits and does homework, we eat, he has a shower, then we sit and do more homework until 11pm-1amm when he nearly passes out from exhaustion. His school bag is full of paintings and drawings each afternoon, why? What did he do at school all day? It makes me wonder if some teachers actually teach or are there to babysit, then they send homework home for the parents to not only spend time with them, but to actually do the teachers job, by teaching the child. I refuse to allow my son to do homework, he goes to school to learn educational matters, his homelife is for family and learning about life, not sitting and doing more education at the parents expense. I have a farm to run, I also work full-time away from my home, Im a single parent trying to get somewhere in life. Its very exhausting. I think some teachers need to realise how hard it is for some parents and re-evaluate the amount of work they do send home. A reading book for the child to read each night in bed before they go to sleep, is a great idea, as long as its one the child can manage without needing the parents help. As much as I want to help my son learn, sometimes I do not have the time, Im too exhausted myself. In my house my day can start between 3am and 5.30am and doesnt finish until 1am, I need a break and am so glad I finally have my annual holidays (4 weeks off)

Granted my daughter is only 4 and doesn't have much homework but she can't seem to get enough. She is on 2nd grade workbooks. They don't give her enough to do at home so I have to supplement with workbooks from the teaching store. I suppose it depends on each child. Would you rather have a child more challenged academically at home or spending two hours watching t.v. and playing video games?