Do you do your kids school work for them?

We are already thinking about Christmas here. With six kids to buy for, and our budget strained so badly right now, we're trying to figure out how to get a few things for each child that they really want, as opposed to junk they won't use for very long.

Last year, I wanted to find a small laptop for my stepdaughter who is now a junior in high school. We couldn't afford it then and we can't afford it now. I figured for typing reports, it would come in handy. Since finding that her mother types all her reports for when she's at work (how is this teaching her how to do this for college?), she doesn't need one anyway. Since we can't even afford a toy laptop, guess it doesn't matter now.

My 7th grade daughter types her own reports. I thought as a parent we were supposed to teach our kids to do for themselves, to be self-sufficient.