Homework Hassles

Satchel's (and my) enthusiasm for homework has steadily been declining. If I don't remind him (which is a nice way of saying NAG), it doesn't get done. Also, I've found that there are some things (like putting away the laundry) that I just prefer to do myself. He's pretty good about taking out the trash and recycling, but that doesn't add up to 35 things a week!

And frankly, even with my prodding, we rarely make it to 35. Satchel told me that the older boys (who can spell) just make up stuff on their calendars. I told him I'd rather be honest about coming up short than make stuff up. (I remember quite vividly tricking my mom into signing off on way more books than I ever actually read in First Grade...mostly due to the fact that my First Grade teacher rewarded us with toys!) So some days he does five things, some days he does one.

The calendar where I was tracking his homework is actually where he is supposed to be tracking it. Meaning he has to fill in the 35 (or however many there are) blanks all by himself...which really isn't possible. I either have to spell out loud (or correct his spelling) of each item as he does it or write them down for him to copy at the end of the week.

Yesterday I copied down all of his items from the previous week in a pseudo calendar format for him to copy directly into his calendar. From his complaining, you would have thought that I asked him to copy the Declaration of Independence! His hand hurt, his stomach hurt, he had a headache, my writing was sloppy, I didn't dot my i's...could I please do it for him...on and on he went. At one point he was lying under the coffee table moaning.

It took him over an hour to finish and he spent at least 45 minutes of that hour driving me insane! I was this close to screaming, I Wanna be Sedated! Don't even get me started on his book report...