So, remember those other kids I have? Yeah.
Z. is in the third grade. We are not even two full weeks into the school year, and already she has forgotten her homework approximately eleven times.
Yesterday, the girls came home and I said, "Planners, girls, let me see your planners." S. handed hers over. Z. reached into her bag and said, "Oh, I forgot my planner, but I know what my homework is."
I gave her a look, and she shrugged her shoulders. "I have to do this book report," she said. "And it has to be in ballpoint pen." (WHAT????)
"When is it due?"
"When I get it done."
"No. When is it due?"
"I'll show you the paper." She reached into her bag and said, "Oh. I forgot the paper."
"Just do your Hebrew homework," I said, shoving the binder at her.
"No! I need to do my Chumash first. Where did you put my Chumash folder?"
I stared at her. "I didn't TOUCH your Chumash folder. I guess you didn't bring that home either."
"But I know I put it in my backpack," she said, and that, my friends, that was the last straw. Because that is the excuse we hear DAY AFTER DAY. She ALWAYS puts it in her backpack, and the evil backpack fairies take it out and hide it. In her locker.
There was some yelling, followed by some crying. The crying soon devolved into hysterics. I found her on her bed, sobbing that she wanted to be homeschooled. I told her, "Look, Z. no one is going to yell at you, but you are in the third grade, and you need to deal with the consequences here. You will need to tell Rabbi K. tomorrow why you didn't do your homework. I'm fairly certain he won't draw a gun and shoot you."
This did not reassure her, and she continued to lie in her bed, sobbing, for quite some time. Apparently she did not plan to do the homework she did bring home, although I made it perfectly clear that even if she were vomiting actual BONES this morning, she would have to go to school.
After a while, she calmed herself, came downstairs, and made it through the homework she had brought with her. And then this morning, when she got in the car, she forgot her backpack. (Mr. WG caught it in time and saved her.)
This job is so freaking hard, and I have a feeling my performance review is not going to set me up for a promotion. Although, really, what do you get promoted to from Mother? God?
Thursday, August 30, 2007
I guess it can't all be good news.
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7 comments:
LOL! Promotion from Mother to God is absolutely hysterical!
I always figured the review and promotion would come when our kids finally moved out on their own. One day, you'll be promoted to Grandmother, but hopefully that won't be too soon.
Wow... my son's been a little forgetful this year... he'll bring his homework home and do it, but he doesn't turn it in. That makes NO sense in my mind. I've raised my voice with him, and made it clear that he'd be grounded for a week if he did that again. I just don't get it!
Ah, kids. :)
I figure I'll never get a promotion from Mother, because the job is so freaking hard, I never ever do it well enough.
De-lurking to say... the promotion line... Best line ever.
Maybe she needs a different kind of folder, like an accordian folder. My kids who go to day school used accordian folders, with each folder for a different subjuect. It seemed to work quite well. Our school also uses an online homework system, so... if you forget your folder, your homework is still posted online. But... third grade, you would hope that the teachers are helping their students to be as organzed as possible. Again, our school is so devoted to the art of organization! The teachers are really helpful with getting the kids on track.
Good luck
Andrea, I have to say that when I wrote that line, I felt a certain amount of pride. It felt like a good line.
Blu, yeah, seriously, what's up with that? Why do it and then NOT give it in?
MPJ, I hear you.
JK, thank you. :-)
Dana, we've got the online system, but it doesn't help me to know what the homework is if the sheets are at school. Also, not all the teachers bother to post, which makes me NUTS. I LOVE accordion folders and have dozens, but I don't think it would help her. The folders are set by the teachers (we get supply lists, down to the COLOR of the folders and the material they are made of), and I think she needs to learn to bring the right ones home. Or just to bring home EVERYTHING in her locker EVERY DAY.
I was a kid who (in spite of genuine attempts to remember) perpetually forgot to bring home homework, or did my homework but forgot to turn it in, or couldn't find the completed homework to turn it in, and so on...
At a pretty young age, I started just bringing everything home every night, and continued to do so through the end of high school. It was less stressful that way (plus I developed strong shoulder and back muscles). :)
As an adult, I have a doctorate, a meaningful job I enjoy, and lots of responsibility, but still struggle to manage the part of my brain that is perpetually forgetful in spite of good intentions. A couple years ago, out of a frustration similar to the homework frustration from childhood, I started parking in the same far-away spot at work every day because I got really sick of having no idea where my car was at the end of a work day. A long walk to "my spot" in the parking lot the end of the day is far less stressful than wandering around for 20 minutes hoping coworkers aren't noticing I lost my car *again*.
Some kids need more support than others in others in finding a system that will allow them to get their school work shuttled around and done in a timely manner (and some adults need more cues than others to remember where they parked :) ). From a former forgetful kid--pretty please be patient and respectful with your kiddos as you help them work out the bumps! It really is harder for some kids than it is for others.
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