Tuesday, February 19, 2008

how do i get thee to do homework? let me count the ways...

Me looking on the bright side: My daughter, when avoiding homework, comes up with all kinds of delightfully interesting and whimsical things to discuss & do - Blueberry tea is really yummy! How do people get to the other memorials around the Arizona? I'm going to use my Little Mermaid straw with the tea. I need to change my shirt. After I finish writing, I'll see if Sniffers' cage fits on my shelf. I bet Sniffers will reallylove climbing up to his food! Wow, Rocky's really thirsty. Sometimes 'favorite' is spelled 'f-a-v-o-U-r-i-t-e, you know. I need to sharpen my pencil. Wait, I'll use this pencil instead...

I know from Love & Logic that this is not my problem to worry about. That I should let the natural consequence be that her homework is not complete when it's time for bedtime stories (in two hours); she will then be sad yet learn from her mistake of spending 55 minutes wandering in the desert of EVERYTHING BUT HOMEWORK. However, when she tries to engage me in conversation I feel compelled to at least explain why I will not engage (which, I realize as I type that, is insane). So I find myself asking "Have you finished your homework yet?" thirty-seven different ways until my head is ready to explode.

And that wouldn't be pretty. Ryan would never kiss me then...