Have you ever heard of needing a vacation to recover from the vacation? I loved traveling through Hawaii and think the Big Island could become one of my favorite places on earth. I don't think I am finished with it yet, especially since a box of Mr. Ed's Bakery jam came in the mail this morning. However, I am still tired.
The problem with travel is that your life is waiting for you when you return. The established routines are a blessing and a curse. Unfortunately, we had an overnight flight, and once in Calgary, the snowstorms delayed us badly. In addition, Westjet had caused a bit of consternation as they kept trying to seat the girls and myself in exit rows. Nine boarding passes later and a few irate gentlemen who were thinking that I was being unreasonable (did they really want to supervise the girls after they had been traveling for over 24 hours?), we arrived home after 8:00 p.m. Might I mention that I hadn't slept at all since the day before. I scrambled to get sorted and then Tuesday's schedule hit with a vengence. I was feeling dead tired by the time that finished only to be hit with Wednesday and then Thursday.... Friday was better with playdates and fun after school but I was so grateful to have my bed, my pillow and no alarm clock for Saturday morning.
There is something blissfully satisfying when you wake up on a weekend, after being as tired as I was, to sunlight blinking through the curtains and quiet in the house. The girls were settled into the TV downstairs as I could hear it through the vent. I snuggled back in after a glance at the clock told me it was 10:30. And the next time I looked, it was noon. I really slept that long? Wow. I feel so much better and I was so impressed at how delightful the girls were. They could have woken me up for breakfast, but they sorted themselves out. They could have made an unholy racket, but they watched TV instead.
This Saturday makes up for the week. I no longer feel like I need a vacation from my life. I wish that I didn't have to move my clock foward in the morning. The freewheeling homecoming continues. Got a nice island not doing anything? I'd be interested!
Showing posts with label Homework. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homework. Show all posts
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Friday, January 21, 2011
Homework
You know, the thing about graduation day that most kids look forward to is no more homework. There is no more opening of books because you have to. From there on in, it is by choice that you open a book, study, read and learn more. If you want to play math games, you do so because this is something that you feel like doing and knowing more about. Same with science. On graduation day, your legal obligation and moral obligations to the system, government and your family are done. If you want more education, you pay for it and therefore, I would say that you are choosing to do it.
No one gave me any inkling that by having children of my own that I would once again have to be involved in the homework process. The readings and advisory postings tell you all sorts of things about feeding, parenting, nuturing and caring for infants, toddlers and youth. They tell you to be prepared to be up all night, teething and beware of crawling, walking and baby proofing. You have to be on tap when they are sick, cuddle them when they are sad and in general bring them up as best you can with the tools and resources at your disposal.
However, after six years, they hit that thing we like to call school full tilt. There is learning work that consists of reading, writing, math, spelling, science, music and movement. The list goes on. The teachers are there and provide all sorts of opportunities for their students. What I really struggle with is that they send the work home. They call it homework and fully expect the students to do it.
I wonder how many parents do the work for the students in the middle of the night last minute because they did not have the time or energy to do it earlier. So far, the children have been doing the same sheet of homework for 2.5 hours. This was supposed to be a playdate and be fun. Instead, the paper and pencils loom heavy on them and me. For there is the inevitable complaining, confusion and not fairness of the situation. It is not fair that they have to do their homework first. It is not fair that they cannot eat lunch and do homework at the same time. It is not fair that the youngest one is not doing homework. All I can say is that her time will come. It would be so much easier to just tell them the answers.
So, it would appear that despite having graduated from Grade school, I have to do it all over again. The headaches and frustrations so far appear to be similar. And I would have 12 more years to go. Honestly, children should come with the fine print ahead of time. I love them very much but their homework: not so much.
Be advised. You have 12 years of homework for each child. You will be back in school, in the principals office, and have to have teacher meetings. You are required to pay attention and be able to complete projects to deadlines. You are not required to do the special events, but the peer pressure is there. All I can say, it is a good thing that I was an adequate student as once again I am learning about addition, subtraction and number sentences.
No one gave me any inkling that by having children of my own that I would once again have to be involved in the homework process. The readings and advisory postings tell you all sorts of things about feeding, parenting, nuturing and caring for infants, toddlers and youth. They tell you to be prepared to be up all night, teething and beware of crawling, walking and baby proofing. You have to be on tap when they are sick, cuddle them when they are sad and in general bring them up as best you can with the tools and resources at your disposal.
However, after six years, they hit that thing we like to call school full tilt. There is learning work that consists of reading, writing, math, spelling, science, music and movement. The list goes on. The teachers are there and provide all sorts of opportunities for their students. What I really struggle with is that they send the work home. They call it homework and fully expect the students to do it.
I wonder how many parents do the work for the students in the middle of the night last minute because they did not have the time or energy to do it earlier. So far, the children have been doing the same sheet of homework for 2.5 hours. This was supposed to be a playdate and be fun. Instead, the paper and pencils loom heavy on them and me. For there is the inevitable complaining, confusion and not fairness of the situation. It is not fair that they have to do their homework first. It is not fair that they cannot eat lunch and do homework at the same time. It is not fair that the youngest one is not doing homework. All I can say is that her time will come. It would be so much easier to just tell them the answers.
So, it would appear that despite having graduated from Grade school, I have to do it all over again. The headaches and frustrations so far appear to be similar. And I would have 12 more years to go. Honestly, children should come with the fine print ahead of time. I love them very much but their homework: not so much.
Be advised. You have 12 years of homework for each child. You will be back in school, in the principals office, and have to have teacher meetings. You are required to pay attention and be able to complete projects to deadlines. You are not required to do the special events, but the peer pressure is there. All I can say, it is a good thing that I was an adequate student as once again I am learning about addition, subtraction and number sentences.
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