How to do homework.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-16-2004
How to do homework.
11
Tue, 02-14-2006 - 1:05am

Lessons from my fourteen yr old.

7-7:15 Gather homework materials. (Make sure during this time you get sidetrack at least twice.)

7:15-8 Explain to parent why you forgot certain parts of homework at school. (There has got to be much mumbling done during this. And God forbid, do not make eye contact.)

8-8:15 Look for pencil.

8:16 Learn how to dodge a pencil flying at you at 40 mph. (This is the pencil your Mom got up and grabbed from the counter you walked by at least five times.)

8:17-8:30 Do homework.

8:30-8:45 At this time you need a bathroom break. We all know you have been working for at least 13 minutes.

8:46 Learn how to decipher Mom's calm reassuring voice from her "If you don't get out here and do homework I will make your life a living hell." voice.

8:47-9:15 Finally get some work done.

9:16 Realize you have been working for almost a half hour and need a sandwich. Get up to make one as quiet as possible as not to disturb the Mom. (Mom is not stupid and knows exactly what you are doing.)

9:30 Recieve encouragement from Mom in form of threats.

9:31-10 Get some actual work done. (Mom is now doing crosswords right next to you and her eyes are glowing red.)

10pm Get ready for bed while explaining to your parents why you can get the rest done at school.

10:10 Feel absolutly exhausted. (Oh wait that's me, Mom)

I make jokes but really I miss my 11yr old sweetheart who just did his work without being asked. :(

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-06-2005
Tue, 02-14-2006 - 2:21am

laughing so hard............ my ds )w/ adhd to a tee)

try some of my tricks.

study by osmosis- rub book vigoriously on childs head, hoping something soaks in....

random verbal reminders- scream childs name at top of lungs, when you happen to be in different room, just so they know YOU know their brain is wAndering ( it always is , so scream anytime.)

have box ( pens, pencils,ruler, spare crayons, LOTS of erasers, spare toothbrush, tweezers, nail clippers, EVERYTHING they might need or want during homework time)

this is old problem for us once ds got on medicine, school work became a non issue, but chores still need 18 reminders , ten trips to FINISH cleaning the kitchen, 12 times to get his clothes from dryer, and 37 times of "leave your brother(s)(sister, dog) alone and go to YOUR room", at bedtime.

He has soft spot for animals, he NEVER forgets to feed dogs, or take care of his rabbit.(anything helpless) Today, I was ready to choke hom by the time we got to walmart, and when he got out of van he saw a lady , loading her baby in her car, and he says, " can I take care of your cart for you?" THe obvoiusly tired mom, beamed a BIG smile , and said yes thank you so MUCH.............. (my heart swelled a little, and he gets to live another day..........)

hang on to the sweet momments mom.... I had teacher call me to tell me he did NOT have pencil in class - 4 hours into school day LOL , GIVE HIM ONE!

k-

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
Tue, 02-14-2006 - 3:50am
you mean your kid actually has SOME Of the assignments??? my son went thru school claiming that he (a) didn't have homework because the teacher didn't give any (and the truth is that in soe of his schools they actually didnt' give ANY HW), or (b) he 'did in school during recess'....
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-18-2005
Tue, 02-14-2006 - 7:02am

One more from my DD:

Get online to see if anyone is "on" so you can IM and ask them for the homework. If no one is online, explain to mother why you can't do homework if you don't know the assignment. Call on the phone to get it? OMG, what century do you live in Mom, no one calls on the phone!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-16-2004
Tue, 02-14-2006 - 1:50pm

It has gotten so bad that one of his teachers has my son email us during resource(study hall) all his assignments. We are in constant communication with his teachers. My son is the exact oppisite with chores, he actually does them. My animals would die without me but my vaccuuming will be done. LOL. Considering it is easier to do the animals.

This has been a trying age for me and now another one will be leaving grade school next year. :( And it all starts again. I like toddlers, oh no wait babies when they can only say like two words and have no idea what talking back means. LOL.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2003
Tue, 02-14-2006 - 5:02pm

LOL! You forgot to add in 'thinking' time!

Stare off into space for at least 16 minutes while sucking or chewing on pencil and twirling ends of hair around finger. Alternate with fingernail inspection to really get the brain cells working.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-22-2003
Tue, 02-14-2006 - 9:26pm

OK..I'm new to this board but feel better already!

 

 

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket<

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-16-2004
Tue, 02-14-2006 - 10:19pm

oh I did forget thinking and pencil twirling time...lmao.

No it's not just your kids. See after your child turns 10 or 11 they actually lose brain activity that controls impulse and rational decision making skills. This continues to decline until they think they know it all. (Don't ask for the science in that, I am not sure.) They will of course continue to know it all until they have kids and realize they really knew nothing, and that is when we will be Grandparents and can get revenge. (Insert evil laugh here.)

I have big Grandparent plans, oh yes big. I will make sure after one visit at my house they will chew not only with their mouths open but also with large chunks occasionally flying from their mouths. They will learn how to write their names all over their parents walls and also learn how to blame it on the dog. I will instruct them on the fine art of fighting louder and longer with their brothers and sisters.(Yes this will include the all to famous invisible line crossing while driving down the road.)

My kids will call me and ask me what I did and like my own mother, I will of course play stupid. "I have no idea why they are acting like crack addicts on the 2nd day of rehab." And the famous, "I don't know, they were good at my house, we just sat around eating m&m's all day watching movies, while drinking soda and scooping sugar right out of the canister. Maybe it's something at your house."

In conclusion I have learned that my teen cannot form whole sentences without mumbling. Has an excuse for everything and is convinced I know nothing. I also have learned that until all my kids hopefully graduates from college or has their life in full swing, I will be stressed, diappointed, mad, happy, proud, confused and loved all at the same time. I love being a Mom even with all my complaining.

Avatar for momtb4
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 12:32am

OMG, I'm laughing SO hard, SO much truth being told....

You know, when I was in jr high (because that's what it was called back then, in the stone ages, before middle school....) I had a friend named Angela (why do I remember her name more than 25 years later?) who was of Asian ethnicity. She got really great grades, always seemed to know what was going on in class, knew the answers when called on. I thought she was just brilliant, the smartest girl I knew. I asked her once if we could play together after school. That was when I learned her secret to success. She didn't play after school until all her homework was done and checked by her parents. When she got home, she sat AT THE TABLE and did her home work, all of it, even the stuff she forgot, because she was required to bring home all of her books, so she never forgot. Her mother buzzed around her, helping her when needed, making dinner the rest of the time. Homework came first and her parents were both very interested in what was going on at school. When her dad got home from work, she was required to be finished with her home work and be able to present it to him. When I learned this about Angela, I was hideously jealous! Um, I'm still jealous! All these years later, I remember how much her parents cared about her home work, her school work, her grades. They pushed her to the be the best she could be. I wanted that from my own parents. Now, I'm trying to figure out how to integrate that for my kids. As a kid, my parents numbly asked shortly before bedtime if we had homework. They didn't teach study skills, they didn't have a set homework time, they didn't check the work and after elementary school, didn't go to teacher conferences. I wanted my parents to care more than that!

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-16-2004
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 12:48am

Parents make a huge difference. When I was growing up it was much the same way as you. My Mom would briefly ask about homework and take my word for it that it was done. After everything that has happened over the last two years I feel I have made a good effort to not be like that. The teachers are constantly telling my husband and me how lucky are 14 yr old is to have us. I hope that is true. My son at this point doesn't realize that I only want what is best. I want him to achieve and be happy with his future life. To him it is so far away he cannot even fathom what all this means. He day dreams and makes up ideas on what life will be, but in reality he has no idea.

We all need to make a difference. Homework is very important to me as is school. I think that if we all give our kids that fantastic start in life, to be educated, we are doing them the best deed yet.

When all this started happening I got advice like "let him fail" and "he will grow out of it" this didn't do it for me. I got really involved this last year and now my son's grades are up and he seems happier, even through all his mumbling. Today he told me he was really proud of himself, I told him he should be. And he should.

I love my kids and will do anything to make sure they make it through. I hope it all pays off in the end and I do get those lovely grandchildren and kids that have happy lives.

We never know we only hope and encourage.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-15-2006
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 1:23pm
That sounds exactly like my 13 year old DD (Im new, does DD mean daughter?). I guess they all do that.

Pages