Friday, November 30, 2007

children who won't do homework

don't get birthday parties!

let me tell you the saga of #2 son. i got a phone call from his teacher yesterday. she asked if i was aware that he didn't have his homework to turn in nearly every day. i said, but he does it! we've gone to extreme measures to help him stop "forgetting" to bring it home. every night i look at his assignments, sign the page, and he does work on his homework.apparently, that doesn't mean he finishes it. he picks and chooses what he wants to do. when i ask if he is 100% finished and ready for school the next day, he always says yes. but apparently, he isn't. he does what he wants to, and then quits. doesn't turn the work in.

the problem is the child is so damn smart. i was the same way, and stubborn like him to boot. he's bored out of his mind doing the busywork that homework means when you've already learned what you are supposed to learn.

however. he's been lying to me every day, and his teacher is about to pull her hair out. he's IN the "AG" program for academically gifted kids. today i told him if he would just DO the damn homework, they'd have put him up in the HAG program (highly academically gifted), where he would go to a special school and could fly if he wanted. the program is there in the public schools!

i took away his computer privileges for a month, his gameboy indefinitely, and his tv privileges for a WEEK. and i told him his birthday party was suspended, would only be reinstated IF he got 100% homework for two weeks (his birthday is 12/21).

what do you do with a child who is bored with the program but can't qualify for the better program (to fit him) without doing the busywork? pull your hair out, i guess! i'm going to get his teacher a NICE gift for all she does!

4 comments:

Alana said...

stop bragging about your genious kids already (wink wink)
Mine can't even read yet and 1st grade is almost over. School is overrated. Yeah. I am in a pissy mood..why do you ask??
PS thanks for getting me cheez doodles and mailing them..what do I owe you!!??

MamaBear said...

oh, i sent an email; $28, bion. yuk.

tyler learned to read at age 4 and it couldn't be soon enough for him. (THIS is bragging about my genius kid - which, by the way, was misspelled in your post. :p ) but they teach reading in K here. which he insisted on starting at age 4.

Alana said...

I will send you a check.. I never got an email.. and so what if I cant spell..you big old genius kid having spelling snob.(I really CAN spell, it is the typing that messes me up)

MamaBear said...

do i have your email correct? send me one so i can triple-check.