TerryJ2
Well-Known Member
Yesterday, I raced home from visiting my cousin, P, at assisted living, to beat difficult child home b4 he got online. Too late. So I had to get his attention to go over his homework with-him. Homework first, then computer.
The kids got their interim reports yesterday. He got an A in English, B in math and C in social studies. No grade in Spanish or tech ed, as those are pass/fail.
The teachers highlighted missing assignments and checked off details like, "Talks too much in class." Which difficult child does.
I spoke to difficult child about it and then noticed that he had 3 missing assignments, which could have brought up his grades. Not to mention that the rule in our house is that you do the assignment no matter what, no matter how late, even if you don't get credit.
I printed the math assignment off of the computer and gave it to him and he flipped out. He refused to do it because he thought he'd already done it ... even though it wasn't in his composition book. His voice started to rise and b4 Iknew it, he was in a full-blown rage. He said some very interesting things. "I know I'm the boy who cried wolf, but you've got to trust me this time." And "Why are you getting on my case about doing more work instead of congratulating me for getting good grades and starting out the year strong?" (Good point, but I was just going over his homework and he was the one who turned it into a battle.)
His Spanish teacher is problematic, to say the least. We got a call Sun night about missing homework and behavior issues with-difficult child. Her English is so bad and her accent is so heavy, that I had a hard time understanding her on the phone. In the midst of difficult child's rant, he throws in a story about how a student, J, also got a call, and her dad is in the military. He literally marched into the middle of class, made her stand in front, "Front and center," and apologize for talking, swearing, using foul language, being disrepectful, you name it. "She's a straight-A student and never talks at all during class!" difficult child shouted.
I said, well, her dad is military, and often, they are authoritative, and she had to obey him even if he was wrong. That's what I mean by having you do your math over again even though it's already done. Not to mention, it's good practice. And might teach you to remember to put all of your math assignments in the composition notebook."
I filed away that tidbit about the girl and her father, and in the meantime, difficult child kept shouting, merciless and perseverant.
Long story short, I ended up in tears but remembered to turn off the Internet. I locked myself in the guest bedroom and cried myself to sleep at 5:00.
By 7:30, husband was home, and I woke up feeling a million times better, and whipped up spinach, baked red potatoes (actually I put those in the oven b4 going to bed) and pistachio crusted tilapia.
difficult child had done all of his math homework and had taken out the dogs, and brought them back in again.
So all was well by the time we went to bed.
But boy, am I exhausted! What a battle just to fill in some missing homework! (He sassed me, by the way, and said, "You do know the only reason I did the math, don't you?"
"Yes, to get me to turn the Internet back on."
"Right.")
I am off to MN to help take care of my Dad, who has Alzheimer's and who had a close call 2 wks ago (unresponsive, taken to ER, given fluids and 2 pts of blood and good to go ... until next time). I have to say, in all honesty, I will not miss difficult child and I really, really need to get away. I'm wondering if seeing my Dad unresponsive and having to make a life-and-death decision will be easier than dealing with-difficult child. Or maybe, Dad will be fine and sleep most of the day and I can sit right next to him and read and sleep, too.)
The kids got their interim reports yesterday. He got an A in English, B in math and C in social studies. No grade in Spanish or tech ed, as those are pass/fail.
The teachers highlighted missing assignments and checked off details like, "Talks too much in class." Which difficult child does.
I spoke to difficult child about it and then noticed that he had 3 missing assignments, which could have brought up his grades. Not to mention that the rule in our house is that you do the assignment no matter what, no matter how late, even if you don't get credit.
I printed the math assignment off of the computer and gave it to him and he flipped out. He refused to do it because he thought he'd already done it ... even though it wasn't in his composition book. His voice started to rise and b4 Iknew it, he was in a full-blown rage. He said some very interesting things. "I know I'm the boy who cried wolf, but you've got to trust me this time." And "Why are you getting on my case about doing more work instead of congratulating me for getting good grades and starting out the year strong?" (Good point, but I was just going over his homework and he was the one who turned it into a battle.)
His Spanish teacher is problematic, to say the least. We got a call Sun night about missing homework and behavior issues with-difficult child. Her English is so bad and her accent is so heavy, that I had a hard time understanding her on the phone. In the midst of difficult child's rant, he throws in a story about how a student, J, also got a call, and her dad is in the military. He literally marched into the middle of class, made her stand in front, "Front and center," and apologize for talking, swearing, using foul language, being disrepectful, you name it. "She's a straight-A student and never talks at all during class!" difficult child shouted.
I said, well, her dad is military, and often, they are authoritative, and she had to obey him even if he was wrong. That's what I mean by having you do your math over again even though it's already done. Not to mention, it's good practice. And might teach you to remember to put all of your math assignments in the composition notebook."
I filed away that tidbit about the girl and her father, and in the meantime, difficult child kept shouting, merciless and perseverant.
Long story short, I ended up in tears but remembered to turn off the Internet. I locked myself in the guest bedroom and cried myself to sleep at 5:00.
By 7:30, husband was home, and I woke up feeling a million times better, and whipped up spinach, baked red potatoes (actually I put those in the oven b4 going to bed) and pistachio crusted tilapia.
difficult child had done all of his math homework and had taken out the dogs, and brought them back in again.
So all was well by the time we went to bed.
But boy, am I exhausted! What a battle just to fill in some missing homework! (He sassed me, by the way, and said, "You do know the only reason I did the math, don't you?"
"Yes, to get me to turn the Internet back on."
"Right.")
I am off to MN to help take care of my Dad, who has Alzheimer's and who had a close call 2 wks ago (unresponsive, taken to ER, given fluids and 2 pts of blood and good to go ... until next time). I have to say, in all honesty, I will not miss difficult child and I really, really need to get away. I'm wondering if seeing my Dad unresponsive and having to make a life-and-death decision will be easier than dealing with-difficult child. Or maybe, Dad will be fine and sleep most of the day and I can sit right next to him and read and sleep, too.)