This is irony, right?

We have been engaged in World War III with Colter over doing his homework the last few days, so imagine my surprise when I received this request in my e-mail box:

I'm Kaushalya. I'm currently a year 8 in Tawa Intermediate in New Zealand. For homework we have to interview someone about toys and games. So would you mind if I ask you a few questions? We can choose any person, but I thought I might interview someone famous.

I quickly wrote him back and let him know I'm not famous (in fact, I'm so obscure I'm not even sure how he found me), but he said that was ok, he just needed the answers as soon as possible. So, I sent them. At least one less mother will have to fight with her son over homework!

How do you handle homework hassles?

Comments

[VJ]

Tony is just getting started in Kindergarten, but we've been "practising" the last couple weeks. He's asked for homework and usually quite eager to get it done. I'm sure that won't last....

[Terry]

You get email asking for homework help. This is what I got today.

Call out Gouranga be happy!!!
Gouranga Gouranga Gouranga ....
That which brings the highest happiness!!

[Philip]

You are famous!

Look like good ideas above; I don't have homework yet...

[AGK]

We really don't have many homework hassles here, other than when weekly homework isn't due until the end of the week. Then I usually fight to make them understand it's better to get it done and out of the way first instead of waiting.

I receive a lot of homework and *college* assistance e-mails for kids doing assignments on safe sex, teen pregnancy, etc... It can be mighty time consuming, but I'm happy to help when I can.

[TW]

Fortunately, they usually finish theirs at after-school care. When they don't, on good days I just tell them they can't do anything else until they finish and then ignore them--on bad days we fuss and argue. Not much help, sorry.

[heather]

Good luck with getting his homework done... that doesn't sound like much fun!

[Lei]

That e-mail is suspicious.... Don't you think it's weird too?

I hope Colter isn't piled under mountains of homework the way I keep hearing about most kids nowadays. School is so much tougher now than it was when we were kids!

[Mitch]

Privileges...remove them. Call it his pay. Just like a grownup earns money for work, your son can earn privileges. No homework, or homework with a scowl, and privileges go down the tubes. Don't take away large chunks, though, like a week at a time. You need something to hold over his head each day. At the same time, don't forget to talk with him and put the necessity of doing homework in perspective: It's rehearsal for when he's grown up. It teaches responsibility. It prepares him to understand and interact with the world.

Mitchell A. Cohn, D.O.
Author of Common Sense Parenting and
The Parenting Weblog - covering
Parenting, Family, and Child Health
www.parenting-weblog.com

[April]

I techniquely do not have "homework" yet as Isaac only starts preschool tomorrow. However, in the perfect world that I call life, I imagine that I will take the following approach.

After school, on the ride home, there will be discussions on how the day was and what they did. Once we get home, it will be straight to the kitchen table (or bathroom maybe) but no television or toys until after homework is done.

For now though, Isaac is fighting me over when to wear his brand new bookbag. He doesn't want to take it off. I've shot footage of this to use against him when he gets older and demands one of the backpacks with wheels. *laughing*

~~loving revenge

[Tiff]

LOL!!! How did he find you? Too funny!

[Sallie]

I smile...grit my teeth and howl...I get frustrated because the frustration never ends. I don't know things any more like I used to. Makes it tough. I don't know the answers, as I laugh and almost pee in my pants. {Don't tell my boys!} Wee-me hopes it is an age thang. Me-guesses it progresses and gets worse. I am "Channeling Barbara" too. Perhaps the teachers will hand me an umbrella this year?