school stuff

Big Brother is reading for fun, which is sorta what he does.  He told me earlier that he's supposed to read seventy five minutes a week, and he even has a sheet to list what he's read and for how long.  I get to initial it, I suppose as proof that he read what he said.

Seventy five minutes?  I laughed when he said that and pointed out that he'd only need to read for fifteen minutes a night and only on school nights.  He told me that he thinks some kids do exactly that.  I felt bad for those kids.  I just can't imagine not reading for pleasure and not enjoying reading.

When I initialed Big Brother's reading sheet earlier he'd already been reading for just over two hours.  He has a book that's due back tomorrow, and he wanted to finish it.  He's already well into the next book.  Before the night's over I'll initial his sheet again for another two hours worth of book two.

The Boy is hating doing his homework.  I suggested throughout the evening that he do it, but I never said "do it" as opposed to "you really should do it."  Part of me wants to get him to learn and understand the benefit of doing the work earlier rather than later in order to have that time later.

Right now he's taking a break.  He's written two of the six sentences that are his homework.  He's learning contractions and has to rewrite six sentences changing the underlined words into contractions.  It's easy enough, but he hates the writing.  I try to remind him that it's great practice and gets easier, but that's absolutely lost on his seven (nearly eight) year old point of view on how the world works.

I have to remember sometimes to pronounce words properly, but I also have to point out sometimes that we are in fact southern and mostly used to the accents around us.  I myself do sound southern, just so you know, and I'm pretty much okay with that.  Apparently I sometimes say "aigs" when I mean "eggs."

I also had to make a point when reading contractions to pronounce the word "didn't" properly instead of my more common "dittun."  I don't think they cover "ya'll" leaving to society to instill the proper use of the word.

He's finally on sentence number four, and he's got ten minutes before we need to get him moving toward bed.  They've been at Momma's for the last few days, so we haven't gotten to read The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe for a while.  Three of the four Pevensie kids are about to leave the Beaver's dam, while one already has.

"You can always write smaller," I mentioned moments ago to The Boy.  Before he begins each sentence he extends the line that he has to write the sentence on to the edges of the page so that he'll have enough line to write the sentence.

He answered, "I don't really like writing smaller."  I can't argue with that.

p.s. This is what's playing right this moment.


p.p.s. I do understand that The Boy may disagree about whether it's better to finish the homework earlier or later, but I can't help but think my was is better, and I can't help but wish he'd at least try it once.