Homework

HOME WORK... 2 four letter words describing an exercise in endurance and mental pain leading to aching fingers and a certainty of failure...

We just recently came home from a week in Hokkaido skiing and I though to put down how something that was a disastrous and complete holiday killer in my time, has turned into something to be managed with equinamity and, dare I say it, enjoyed!?

A few weeks before leaving for our holiday, I reminded kiddo's teacher, Mrs.K, to please not forget holiday homework for the kid. This was because we were actually going to play hooky and take her off skiing as the trip had been planned a year in advance, and before we ever knew we we going to move back to KL. I received assurances that yes, kiddo would have homework...

On the day we were to leave, kiddo came out of class toting a HUMONGOUS folder of work... In that moment, my life flashed before my eyes. Was it too late to say, 'Um, sorry, I've changed my mind about the homework'? But we were playing hooky!! Kiddo HAD to do something!! Was I to suffer too?!? In any case, Mrs.K calmly looked me in the eye and said, 'Don't worry, she can do whatever she feels like. Or not. Up to her...'

Say what??!? The kid can decide whether she's going to do her homework?? Was it reverse psychology directed at the mom? Was I being guilted into being the homework police? Was it for real?? Talk about twilight zone... In my day (don't you LOVE saying that!) holiday homework was to be completed or you got caned! It was certainly not a choice.

But you know what surprised me...? Kiddo flipped through the homework and found stuff she WANTED to do! She started while in the plane by designing (we're taking kid stuff not Einstein in case anyone's thinking of patenting my kid's drawing) a wheelchair that would allow a paraplegic to play any sport. Lots of chuckling and giggling as she designed the extendable arms to wipe the user's bum after the retractable loo was used *can't watch*... Dare I say it, she was ENJOYING her homework! This went on the whole week we were away. To tell the truth, it was not always consistent that we did the 'planned' hour a day I envisaged (yes, yes, Tiger mom...roar!). But what she did do, she did with enthusiasm and joy. So, ultimately, she didn't finish every item in the folder, but what was completed was done with enjoyment and not dread. Best of all, even mummy enjoyed it. There was sensible discussion on work rather than moaning and whining about STARTING work. How amazingly lovely!! We even spent half a day just on homework and no one felt hard done by!

So here I say again, I am SO glad we sent her to the Australian International School! Kudos to Mrs.K for an excellent selection of fun homework. Never, ever thought I would be feeling this way about homework...