Saturday, February 28, 2015

Homework Habits From Outer Space

We didn't get homework when I was in primary school. Homework was a rude and unwlecome awakening when I started secondary school at age 11. I never really got to grips with getting it out of the way before doing other stuff (usually watching television or, when I was older, socializing).

As I've got older I've got better at pacing myself and keeping up with the paperwork. However, this was a long time coming - I didn't crack it until well into adulthood. And even now I sometimes have to stay up finishing off lesson plans and grading to deliver the next morning.

Imagine my horror when I walked into my bedroom tonight at 10pm and saw this... (Note: DD has been sleeping in my bed over the winter so we only have to heat one room.)



It was an initial horror of all my school-night yesterdays coming back to haunt me. And a dread that DD was going to be just like me in this respect. A dread because it's not a comfortable way to live, always on the edge of panic that you haven't finished your homework and time is running out.

Homework done on my knees after lights out (obviously with lights on again) was the norm for me in school. I cannot tell you how many times I got up at 4 am to write an essay due in that day. And I will not tell you how many times that 4 am essay had actually been due the week before and I was on my last and final chance before getting an automatic F.

Then I remembered that DD is only 6 and I am on top of her homework schedule. I made sure she'd finished everything due in tomorrow well before panic hour. So what was she doing?

"It's not for tomorrow, we have to bring it back on Thursday Mummy."

Who is this child?


8 comments:

  1. That's awesome. I'm finally getting my teenager geared in that direction. Of course, it's not going to stay this way forever...

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  2. No, I expect the novelty will wear off.

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  3. Lol, get her to keep it up, it will make your life os much easier! Mich x

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    Replies
    1. I'll try but I have no personal experience in being so studious.

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  4. Gosh.... please send over here to train in my teen? Please?!!

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  5. I'm not so naive to think that this will last without a lot of parental input.

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  6. It sounds good, but I hope she wasn't doing it because she felt under pressure?

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    1. I think she was bored and looking for something to do as she's a night owl and it often takes her ages to fall asleep at night.

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