Comments on: Parental (Self) Control

By: Missy | The Literal Mom

Missy | The Literal Mom — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 02:13:16 +0000

There are days when I think the whole point of parenting isn’t to raise the kids, but to teach us parents how to finally become grown ups. It’s a process for me – 2 steps forward, 3 steps back. 5 steps forward, 1 step back.

But I imagine that’s what being a kid is too.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:31:39 +0000

Haven’t hit homework yet…
I do struggle with being patient when my daughter has a meltdown. Often I want to say “Really?!” but I end up remembering (just in time) she’s 3…. and I should be a bit more patient – after all, I am the adult 😉

By: Megan (Best of Fates)

Megan (Best of Fates) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:44:47 +0000

I often struggle to be a grown-up. Thankfully, I don’t have any kids, so often nobody’s paying attention.

By: John

John — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:36:11 +0000

My kids are way too young for homework yet, but there are a few things that scare the bejeezus out of me. First is “new math.” Math is something I get – I’ve always just gotten it – but, if I have to relearn stuff so that I can understand my kids’ processes, that will be horrible.

Also horrible? If my kids don’t get math . . . it’s so cut & dry in my mind (making mistakes is one thing, but not understanding how to follow a defined process is another) that I worry about trying to help them understand something they don’t get.

Reading & poetry interpretation & all of that good stuff – well, we’ll figure that out as it comes about.

By: Leigh Ann

Leigh Ann — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:04:58 +0000

OMG YES! We’re not at the homework stage yet, but sometimes I just want to roll my eyes at them and say “Stop being so dramatic! I know you can pull up your underwear!” OK maybe i do roll my eyes at them and say that.

I hope I can muster up some patience when they go to actual school. I like how you recognize yourself in him and can use that to better parent him. I wonder if I have those instincts sometimes.

By: julie gardner

julie gardner — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 01:31:04 +0000

Oh, I so don’t want to tell you it’s going to get a lot worse.

But it’s going to get a lot worse.

My kids have hours of homework each night.
Hours.

Jack is 14 and in 4 honors classes and Spanish. He gets INSTANTLY frustrated if something doesn’t come to him immediately. He is somewhat “hard-work averse” if that is possible in so many damn honors classes. I told him he didn’t need to take such a rigorous schedule. He receives NO super-over-achiever pressure from his parents, I assure you. I am actually secretly hoping he goes to junior college and has a normal high school career devoid of all the CRAZINESS required to get into Harvard these days. (Ha!)

Still. All his friends are in the honors classes. So. That’s where he’s comfortable. And he’s smart so really he should be challenged.

Then there’s my daughter who wants so badly to be good (not just academically but as a person) to the point where she doesn’t even want me to know that something is difficult for her. Because then that would be “difficult” for me. Unlike Jack who will scream loudly that something is “stupid” or “impossible” or “pointless,” Karly sits and stews. Immobilized. Until she bursts into tears.

Nice.

So did I mention it takes hours for them to do their homework? And that none of it is optional?

Brace yourself, lady. Start a therapy fund now.

p.s. Sorry. I should probably just delete this comment now.

By: Alex@LateEnough

Alex@LateEnough — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 22:52:26 +0000

My husband and I joke that we liked to fight with EACH OTHER for who’s the baby and suddenly we had one. And then two.

No advice but at least you know you aren’t alone.

By: Elena

Elena — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:02:21 +0000

I’m so not looking forward to the whole homework thing. I will definitely be turning to you for advice since you’re a few years ahead of me. 😉

By: Jackie

Jackie — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:36:06 +0000

Thankfully, I am past the having to help with homework phase! My oldest is in pre-calculus this year and I warned her from the first day that I would no longer be able to help her with math. I am not that smart. Thankfully she is smart and can also handle helping her younger sisters.

And yes. I’m slightly sarcastic with my kids. It’s bad. I know.

By: Kristin@What She Said

Kristin@What She Said — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:47:04 +0000

I’m still in the toddler years, so I don’t have to worry about homework yet. But I dread the day when I do. Especially math homework – I do not do maths. (Reading and language arts homework, however, I will rock.) I can only hope my teacher husband will step up when it comes to the maths. Because did I mention I don’t do maths?