Artistix Network's very own co-founder Val has many talents, writing however is not high on that list. Recently she was given an assignment for an English class she is taking to write an essay that included narration and conversation. After some deliberation she chose to write about her family's battle with homework. Her and her husband have graciously given me permission to share her essay with our readers.
Homework Hour
by Val
Once upon a time the typical view of an American family was a married
couple with two wonderful children. A smart and strong willed third
grader, and a very curious and shy kindergartener. After dinner every
night they sit around the dining room table for homework. Homework for
such young grades never exceed more than a half hour long. The father
works with the son, and the mother works with the daughter. There are no
fights, disagreements, and very little confusion it’s a smooth half
hour. This example, this view of the American family, that’s not my
family. Homework hour is the most challenging part of the day.
My
husband and I, we are a young couple with two great children. Sissy
she’s eight, and in third grade. When Sissy started school things were
pretty easy. Homework was a simple task, she caught on quickly and there
was really no problems learning the information she needed to learn. It
was done within a timely manner as well. As she gets older she has
embraced more attitude and sass. What eight year old girl doesn’t?
Bubba
he’s six, he just started kindergarten this year which was new
territory all together. Bubba has speech and language disabilities, he
doesn’t catch on as quickly. Understanding his homework is very
difficult almost all the time. We are constantly trying to come up with
new ways to help him understand and help him retain the information he
needs to know. My husband and I both have our own set of issues. My
husband has a bit of OCD. Things have to be perfect; if letters aren’t
shaped right, or the spacing isn’t exact he gets antsy. He’s always
trying to correct our eight and six year old. How can you expect an
eight and six year old to write perfectly? Me, I’m no cupcake either.
I’m dyslexic, trying to explain things to young kids; reading things out
loud for longer than a five minute period is difficult and extremely
frustrating.
The dining room is off the kitchen almost connected but
separated by a bar counter with a walk way into the dining room from the
kitchen. Above the bar counter there are cabinets for the kitchen that
come down half way. The back sides of those are flat, they are meant for
the kitchen cupboards. Our table and chairs take up a good amount of
the dining room. There are two windows in the dining room one along the
back wall that almost runs its length. Then a smaller window on the side
wall that also has the back door. The blinds are always open, it lights
up the room nicely and the kids love it. We have one of those big oval
solid wood tables, the ones with the leaf in the center to make them
bigger. This is where we do our homework every night. With Paul helping
Bubba while I sit close by to help Sissy if she needs help, most of the
time she does her homework on her own.
Calmly I say "Let's get
homework done" while at the same time getting all their books and
papers. Paul heads to the table calling the kids "Come on guys, your mom
said get to the table!" Paul's job is to help Bubba with his homework.
Right away the challenge begins. "Do we have to right now? I'm busy."
whines Sissy flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I don't want to do
homework." pouts Bubba. This of course sets Paul off as he raises his
voice “Sit down right now so we can get this done, I said right now and I
am serious!" This is when the real chaos beings, when our
personalities, and learning challenges collide in to an hour of mess.
Paul's
warning was ignored so I issue a warning that usually works "If you
don't sit down right now and do your homework you are going to bed
early." Jackpot, all the kids including Paul are now at the table and
ready to do homework. "Sissy please get started with your math, then do
your English homework" I ask nicely. She starts with her attitude and
sass right away flipping her mid-back length dirty blonde hair back with
her hand, staring at me with her almost crystal blue eyes, as she says
"I know what to do mom.” So I let her be so she can work on it. When she
gets to her English homework is when our heads butt with my dyslexia.
She looks almost identical to me, although I have Hazel eyes not blue,
this is when blue eyes and hazel eyes stare down and lock in battle.
After reading part of her short story Sissy asks “Mom, I can't figure
out the answer to these questions, can you help?" Like I said before
reading for more than a few minutes aloud is difficult for me. "Really
Sissy? You want me to read for you? Okay but you gotta listen." I say
slightly frustrated knowing Sissy won’t pay attention so I will
constantly be telling her to pay attention. "Listen Sissy." "I am
listening mom!" "Sissy come on you gotta listen!" "I am but I don't
understand!" This banter goes on for a good fifteen minutes until she
finally understands what’s being read to her, and she is able to
complete her homework. During all this Bubba is whining "I can't
concentrate with Sissy talking!" While Sissy is complaining "I can't
concentrate with Bubba whining!"
Finally Sissy gets her homework done
before Bubba gets his complete. So I check over Sissy's homework,
"Sissy you have a few math problems wrong please get them fixed." With
her hands on her hips and a death stare she argues "They aren't wrong
mom! Look I did it right!" In the middle of showing me how right she is,
in a defeated voice she says "Oh I guess you're right mom." I gently
tell her "I know so please fix them, and then you are done."
Bubba’s
homework is pretty easy, for someone without any learning disabilities.
With his Speech and Language disabilities and with Paul's perfectionism
it’s a bit harder. Paul and Bubba start on his homework which is usually
drawing a pattern or numbers for Math. That part goes pretty smoothly
after Paul explains what shapes he needs to draw. Bubba is the master of
making faces; he’s got these cute little cheeks almost chubby but not
quite. With his short brown hair Bubba is the spitting image of Paul. He
squints his hazel eyes and raises his eye brows trying to understand
what’s being asked of him. There’s always a lot of repeating with his
homework.
The next part of his homework is writing letters, each day
he has a new letter that he has to write five times, and then draw a
picture of something that starts with that letter. As he writes his
first letter too big and slightly crooked, Bubba asks "Like this dad?"
"No Jr, erase it. It needs to be smaller and straight" Paul says all
antsy. Bubba beings to rewrite the letter after erasing the first
letter. Paul anxiously says "No Jr, you have to erase it like this" as
he shows him how to completely erase the lines. Then he draws the letter
on another piece of paper to show Bubba exactly how it should be done.
Paul's standards of perfectionism are high, too high for a six year old.
Bubba starts to whine "I don't want too, it’s hard." After I tell Paul
to relax a little bit and if the letters aren’t perfect its okay he’s
only in kindergarten. We finally get through that part.
The last part
of Bubba’s homework is practicing sight words. This is the worst part
of homework hour. As Paul picks up the stack of index cards that contain
the sight words, Bubba crumples up his face and whines "No more
homework". He hates sight words. "We have to finish these, then you will
be done with homework" Paul says hoping Bubba will cooperate. Showing
the first card to Bubba Paul begins "Come on Jr sound it out with me",
"c" … "a"…"n". Paul sounds out the word as Bubba stares at him like he's
lost it. This is repeated over and over, first Paul sounding it out too
fast then too slow. "Just look at the card Jr!" Paul says. With both
boys becoming more and more frustrated. Wiping the tears from his eyes
Bubba finally says "c"…"a"…"n", "can." After about ten minutes of this
I step in "Hunny just give me the cards I'll finish this with him." I
don’t sound the words out syllable by syllable. I just sound out the
first letter and add the rest of the word behind it. Holding out the
next sight word I ask "Okay Bubba what’s this word?" "s"…"aid." Bubba
says excitedly "Said!" We spend a few minutes on each word until we've
finished his sight words. "Okay Bubba we are done put your book up and
go play." I say as Bubba jumps from the chair and runs out of the dining
room. As I lay my head on the table closing my eyes, and breathing
slowly I sigh "We've made it through another night of homework."
We hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into our family and will visit others at Unknown Mami's on this fine Sunday.
