yeah yeah. it's a long list. but for the sake of this rant, let's limit it to just this:

homework.

no, not mine although i have been a bit of a slacker so far leaving things 'til the last minute--lots of train ride reading.

i hate the boys' homework. let's start with the general idea of it. the oldest gets homework just to teach him to do homework for the "real world." here's an idea...let's find him a job without homework, k? honestly, if there is no point to the work but to make sure he does work at home, let it go. if he was having trouble with something, needed help or extra time, had a project to work on, then i could understand. but this repetitive, useless crap is...well...useless. bring on a book report. i am a friggin' wiz-kid with a diorama! but his teacher doesn't let them do those projects at home. just boring crap. he knows it is useless. i know it is useless and the stress is killer.

and the little guy? i swear he has more homework than i do. project piled on project. and what the hell for? he is eight years old. and every night he cries and every morning he has a stomach ache that is "too bad to go to school." they have taken a kid who loved school and crushed him in a mere two and a half weeks. nightmares, sleep-peeing, and elementary school ulcers. poor kid has my stomach as well as my study habits.

and you know what? i suck at homework. i have always sucked at homework. i don't want them to inherit my "eh...there's still time. i'll do it later" attitude or my olympic medal procrastinating skills. every report card i ever had said, "very bright. not working up to potential." we'll leave out the reports on whether or not i work and play well with others ;)

so we have kicking, screaming, swearing homework time--and that's just me. it sucks and we all hate it and i don't know how to make it work better. i hate to tell them, but it is going to get worse. much worse.

suggestions? i am considering beating up c's teacher and telling j's teacher what i really think, but i would imagine that won't bode well for their school careers.