Sometimes I have a hard time drawing the line with a teaching moment.
Like at which point have you driven the point across and at which point have you overcrossed the line to a point of no return.
Let us use today as an example. The Princess is doing this new 4th grade literacy book that is filled with beautiful artwork, lovely stories, and sadly, (for her) complete with a workbook that requires thought and preparation on her behalf. The storybook she loves. The workbook she would like to drop from a cliff somewhere above a rocky outcrop of churning water. After discussing the story on Rajah’s and elephants, completing a couple of pages in the book last week – we came back to the workbook today. Almost two hours on a sheet, a glazed over child, answers that were incomplete and a Mother starting to lose reason – we stopped. Went over it again.
Started the page again.
Eventually gave up and had dinner.
Went back to the page – again.
Finally, 8pm. Time to pack it in and get ready for bed.
Sitting next to her on her bed, we discussed the difficulty of this day.
The difficulty of this page.
The fact that she did not want to go to school.
The fact that we needed an answer to this worksheet – was it too hard? Did she not get it? Should we try another book?
You know what she told me. Every single day she is just a little bit tired.
Every. Single. Day.
Really, every single day you are just too tired to get your schoolwork done?
Yes, every single day, I am just a little bit tired.
Really? Perhaps you want to mull that answer over? Sounds like a little white lie too me.
Nope, I am telling the truth.
Really? 100% the absolute truth?
You dont want to reconsider that this is a bit of a white lie. A silly lie.
No, I am telling the truth.
What if I said that God could strike me down if you are telling a lie? Lightning could come right out of the sky and strike me right here in your room if you are telling just a little white lie?
(you can see where this is going right?)
I.Am.Telling.The.Truth.
So I said okay, then we have nothing more to ….. aaargghhh… aargh …
Clutching my chest, I dropped to the bed, rolled to the floor and lay still.
Nothing.
Not a murmer. Not a wail. Not a cry.
Silence.
At which point Wiki came thro the hallway door, looked over, smirked and said “I am not even going to ask”
Which made me smirk … and The Princess started to laugh.
Now was it out of relief, or had she seen thro my dying duck routine or …
ack … yes, another proud homeschooling day over at The Morgans today.
So what biblical references did you use as a teaching tool today?
Apparently I could do with some help 
and as always
I die.
Mochas for everyone.
Quite a moment indeed … and we nominate …
Ahhh, yes, the scare them straight technique. It stinks when they’re smarter than the tricks, doesn’t it?? Don’t dislike me for this (we might be roomies after all, so it’s best to get along), but is it possible that the workbook that she finds difficult is causing some internal stress that might actually make her a little bit tired? This gavecme such a laugh though, it’s a great visual
No, she races thro stuff when she feels like it, and can sit and stare at stuff for hours when she doesn’t.
If a friend knocks at the door, she can fly thro stuff in minutes … if there is just me available for infinite torture – she is all over it!
plus, she admitted she made it up after my Oscar worthy (not) performance
Hmmm….maybe the heart…maybe she doesn’t like it. I heard (I think Todd Wilson) someone say…if something is causing a problem between you and your relationship with your child…put it aside and go back to it. Some days..that would be everything…others one day. Maybe yesterday..it was spiritual everywhere because I had a dying duck session, too. Right now…they’re on the zip line and I’m here with you…being refreshed and preparing to leave the duck by the road and pray that God will take over my selfish desires for them to be the best and do their best…and for him to inspire them for his glory. yikes, did I just write all of that! I SO LOVE YOU…and can NOT wait for BLISSDOM!!!!
I just heard Todd Wilson at our homeschool opening night – he is awesome … i even bought all of his little books. Guess I should plaster his cartoons around the house to remind myself to not take myself so seriously (YAY – Blissdom!)
and we can be a dying duck pair and raise eachother up
Girl, you guys are a mess! I’d just like to be a fly on the wall in your house
~Kesha
sad but true … but never dull
[...] yes, there was a low point and I even wrote about it this week …. take a look over at my Wrath of God post [...]
[...] if you have any interest in another #momfail moment … you might want to read this post! The Wrath of God … really [...]
Maybe she wasn’t lying. Maybe she is just a little bit tired of that workbook!
I can’t decide which tickles me more: that line of hers or your response!
We will have plenty to dish when we do have that cup of coffee since my weeks have many #momfail moments
So you took the “mommy is going to cry” act to a whole new level. I guess you have to do that when they get bigger and wiser. So did the Academy Awards people come knocking? Let’s just say, today Natalie ate her breakfast, put on her shoes AND got to wear her necklace to school!
indeed, I would like to thank …. and all of my fans
Can’t wait to meet you!
Not quite sure how I ended up here, but your story amused me. Can’t help but wonder if you have given her royal highness the chance to rest until that little bit of tiredness is gone completely. I suspect given the choice of staying in bed doing nothing may seem fun at first, but it will soon get boring enough for her royal higness to decide that perhaps she is not so tired after all.
Hi there, i left this link over on the lovely Shamozal’s blog today … lovely to meet you!
The Princess is never at a loss for ways to avoid schoolwork – she is a mastermind – trust me
I have never tried this technique before;) now following this blog as well as the other one:)
Not sure if I would call it a technique lol … but it may be effective!!!