School Daze

I HATE history fair and science fair projects. The school starts harassing us about this earlier every year, and this year is not the exception. Every kid 6th-8th grade is required to do both fairs. Duncan gets NO BENEFIT out of these projects, it winds up being a busywork project for me, and I am SICK of being bugged about it every year. I have tried my darndest to get Duncan excused from this, or modified or something and they just don't seem to get that he is a very concrete kid who really doesn't get the whole research thing yet. It drives me crazy and makes me want to slap somebody.

I LOVE teachers who give kids a break on their homework. Last year was a constant battle with Will, trying to get him caught up with the mountain of homework he was assigned every night, along with a teacher who was unreasonably demanding. This year, his teacher lets them earn the privilege of starting on homework before the end of the day, and this is making a huge difference for Will. He had no homework tonight, he was a happy little man, and he doesn't dread school this year. We all need a break once in a while.

I haven't had much interaction yet with Audrey's teacher. I don't know if this is good or bad,but Audrey seems happy enough. She is having the usual third grade struggles of more homework and more responsibility, but she is doing just fine. Her little mind is spinning pretty fast these days- she almost doesn't get finished telling me one thing before she is off on another topic. I love that she has so much to say to me, and I wish I could freeze her and pull her eight-year-old self out in about 4 or 5 years, when she probably won't be telling me anything. Although she has already promised me that she isn't going to be a moody teenager. I better get that in writing.