Thursday, August 18, 2011

Strange Children

This morning, I noticed that Sam looked a little out of sorts.


What's the matter with you? I asked.

"I'm bored," he replied.

Bored is a bad word in our house. It means you need more chores, or more school work. The boys all know this and will shush one another if someone forgets themselves and uses it.

I was not planning to start schooling Sam until week after next. Yes, I believe starting school before Labor Day is a sin. So there. 

So I teased him. Well, we could always start school a little early.

The normal response to this is, "Oh! Wait! I just remembered I want to go: play outside/write a letter to a friend/or ask Dad to take me fishing."

Sam's response? "I was hoping you'd say that. Can we start tomorrow?"

Seriously?

"Seriously, Mom. Can I have new science curriculum this year? Alpha/Omega sucked." (He's right, I'm afraid.)

Rotten kid. Now I've got to go find all the curriculum I put away for the summer. *Kicks the box* I don't want to go back to school yet. *Wanders off grumbling under her breath*

Joseph was actually excited about going back to school and loves his classes: Biology, World History, Geology, Comm Arts, Choir, Algebra I, and French II. He tells me he was one of two kids in the class who actually did the extra credit work over the summer in French. (I am not looking forward to another year with that particular teacher, but Joe thinks French is the greatest). Have I mentioned that he wants to go to Harvard? Have I also mentioned that we are NOT related to the Rockefellers?

Excited about going back to school. Loves algebra and French. And Biology. Wants to go to an Ivy League School.

And another one that wants to go back to classes a week early. And wants better science curriculum.

What have I done?  

5 comments:

jeanie said...

Raised pretty amazing kids?

They can help - won't be so bored then, will they?

Debby said...

I can imagine you whining "I'm not ready to go back to school..." I don't think that you can handle summer Mary. Perhaps Sam needs to go to school all year round.

*ducks*

Mary O. Paddock said...

I think so, Jeanie--thanks. They do help, and quite a bit at that.

Debby--*slings new Special Ed textbook at Debby* And I'll be sure to tell Sam that you think he should do that. You might be ducking two books. :)

Cooking with Karma said...

lol lol lol Love it! Go for it Joe.. maybe one day you'll be Daddy Warbucks :) And I agree with Sam. Alpha/Omega science left me vastly unprepared for college science courses. Utilize the Discovery Channel website and shows like Mythbusters :) I honestly have learned more science from Mythbusters on Discovery Channel and Good Eats on Food Network than I remember from high school.

Mary O. Paddock said...

Hi Amy! Thanks for coming by. :) Myth Busters is a household favorite and we watch a lot of documentaries. We're also big on hands on learning around here.

I've never counted on just A/O for our science--especially when easily a fourth of it was "trees are green because God made them that way". But it had some useful experiments--some of which I saw again in my earth science classes last spring.

However, Sam is going to get his wish. I just have to figure out how to fulfill it.