Mr. H.M. Work

He shows up unannounced EVERY MONDAY - our uninvited houseguest - Mr. H.M. Work. We can't get rid of him.  Before long, he'll be in our house all the time like a relative you can't turn away but can't stand.  What can we do?  It would be rude to toss him out the front door. Plus, he'd probably just set up camp in our front yard and embarrass us in front of the neighbors.  I send him away on Friday mornings.  I hope that will be the last of HM.  But Monday afternoon like clockwork, he's back. 

We've tried to embrace his presence and work him into our routine.  But Lena and he do not get along.  All throughout the week we are tortured with "I don't want to play with Mr. H.M. Work!  It's not fair!" If I had a dollar for every time I hear "I hate HMWORK" I could pay someone to take her place.  But, it's her responsibility - part of her job as a kid.  I simply must stand by and watch her.  This is her own quest to master. 

I try to help by giving her guidance - because I cannot do it for her.  "Lena, if you play a little bit each day with HMWORK it will be enough to get through the week."  But, she fights it.  HMWORK is like one of those annoying Mogwais that turn into Gremlins when you don't pay enough attention to them and all the sudden they are tearing up the living room and eating all your crullers and you have to spend all night mastering the beast.

Connect these dots, bitch.

Monday: "Why don't you spend a few minutes with HMWORK?"  "Nope - I promise I'll play with him tomorrow."  Tomorrow comes - more excuses, more arguing.  By the time Thursday comes around, HMWORK is a snarling ugly beast.  He's demanding.  He's pushy. He WILL be completed before bedtime because he goes in the backpack to his weekend home tomorrow because this is the responsibility with which we have been burdened by default.  But, he may take ALL AFTERNOON AND EVENING to be entertained to completion.

But, the crying.  Oh, the crying. And the whining.  HMWORK tortures my child.  Makes her do repetitive things like she's in boot camp.  "Mommy - I already know how to write the letter F.  Why does HMWORK make me keep doing it over and over and over?"  I want to hug her and tell her "I know you do honey - homework can sometimes be a waste of your time if it's not delegated in the correct way!"  But, that's not my job.  My job is to remind her that it's her responsibility to complete her role in HMWORK's world.  That this is a burden we all face and we must figure out how to balance it into our life because it's not going away for a very long time.  In fact, as you grow, so does HMWORK.  It becomes more unruly and more demanding and uglier. 

My husband is no help with HMWORK.  He didn't believe in HMWORK as a child.  So, I cannot use him as an example.  This is my lesson.  I must teach my children how to face the bully that is HMWORK and how to beat it.  How not to be crushed under it.  How to face off, a little at a time, when you are fresh and able to conquer the beast.  Because if you're not trained how to handle responsibilities like HMWORK at a young age, you may be eaten alive by it. 

We have survived this week's HMWORK invasion into our lives.  Just barely.  If you don't hear from me, check under the pile of worksheets and phonics lessons.  It will be that HMWORK has beaten me, dragged me into it's lair and destroyed me with paper cuts. 

 

 NO....MORE.....SIGHTWORDS.....GASP.....