Skip to main content

I Know You're Out Of School, But You Still Have Work To Do!

If you are on the east coast, you have been pounded by the snow, or as it has been affectionately named, 'Snowmageddon'!  Well, my boys have been out of school since Monday and it doesn't look like they are going back until Tuesday.  After a while, being stuck in the house, you can get cabin fever.  Especially if you are used to being out most of the day.  Well, my boys are not really suffereing from that.  They aren't really getting on our nerves.  They are actually really good.  We have played board games as a family, played in the snow, and relaxed and watched TV.  I have had to be creative myself during these times.  I have played the games, watched some soccer, cooked a little more and shoveled a little more.

Yet, I am a still teacher, by occupation and life!

So I was sitting at the computer devising a lesson dealing with African American History for my boys.  They had no clue of what was going on.  As they finished watching their episode of Phineas and Ferb, I summoned them to the table and told them the lesson. 

"Boys, you are going to be making a biographical cube on a historical African American figure or movement.  You will be working together and it is due on Friday."  In one of the last blogs, I mentioned how their mouths dropped when they owed me money.  Well, imagine those same lips on the floor again.  You could see it all over their faces.  I can tell you what they were thinking:

  • "But we're not in school."

  • "But it's snowing outside"

  • "Don't we get a break?"

  • "But what about Phineas and Ferb?"

  • "Do we have to?"

  • "I thought you loved us?"  

  • "Can I have lunch instead?"  
I figured this -- they would be in school anyway learning from some incredible teachers.  I might as well continue the process at home.  Let's not break up a good thing!  I was only frustrated with myself that I had not come up with this when the snow first started. 

Although everyone is not a teacher by occupation, they are a teacher.  I am also reminded that kids will be kids.  When offering fun over work, the latter will most likely lose.  I want to instill that work comes before play (in every area of life) in our world.  Although my boys are not lazy (well, most of the time), they need to understand this principle.  Play is so much more enjoyable when you have done your work. 

What are some things you are doing to keep your kids occupied during Snowmaggedon? Or are they driving you insane?  Or are you planning a trip to the Bahamas (without them)?  I would love some feedback.  I am NOS...

Comments

  1. Mocha DadWednesday, February 10, 2010

    During the summer, the kids have "school" everyday. My wife prepares lessons for each child and they spend a couple of hours each day working on them.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Before you go, I have to tell you this...

My wife and oldest son had been feverishly preparing for this for over two years. A sojourn to Egypt is what monopolized the attention of this house for about the past week. We've been packing, buying last minute items, and anticipating an almost 24-hour travel. As my wife was packing at the gorgeous time of 4:15 am, I was writing some thoughts to my son. I was giving him advice-technical, moral, physical, and spiritual advice. Even while cutting his hair last night, I was advising him. At the end of the letter, I gave him my blessing. I wrote a letter to Paula as well. And just like the one to my son, I gave her the same type of advice, just more seasoned for her needs. And at the end of the letter, I gave her my blessing. I packed the letters away in their suitcases. They won't see them until they reach their hotel in Egypt. I learned and was reminded of a couple of things from their upcoming experience. First, perseverance has its rewards. They stuck this program out fo
7 comments
Read more

Running with the pack

53:45 unofficial.  That was my time for the Veterans Day 10K race I ran.  53:45 unofficial.  My goal was to knock off some minutes from my 10K last year.  I knocked off about 5 minutes; I am happy about that.  Yet my time was 53:45 unofficial. I had a very good pace starting out.  I actually changed my running style some months ago to conserve a bit of energy.  It worked.  But during the race, I stopped...three times to be exact.  Once for water, the second time I am clueless about, and the third was because I really was tired (next time, I will stay off the late night movies and donuts before race day!)  But that was not my lesson.  My lesson was that I needed to stay in a pack, run with other people to keep a constant pace.  Why is that so important?  Well, I, The Bassman, am a very successful introvert (at least I can be).  I know how to be alone and be comfortable.  I have noticed in the last couple of years that I work best when I work with others.  That's just me.  Tryin
4 comments
Read more

But I Need My Car!

It turned out to be a day of running around the city.  I took care of my minivan; the 'check engine' light was on for the last two days.  So, I dropped the kids off at school, drove to 7-11 to get my coffee and donut, and went to the auto repair shop.  The repair man checks the car and begins giving me an oil change.  He comes back in with the bolt that seals the oil pan and says its damaged.  "You need to get it replaced."  he said. "Okay", I responded as I am sipping my coffee. About three minutes later, he returns and says, "We have to replace the entire oil pan because it is damaged.  I cannot let you drive off with it in this condition.  What are you gonna do?" I'm thinking to myself, "What do you mean, 'What am I gonna do?  I have no car!'"  I begin calling my wife only to remember that she was in an all day conference-I could only text her.  Meanwhile, the repairmen comes back in the room and says to me in his
4 comments
Read more