1. I’ve been encouraging the girls to get in the habit of doing their homework in Extended Day. *Most* of the time they do it, and I check it, and the billions of other papers that come home, in the evening. Sometimes they forget. When they forget, they get no screen time until it is done.
Yesterday, Flora had a complete meltdown about homework. How much she hates it. How much she hates school.
And then she showed me the library book she had picked out, which was all about the world’s oceans.
Flora: Loves to learn, hates school.
2. Given further conversation after another meltdown at home, I am sensing that it’s less about school work — although I do think she hates spelling; it’s her lowest grade — and more about certain social aspects of the classroom. I don’t get the sense that she is being bullied, but I do get the sense that she gets teased and reacts badly to the teasing.
My girl, she is sensitive.
For now, I’m not sure what to do. Her solution is home schooling. As I said to her last night, “Who would home school you?”
Neither one of us could answer that.
3. In between meltdown number one and meltdown number two, I learned that somehow Flora had seen the Miley Cyrus “Wrecking Ball” video and that she was appalled. “She’s naked! On a wrecking ball! Why would she do that?”
Until today, I had not seen this video, and I still haven’t seen the twerking video from the VMAs because, no. I have no interest in Miley Cyrus, her career, or her personal career choices. But I thought I had better check out the video, just in the interest of —
Yup. Holy shit. She’s naked on a wrecking ball. Also: provocatively licking a sledge hammer.
Okay then.
Step one: What I told Flora yesterday boils down to: Miley Cyrus is a grown up. More, she’s a famous grown up who is a singer and actor, and if she doesn’t keep those eyes on her, she becomes less famous. She’s allowed to make her own poor choices now. And, yeah, naked on a wrecking ball = poor choice.
Step two: WHERE IN THE HELL DID FLORA SEE THIS VIDEO? That needs to be determined. We don’t let the girls go on the computer at home. So.
4. M is now wearing underpants. I sent him to daycare this morning in Mickey Mouse skivvies, with a prayer and an extra set of clothes.
I did not potty train M. He decided he was ready. The nanny started putting him on the potty this summer. Things progressed from there. And I did buy him potty fish to encourage his moving in the right direction.
So, if anyone asks me: Yes, boys are easier to potty train than girls. Although Dan’s still going to have to teach him to pee standing up.
What’s been YOUR parenting (or parenting-like) challenge this week?
Red Pen Mama 