Homework…

… the bane of my life!

Júlia just gets on with it and does the minimum possible acceptable; it would be easier to walk on live coals than making her do anything further, either that or once I'm through with Michael I don't really have the energy to argue. Reminds me when I asked my very strict mother why she was so lesser faire with my baby sister, and so tough on me, to which she replied: "After five children I just don't have the energy, nor do I care so much…", I wish I was the fifth one!

Michael and homework is like going into battle. As soon as he gets his bag he starts yawning; opens it, yawn; gets his homework notebook: "Can I have a break? I'm so tired!...", and I start pulling my hair, and reach for the first glass of Cava. He is extremely bright but with his dyslexia it means that a simple spelling test takes three times as long to prepare for and there are no guarantees that his working memory will not let him down on the day. In his own mind the smallest question takes on Herculean proportions even before he starts and then he gets intimidated by it and doesn't want to do it. The only way to get through that is with patience, which unfortunately I'm not blessed with, and praise, praise, praise and reassurance that he can do it and is doing it well.

And then there's the handwriting, don't get me started on that. He has to do his literacy homework (it was called English only last year when his sister was in year 4) with a blue fountain pen, in joined up writing; giving a fountain pen to a dyslexic boy with concentration issues and expecting neat handwriting is like putting boxing gloves on a needlepoint lace-maker and expecting a fine bridal veil, it's not going to happen within a viable life span.

Maths and reading is good. He has a sharp mind that gets the abstraction of numbers; and we found out that using coloured overlays really helps him to focus and brings the text to the fore, making him much more fluent, which in turn increases his self-confidence.

Once upon a time, before they started school, I thought it was going to be so easy: two beautiful, bright, well mannered children, school is going to be a breeze…