Reality

With the first "week" (W-F until1:00) behind him, Ward was feeling pretty confident about school.  He didn't have any homeowrk and his "mean friend from last year" had been behaving well and had not bothered him.  Well, reality set in yesterday.  First, Ward will have homewokr EVERY DAY, Monday-Thursday.  It is not a lot, but it is something that I have to force him to do.  Last night it was practice writing his "A" and "a" five times (the hardest part about this is staying in the lines and getting the sizing right - this is particularly hard with the lower case letters) and count 1-20 five times.  We also have to read one book every night and keep a reading log.  Right now it is me reading to him but it will be him reading to me sooner than I think.  That will add some time to the homework routine.

Second, the "mean friend" pushed him down at the playground and made him cry.  He said that he told the principal (who he claims saw the whole thing) and he said that they didn't need to fight.  Ward sais taht he scared the "mean friend" who reciprocated by pushing Ward to the ground.  I hate to hear stories like that.  And I especially hate this kid.  Hate is probably too strong of a word - I dislike this kid, a lot.  He has been in Ward's class the past two years and I have heard stories like this over and over again.  He doesn't play nice.  He is a bully.  He is mean to Ward.  And I don't like him.  Period.

But back to the homework.  I have decided to make Ward do his homework when he gets home from school, before he can go out and play.  That seems kinda mean to me, however, since he just got home from school, but he is exhausted by 5 and I can't imagine trying to get anything done any later than that with the bath-dinner-bed routine.  It is too much.  Even for this super-mom (yes, I call myself super-mom, it gives me a little ego boost when I need it).