The trouble with genetics

The trouble with being part Italian is that I occasionally fly into passionate fits of rage.  Honestly, it feels like dragon fire comes broiling up out of nowhere.  And I don't have quite enough of the endearing Italian personality to pull it off.  

However, I do have enough of the sensible Dane in me to know I am doing it and I feel very sorry afterward and try to make everything better.

Well, last night what should send me off into a tirade, but a darling newsletter, complete with digital scrapbook effects sent from an elementary school teacher I adore.  Now, to be clear, I find no fault with the newsletter or the teacher.  What has me enraged is a concept.

You see, child #1 arrives home around 3:40 every afternoon.  After getting changed, having a snack and doing her daily chore it's about 4:00.  Two days of the week she has planned activities after school (dance etc.). Those activities notwithstanding, I like for her to have lots of playtime after school.  This is her run in the sunshine, imagine and develop friendships and social skills time.  Well I am being thwarted.  She has come home with two pages of math homework every day since kindergarten.  There is a 1 minute nightly reading assessment.  There are weekly spelling words.  There is a 15 minute nightly reading requirement.  And the latest newsletter says that she is to be working on a habitat report at home AND doing an additional online reading program AND doing an additional online spelling program.  These may be termed "optional", but I know from experience that I will be hearing about it at parent teacher conferences if she does not do them.

Well, the online reading program is the most uninspiring, sorry excuse for literature I have ever seen.  The spelling site thinks that "fill-in-the-blank" is a delightful child's game and if there is not time during the EIGHT HOURS my child is in school for her to draw a penguin then WHAT IN BLAZES IS SHE DOING THERE ALL DAY LONG!!!!!

The sister of one of my friends tells her children's teachers that their family does not do ANY homework after Memorial Day - and then they don't.  That is their play time.  That is brilliant.  Way to take control of her children's lives and education.  Sunshine and play are the best education at this age. 

When I have my life and health a bit more in place (sleeping through the night being the biggest part of that) I intend to begin homeschool for her.  Until then, I need to come up with a plan.  I am thinking of giving her ten minutes every afternoon for homework which she may devote as she chooses and telling the powers that be that they can lump the rest.

One should be able to get an education and sunshine.