Printing Homework a Chore

Ayaan detests doing anything to do with a paper and pencil. Especially if it has to do with printing. Although the actual "home-work from school is just reading an easy story book in French each day but because his printing still needs some work, I give him my own home-work. My home work consists of printing some three letter words or doing a little bit of Grade 1 Math. For any other Grade one EFI student this would be a piece of cake. For Ayaan its a different story. He is more into playing with his gadgets or creating make-believe stuff but
printing or any school work. When Aaliyah was in Grade 1 she was already into creative writing and was reading way above her grade level.  It is just baffling how the learning styles can vary so much between my two kids.

When I look back, Aaliyah lucked out as I was in between jobs and she did get a lot of my attention. When Ayaan started Kindergarten, I was working full-time and only did the bare minimum-when and if I had any time or energy left. I have let Ayaan's academic progress slide for a bit too long. Blaming his gender. But boys are smart too. Boys write and read too. So, improving Ayaan's printing and eventually helping him write sentences is what I am hoping for this year. For Ayaan it could mean pure torture.

Getting him to sit down and do his home work is no less than a chore. He has loads of excuses. He is too tired or his knee hurts or he is hungry or thirsty and the list goes on. Sometimes I have to bribe him. If you do 1 page of printing, then you can go to your friend's birthday party, playdate, to the mall or some other similar kind of incentive.

Last week during one such home work hour, we had a little conversation and it brought me closer to my future. This is how it went:
Ayaan: " When I grow up, I am going to give the others a lot of home work."
Me: The "others" are your kids?
Ayaan (blushing): "Yes. And you will have no kids."
Me: How so?
Ayaan: "Because I will be all 'growed' up."
Me: Hmmm??!!

Ayaan's words did get me thinking. Sure he will not be a kid for me to give home-work to. But he is right. I will have no kids anymore. My kids will be grown up adults. Thinking, smart individuals with home work but of a different kind.