Christmas vacation week. The week before the “end of days” is how I refer to it. The first week back from vacation is brutal. Not just for the kids, but the parents as well. It’s back to making lunches, strict bedtime routines, and the oh so dreaded HOMEWORK! Run for the hills!

Not only is homework an issue just about every day after school, but it’s even worse the week after a school vacation. Getting back into the groove takes patience….and wine-gulping. Monday, it happened. I tried to be prepared, because I knew what we were in for. I downed an iced coffee and went to pick them up from school. I was all ready for homework. I was chipper and cool. I had snacks ready. I was going to nail it. I had my light and breezy attitude with, “Hey guys, lets bang out this homework quick so we can have some fun!” Instead of my typical, “Get your homework done please.” Regardless, meltdowns were inevitable.

You see, what they like to do is act like they don’t know what they’re doing. Like it’s too hard. They figure if they claim to not know what they are doing, mommy will just get fed up and give them the answers (guilty). And that my friends, just irks me. I am fully aware that they have learned this material in class. I am fully aware that they know EXACTLY what they are supposed to do with their spelling words. It’s no different from any other week since the beginning of September! So WHY do they sit and whine about it? Why do they stare into space while tearing the eraser off the pencil? Just do your work for the love of God. Get it done so we can move on from this misery.

Homework took over an hour on Monday, and again on Tuesday. During the first teary meltdown, after I suggested I just write a note to the teacher saying we don’t understand what “arrow method” means, I just walked away. I didn’t say a word aside from locking myself in the bathroom and letting a plethora of curse words pour from my mouth about that new damn Common Core curriculum (that’s another post). Deep breath. Think. Google. Google, the answer to everything. I googled common core arrow method and looked at images. Ah…I showed my son and his response was a smirk followed by, “Oh yeah, I forgot.” Instead of getting mad I just did a silly dance around the kitchen, trying to get the mood light for the rest of the battle. Sometimes I find throwing yourself on the floor and being completely overly dramatic helps. It sure replaces the tears for giggles.

My other son just kept writing the answer and not showing his work. The instructions are to do the work and then get the answer. There is a full diagram and example on how to do it.  He didn’t know how…two nights in a row, the same method and types of problems. He was even screwing up counting 5-groups (yeah, another stupid common core term. I’m making my own glossary).

Spelling sentences. Thinking of sentences…some more torture. Basically this is, “Mom give me a sentence. No I don’t like that one, give me another one.” Not mom’s job boys. Thus making homework drag out even longer. Deep breath.

Whining because they’re hungry when they just ate a snack before homework. Drive me crazy! Well if you didn’t take over an HOUR to do what should take 20 minutes, you wouldn’t be so darn hungry! Deep breath.

So to you parents out there that are trying to survive this week’s homework, I sympathize with you. We’re all in the same boat. Breath and walk away (sneak a sip of wine) and carry on. It will get a little better next week…I hope.