Airplanes, Cleats, and Homework

One day, Son #1 came home from school and tossed his backpack on his bedroom floor.  As usual, I grabbed the homework folder from his bag and looked inside.  In the back pocket, ten pages of unfinished school work lay neatly stacked and organized.  I pulled the stack out and thumbed through it.

Addition...

Phonics...

Handwriting...

Coloring Sheet...

Art Assignment...

Bible Project...

Mad Minutes...

Another Coloring Sheet???

Science...

Social Studies...

What did my kid do at school today?  Obviously, he did nothing because I was staring at a full day of work in his homework folder.  Irritated, I marched over to Son #1's room and asked.  "Why do you have so much homework?"

Son #1 looked at me sheepishly and replied.  "Uh.  I don't know."

"Did you do any work today?"  I continued.

"Yeah."  Son #1 responded.

I decided to try a different tactic because I was not getting any  clear answers.  I read the note from the teacher in the homework folder.

Son #1 has been playing airplane with his pencil instead of doing his work. When it is time for recess, Son #1 completes his work before playing.  He says he works like a rocket to get his work done.  Here's to him working like a rocket during class time.

"Have you been playing airplane in the classroom instead of doing your work?"  I questioned my son.

"Yeah!  I can make my pencil fly really high and then dive bomb my desk."  Son #1 said with gusto.

"What else have you been doing?"  I probed.

"Oh.  Well, I've been thinking about my cleats in my backpack."  Son #1 explained.

"You took your cleats to school."  I repeated. 

Interesting. 

My son had not completed any work because he was too busy playing pencil airplanes and dreaming about his cleats.  I discussed at length with Son #1  the importance of completing his work at school.  We also talked about getting good grades and putting forth his best effort when he works.  He's a very smart little boy.  However, I may have to bribe him to get good grades in the near future. 

Of course, this is my karma.  I was not interested in school so my parents paid me to get as many A's as possible.  Being a little mercenary, I tried to make straight A's for every report card.  Now, I'm getting what I deserve.  Fortunately, I learned a thing or two from my dad.  He made me save every last cent for college.  I'll be doing the same for Son #1.