My first thought was to keep it to ourselves. We don’t subscribe to the paper (we just read it online) and, like many 16-year-old boys, my stepson rarely watches the news (unless it’s a required assignment for school). Plus his aunt has a different last name then we do so most people won’t make the connection. And I also kind of hoped his mom would talk to him about it since it’s her sister.

But the more I thought about it the more I wondered if we shouldn’t discuss it with him. We are the custodial household. And there are people who know their relationship and may ask him about it. Wouldn’t it be best if he hears about it from us? Wouldn’t it be best that we open up and answer any and all questions he may have (although we know very little about it)?

I think part of my apprehension comes from her being part of his mom’s family. On one hand I don’t want to bad mouth that side of his family. On the other hand I want to protect him. So then I have to stop and think, if it was my sister would I tell my kids about it? And I honestly don’t know what the answer to that would be. I’ve never been in this situation before.

What would you do?

Post from: Blisstree

What Would You Do?

It all started when I talked to my mom on the phone. She had called home earlier, but I wasn’t here. So instead she talked to my 14-year-old. My mom (just like myself) is a democrat and my 14-year-old is a republican. (Well as much of a republican as a 14-year-old who can’t vote can be.) I call him Alex P. Keaton. It’s a big funny joke because my son’s name is actually Keaton. And Alex P. Keaton was a huge young republican from Family Ties. Get it?

So anyway, my mom and my son had a big discussion about politics. I keep telling her he is just doing it to get her all ralled up. He tends to be kind of sarcastic (no clue where gets that from). When I got out of class and called her she was telling me about it. Then when I got home my son was telling me about it.

He and started to talk about why he was a republican and why I was a democrat. I was sort of testing him to see if he actually had any clue where McCain stood on any of the issues or if he was just getting sucked in to the republican propaganda. Somehow we got on to the discussion of Abraham Lincoln, how he was a republican and how he not only abolished slavery, but was the reason the Civil War started.

Since my 16-year-old is currently taking U.S. History in school, he joined in to the conversation. After a few minutes I stepped aside to help my 6-year-old write a letter to his sister (because they just learned about writing letters today in the 1st grade) and let my teens duke it out over the Civil War. They had a 30 minute conversation about the Civil War; talking about a few of the different battles and the key players. It was amazing.

So what’s the lesson here? Apparently I need to start sneaking in educational conversations so the kids don’t realize they are learning. Clearly I’m a genius.

Post from: Blisstree

Sneaking In An Education

For example, last night we were talking to one of the teens about school work. Or lack thereof. It went like this.

You’re missing three homework assignments from Chapter 1.

Yeah, I didn’t feel like doing them.

Umm…what? What do you mean you didn’t feel like doing them?

I already know all that stuff so it’s pointless to waste an hour doing homework when I already know it.

No it’s not pointless. You do your homework and you get a grade. Right now your getting an F.

This is just the first chapter. It’s not like I won’t do the rest of the chapters.

Homework is your job. You don’t get to pick and choose which homework you want to do. Do you think my boss just says, “Oh, ok. No problem.” when I don’t want to do something at work?

It’s not a big deal. I’ll make it up with the next chapters.

Yes. Yes it is a big deal. You are failing.

But it’s stupid to do it when I already know it.

If you know it, then it should have been easy and would have been an easy grade.

But why would I do something I already know?

To improve. To get an A. To avoid getting grounded. Lots of reasons.

But I already know everything about it. I don’t need to get better at it.

It’s just like sports. The more you practice the better you get. Tiger Woods still practices.

Sports is different than math.

No, no it’s not.

It’s stupid to waste an hour on something I already know. I’d rather play computer or video games.

Well computer and video games are privileges and you know the consequences of not doing homework. You lose privileges.

Fine. I’d rather sit in my room in the dark all night long than do something I already know for no reason.

You’d rather sit in your room doing absolutely nothing for 60 hours than do one hour of homework?

Yes!

And I had to end the conversation there because seriously?!? Did I talk this nonsense when I was a teenager? How do you reason with crazy?

Post from: Blisstree

Is Teenager a Foreign Language?