This is my first time to homeschool and I am learning all kinds of things. I wonder if the boys are learning anything? I feel like I should have been required to at least have a semester of student teaching before being entrusted with the education of the kids. But apparently it is a sink or swim sort of thing. I think it would be wise for me to invest in some scuba gear.
I want the boys to memorize Scripture. So they get a verse a week. They can quote their verses once a day to me, and when they have done so correctly five times they get a small prize. When they have filled in a chart of 4 verses quoted five times each, they get a bigger prize. They have been looking forward to the bigger prize. I've been focused on keeping the small prize bag filled with interesting things. I've done pretty good on that, and was even prepared to add new things when the prizes became a bit "old hat." But I forgot about the big prize.
Hmmmm, I had afew ideas but nothing solid. Seth proudly quoted a verse to me this morning and I handed him his sticker and pulled out the prize bag.
"I get a BIG prize too, Mom!"
"Of course you do! Yea for Seth!" (hide panic in my voice with a big high five)
"What is it?"
"What is what?"
"The BIG prize? What is it?"
and thus began the Kelley Homeschool Teacher's longest stall yet...
"Congratulations! You just won....a..."
The other two boys are lined up behind Seth, ready to hear the BIG prize because they each only have a couple of more verses to quote before THEY also win the much coveted but somehow elusive BIG prize.
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"What did I win?"
"Well, see, it is time to start class now so I will give you the BIG prize later."
"But what IS it?"
"Well, I can't tell you until you get it."
"Well, I can't tell you until you get it."
and so on and so forth throughout the day. But I never seemed to have time to rummage through my stash of things that might be deemed BIG prize, nor could I settle on what I thought would be a good alternative. Ice cream? By the time afternoon rolled around, it seemed anti-climactic to say...
"And NOW, what you have ALL been waiting for!!!! SETH has, for his hard work, earned himself....a scoop of...well...ice cream."
Oh dear, I needed to decide quickly before the anticipation made ANY gift at ALL seem trivial. But, of course, the day continued to get away from me. And then we decided to surprise the boys with a trip to the movie theater. The movie was great and when it was over we went out for dinner at Mr. Pancake (which, incidentally has a small section of the menu dedicated to pancakes while the other 80% of it has things like shrimp alfredo, fried rice, crispy chicken steak, noodles etc).
Seth asks, "So what is the BIG prize?"
I tried to pass the movie off as the big prize but that definitely did not work. OK, gotta make a decision, this is ridiculous. On the way home Kris leans over and asks me quietly if I know what the prize is. Well, I have an idea...sort of... When we get home I tell the boys to get ready for bed and I rush to my desk to finally decide on a BIG prize. I rummage around and find these great coupons and immediately fill one in for an amount from iTunes. By then Seth is ready for bed and is brushing his teeth (in the TV room because that is where our only sink is...what?...your only sink isn't in the TV room? Really? Weird.) Aaron and Joel are robots fighting each other (can you guess what we watched at the theater?) I try to make a grand presentation for Seth who turns to receive his coupon just as flying robot pieces (ie a sofa pillow) comes flying off of one of the robots and splats against Seth's hand holding the toothbrush. I thankfully save the toothbrush, and the remotes that get whacked off the coffee table. The presentation is less than desirable, the amount I have written on his coupon is also less than desirable, but is all I can do at the moment. After working weeks to get his prize, then waiting all day with anticipation, Seth looks at his coupon. He reads it. I watch. A moment of silence. Then he smiles and says, "I can use this to buy the rest of the season I wanted!" Big grin! I LOVE MY KIDS! They are so gracious and thankful for even the smallest things. They make me feel like a million bucks even when I feel like the amount on that coupon! :)
Lesson learned, when you offer a BIG prize, know what it is before it's time to give it.
