Contract Negotiations

I have one word for you. EXHAUSTED. I have been sick for 9 days and Magnus for about 5 now. While he has always been a RELUCTANT LEARNER, this last week has been just absolutely the most disheartening week ever. I hates to get out of bed, I hate to fight with him. I see the deadline loomin and know that he is falling behind, and he just wants to laydown. My husband, predisposed to be critical of homeschooling from the start, constantly wants to know why we are not 'doing' more. He is moved by the 8 - 3 clock rather than the 8 - 8 clock. I have a 400 lb weight sitting on my head, pressing down into my spine.

the only positive note, is that we found 4 Tracey West books, checked them out from the library and Magnus read them on his own, happily, by himself, in his bed each night. We returned them, and found four more. He has read two of them. Granted they are level 2 and 3 books, but seriously I do not care so long as he is READING on his own, that is a huge step. I opened one up yesterday, and found a vocabulary word on every other page that was on level for him, and asked him what it meant (in context of the story) and he was pretty accurate with them. I seriously wish that we could ditch the literature books and go with a curriculum that used this author, it would make my job So Much Easier.

Today I hit my breaking point, with Magnus using tears, drama, and depression in an attempt to avoid work. His father using whatever it is that he uses to ask me why we are not doing more, why were are watching T.V. and surfing Facebook, I remained calm until after Chess Club and after Cub Scouts and go back home to have the FAMILY MEETING.

We gave it 9 weeks, I am not happy. Magnus is not happy. Dad is not happy. So this is not working. Dad has agreed to back off and give it until the end of the school year. Magnus has agreed to a contract. I agree to teach him for 9 more weeks. He agrees to work each morning, starting at 8 am, on two subjects, without tears, fits, or drama and he can get a 15 minute break. Then 2 more subjects, followed by a 15 minute break, the faster he works, the faster he can get his break. After four subjects, he can get a 1/2 hour lunch and 1/2 hour P.E. break, and then 2 lessons, 15 minute break, 2 lessons, 15 minute break.

Now he has been getting breaks all along, Many of them have been stretching into 3 hours because of all the drama, so I have no idea why he thought he was gaining something during contract negotiations, but he smiled, and gleefully accepted the terms. I wrote it out, in terms that he could understand, and I agreed to give him 9 more weeks.

Mayor Mom has come up with Household Chores, should he decide that he doesn't like his JOB of being educated. He can get an education, or he can apprentice as a housekeeper. His job will include but not be limited to washing the floor, scrubbing the bathroom, and generally learning a skill that would get him a job with Merry Maids.

We shall see how the week plays out.