Prime
The tooth fairy and holiday homework
The story of the tooth fairy goes on. About a week ago, I had to find a way to sneak some money under our eight-year-old daughter’s pillow. She had lost a tooth and had been disappointed when the fairy did not leave any money the first night she put her tooth under.
But her hopes were raised when I said she should try again. So the next night, I put money and she was really excited. The problem though is that I failed to find the tooth. So after she had found the money, she said she would keep putting the tooth there in the hope that the fairy would bring more money. She has not received any more money so I think she eventually gave up.
Hubby and I were really amused about the way she took all this seriously. She wondered what the fairy wore, what time she came to put the money and how she was able to see that there was a tooth under her pillow in the dark. It made me think about that innocence.
It is such a lovely thing to behold, having someone believe in something so wholeheartedly, or having them do everything possible in their means to get something because they do not think anything can go wrong. I think sometimes as an adult, I miss that, being able to not read between the lines, giving someone something and believing completely they will return it and not think of a plan B somewhere. I just look at the way our girls believe in us completely, the way they trust that there will always be food to eat, that everyone at home means them no harm even though they might sometimes hurt them and I do envy them.
Away from the envy, I was flabbergasted when a few days ago, we returned our daughter’s homework to school. The school has strict but good principles on holiday homework. It is to be done and delivered by a certain date in the holidays. The projects can sometimes stretch us as we are expected to grow plants, make toys or take pictures of activities, but I like it because in the long run, it is a faster way for the children to learn and it shows them how things work practically.
I had hoped we would finish all the work by first week of January and our girl was quick to do her bit. Nevertheless, perhaps because we thought we had time, we delayed and found ourselves doing some project work at the last minute. But we completed it and I took her homework to school proudly. My only worry was that there was a project which I felt we had done in a way which was not quite what they wanted.
I hoped though that she would get marks for trying. So I was disappointed when the teacher did not look at each project to ensure that they were well done. Her major issue though was that our girl had not completed two numbers. I explained that our daughter had been frankly lazy. I had shown her many ways of answering the question, given her books to give her clues but she just wouldn’t try.
So I told her we would leave the spots blank and she would have to explain to the teacher. The teacher, however, insisted I should have helped and shown her what to do. I told the teacher that we would not be helping, but doing her work.
Anyway after that argument, the teacher ticked all subjects as delivered, except that one! She said when the children reported back to school, they would help her fill in the blanks then they would mark the work as finally delivered. I was surprised and so many questions run through my mind but I decided I was not going to start my day with an argument.
