Wrestling the Hassle

If you have school-age children you have made the same homework battle cry and pull-out-your-hair dance as I have.

In our house it usually involves our oldest.

I was moaning over this fact with a friend, when she recommend John Rosemond's book Ending the Homework Hassle.

Are you familiar with John Rosemond? Maybe your newspaper runs his article? He takes a no-holds bare to parenting. You are the parent. They are the children. Shape up, or ship out.

He has some good points, though we haven't entirely Rosemond our house.

The first family, described in his book, was us. He had me nailed, and we needed help.

We implemented many of his ideas. We may not follow all of them, some we have modified, but what we are doing is working for our family.

Peace, for the most part, reigns in our house during homework time. In fact, homework time is probably the most peaceful time in our house.

Go figure.

Since then I have recommend the book to friends, and acquaintances. Some accept the recommendation, ask questions, one friend even borrowed my copy of the book.

Some give a blank stare (or if it is on Facebook, will ignore my comment) and continue complaining.

Oh, my bad, you just wanted to complain. Carry on. I'm moving on to another conversation.

And, some will question, but with great skepticism. Really, can an elementary-age kid be self-motivated enough to complete their homework without us hovering over them.

Rosemond's point is, it is not the parent's responsibility to make sure the child's homework is completed. It is the child's.

If they don't learn responsibility now, if they don't learn time management now, if they don't learn how to motivate themselves now, then when?

Does the thought of homework time make your knees tremble, and you break out in a cold sweat?

Give the book a look. Try some of the ideas. It may just be worth it.