Do you procrastinate?

[PilotMan]

Today my 4th grade son comes home and tells me and the mrs. at 330p that his science fair project is do tomarrow. My wife and I looked at him stunned and almost started laughing. Come to find out that he has had 2 weeks to work on it, just never got around to telling anyone. You would think that a 4th grader would be a little more responsible. His bedtime is 830p. So after dinner and finishing his other homework he has about 3 hours to find, do and write his project.

The first plan was some project about how much water a sample of dirt will hold. After much trouble we were able to find a relatively dry sample in the park. We get home, and before I can even start to observe him, he has begun. But he started on step 3 and pretty much blew the entire sample of dirt.

[shakes head]

Back to the drawing board. We find another project about how clouds form, and need to get a 2 liter bottle. Its already 730p by the time we get started. We get 3 times through the experiment, with me teaching him about what is going on and trying to get him to see and understand what is happening. He ends up taking some notes, and then off to bed. He is now going to get up super early, finish his report and try and transfer it to posterboard, and get to school by 800a. The worst part is that I will most likely need to get up with him to answer questions. I don't want to get up that early!

It is so hard knowing where to draw the line between taking over and letting him do the work. My wife and I feel that he needs to take the fall, since he had 2 weeks to get it done. It is his responsibility (responsibility is BIG in our house), it is his project.

At this point I have no idea how it will turn out. I can't see him getting anything better than a 'C' for it. I think that if he does get a better grade than that it will feel like a reward to him, and he will continue this kind of behavior. Not the impession I would like him to have.

Kids will make you INSANE!

[Pyser]

ill read all that...later.

[vtbub]

The NHL is taking notes.

[cartman]

If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would ever get done!

[Flame Eater]

The sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by vtbub

The NHL is taking notes.

Dang, beat me to the NHL reference

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by sooner333

My high school physics teacher told me that procrastination isn't all that bad because you get the most amount of work done in the least amount of time. He is a great man.

Is there room for a fifth face on Mt Rushmore?

SI

[sooner333]

My high school physics teacher told me that procrastination isn't all that bad because you get the most amount of work done in the least amount of time. He is a great man.

[cuervo72]

Yeah, well SI's high school physics teacher taught him how to go back in time...

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Yeah, well SI's high school physics teacher taught him how to go back in time...

Nah,that just requires one of these:



and 1.21 jigga-watts of 'lectricity

SI

[oliegirl]

In all seriousness, I would go talk to the teacher and "encourage" her to not compliment the project and "feel free" to say that it looks like something he rushed through, etc. Not sure how involved you are with your kids teacher and how well you know her, but I would have no problem doing that with my son's teacher...especially in that kind of circumstance.

We are also working on responsibility right now...he is in 1st grade, so I mostly feel like I am fighting a losing battle, but every once in a while something happens that provides me a small glimmer of hope that all our nagging and harrassing is actually getting through.

Good Luck!

[hitmanwa]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

In all seriousness, I would go talk to the teacher and "encourage" her to not compliment the project and "feel free" to say that it looks like something he rushed through, etc. Not sure how involved you are with your kids teacher and how well you know her, but I would have no problem doing that with my son's teacher...especially in that kind of circumstance.

We are also working on responsibility right now...he is in 1st grade, so I mostly feel like I am fighting a losing battle, but every once in a while something happens that provides me a small glimmer of hope that all our nagging and harrassing is actually getting through.

Good Luck!

Ditto...

We just got done spanking, grounding and washing our 5 year old's mouth out with soap. Yes, this was all one kid. Today he decided to yell at 1 teacher (spanking), call another kid gay (wash the mouth out with soap) and roll his eyes at another teacher (grounding). We knew everything that happened by about 1:00 pm via email which we do regularily with his teacher. He was astonished to know we already knew what had happened and had his grounding all layed out when we picked him up from after school care....kids.

[cartman]

I still am a horrible procrastinator. My finest accomplishment was the term paper for Senior year in high school. It was supposed to be an all-semester event. I never could get into the groove of notetaking, book references, etc. Well, it came down to the weekend before the 20 pages were due, and I hadn't done a thing with it. I was in a bicycle race on Saturday, so nothing got done then. On Sunday, I woke up around 2pm, and got cracking. I finished up around 10pm.

Turned in the paper, and got my grade on Friday.

A+, 98

[Draft Dodger]

sounds like every project I had to do in school.

didn't carry over too badly in my adult life.

[Logan]

Sounds like it could be my kid.

{ducks a PilotMan right cross}

[oliegirl]

Originally Posted by hitmanwa

Ditto...

We just got done spanking, grounding and washing our 5 year old's mouth out with soap. Yes, this was all one kid. Today he decided to yell at 1 teacher (spanking), call another kid gay (wash the mouth out with soap) and roll his eyes at another teacher (grounding). We knew everything that happened by about 1:00 pm via email which we do regularily with his teacher. He was astonished to know we already knew what had happened and had his grounding all layed out when we picked him up from after school care....kids.

My afternoon wasn't as bad as yours, it was actually kind of funny....kid comes home from school - usual "how was your day", "tell me three things you did at school today" conversation. Everything was fine, as always...open up his homework folder and there is a note from the lunchroom monitors with "talking too much" and "playing games in the lunchroom" checked off...so I ask "How was lunch today", he gets a guilty grin and says "why are you asking if you already know?" At least he was smart enough to realize I had read the note and was asking for a reason Turns out he was doing armpit farts (must be a boy thing!) and generally goofing off at lunch today... at least he admitted it and took responsibilty!

[TargetPractice6]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

My afternoon wasn't as bad as yours, it was actually kind of funny....kid comes home from school - usual "how was your day", "tell me three things you did at school today" conversation. Everything was fine, as always...open up his homework folder and there is a note from the lunchroom monitors with "talking too much" and "playing games in the lunchroom" checked off...so I ask "How was lunch today", he gets a guilty grin and says "why are you asking if you already know?" At least he was smart enough to realize I had read the note and was asking for a reason Turns out he was doing armpit farts (must be a boy thing!) and generally goofing off at lunch today... at least he admitted it and took responsibilty!

Talking too much... in the lunch room? Goofing off... in the lunch room? Wow.

[duckman]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

My afternoon wasn't as bad as yours, it was actually kind of funny....kid comes home from school - usual "how was your day", "tell me three things you did at school today" conversation. Everything was fine, as always...open up his homework folder and there is a note from the lunchroom monitors with "talking too much" and "playing games in the lunchroom" checked off...so I ask "How was lunch today", he gets a guilty grin and says "why are you asking if you already know?" At least he was smart enough to realize I had read the note and was asking for a reason Turns out he was doing armpit farts (must be a boy thing!) and generally goofing off at lunch today... at least he admitted it and took responsibilty!

That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. (not you, but the school)

[TargetPractice6]

Originally Posted by duckman

That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. (not you, but the school)

I agree completely. Are the kids forced to play the quiet game during recess at this school?

[duckman]

Originally Posted by TargetPractice6

I agree completely. Are the kids forced to play the quiet game during recess at this school?

I was wondering the same thing.

[sabotai]

I'm never having kids....

And yes, I did exactly that for every single project I ever had to do (before college, that's when I start taking things seriously).

[Vince]

I was horrible all through High School and College. It all culminated in my Art History course...

A week or so into the quarter, early to mid October, the instructor gives us our first paper assignment. It's due in November, so I file it away thinking that I have tons of time. A few weeks later, Thursday rolls around and lo and behold it is November 1st. I show up to class, and the professor opens with "You all can turn in your papers at the end of class." With a mild expletive under my breath, I excuse myself from the back of the lecture hall and book it back to my apartment on my bike. I fire up the computer, crank out all four pages of the paper, and hoof it back to the class. A little sweaty, but with a complete paper in hand, I enter the lecture hall approximately an hour and fifteen minutes later, as the professor says "Please hand in your papers at the front of the hall." Perfect timing, my entrance was masked by the mass of students getting up out of their seats, and I turned in the paper. A week later, I got my paper back...I got an A.

Sadly, I'm rather proud of this accomplishment. Procrastination is a terrible thing, and probably largely responsible for my piss-poor GPA in college and high school. Strangely enough, my procrastination only shows up in school, however. In my professional career, I have always been extraordinarily punctual with any work that I am able to do before hand.

[Loren]

i always wait till the last second to do everything...always got better grades that way and everything just comes out better for me like that...soo eh

[klayman]

Sounds like me. English term paper, 4 months of preperation time given. I wait until the final weekend it is due. Check out books (needed 7 sources) on friday. Skim through them on Saturday. Write the paper on Sunday. Only A in the class. I laugh at all the suckers who wasted 4 months on it.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Sometimes I procrastinate, but I don't feel like it now. Maybe later.

[oliegirl]

Originally Posted by duckman

I was wondering the same thing.

No, they can run around and do what they want during recess...I am not sure why they have such strict lunchtime rules - the only thing I can think of it that because they are little kids (k-5), they want the school rules to be enforced whenever you are in the building. I am not sure if they are more lenient on the older kids or not, but they have pretty strict rules for the young ones.

[Barkeep49]

Going back to the original post I think the teacher didn't do her part in this whole science fair problem. In 4th Grade Parents should still be aware of major projects. Granted the kid should take responsibility and all of that, but at that age the kid is most likely still being taught how to plan and do long term assignments. When I taught 5th grade last year I made sure the parents knew, most of the time via e-mail, of any major projects so they could at least remind the kid of what was up coming.

So that's what I'm like as a teacher. In my own work now as a middle school teacher there has been more than one occasion where my 8:15 lesson has been finished at 8:00. The stress of a deadline is a very good thing for me.

[Danny]

1-2 times a day, although my record is 7. If FOFC allowed more risque pics it could jump up to 3-4 times a day.

[Barkeep49]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

No, they can run around and do what they want during recess...I am not sure why they have such strict lunchtime rules - the only thing I can think of it that because they are little kids (k-5), they want the school rules to be enforced whenever you are in the building. I am not sure if they are more lenient on the older kids or not, but they have pretty strict rules for the young ones.

How many kids are eating at once? There is a huge difference between 300-500 kids running around outdoors in an open space and 300-500 kids in a confined space inside. The more kids in a smaller space the more I understand the need for strict rules.

[Yossarian]

They were going to crown me King of Procastination.

But I never got round to turning up.

[rkmsuf]

Where the f-ck is the f-cking parody thread?

[Raiders Army]

I was going to reply to this thread earlier, but I decided to wait until now. If you wait until the last minute, it only takes a minute to do...


My son was the same way. My wife wanted to bail him out with the Science Project, but I said, if you get an F, you get an F, and that's what happens...the wife won out in the end and I helped so he got an A-.

[henry296]

I have a question for those that are surprised by the note about oliegirl's son.

Do you think it is appropriate behaviour to do armpit farts in the lunch room or any public place?

Todd

[Critch]

When I was a kid my dad told me "Never do today what you can put off til tomorrow".

It has served me well.

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by henry296

I have a question for those that are surprised by the note about oliegirl's son.

Do you think it is appropriate behaviour to do armpit farts in the lunch room or any public place?

Todd

Depends. Are they squishy farts or dry farts?

[vtbub]

Originally Posted by henry296

I have a question for those that are surprised by the note about oliegirl's son.

Do you think it is appropriate behaviour to do armpit farts in the lunch room or any public place?

Todd

At his age? Yeah. At ours? No.

[Joe]

nothing wrong with a little farting in the lunch room

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by henry296

I have a question for those that are surprised by the note about oliegirl's son.

Do you think it is appropriate behaviour to do armpit farts in the lunch room or any public place?

Todd

So is henry296's name really Todd (and if so, why isn't he todd296?) or did MizzouRah hijack his acount?

[henry296]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

So is henry296's name really Todd (and if so, why isn't he todd296?) or did MizzouRah hijack his acount?

my user name is based on my last name. Dates back to my first e-mail account in college which used our last names. First name is Todd, one of many on this board.

Todd

[JeeberD]

Gotcha. So why is it just the Todds that sign their posts?

[oliegirl]

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

How many kids are eating at once? There is a huge difference between 300-500 kids running around outdoors in an open space and 300-500 kids in a confined space inside. The more kids in a smaller space the more I understand the need for strict rules.

There are probably between 250 and 300 kids in there at once. And they stagger the times the classes arrive so that the lunch line doesn't get backed up. So basically, there is always one class arriving and once class leaving at all times...so between all those kids, and the fact that teachers are trying to get kids organized to get in and out of the lunchroom - it makes a little sense that they ask the kids to be quiet and not as rowdy as you might expect.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Gotcha. So why is it just the Todds that sign their posts?

I have no idea.

[Radii]

I communicate at work on a daily basis via armpit farts. What are you people talking about, inappropriate?


I don't think Oliegirl and I have talked about it, but if our son comes home with a project due the next day that he needs help on that he's known about for 2 weeks, I'll help him look stuff up on the internet, he can stay up late to work on it(but he damn well better not complain about being tired the next day), and whatever grade he earns, he earns. I would rather him get an F than be bailed out by us, the lesson won't get through that way.

[oliegirl]

Originally Posted by Radii

I communicate at work on a daily basis via armpit farts. What are you people talking about, inappropriate?


I don't think Oliegirl and I have talked about it, but if our son comes home with a project due the next day that he needs help on that he's known about for 2 weeks, I'll help him look stuff up on the internet, he can stay up late to work on it(but he damn well better not complain about being tired the next day), and whatever grade he earns, he earns. I would rather him get an F than be bailed out by us, the lesson won't get through that way.

radii is alot nicer than I am....the looking up stuff on the internet would be prefaced by a lot of yelling and lecturing, and followed by a lot more yelling and lecturing. Then, the next morning when he was tired and cranky from staying up, my reaction would be - yep - yelling and lecturing At some point, it becomes more about my peace of mind than actually getting through to him.

[hhiipp]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

radii is alot nicer than I am....the looking up stuff on the internet would be prefaced by a lot of yelling and lecturing, and followed by a lot more yelling and lecturing. Then, the next morning when he was tired and cranky from staying up, my reaction would be - yep - yelling and lecturing At some point, it becomes more about my peace of mind than actually getting through to him.

Mom, is that you?

[davidlando1]

I procrastinate so much, I waited a day to post.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by henry296

I have a question for those that are surprised by the note about oliegirl's son.

Do you think it is appropriate behaviour to do armpit farts in the lunch room or any public place?

Todd

See....for me, if I can't have fun, and enjoy life...then it sucks....

I would have done it when I was little, and I would have done it now....

I refuse to grow up! You can't make me..

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by henry296

I have a question for those that are surprised by the note about oliegirl's son.

Do you think it is appropriate behaviour to do armpit farts in the lunch room or any public place?

Todd

IMHO kids will be kids and having fun is very much part of childhood ..

Its probably not 'appropriate' for me to spin supermarket trolleys in circles in Tesco's so my youngest son (Keegan, 2) laughs while he's sitting in them .... but I make sure we don't get in anyone elses way and he enjoys it

There is definitely behaviour which should be encouraged and much that should be discouraged, BUT expecting kids to act like adults too early just frustrates both sides imho - kids won't ever be perfect and as an adult you're just setting yourself an impossible task.

Marc (32 and still a kid at heart) Vaughan

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

IMHO kids will be kids and having fun is very much part of childhood ..

Its probably not 'appropriate' for me to spin supermarket trolleys in circles in Tesco's so my youngest son (Keegan, 2) laughs while he's sitting in them .... but I make sure we don't get in anyone elses way and he enjoys it

There is definitely behaviour which should be encouraged and much that should be discouraged, BUT expecting kids to act like adults too early just frustrates both sides imho - kids won't ever be perfect and as an adult you're just setting yourself an impossible task.

Marc (32 and still a kid at heart) Vaughan

I do the same thing! How can I resist pushung a cart with my 3yr old yelling "FASTER DADDY!" I can't.

Schools suck today, we are seriously considering homeschooling. They are not allowed to talk at luch, only eat. They only have 20 min lunches, which is probably why they don't want them to talk. They get 1 physical activity a day. When I was in 4th we had 1 outdoor recess, lunch recess, and PE 2 times a week.

Around Christmas, my wife had made little bags with cute poems about reighndeer and snowman poop, and the bags were filled with little marshmellows or choc chips/rasinets. The teacher would not give them to the kids, she was afraid of some parent complaining about the topic or something. By the time I was in 4th I had heard every swear word that you can think of. Certainly I don't expose my kids to that, but to live under the false pretense that your kids haven't is crazy. Honestly, poop is right up a 4th graders alley. I was not happy with her decision, but I understood why. I simply disagreed with her.

I wish that we could contact her via e mail throughout the day, it would make things easier. As it is now, you have to call the school, leave a message for the teacher, but she can only call you between 9-915, during her planning time. Thats it!

My son recieved an F in math for the entire first half of the year. He simply wouldn't try and check his answers, or would go so fast he didn't care if they were right. I asked her if he failed math for the year if he would be held back. She looked surprised and said "No Way". On his standards tests he scores 70th percentile. I had said that if his grades didn't come up that he was repeating 4th. His teacher thought that was a bad idea, and that we would run into more behavioral problems than it was worth.

This is the crap that our schools teach. They would rather just send them through with failing grades than deal with the problems at hand. They don't want to make like more difficult for the kids, or do something that might make them angry or act out. So much, BS! This is the state of public schools. Now I am on a roll.

If we could afford private school we would, or if the other boys were a little older, and our house a little larger, we would homeschool. There just isn't much choice in this for us.

Kids do need to be kids, and eveything that they do needs to be taken into context. I am sure I probably did the same procrastination thing to my mom at some point. I have gotten in trouble for belching in the luch room. Armpit farts, been there, done that. To me all that stuff is normal. Failing to teach our kids that they have to live by our standards is the most important thing. We cannot let them make up their own rules to live by, or let the school tell them what is right and wrong. The standards the school sets are far too low. There is still to much placed on PC, and not hurting feelings, or making sure that everyone knows they did a good job. That is not the way the real world works. They need to learn that, on their own level, and in ways and activities that they are familar with, that they can relate too. Otherwise they just don't understand.

I gotta cut myself off now. Sorry for the long rant. Just had to get some things out. Don't really feel better though.

[Marc Vaughan]

This is the crap that our schools teach. They would rather just send them through with failing grades than deal with the problems at hand. They don't want to make like more difficult for the kids, or do something that might make them angry or act out. So much, BS! This is the state of public schools. Now I am on a roll.

I think there are schools everywhere which allow this sort of stuff - my daughters school for instance don't bother marking homework, they run through the answers in class and allow pupils to check their own work .... result is the kids largely don't bother to do it.

My daughters bright enough to be doing well despite this imho and also has the disadvantage of very interested parents who check her homework the night before its due ...

PS> One of the great things about the English education system is that you can place your kids anywhere - your geographical location doesn't matter, for instance my son was in the same school as my daughter for a while but it wasn't suiting him at all, so we've moved him to a school around 5 miles down the road where he's really excelling now
(and yes its a pain getting him to school, but its worth it imho)