It's a tricky sometimes deciding exactly how hard to work my nine year old. I have observed that boys need a focus for their energy or it just goes all over the place.
Today when I went to pick him up from a week of summer camp (ie, Mainstream Culture 101, junior version) at the community center, I noticed a group of well kept children and their parents assembled for Kumon meeting of some sort. Hmmm. Of course, I immediately went home, delayed dinner ten minutes, and looked up the nearest Kumon center near me. When I gave him daily worksheets off and on this summer, I could tell he was having a hard time believing me that some kids go to summer school.
I think a boy his age should have plenty of chores, but, as I don't have that many daily chores to give him here in suburbs, I need to be more creative about thinking up physical work for him to do. If only he would have to walk to the grocery store for me, or haul water, or chop wood. Good thing we at least have a lawn to mow.
Perhaps a good theme for my nine year old this school year might be "Success Through Hard Work and More Responsibility". That sounds kind of sloganistic, though, like something painted on a billboard in Beijing. Maybe "Stepping It Up a Notch" would be a better bench mark as I try to expand his world and abilities across the board. What a responsibility to nurture someone body, mind and soul. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
