Today, There Were Tears.

Come home, toss off the backpack, head over to the toy bin, and play.

It's a daily routine, and one that I love watching. Tonight, though, there were tears.

After dinner, we played, went on a bike ride, and came back home to run through our routine: dishes, bath, homework, and books.

I've already written about the façade of optional homework, but my first grade son hasn't read it. In fact, he's so determined to do his optional homework that he wants it all done tonight.

Tonight is Tuesday.
Homework is due Friday.
But that doesn't matter to a perfectionist 6 year-old.

His eyes welled up with tears, his hand clenched the pencil, his muscles tensed up. He was so frustrated that he couldn't seem to spell his words correctly, write the sentence correctly, and he was tired. He was distracted.

Tonight is not the night I write his teacher.
Tonight is not the night I share Dr. Jo Boaler's work with him.
Tonight is not the night I let him learn to hate school.

But I don't know what to do. So I just gave him a hug.

Happy "Big Hug of Love" Fishing.