September 04, 2012

Yep, he's a senior

Summer homework

No self-respecting teenager does his summer homework during June or July or August. At least, not in my family. The tradition is to wait until the very last minute to read the assigned books, do the work, and write the essays. When Shaggy Hair Boy and Blonde Niece were in high school, they would spend Labor Day weekend at camp working feverishly on the work they’d put off for months.

With-a-Why kept to that tradition. His summer was filled with projects: the mural he’s painting, a pile of books a friend had recommended, classical piano music he’s learning, a novel he’s writing, and chess games with anyone he could get to play with him. He was plenty busy, but with projects of his own choosing and not school assignments.

In keeping with family tradition, he brought his summer homework to camp for Labor Day. Sprawled in a lawn chair by the firepit, he wrote furiously while his siblings gave sympathetic support and sarcastic comments about the value of the assignments. “Just write a whole lot of bullshit,” said Boy-in-Black. He gave me a crooked grin:  “English teachers love that.”

With-a-Why finished the work just in time. Public schools opened today. He tossed his everything into his backpack and went off to begin his senior year in high school.

12 comments:

L said...

wow... times does fly! ;)

Anonymous said...

My kids also wait until the very last minute to do their summer assignments. This drives me crazy.

Anonymous said...

Hi jo(e)! I'm usually a lurker, but I read your whole blog from the present backwards earlier this year during break time from writing an article. This post just reminded me that I never asked one question: Did you ever explain how you gave With-a-Why his pseudonym? I could guess, but I was thinking maybe there was a story there... Anyway, thanks for the great writing!

Rev Dr Mom said...

Wow....a senior! He was just a little guy when I started reading your blog. And the Kid (who will be 21 in Nov!) was jus starting high school...

You are much more laid back about the summer homework procrastination than I was--good for you. My worrying about it getting done never did a bit of good.

So are you prepared for the empty nest next year? (not that yours will ever be completely empty it seems :)\

jo(e) said...

Anon: I never do explain it on the blog, but anyone who learns his real name figures out. His real first name is spelled with a Y. That's what gave me the idea for the pseudonym.

jo(e) said...

Rev Dr Mom: I know! Our kids are so grown up now! It does seem weird that next year, my kids will all be in college or grad school. I haven't really gotten used to the idea, but then again, right now, they are all living in my house so it really doesn't feel like an empty nest.

Lorianne said...

Yep, he's a LEFTY!

(As a lefty, I always notice other like-handed folks.)

jo(e) said...

Lorianne: Yep. Two out of my four kids are left-handed. And three of my siblings.

Kyla said...

Whoa, a senior?! Time flies. I can hardly believe my BubTar is in middle school this year.

(I'm a lefty, too!)

Unknown said...

LP's summer ended, and Senior year began, exactly the same way. With very little sleep for either of us.

jo(e) said...

Martha: It's hared to believe they're seniors already, isn't it? They were little kids when we first started blogging.

Nels P. Highberg said...

I never had summer homework until the summer before my senior year, and I was the geek who was so excited, I did it early. Had to read A Tale of Two Cities and Fathers and Sons. I was such a geek I could point out the part in the Cliff's Notes my friends were reading that said six months passed in Fathers and Sons when it was actually six weeks.