Daily Life These Days

I finally caught up reading the blogs I follow...all 30 posts! I'm beginning to have blogging withdrawls! I am finally better from being sick for 2 weeks.

This week I had to turn into "mean mom" because of Sara and her lack of making good grades. I had to take away many priviledges and now I must stick to my guns. I think she inherited her bad study habits from her dad...as for me I always made A's and B's and still make mostly A's now. Why oh why couldn't she have gotten MY good study habits?

New subject: So yesterday Sara and I get home after school/work. Joe was already home for an hour and he's in the media room with Polly locked out. As I walk back there I see a big pile of poop in our office. I look at Polly and she knew she was in trouble. Usually the dogs are where ever Joe is so I scold Polly and march into our media room asking Joe why he didn't let Polly out when he got home. His response: "That was there when I got home." Um, ok, and you've been home an hour and why is it still there? Let me just put my maid hat on and clean it up while you sit there playing that stupid &%^$#*@ mock basketball draft online. So I didn't say it like that but that's what I was thinking. MEN!

Kids & School Grades

Sara is in the 8th grade. I think by now she is old enough to be responsible for her homework. I shouldn't have to remind her to do her homework or give me papers from school. But I find myself doing it anyways. One of her weekly assignments is getting her agenda book signed by a parent. Every Monday she writes in her classwork/homework for the week for each class. Then Monday night she has to get a parent signature. This counts for a grade. If signed, an A. If not, a F. How hard of a homework is that? Well my daughter can't seem to remember to get that done. She forgot last week and almost again last night. Joe wants me to remind her over and over until she gives the book to us to sign it. I say no that she needs to step up and be responsible for her stuff. Of course I want her to get good grades because there are consquences if she doesn't (like writing me some essays or a sentence over and over 50 times. I give out good homework too!) But I don't feel like she deserves the good grades if I'm constantly reminding her to do her assignments. Joe thinks I should remind her so her grades won't fall. I say no cuz if her grades fall its her own fault. She doesn't deserve good grades based upon the parent actions. We don't do her work for her we just remind her the work needs to be done.

I need input. Am I just being stubborn and allowing my child to fail? Should I continue to remind Sara of her work? Or am I doing the right thing? Next year she starts high school. The school she wants to attend requires applying and being accepted. Grades are a major factor with acceptance and if she continues the route she's going she will be denied. She makes mostly A's & B's with occasional C's. I expect more because I was an almost straight A student with occasional B's. Yes my middle school and high school years were many moons ago but even now in my college classes I make almost all A's. What to do!?!