There’s nothing worse than leaving something till the last minute, and for Jay, my son, he invariably leaves his homework until he’s run out of time. No matter how much we remind him, or tell him to do it, he always puts it off until he has no choice.
So what can be done about it? That’s a really good question, but what’s the answer?
We’ve tried talking to him, explaining how it’s better to get it done early and then he doesn’t have to worry about it, and he can play without it, or his parents, nagging him. We’ve tried giving rewards for completing it early, like going out to a special place or getting to play certain games. But nothing seems to work. It’s always just before bedtime, the night before it’s due, and he finally gets around to doing it.
Yes, we’ve tried punishments, like not being able to play games or watch TV, but they don’t work either. And to be honest, Jay seems to punish himself when it gets too late and panic sets in.
So we’re back to square one, what do we do? Is it our fault? I guess I can take some of the blame, growing up I always left homework to the last minute. I remember times in university when I had to write a 1,000 word report, and I didn’t start until the night before it was due.
Then there’s my wife, SO, who says that when she was at school, she always did her work early. This may be true, and I’ll probably get in trouble for saying it, but she’s not setting the best example now. I’ve lost count of the times when she says she’s going to do something, like go out or take a shower etc., now, only for her to stay where she is, playing a game or reading, and not get around to doing what she said for an hour or more.
So, do we contribute to the problem with our actions? Should we be more aware of how we act and get things done? Of course we should, and one day I’ll get around to doing it. In the meantime, Jay’s going to continue to wait until the last minute, and I’ll continue to procrastinate about it.
