You Can Take this Reading Log and --

DISCLAIMER - It is not the intent of the author to offend or harm any readers, especially those readers who may be educators. Please note the views expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of other slacker moms. Objects in mirror may be larger than they appear. :)

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All right -- we've already established {{HERE}} that I am a Slacker Mom. Ain't no shame... I admit it.

That being said, just a few teensy-weensy little things I need to blog about in hopes for some commiseratin' with my Bloggy Peeps!

Planners & Reading Logs. I HATE signing daily planners and weekly reading logs for my kids. As soon as *I* have to start signing something on a regular basis, it then becomes *MY* homework.

**sigh**

Besides, I am busy enough with my OWN planners and Reading Blogs! I work all day and then have to rush off to school in the evenings, and then when I do get home I am trying to get one kid in the shower, one kid tucked into bed, one missing kid tracked down because he isn't at home on time, all while trying to get my own homework done. I don't have time to check backpacks and look for reading logs!

Here's the thing. Just because I am a Slacker Mom doesn't mean that I don't care about my children's education. I *DO* care. I just don't want to have to sign some planner or piece of paper to prove it. Quite frankly, if your mornings are at all like mine, you're running a few minutes late, one kid can't find his backpack, the other is all of a sudden remembering the volcano he was supposed to have made and bring to science class that morning, while the other is standing in the bathroom, crying because her hair looks "dumb"! And if you *DO* remember to sign ANYTHING, you're sure as heck not going to read it first! Read it? Who does that??? I guess the Slackerless Moms do. (Shut up. I know it's not a real word... but I'm using it anyway.)

What really chapped my hide (we really oughta update that phrase) was when FunnyMan was in Jr High and he practically failed English (his BEST subject) because he failed to turn in reading logs! When I asked the teacher at the parent-teacher conference how on earth this could be, she simply replied that the reading logs were worth 100 pts a week! I was all, "For real?"

It didn't (and still doesn't) make sense to me! Never mind the fact that he is a great speller and never had to practice a single spelling test in his life and aced each one since the first grade just fine. Never mind the fact that the kid uses proper English/Grammar not only in his writing but in his everyday language. Never mind the fact that he is a super-creative and stellar writer and teachers all the way back to his kindergarten years have been super-impressed by my genius of a child because he can write the best essays and stories and poems. Never mind the fact that ALL of his standardized tests have ALWAYS indicated reading and writing skills 2-4 years ABOVE his current grade level. YOU, dear high-and-mighty-you-don't-know-what-sort-of-a-slacker-mom-you're-dealing-with-teacher, YOU are going to FAIL my son because he hasn't brought you a little piece of paper with my signature on it saying that he reads?!?!?!?!?!

Asinine.

That was the point in which I went home, went online, printed off a butt-load of reading logs, signed them all and told him to keep them in his locker.

I could understand if my kid had a hard time reading. But, he didn't then and he doesn't now. I could understand if my kid spent all day in front of the TV. But he didn't then and he doesn't now. Do you want to know how he spent his "free time"? (And still does)

WRITING!!!

That's right, Ms. Teacher. He spent his free time writing screen plays and film scripts! (He does that now too!) He spent time researching online, learning the correct terminology and the intricacies of what goes into film-making and then he applied the knowledge he learned. Yeah, You kinda sorta need to know how to read and write to do all of that! (Which he did and still does.) He then takes his script to his besties and he directs and films his projects with them. (He still does too!)

His dream is to be a filmmaker one day; to write and direct. He is uber-serious about it too. He even created his own independent production company, designed the logo and all! "Get Popcorn Productions".

I don't see how having his mother sign a stupid reading log is going to help him fulfill his future dream. Except of course he needs the stupid logs to get the stupid grade! Grrr.

Now, LittleDuckling is in Jr. High, and that battle is starting all over again. Only *THIS* time I can't vent about it at parent-teacher conference, because I have CLASS! (Not to mention, I didn't really want to go anyway... cuz I'm a SLACKER!)

But really. My kids have very expansive vocabularies. They always have too. English is not hard for them.... just the blasted logs! And I totally love teachers that email the class schedule for the week to the parents. THAT I think is cool. They are keeping the parents informed and then leaving it up to us to check up on our kid. And I *do* think it's great the school provides every kid with a planner. It teaches them to be organized. Nothing wrong with that.

Just don't give ME the homework of signing it, cuz now I'll just sign it without even looking at it just to get it outta my face.

Yep. That's how I do... cuz I am a Slacker Mom!

ps~ if you're one of those parents who absolutely LOVES signing reading logs and student planners, well, then -- you go on with your bad self and sign until your little hearts content. Just don't tell me about it. Not in the mood to be looked down upon by Slackerless moms today. haha!