Popcorn and Icees do the trick!!

Okay, so my two oldest were assigned to read this particular book that they decided was boring before they opened it only because they HAVE to read it. To encourage them, I offered them a prize when they were done. So what's the next logical question? "What's the prize?", of course. Off the top of my head, I announced "A cop corn condo!". This is what my dear friend's 4 year old daughter calls the popcorn-Icee combo that is offered at Target.

So now, my 13 year old beginning teenager is so excited about the prize he began the book last night with a book light and was anxiously reading it this morning as well. Who would have thought that pop corn & an Icee would motivated a 13 year old boy!? Other boys his age wear goth make-up, skinny jeans, and text their friends all day. Mine just wants a cop corn condo! Who-ho!! I love homeschooling!!!!

Homeschooling Boys

Being a mother of two boys and two girls, one would think that I'd be prepared deal with the challenges that each provides. Yet somehow, my 13 year old man-cub never ceases to surprise me. Allow me to offer a case in point.

After being in bed the previous day with the flu, I emerged slowly from my room with my head tilted to manage the headache pain. Being somewhat disoriented and groggy, I vaguely heard my son ask me something about his science book. I nodded to dismiss him and went to look for medication for myself. Walking back to the kitchen, I realize that I smell something like burning popcorn. Blinking hard to make my eyes focus quicker, I now see my son with candles lit on the kitchen counter, a cookie rack with a small square of foil under it, and holding a peanut in a pair of salad tongs. He explains to me that he intends to heat the hot water for his hot chocolate by using peanuts for fuel. The peanuts, he explains, are a great source for fuel due to their high oil content. "How harmful can a peanut be?", I muse to myself.

No sooner did that thought arrive when I realized that there was a large flame now on my counter. Apparently the meat thermometer he had in his hot chocolate water was not showing the temperature rising quickly enough. He has now decided to set a cup of peanuts on fire. The other three siblings were behind him staring in amazement. Not wanting to kill his spirit, I asked him to log his science experiment and then clean up. He obeyed, after first using direct flame from a lighter to finish heating his hot chocolate.

At this point in the day I'm feeling stronger and have the children working at different stations on their school work. It's then that I notice that two of our guppies have died and are floating belly up in the fish tank. Realizing that this is why I had sons, to kill bugs and flush dead fish, I ask my man-cub to retrieve the dead fish and flush them in the toilet. Walking away was my first mistake. I came back to the table only to find my son with the fish on my good tablecloth and a pocket knife. "Hey mom, did you know that when you poke his eyes out black stuff comes out? Cool!", he exclaims.

Ah, the wonder of boys!