Homework

My first grader received a packet of seven worksheets (back and front so fourteen) for homework practice last night. Since it was his birthday, I didn't make him do any but postponed it until today. All of the worksheets were stapled together with a note from his teacher saying that he needed to practice his handwriting so he can be neater and faster in class. Personally, if I can get him to do one of the two, I'm happy. Anyway she said that I can return it at the end of the week which I took to mean Friday. Now since he will continue to get regular homework during the week, I figured five sheets today, five tomorrow which would leave one each day in addition to his regular homework. Two and a half hours later we are finally done. Of that time one hour maybe an hour and a half was spent complaining and asking that his father help him instead since I'm "mean". I took him at his word and his father came and said that in addition to his regular work he was going to make him write his name 100 times before he went to bed today if he didn't cooperate with me. So he buckled down and did the rest of the work without complaining. Somehow I don't think that threat would have worked for me. After all if I couldn't make him write his ABC's how on earth was I going to make him write his name so many times?