Okay, so
my the science fair project turned out great, I finished it up lastnight with
little to no help from Chucky. Strike that he helped me make molds of fossils in the plaster of paris. The person that I feel bad for is his partner, he called everyday and even came over to work on the science fair project but Chucky wasn't feeling it.
This was the conversation betweeen me and Chucky for the month of March.
Me: Chucky, when are you going to get started on your project?
Chucky: Well not right now.
Me: Okay then about when do you think you can fit your science fair project into your busy schedule?
Chucky: In a few minutes, as soon as I am done on the COMP{computer} MOM!!
Me: What are you doing on the COMP, looking up science fair stuff?
Chucky: Um, Yeah science fair stuff.
Me: Okay well like I told you, I am not going to do your project for you, so don't come to me on Sunday night expecting me to do this for you.
Chucky: I know, I will do it myself, like I need your help!
A couple of days later...
Me: Hey bud, how's your science fair project going?
Chucky: Good!
Me: Okay so what do you have for your project so far?
Chucky: Well, um, huh?
Me: What do you have for your science fair project so far, what is your question, hypothesis?
Chucky: Um, hmmm fossils?
Me: Oh good, so what is your question?
Chucky: How are fossils formed.
Me: Do you know how fossils are formed?
Chucky: DUH! from dead plants and animals that have lived millions and millions of years ago and turned into rocks which are petrified fossils.
Me: Well your right, but there is a lot more to it than just them dying and turning into a "rock" so you need to get on the COMP and look it up to see how they are formed.
Chucky: I know mom, you don't have to tell me all of the time. You are treating me like a baby! I am in the 4th grade now, I am a big boy, I don't need you to keep reminding me!
Me: Alright then, I won't keep reminding you if you show me that you are actually working on your science fair project. Okay?
Chucky: Okay!
A couple of days later....
Me: Chucky, how is your science fair project coming along?
Chucky: Good, why?
Me: Because March 29th is right around the corner.
Chucky: I know, I know!
NOTE: All of the backround work was already done all he had to do was read some of it and make a science fair project.
Me: Why don't you just get it done and out of the way so you don't have to keep hearing me tell you to do your project?
Chucky: I am going to get it done mom, I just want to do it on my own without you bothering me all of the time.
The next day...
Me: Hey bud, how was school?
Chucky: Good!
Me; What did you learn today?
Chucky: Nothing.
ring ring ring
Chucky: I got it!
Chucky: Hey mom?
Me: What?
Chucky: Can my best friend come over?
Me: No!
Chucky: Why?
Me: Because you have to work on your science fair project.
Chucky: That's what we are going to do, we are partners.
Me: Really, since when?
Chucky: Since the beginning, when we first found out that we had to do a science fair project.
Me: Well why didn't you tell me?
Chucky: I did tell you, but you probably forgot because your old.
Me: Yeah he can come over but there are going to be a few rules that you have to follow.
Chucky: She said yeah you can come over, but bring your papers so she thinks that we are working on our science fair project.
Me: Chucky, come here please.
Chucky: What do you want now mom. We are going to work on our science fair project don't worry about it mom, I got it all under control!
Me: Here's the rules, you have to work on your project, no computer, no video games, and no playing, got it?
Chucky: Yeah, but we have to get on the computer because we have to look up stuff on the computer!
Me: No you don't, because all of the information that you need is already printed out for you, you just need to go through all of those papers and figure out which stuff goes with your question, figure out if you and your partner have the same hypothesis, who is going to do what- split up the work, you do some and he'll do some, and then answer your question, on a different day we will get the molds done and write up the conclusion, and put everything on your board. Okay?
Chucky: Okay, but what if we get it done, can we play?
Me: That's a lot of work, I don't think that you will have enough time to play.
Chucky: But if we get done can we play, huh mom?
Me: We'll see.
His friend comes over and they start to work on their project for about 5 minutes. When they both come upstairs and ask if they are done and if they can go play now.
I gave them list of things to do, I told them to break up all of the work, what work each of them was going to do and to figure out what work they were going to do together. 5 minutes later, we are done now can we go play now? Um no, what do you have done, have you decided who was going to do what, and how you were going to form your experiment and how it was going to go onto the board? Well, uh, no but we will. Okay, well do that, and then get on your project, what do you want in it? Then we can play? 3 minutes later, we are done! I ask them again, did you get this, this, this, and this done? Yeah! Bring me what you have gotten done so I can take a look at it to make sure that you are on the right track. Okay.
They brought me the few sentences on a piece of paper and the stack of info that I printed off of the computer and took off.
The next day....
Me: Hey bud, how was school?
Chucky: Fine.
Me: Just fine, did you learn anything fun today?
Chucky: Yeah, we learned about volcanos, rocks, soil, fossils and other elements.
Me: WOW! Really did you like it, was it interesting?
Chucky: Yes, it was really cool, I learned that mountains are formed from volcanos.
Me: Not just from volcanos, but from wind and rain and other elements to.
Chucky: Like what?
Me: Well the earth shifts and moves and with the rain and wind it will form a mountain.
Chucky: How do you know mom?
Me: I learned it in school.
Chucky: Cool!
Me: I need you to come up her so that we can work on your science fair project.
Chucky: I already told you, that I am going to work on it by myself with my partner.
Me: Well that would be fine if you were actually working on it, but your not. Please get your stuff and bring it here.
Chucky: Why, I don't want to right now, later!
Me: I am not going to sit here any longer and listen to that, because I have given you every chance to do this project on your own and you haven't even started it.
Chucky: Yes I have, just because you can't see it, doesn't mean that I am not working on my project.
Me: Okay, but we are still going to get some of this done, because I am not going to be starting and finishing this project on Sunday night!
Chucky: GOSH MOM, WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN!!
Me: I am not mean, I am your mom. I want you to succeed, and in order for you to succeed, you have got to do your science air project.
Chucky: I don't want to do it! I am not going to do it!
Me: It's a little to late, you already told your teacher that you are going to do the science fair and your not going to quit because you don't want to do a little work to get the "reward." Plus you have a partner, you can't let your partner down. You know what, you just need to call your partner right now and tell him that he needs to do his own project, because your not responsible and you don't want to do the work.
His eyes went crazy, he was looking all over the place and he started to cry.
Me: What's wrong, why are you crying?
Chucky: I'm not crying, I have something in my eye.
Me: Okay, well when you get whatever is in your eye out, you need to call your partner and tell him that your not doing the science fai because your lazy and don't want to do the work.
Chucky: NO! I am not going to calll him and tell him that, because I am going to do the project, I just don't want to do it right now.
Me: Well you don't get to pick and choose when you get to do it because then it won't get done.
Me: DO you thik that you can do a little everyday?
Chucky: Yes.
Me: Okay then, as soon as we are done with this, you can do your other homework and then we will work on a little more tomorrow.
As the deadline got closer and closer he got a little scared, but not scared enough to do the board himself!
