Goodbye Nazi-Mom

If there's one thing I love about American life so far it's school.

And I'm surprised I'm saying that. Because I had my doubts about how my children would fit into public school after attending a private Christian school in China.

But after having Olivia in school for four years in China, having our kids in American public school is just ... relaxing.

We don't have to leave the house for school until 8a.m. And if we're a few minutes later than that, it's okay, because school doesn't technically start until 8:20.

Also, our kids get home at 2:30 every day. That's a full hour earlier than they arrived home when we were in China.

Not only that, but every Wednesday they get out at 1:30.

And there is essentially no homework.

Sorry, I should rephrase that. Olivia does have homework. She gets it all in a folder at the beginning of the week and has to turn it in on Friday.

In the folder are: ten spelling words; one or two sheets of math (addition and subtraction); and this week she has one sheet of letter tracing.

So, basically, for one whole week Olivia has about as much homework as she had in one day in China.

For the Asians reading this blog, I know what you're thinking: Doesn't it make you upset that American school is so easy? Aren't you worried about your child being under-challenged?

I have to admit, the Asian part of me is bothered by this.

But the American part of me is celebrating. Because my little girl gets to be a little girl. She gets to come home and play.

I don't have to stand over her for an hour delivering a lecture through clenched teeth like I did in China that sounded something like this: "Olivia, if you will just get it done and stop whining and complaining, then you can go play!" Because it just didn't work to play first and do homework later. It just didn't. Because after dinner she fell apart. She needed to be in bed because she had to get up at 6:30 to get ready for school.

And Olivia dragged her feet over homework. She hated it.

Last night she was writing out spelling words and sentences. "This is so much fun, I just can't stop!" Wow, that came out of my daughter's mouth. Amazing.

I almost giggled.

I've been driving around town absurdly happy lately. Absurdly happy. Because my kids are coming home from school early and we can just play.

Play!

Sigh. Goodbye Nazi-Mom. I don't have to be you anymore.