Clearly, I'm not above bribery

On George's agenda when we woke up today was finishing the final exam for his EPGY 4th-grade math class. He had nearly finished it yesterday but ran out of time before we had to leave for a dentist appointment. He had left the long division section until last, because it's the thing that is the toughest/least fun for him. Although he had only one question left to do today, he really didn't want to do it! He had worked so intensely on this over the last several days (reviewing before starting the actual test) that I could see he was just having trouble getting ready to face it again today. Usually we do math first thing in the morning, and I'm pretty strict about it, but I let him read for a while instead (A Wind in the Door).

I had told him that when he finished his exam we'd celebrate by having afternoon tea (believe it or not he had actually been asking me for this for some time). But not even the lure of scones and whipped cream could entice him to the table to do that one last problem. I told him that he could read until 10:00, and then he'd have to stop and do his math and clean the cat boxes. At 10 he cleaned the boxes as requested, but I could see in his face that he was dreading facing the math, and I didn't want him to be approaching it with that kind of attitude--he was really down, worn out, exhausted, and it just didn't seem like he had it in him to do it.

So I thought fast and came up with a plan. I told him that the second he was done with that problem I was going to take the can of whipped cream and squirt it right into his mouth. His whole face lit up, and he asked, "Really?!" He couldn't quite believe that I was going to do it. I told him yes, I was, and that he'd better have a napkin ready because I was going to squirt so much in there it probably wouldn't all fit. He was utterly delighted by this proposition, and raced to the table. Before he started he looked at me one more time and said, "You're really going to do that?" And I went and got the can and said, "Yes, and I think you need just a little shot before starting, don't you? Open up!" and I squirted a small dollop in there. The sparkle in his eye had returned, along with his motivation. He powered right through that problem, and checked over his work on the rest of the exam, in record time. He got his mouthful of whipped cream, as promised. Followed by tea (from my grandmother's tea pot, in cups from her tea set), scones, jam, and of course, more whipped cream. It was lovely, and I was so proud of my little scholar.

I know, I know--using food (sugary, *bad* food, at that) as a reward for math is probably not the very best idea. But hey, sometimes you really just have to go with what works.

After tea we tidied up a bit, and then went out to the opera, for a musical version of Little Red Riding Hood (which we both loved--it was hilariously entertaining). After the opera we came back home and spent the rest of the afternoon hosting a little pool party for some homeschool friends. (Phys Ed, you know. Plus, as people seem to love to remind us, homeschooled kids need their socialization!) Probably it will have been the last pool party of the season, as the weather seems like it's taking a turn for the colder.

All in all, another great day in homeschoolville.