Houston, We Have a Problem

"Abang got homework again, over."

"Roger that."

Actually, the problem isn't really that Abang was given homework again. It's that Mummy completely forgot about it until the next morning when it was due!

So far, since the first time he was given homework, I think on average he gets homework between once a week to once every 10 days. Which is not bad considering he's not even four yet. Personally, I think at this age they don't even need any homework, but I understand that kindergartens are competing with each other - if Kindergarten A doesn't dish out homework, rest assured Kindergarten B will, and kiasu parents will flock to Kindergarten B thinking it's "better".

Uh-huh. Sure.

Anyway, Abang got homework again the other day. Since I took him to Tesco Mutiara Damansara immediately after school, we decided to have lunch at Pizza Hut. While waiting for our pizza, I got him to do one line of his homework (I think it was a page of lower case 'o'). After that, we did our grocery shopping at Tesco, went to Nenek's house and hung out for a bit, then went home. And it completely slipped my mind that he still had many many more rows of 'o' to write out. And the corresponding owl to colour.

The next morning, I was packing his school bag with his water bottle and spare clothes when I came across his school book. GASP! It was already 8:10am and I usually send him to school before 8:30am. Panic attack. Panic ATTACK!

Ok, ok, let's calm down. Maybe he can do half. Just half. I'm not too fussy about him not finishing his homework, he's just 4 years old, dammit! He shouldn't even be given homework. His teachers are going to think I'm such a lousy mom!

"Abang! Look! We forgot about your homework!" I waved his book wildly at him.

"Oh." Typical schoolboy all calm and relaxed about not having done homework.

"Come, you can do some before we go to class, ok? Just do half-la. Half also can." I couldn't believe I was conspiring - haggling even - to get my son to not finish his homework.

Without any protest whatsoever, he sat at the table, got his pencil out and announced that he will do it but from up to down (in columns) and not left to right (in rows).

"Ya, that's fine Abang." Like I care in what order he's writing those damn 'o's!

He gave me a blow-by-blow account after each column done. "Only 6 more to go." Then it was "Only 5 more to go." After he had done half, I suggested we go to class.

"No, no, I haven't finished yet."

"Well, maybe you can finish it at school." I was all fidgety because it was almost 8:30am and I remember how long it took him to finish his last homework.

"No, I do now." Not only does my son insist on finishing his homework, but I'm trying to get him not to! What is this world coming to?

Surprise of all surprises, he did it all in 10 minutes flat. And that included colouring the owl (and this time he did use only brown colour). He was so proud of himself, as I was of him.

I fact, I think he realised that he can do it quickly and it's actually not a big deal that the next time he had homework, he managed to do it all without too much fuss and relatively quickly.

Relative to the first time he had homework, that is.