...I like pasta.

That was the answer to a question that SD8 had on a classwork assignment her second day of class. It was (predictably) not finished in class or aftercare, and come home as homework. This school has a no homework policy and gives students ample time to complete in class and at aftercare.

She had a whole large block to fill up, and she scribbles "I like pasta" across the whole thing. Meanwhile most of the other sections are 1 or two words, mainly about pasta. It is not colored (despite the directions saying to do so). The handwriting is atrocious. She was obviously trying to be funny, but this bullspit isn't going to fly at school.

Basically it was a carbon copy of all the work from last year in 2nd grade.

I look at it and ask SD8 if she feels she did her best work on it. (DW is not home yet). She replies yes, but she's not finished. So she takes it with a pencil, and goes to the floor and starts coloring in the pictures - again, with a pencil. All of the pictures are gray now, and she puts it away.

DW comes home and looks at it. I don't say anything. She calls SD to the dining room table to look at it. Spells a word for SD8. 10 minutes later SD8 puts it back in her backpack, DW asks her if she is done, SD8 says yes. Later I sneak a peek while DW is putting BS3 in the bath. All SD8 did was spell "Paleontologist" in a space where it asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. (Replacing "Pasta Eater"). There were no other changes. None. DW never checked it.

Last year I would have forced SD8 to stay at the table until it was done well. I'm done with that this year. SD8, DW and BioDad have to start learning the consequences of their actions, or lack thereof. I'm done being the guy who pushes SD8 to do things the right way. Maybe when SD8 gets held back or completely flunks this year's standardized testing, they'll get the hint. I doubt it, but it's really my only option at this point. (She'd probably just get put in summer school like Drac0's skid).

BS3 started preschool this year and I'm going to do my best to make sure this kid loves learning (like I do). I also hope I can instill in him a sense of pride in his work, and not to half-ass things. SD8 doesn't have that, and I doubt she ever will.