I’m trying to get my groove back after the holiday break. I’m tired, we’ve had low-level sickness in the house, but at least not the flu, knock wood.
Today I spent cleaning my filthy, filthy house and slowly spelling words to my kids. It’s so hard to get them to do school work after a break.
I read that article in the Wall Street Journal, Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother, about parenting like a Chinese mother. While I’m not going to call them garbage or make them practice piano for three hours a day, I did try a page out of the author’s book.
When my drama queen tried out her acting skills today (I’ve cried less at funerals), I told her I expected more of her and that I pushed her because I knew she was capable of much more than she does.
It worked.
School work done. Chores done. And I came home from an errand and she had done extra chores.
I need to send Amy Chua a thank-you note, (if I were a thoughtful-type person who sent thank-you notes). Is this all it took all along? We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

We started back to school last week, and it went amazingly well. I was quite surprised.
But today has been more like usual. Sigh.
So the honeymoon lasts a week?
I'll take it.