The Dreaded Report

So far, my children have only had to write one report in the week since we started this. They were riding their bikes around the neighborhood and we saw them cross the street without stopping to look both directions. In their reports, they explained how they looked both directions, "but I guess I should have stopped because my mom and dad always tell me to stop for some stupid reason." When we talked about the report later, I was thankful to find out that they still didn't understand the reason for stopping. I told them to gather around because I had a story to tell them. I told them about when I was a teenager and got a bit careless with my bike riding. As I was riding my bike on a Saturday, I went through an "empty" intersection too quickly and was hit by a car. I nearly lost my life. As I explained all the gory details, my kids' eyes widened, their minds were open and they were finally able to realize that you need to stop before crossing so that other cars can see you, not just so you can see other cars. I was grateful for the chance to explain this a little better-I thought my children already understood it. The report process helped me objectively identify a "hole" in my child's knowledge: they didn't really understand all the safety rules of bike riding.

We'll keep doing the reports because they serve two fabulous purposes: 1) they fulfill a punishment effectively, taking the place of the tired-old time-outs, and 2) they teach my children writing skills that will serve them well in the future. We have a long ways to go, but someday, when they get their first A on a report they've written, they'll be proud of all the effort they've put into their writing skills.

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