Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless. Bill Watterson

Fridays are our social day. In the mornings, I have a dance class with some very lovely ladies. I laugh the entire time as well as exercise. It's what I look forward to each week. Along with the other kids, Malachy watches whatever cartoon is on in the gym's daycare.

On Friday afternoons, we head over to a local park to meet with the other homeschooling families for a few hours of letting loose. The kids run and play and the moms (and sometimes dads) chat and compare notes. This is usually just after lunch, so the actual time we have for lessons in between the two events is a tiny window. Malachy has a great time with Zoe and Perry, and is making more friends each week.

In order to make both events, our Fridays are very loose. We usually get in the essentials. Yesterday, because I also had to run some errands, we were only able to accomplish his french lesson. It was agreed yesterday that we'd play catch up today (Saturday). Daddy is at an all day bicycle event and we had no prior plans. We talked about it yesterday, we talked about it last night before bed. Everyone was on board.

This morning, we slept in until almost 9:00 (a rarity in the home as we are all up at the crack of dawn each morning, and if we aren't, the dogs will make sure we are). The extra sleep felt so good, I felt so well rested. Upon waking, Malachy was cheery and bright. Breakfast was out on the patio since it is an incredibly beautiful morning. Birds are singing, dogs are NOT barking, bunnies are hopping about....ah, life is good!

The joy de vivre was too short-lived. The boy has decided and is adamant that weekends are NOT for studying and he has refused to do any school work. I countered and reminded him that Fridays ARE for school, so Park Day will be out next week. He looks forward to his Park Day as much as I look forward to my dance class. Some colorful mouthing off to me and he's been sent to his room without the privilege of his TV or computer games. He'll be staying in there until he has a change of attitude, even if it takes all day. And while he's quiet now and the house is once again calm, I realize I've been played.

It reminded me of a time when I was very pregnant for him. Steve and I offered Kelley (a freshman at the time) and Winter (in elementary school) to go see the new Harry Potter movie at the theaters if they promised that when we got back, they'd go rake up a certain section of the back yard. Both were very excited and happily agreed. We left and enjoyed the movie and snacks. Upon our return, neither girl was interested in holding up their end of the bargain. We insisted they do their share. Reluctantly they went out with rakes dragging behind them. One sat on the ground, tossing around leaves, while the other bitched and moaned the entire time and went on about how unfair we were.

I thought I had learned my lesson when it comes to kids and compromises. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.