Torture...or Homework with Sam

Today Sam brought home a homework assignment - usually if he has homework, he has to read a short book to me, occasionally writing one sentence about it. But today he has to write 4 sentence story about winter. "Popcorn" words must be spelled correctly and circled. All other words can be spelled by sound.

Sam hates homework. So right away, I knew it would be a fight. We have two nights to do it, so we wrote two sentences tonight, and we'll write two tomorrow. We just finished and I thought I would share the experience. I think you'll find it amusing, and maybe I will too someday. But all I can think about now is how trying his school career with homework may be.

Me: You have to write four sentences about winter. What do you like about winter?
Sam: Winter is dumb.
Me: Sam...
Sam: I hate winter, it's stupid.
Me: I don't think you should write that.
Sam: OK, I like winter.
Me: Good. Write that
Then he rights the sentence, spelling the first two words correctly and copying "winter" from the assignment sheet, with no more prodding from me. Which proves he can do it easily and makes dealing with him that much more frustrating.

Me: OK, we have to do one more sentence tonight. Why do you like winter?
Sam: Winter's dumb.
Me: WHY DO YOU LIKE WINTER?
Sam: People make snowmen and snow angels and forts and...
Me: OK, pick one of those things.
Sam: People make snowmen out of their skin-
Me: How about "People make snowmen?"
Sam: -and then they have no skin and their out in the cold snow...
Me: Sam!
Sam: Winter is fun. I want to write "Winter is fun."
Me: Good. Write it.

So he writes it and only need help spelling "fun" - not a popcorn word. I tried to get him to just finish the other two sentences tonight but no deal. The entire process took less than 10 minutes, and he can handle the work easily, so why does he have to make it such a pain?

So if you're keeping track, Sam's winter story so far is "I like winter. Winter is fun." Check in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion, which hopefully won't include skinless people out in the cold.