Taking Things Too Seriously

[sherrardk]

Looking for ideas to get my daughter to 'lighten up'. She has only just turned 8 and is in Year 3 but is taking her school work far too seriously. Tonight she has been in tears because she can't find out loads of stuff about Cleopatra's death (it's her homework and she is doing a power point presentation (!)). Obviously I am pleased that she wants to do well but I don't think it is right that she is taking it so seriously. Any ideas anyone? Thanks.

[boxtops]

Powerpoint at primary school? blimey.....

I can remember when I was her age, I actually asked the teacher for homework, I felt I ought to have some. She politely declined, saying there would be enough in a couple of years time.

As with any study, it's important that your daughter learns the concept of "good enough". I've seen adults beating themselves up, looking for more and more stuff for a piece of work - but you don't get extra Brownie points for more stuff, only about the the central message you need to get over. Enough would be who she was, how and where she died, what happened next... (surely?)

[ClaryS]

Sit down and help her find out more stuff about Cleopatra's death. Believe me in a few years time you will be prising her of FB to get her homework done. But... at the same time gently interrogate her as to the pressure she is receiving from school to get her work done.

[sherrardk]

She was directed to power point by himself (he's an ex-primary deputy head do I presume he knows what he's doing). She then just got on with it. She is unhappy because there is no definite conclusion as to how Cleopatra died (I sat and looked for info with her). The school are not pushy and the boys got/get away with doing the bare minimum and the school were perfectly happy with them. I don't mind her doing as much school stuff as she likes, I just want her to enjoy being 8.

[Zacs-Master]

This might help in the short term
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cleopatra-commits-suicide

[sherrardk]

Thank you. I did google it (whilst making three different things for tea). The site I found said that opinion was divided between the snake thing and the use of a toxin. Anyway, think I will have a word with the teacher just to make sure everything is ok (just have to catch her without my daughter knowing).

[Zacs-Master]

Sherr, I used to be like your daughter as a child. I take instructions very literally. If someone asked me to sweep the path, I thought they meant that every single grain had to be removed. I got very stressed over Maths at middle school as I was completely lost and got the impression that my whole life would be a disaster because of it. Try to let your daughter know that they're not after 100% accurate answers! just a general understanding.

[Peter Pedant]

well here's a bit:
http://egyptology.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/photo-for-today-hathor-lintel-from.html

worshipped Cleopatra + kid as living deity

This place (Koptos = Quft ) has the only temple with a cartouche of C but I cant find it oops

and this:
http://blog.oup.com/2010/04/cleopatra/

ten things you didnt know about C


and as a contemporary - one of the oxyrhynch papyri has an somewhat bald account of the chaos in Egypt after Actium but I can't locate that either.

How long has she got ?

[Peter Pedant]

In discussions - she may have the idea that they want to know what everyone was wearing and what time of day it was....
and what the dogs name was.

and I think you can usefully bring her round to (for a seven year old)

what led up to the death ( C backed the wrong side in a Roman civil war)
What precipitated her death - defeat at Actium meant a Roman invasion

she would be enslaved and Caesarion killed (he was)

what she did in Egyptian society (her function) she was Greek but undertook the functions then of a Pharoah- sacrifices, feasts, having a good time etc

how the Romans looked at her ( sexual vamp, under whose coils Mark Anthony upstanding Roman was hopelessly outmanoeuvred )

how the Roman Leader (augustus looked at her) - head of a very very rich country to which he wanted the riches and not the Roman senate or anyone else.


and dont forget to tell me what mark I score !

[rockyracoon]

I feel your pain Sherr, my daughter (12) was in tears yesterday, she has to translate the Jobberwocky into her own words, what she thinks they mean, this of course is far to difficult as there is no right or wrong answer, I'd have loved to get homework like that.

Also tears yesterday morning as we couldn't pinpoint the exact country Kudu Horns (African instrument) come from!

It's the price you pay for a high achiever!

[coccinelle]

Does she have a physical hobby such as playing tennis, cycling, horse-riding or even swimming. She maybe likes to be competitive and if she isn't doing any of these physical things might be using her schoolwork to achieve it.

[mrs_overall]

My sympathies sherrard - my daughter used to be exactly the same. She was such a perfectionist that she would amend and re-do the same homework so much that it was often late being handed in as she felt it was never going to be good enough.
Try setting a time limit and then distract her with some physical activity, like going for a swim/walk/bike ride.
Mine did grow out of it, well partially

[belrec]

If it is the conclusion she is worried about ie not having a "right" answer, why not suggest she writes about her won opinion.

By that I mean she has read all the info then draws her own conclusion about how Cleo died?

This is good pratise for later years when they do have to do that sort of stuff.

My girl is the same age and had to research the Roman Army, who knew there was so much interesting stuff about that :-), not me.

She said "I thought that was going to be boring but it was really fun" and she did loads too.