I now know more about the causes of the American Revolution than I ever cared to know.

I didn't like history when I had to take it in school, and I don't like it now that I'm taking it vicariously - albeit unwillingly - through my daughter.



Well, actually, if you remember this post, I really do like history. It's history books that I don't like. The tedious reading. The names. The places. The causes, the effects, the dates. Ohhh, the dates.

But thanks to my Kloe's 5th grade Social Studies project last week, I can now tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the French and Indian War, the Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, the Quartering Act (and how it's misunderstood by most Americans), the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, and the First Continental Congress. AND how each of these events contributed to the American Revolution.

It really was quite a learning process for all of us. We learned a little about U.S. history, and a whole lot about learning. I was determined that Kloe was going to be responsible for this project, and I wasn't going to keep nagging her about getting it done. She either had to decide to do it or face the consequences.

So she would go into her bedroom, armed with the Mister's laptop, a dictionary, and papers from school, and every once in a while I would pop in and ask, "How's it going?"

"Ummm."

"Are you finding the info you need?"

"Soooort of....."

"Do you have anything?"

"Weeell....."

And my resolve not to nag would go right out the window.

"Kloe...blahblahblahblahblah.....!"

"I know! I am! I will!"

Half an hour later we'd have the same conversation all over again.

After a few rounds of this, I would go in and help her find websites, look up information, tell me in her own words what she had read, and type it up. Then I'd leave her on her own, and we'd start all over.

Me: "How's is going?"

Kloe: "Ummm...."

Ok, so call me slow. (just say it quietly to yourself, k?) It took well over 3 1/2 hours for me to have the bright realization that Kloe doesn't know how to do research. Duh.

It's her job to do the work. Yep. It's her responsibility to make sure the project is done on time. Yep. It's up to her to take the initiative and get it done without my having to constantly remind her. Uh-huh.

Except she's never had to do a research project before. Poor thing, she didn't even know how to start, and all she got from me was nagging about how it's her job, her responsibility, not mine, blah blah blah. Ugh. Definitely not one of my finer parenting moments.

I eventually did have the light-bulb moment I needed, and sat with her and showed her how to look up websites, scan them for the info she needed, take notes and write in her own words. Quite different from the old days when we had to go to the library and use encyclopedias. :)

We trudged through all the information together, pulled out pertinent facts together, and wrote up her report together (meaning - she dictated and I typed). So now I'm one tiny step closer to understanding how to help Kloe learn how to learn. Kloe's an expert in doing research (*wink*), and we're both experts on the causes of the American Revolution (*double wink*).

So go ahead, ask me anything.

Except for the names. Ohhh, the names.