"My homework was not stolen by a one-armed man." ~ Bart Simpson

 "This. IS. TORTURE! Other people call it paperwork."

Nursing school is a form of torture that a chosen few inflict upon themselves in order to embark on a career of quality empathetic care for those in need.  If you're lucky, you'll walk across the stage with your empathy in tact. No, I'm just kidding.  Mostly.  Halfway through my last semester ::fingers crossed:: and I can honestly say that I've never done anything more difficult in my life.  Or as my lovely friend Charley said in class the other day, "I think I just threw up in my brain."

My kids think they've got it tough when it comes to homework.  The first and second graders think their one or two pages a night is brutal and it's a battle royale every night to get it completed.  Tonight Chloe had several spelling pages to do.  She usually is okay with this, but Riley was doing spelling right beside her. Riley spells out loud.  After about 15 minutes of frustrated scribble/erase, scribble/erase, Chloe claps her paper over her face and exclaims "This. IS. TORTURE!"  Removes the papers from her face and looks at me, deadpan, and adds "Other people call it paperwork."

They're too young to realize that things get more difficult.  That the older you get, the more responsibility you have.  They ask me all the time why I have to go to school and each time I explain that it's so I can provide them with good things and for myself when I "get old."  

Dr. Phil says (did I say that?  Who said that?  Phil, schmeel.)  Anyway, that having a child is at least equivalent to a 40 hour/week job.  I'm assuming that's in support of stay at home mom's who feel taken advantage of by their "working" partner.  But in truth, being a parent is like having homework every day for the rest of your life.  Only in this case, your homework makes you laugh, cry, and gives really great hugs.