I spy joy in homework

Butterfly on rocks

Did you know that a chrysalis is what  butterfly emerges from and a cocoon is what a moth emerges from?

Until tonight, I thought a chrysalis and a cocoon were the same thing. I only discovered the difference by reading my daughter’s first grade leveled reader about Tim the caterpillar.

Tonight was Taryn’s first night of real homework.  She was proud and excited to have work to do outside of class.  She loves to learn.  But I think that’s only part of why she’s eager for homework.

For two years now she’s watched me spend time every week night during the school year doing homework with her big brother. It’s quality one-on-one time. And until now, homework has been yet another one of those things that “you’ll get when you’re older.”

Tonight was Taryn’s turn.  We sat ritualistically at the dinner table side by side. We read, we discussed, we spelled. We made check marks.

This is some grownup stuff. And though my dear daughter didn’t say a word about this sign of her coming of age, we could both feel it.

How joyous–and appropriate–that tonight we studied metamorphosis.

My little girl is anxiously anticipating the arrival of her wings.  What she doesn’t yet realize is that this is not her first set.  And it is far, far from her last. She will have the joy of coming of age many times in her life.  And I will have the joy of watching her unfold.