Next?

Can you picture the dis-interested receptionist in the crowded waiting room working her way through the line of customers, calling out, "Next?" as she finishes with each one? She doesn't seem phased by the long line. Simply does what is necessary for each person and looks ahead to those still waiting. "Next?"

I kind of felt like her this past Sunday. Only, rather than dealing with a long line of customers, I was addressing a long line of excuses.

I had reminded Matthew that he needed to spend some time reading, but he said he didn't think he had his book home. I responded with something like, "You mean the Percy Jackson book with the yellow cover that is sitting on the table by the couch?" Next?

Then I reminded him about his reading journal. He's supposed to keep track of the time he reads, and turn it in to his teacher. But Matthew protested that he'd left the reading journal at school, so it really wasn't worth spending time reading - since he didn't have the reading journal. I told him to write down his time on a separate piece of paper and transfer the information to his reading journal when he got to school Monday. Next?

Finally, after he'd read for a while, I suggested that Matthew spend time working on his book report which was due Tuesday. But, alas! That paper was a school, too! I thought, Really? You think this excuse is going to work? Haven't you learned? And I had him do what we knew he had to do, while I emailed his teacher to clarify the part of which he wasn't sure. And - wouldn't you know it - she replied and Matthew had enough information to work on that report.

Next?