A quiet afternoon

I have a son in high school who has been having trouble with some simple math that he should have learned a long time ago. Through not much fault of his (except for laziness) his educational system (overseas) was not up to par and didn't help or care if he learned. So each day after school work is done I have been giving him another sheet with math problems on it. He works through them, I check them and then help him work through what he missed. Today he started complaining, AGAIN. (I understand this, as I HATED school when I was his age.) But I try to explain that it is practice, just like he likes to practice a bike trick or shooting baskets all afternoon. When the complaining continued and he mentioned that he "didn't want to" do this, I replied with there are lots of things in life we don't want to do, but have to anyway. When the statement continued to be said in a louder voice with more teenage anger and "I'm not going to," I said "fine." "Now pick up your books, get your back pack for school and walk out the door." When nothing happened, I repeated this and said to do it now. When he asked why, I told him that I was tired of this arguement and didn't want to have it again each day. And I didn't want to cook his meal tonight.

I had a very quiet and peaceful rest of the afternoon. There was no more complaining. Just simple sounds of pencil on paper. Hmmmm..........