*lets off steam*
Jan. 6th, 2007 11:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annabtgI'm pissed.
My little brother won't do *any* of his homework on his own, it seems. He needs help with his Math, his Ancient Greek, his French, his English, his Home Economics project, his Modern Greek project, yet another project I don't even know which class it is for... So the whole household has been recruited to help him, but I'm the one who has to carry the heaviest load because French, English and Modern Greek are my fields by principle, the Home Economics and that-other-project require Internet research (again, my field... though Christos at least did the composing of the first one), then Dad reviewed Thodoris's Ancient Greek exercises but he wants me to double-check them...
Anything else, sir?
I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT, OKAY? Tomorrow there's an early wake up call and we'll be away most of the day. Class starts again on Monday and I want to finish the second set of Math exercises by Wednesday so I can give it to my teacher. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMEWORK MY LITTLE BROTHER WAS GIVEN FOR CHRISTMAS VACATION, and I most certainly don't have time to do it in TWO DAYS. I spent at least three hours helping him today, trying to do something else in the meantime in order to at least 'save some time'. While eating? Okay. While playing Wii? Whatever, okay. But while doing differential equations? I'm sorry, I draw the line here. In the time I spent doing Math *and* helping him with his English at the same time, I could have done three equations. As it was, a barely did one. And of course, I got pissed enough that now I can't concentrate and do any more, not to mention study for the more difficult ones I haven't studied yet.
And the worst thing is, he needs a *lot* of help. I could handle it if he just needed just a little clarification here and there, but that's not enough. Oh, no, he wants the whole package. Take English, for example: he had an exercise of filling in the gaps with Simple Present, Present Continuous, Simple Past or Past Continuous. Not only does he have problems telling which tense goes where, he even has problems forming them. As for where interrogative and negative are needed? Don't make me start.
The thing is, he *could* learn how to do his homework alone - it's not like he lacks intelligence or something. But he's got used to other people doing the thinking for him, so he won't even consider doing it on his own. I see it when we do English - after we do a few exercises with the same pattern, he picks it up and can find the correct answer quickly. But by the next time he has English homework, he's back to square 1. I can't take it anymore - not when I have homework of my own, and which is DIFFICULT and which I'm behind on.
How the hell am I supposed to focus on differential equations after that?
And now welcome the guilt trip for 'not helping your little brother, you're his big sister and he's not as good a student as you were so you must help him'. GLAAAAAAARGH.
Why can't I be just a self-centered bitch for once? Tell him to piss off and do his own ************* homework and just lock myself into my room without a care in the world and do my own?
I'm too nice for my own good, that's why. It'd better pay in the long run, or else I see myself destroying half the house just to release my anger.
Grrr.
My little brother won't do *any* of his homework on his own, it seems. He needs help with his Math, his Ancient Greek, his French, his English, his Home Economics project, his Modern Greek project, yet another project I don't even know which class it is for... So the whole household has been recruited to help him, but I'm the one who has to carry the heaviest load because French, English and Modern Greek are my fields by principle, the Home Economics and that-other-project require Internet research (again, my field... though Christos at least did the composing of the first one), then Dad reviewed Thodoris's Ancient Greek exercises but he wants me to double-check them...
Anything else, sir?
I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT, OKAY? Tomorrow there's an early wake up call and we'll be away most of the day. Class starts again on Monday and I want to finish the second set of Math exercises by Wednesday so I can give it to my teacher. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMEWORK MY LITTLE BROTHER WAS GIVEN FOR CHRISTMAS VACATION, and I most certainly don't have time to do it in TWO DAYS. I spent at least three hours helping him today, trying to do something else in the meantime in order to at least 'save some time'. While eating? Okay. While playing Wii? Whatever, okay. But while doing differential equations? I'm sorry, I draw the line here. In the time I spent doing Math *and* helping him with his English at the same time, I could have done three equations. As it was, a barely did one. And of course, I got pissed enough that now I can't concentrate and do any more, not to mention study for the more difficult ones I haven't studied yet.
And the worst thing is, he needs a *lot* of help. I could handle it if he just needed just a little clarification here and there, but that's not enough. Oh, no, he wants the whole package. Take English, for example: he had an exercise of filling in the gaps with Simple Present, Present Continuous, Simple Past or Past Continuous. Not only does he have problems telling which tense goes where, he even has problems forming them. As for where interrogative and negative are needed? Don't make me start.
The thing is, he *could* learn how to do his homework alone - it's not like he lacks intelligence or something. But he's got used to other people doing the thinking for him, so he won't even consider doing it on his own. I see it when we do English - after we do a few exercises with the same pattern, he picks it up and can find the correct answer quickly. But by the next time he has English homework, he's back to square 1. I can't take it anymore - not when I have homework of my own, and which is DIFFICULT and which I'm behind on.
How the hell am I supposed to focus on differential equations after that?
And now welcome the guilt trip for 'not helping your little brother, you're his big sister and he's not as good a student as you were so you must help him'. GLAAAAAAARGH.
Why can't I be just a self-centered bitch for once? Tell him to piss off and do his own ************* homework and just lock myself into my room without a care in the world and do my own?
I'm too nice for my own good, that's why. It'd better pay in the long run, or else I see myself destroying half the house just to release my anger.
Grrr.
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-06 10:36 pm (UTC)Did you try to explain to your parents that you all have homework, and that if you help him, you will not be able to do yours? So either way, someone gets screwed?
I know it's not fair on you. Just because you know more than him, doesn't mean it's suddenly your responsibility. I'd say it's the problem of him and/or your parents. As the youngest, he's become lazy. He should just do his own work. He won't learn if people keep doing it for him.
Trust me, I've seen it happen. My brother isn't the smartest. My Mom has always held a hand above his head, but now he's just irresponsible and not capable to start living on his own. For **** sake, he's 23! Old enough to be responsible, but he's just not. Does nothing in the household. Just takes everything for what it is. And if his food ain't done in time, he'll complain. WTF?
So I do hope, for your sake and your brothers, that he'll start doing his own work. Or that he'll be made to do it.
Just had a thought? Could it be puberty he's going through? Just rebelling against everything he should/has to do?
Either way, best of luck with it! And vent away all you want hear, we'll listen. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-06 11:31 pm (UTC)I didn't talk to my parents about it much... I *did* complain when my dad asked me to double-check the Ancient Greek homework, but they seem to have taken it quite lightly. The thing is, they keep telling me I shouldn't worry much about my own studies (sounds weird, I know) so I guess they think I can spare some time helping him.
I'm not sure they understand just how much help he wants, though. And, like me, they kind of take pity on him. He wants to be a good student and have everything done perfectly, only... I don't know, I guess he's feeling insecure. He's always wanted help with studying, if only to have someone to sit there with him and confirm that what he's doing is right.
He's pretty spoiled, though. I had foreseen since a long, long time ago that he'd turn out like that. But now the attitude is 'what's done is done, and since that's how he's learned...'
End venting. I've got to go to bed now. Thanks for listening. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 07:45 am (UTC)My brother is *finally* learning to grow up. But he still whines about stuff that's ridiculously simple. (Tbh, I do too occasionally, but I'm trying not to!)
My sympathies, and hope he finally learns to do it on his own.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 09:01 pm (UTC)See ya,
Anna.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 05:37 am (UTC)and by the way, christos' such a BEAUTIFUL name..i love it. (L)
kisses, and good luck!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 09:01 pm (UTC)Heh, you're the second one online to say that.
Thanks for the support! :)
Hugs,
Anna.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 11:45 pm (UTC)The thing is, I feel guilty too, without anyone having to tell me I should help him. You know how this goes. (And, lol, I remember your sister calling and asking for help with her Algebra...)
Anyways - it's over now. I'm off to do my differential equations...
Hugs,
Anna ♥
no subject
Date: 2007-01-11 10:45 pm (UTC)Is there any way that you can leave the house to do your studying? Go to a library or a bookstore or a coffeshop or something? That way, you're out of the house, so he can't interrupt your work. And if you say, "I'm too distracted, I need to get some homework done, I'm going to the library to work on it," you don't look like the bad guy -- especially if you say it when you get distracted by something *besides* your brother. (Then it doesn't look like you're picking on him).
And then, if you're gone, he'll *have* to do some more of his work on his own.
Another thing that I've done with my sister (who, admittedly, sounds like a much harder worker than your brother) is that I won't touch it until she's already done it. English homework filling in blanks? Fill them in. Do it in pencil, so you can erase. And then I'll sit down with you and show you what's wrong and why. That way he's forced to think on his own and when he asks for help, it's really because he doesn't get it. Who knows? Maybe he'll find that he understands more than he thought he did.
Anyway, {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Anna}}}}}}}}}}}}}}, hope it works out.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-11 11:07 pm (UTC)I could try studying at the university library, but that means I shouldn't get home until late - because once I'm back home, there's no way I'm doing the one-hour trip twice again :p That's why I haven't adopted it.
What you did with your sister is a good tactic. I will consider following it.
Again, thank you. ♥ Will see you around.