So it's nearly 5.30am and I've been up all night doing school project.

[lisa_spyder]

Yup...a mother's lot!

Charlotte has a wonderful school project that is due for completion in a couple of days...and I am doing the hackwork for her. She has done all her research, roughed it all out and I am typing and putting stuff together whilst she and everyone else in my house is sleeping...good Mummy I know .

This is a major research project based on 'who she is'...4 components; a visual family tree that includes not only direct ancestors but all relatives she can identify (our combined families are MASSIVE); an interview with a family member comprising at least 12 questions about the person...we have a piece of living history - my Auntie Alice who has just turned 98 (lived through the Great Depression and WWII). So we skyped Auntie Alice and the whole family spent an hour huddled around the laptop together whilst she told us just about everything she could remember - sensational!

Next up is to discover a family secret - we have one; a biggie! Mike's mother was adopted and she was never told...this was discovered several years after her death...and we are still somewhat shocked for her that no-one ever had the decency to tell her so.

4th part is a dossier file "Who Am I"...info all about Charlotte from birth to now; plus hopes, dreams, future aspirations.

She is doing a sensational job; has spoken to many relatives and has researched her little heart out...so now Mummy has to step in and take a little of the load...man I'll be tired by this afternoon though.

[M.D. Holloway]

Lisa,
Ya know for a small fee ($3/word) I would have written a lil sump'n for ya! Tell ya what, no A no pay!

See, you just have to ask....

[lisa_spyder]

Oh Lubey,

She's such a good kid and she's working so hard this year...she gets an 'A' in my book already for this one

[lisa_spyder]

I try! I seem to remember my Mum doing similiar things for me when the heat was really on...and I got the biggest hug and kiss from Charlie before she finally went off to bed after working on this for hours and a whispered "I love you so much Mummy, thankyou"...

[Joe Bob]

Dad's do it too, ya know......

[lisa_spyder]

I know Bob - sorry ...I just felt like a bit of self-patting-on-back might keep me going ...plus I am so chuffed with the work Charlie has done to date I had to boast a little. She's coping really well with leap-frogging a year (Selected Entry Accelerated Learning Program). At 13 she is displaying a lot of maturity and determination.

Mike can't do it - doesn't have my computer skills and typing speed...plus I can pace myself today and last the distance; he can't. He can't afford to be strung out when working on P-cars...nothing good comes of that.

[Loomis]

In situations like this I always feel bad for the kids who don't know who their daddy is, or who don't have any family at all. In some schools here, this would be a very short assignment.

[lisa_spyder]

I know...I was thinking how lucky we are only this evening.

Charlotte was able to glean so much info from so many family members...I think she's able to go back 7 generations on Mike's side and then the track goes cold in Germany somewhere due to a name change...

She has really got into this too...she is genuinely fascinated by all the tidbits of info about 'her' family. I think it's fantastic that she really 'gets' the importance of family history.

[scottmandue]

Lisa.. you da Mom!

My wife is the same way with her daughter (my step daughter).

When I feel the need to comment that she is over doing it my little head says "hey there... how about a big cup of STFU?" and I let here do her thing.

[Langers]

Is this a mandatory project? Seems kind of messed up for kids who can't trace history beyond their parents or grandparents, or who have family members who aren't on speaking terms.

Teachers really **** me sometimes.

[lisa_spyder]

Yes it is mandatory. The task sheet is worded sensibly and sensitively however...and knowing the teacher she will be on top of any issues with kids who cannot identify their ancestry. The 1st component description ends with ...'if you can'.

[foxpaws]

Those are great projects for kids - mine found mutineers and witches...

But, I sort of always draw the line with helping out if they aren't there too... if my kids don't plan well enough ahead, I'll help some, but, I certainly am not going to do their school work while they sleep. A couple of late nights and they learned the value of budgeting their time...

[lisa_spyder]

No...she planned...otherwise I wouldn't be doing this and would be using your tactics fox . Issues getting hold of family and said records put her behind. Computer issues on almost all of our computers for the last couple of weeks hasn't helped either. We had one thing fail after the other so her ability to get stuff done was limited. If she had mucked around on this - I would be calling the teacher myself to say so...I'm not all soft you know - ask my kids!

[Mothy]

Sounds like the teacher has given a project which will have value way beyond it's initial purpose. Smart teacher.

My grandma lived to 105 and at 102 my eldest daughter had a similar assignment. She sat down with her and grandma dumped everything for 2 hrs. Found out things we never knew as teenagers tend to ask different types of questions. Found out she used to scive off school and go to the beach, brothers nicknamed her faceache and she turned down a chance to study piano at the conservatorium to study physiotherapy instead (in 1916).

[Mothy]

Oh and you are a good mum helping as you have. Sounds like you daughter has done all the work but events have conspired against the best laid plans.

[lisa_spyder]

Tim I couldn't agree more...teacher is one smart cookie .

Like your daughter, Charlotte managed to glean things from Auntie Alice that I never knew...and I know a whole lot about my family. Auntie Alice was over the moon that Charlie asked her to be the subject of her assignment...she has two adult grandchildren and neither of them have ever shown any interest whatsoever in her amazing life so full of incredible experiences. I blame my cousin for that one .

Auntie Alice was on a roll with her storytelling last night...but she started to tell Charlie a story about a pub she and Uncle John owned in Echuca and some 'woman'...and then said to Charlie "oh no, I have to stop...I can't tell YOU that story"... one wicked 98yo she is .

I never knew how her mother died...my grandfather was widowed and left with three small daughters. He married again and had another 6 children; my mother was the baby of the whole bunch. I didn't know my uncle's christened name...I didn't know what her first job was...so much was revealed last night and every minute was enjoyable.

Murphy was indeed hard at work here the last couple of weeks...amazing what throwing money at the computer problems can do . Lost a network card...so stuck a wireless dongle in my pc to keep going whilst waiting on said card to be delivered. Then at 1.00am one morning when I was doing some catch up for the junior football club website the router fell over...so I reached into the cupboard and plugged in the old spare; and then remembered the wireless wasn't working on it which was why I replaced it...and on it all went like that for a few days. The IT guy and I should be having an affair by now .

I am still going strong (eveready batteries!)...printer running pics as I type. Been up since 5.00am yesterday and feeling OK so I think we'll get everything done without too much stress in time for handing in tomorrow .