Homework First

As a boy I couldn't wait to get home after school every day. After immediately fixing a bowl of cereal, I’d head directly to the family room to watch Gillian’s Island or Brady Bunch reruns. If it was warm, I would often go outside and play with my friends. Off campus, school was my last priority, as it was for most of my friends except Earle Adams. His mother insisted Earle complete all of his homework before he was allowed to go out to play. I thought this was very unfair. After all, I protested, he had been in school all day already. But, Mrs. Adams wanted to teach her son the discipline of getting his work done before playing. I didn’t appreciate that then, but I do now.  I left for college not knowing how to study properly, and we want our boys to learn first things first from day one. Every day after school we complete our homework before playing. It’s part of our routine and a great habit to learn. It certainly contributed to Dr. Adams earning a post doctorate degree in chemistry from Yale University.