To not want to spend time at weekend doing this sodding homework?

[eleflump]

I know I probably am BU...

DS is in Year 7, and has to do a project on castles. He has to do research on various types of castle - do labelled drawings, write about them, all ok.

Except the last task - to make a model of a concentric castle. Which needs to take at least two hours.

I work full-time, DH works full-time, and next weekend I am also working Sunday, which leaves me Saturday to do everything I need to do. And Christmas is coming.

I was crap at art projects at school, thirty-odd years later, it hasn't got much better. DS is crap at art projects and won't have a clue without me trying to help him.

I am going to need to go and buy all the stuff to make the bloody model...which will take up more time.

I thought I had left all this behind at primary school!!!!

Oh - another thought...how the bloody hell is he going to get it to school on the bus?????

Why don't they do this stuff at school where they have the time, the resources, and (presumably) people who know how to do it?!!!

I fashioned something approaching an overdressed xmas treehouse Charleston dress with lots of fringing. I just don't have great needlework skills (though in my defence I can climb a rock face and ice skate quite well at 52). Daughters who had dresses of dogs' dinners were strategically positioned in the final performance behind those whose mothers were clearly nifty with a needle. I didn't know whether or not to be pleased or pissed off at that. My attempt had taken like FOREVER

*tree - not treehouse. It wasn't that bad...

Well, this is a timely thread. My daughter has to make an Advent Calendar for French and she's already really excited getting snow spray out gold paint and is really into it, which is great but my heart is sinking now she's attempted to do this and ma few a terrible mess - not to mention Mum Mum Mum how do I cut out the doors? help help help!

I freely admit to helping with the stupid model homework. DS has lots of other homework and sports commitments, so it's a question of prioritising. I always make him do the design part though and he is now really good at googling online cut out and make plans.

Here's one for a motte and bailey castle

modelshop.co.uk/Shop/Literature/Paper-Backs/Item/Motte-Bailey-castle-plans/ITM5230

There are some great ones for biblical style houses online too... :)

Printable advent calendar

www.squirrellyminds.com/downloads/activities-advent-calendar.pdf

Of course this does assume some sort of printer access. It would be good if teachers could give a choice between a print out or your own creativity, that way people without access to materials at home would be less penalised...

ds has had a few of these in year 7.

He made them all out of cake.
He loves cooking and can make a good cake, I have cooking stuff in the cupboard and a variety of coloured icing.

So far out of cake he has made:
volcano
model of a cell
roman mosaic

He is apparently getting a reputation in the staff room!
The only one that wasn't cake was his roman mask.

It has certainly solved the modelling and making issues.

Thanks

Here is the Motte and Bailey castle to print out for free, in case you don't spot it.

modelshop.co.uk/Content/DynamicMedia/cms-uploaded/files/motte-bailey-castle-plans.pdf