How do you spell Flower?

I am a spent mommy today. It has been an exhausting week for many reasons ,but the biggest is my daughter and her homework. They are wearing me out.

Okay, we are talking first grade here! What is supposed to take 15 minutes is starting to take 30-40 minutes each afternoon. And not because she doesn't get it. I emailed her teacher yesterday over this and her teacher agreed. She gets new concepts very quickly and just wants to move past them quickly. The problem is that she wants to move past them too quickly and makes mistakes because she rushes through her work. When I look over her work and slow her down she can see her mistakes but then gets so frustrated. Because school has always come so easily to her she has a hard time when she does make a mistake. And this is where the drama comes in.

There is a very good reason why I do not homeschool. If you were at my house this afternoon, you would agree. Today, I had to leave the room for my own "time out" before we could finish spelling the word, flower.

"Mom, how do you spell, flower?"
"Well, let's start by sounding it out."
"F - O - R"
"You know what that spells."
"MOM!!!, I am just so stupid that I can't even spell this word!"
Of course I reassure her of how smart she is and that it is a big word to spell.
"Okay, let's try again."
"F -L - O -R"
"Why don't you go get your little dictionary?"

Okay, so we bought these cute children's dictionaries from a lovely young lady who came knocking on our door this summer just for this purpose. She painted a beautiful picture of us doing homework and my child checking these very colorful and helpful dictionaries. Yes, I am a sucker. Well, that and my husband used to sell these very same books door to door to help pay for college, so we just had to support her. And they really are great books. My daughter did eventually end up using them today and found them to be helpful. But I digress...

Back to the Great Drama of Spelling Flower story

"Mom, I want to play with Anna." (her BFF who happens to live right next door)

"Not until you finish your homework."

"I'm finished. "

"No, not yet."

She is crying now. Sobbing uncontrollably really. "I can't play tomorrow because I have dance class! It will be forever before I can play with her again!"
Okay, like tomorrow is the only day ever for the rest of eternity. I think this to myself, but not dare utter it out loud for fear of even louder wailing.

Through her sobs, she also informs me not to let her teacher know she has cried over her homework because her teacher will tell her not to stress out so much over her homework. Busted. The teacher has told my daughter that we have been discussing her homework issues. My daughter tells me she feels I betrayed her by talking with her teacher. Okay, isn't this my job to discuss with the teacher her school and homework issues?

Oh, the logic of a 7 year old girl. And this is where I had to take a time out and get myself a glass of wine. Don't worry it was after 5:00. Or maybe 4. But it was later in the afternoon and definitely 5:00 somewhere.

Finally, she settles down and gets back to her homework.

"Mom, how do you spell flower?"

Can someone just shoot me now? Again, I did not say this out loud.

Okay, homeschool moms or moms with older kids with nightly homework. How do you keep your cool when your child is frustrated with homework? How do you build them up when they are struggling? Homework tips - please give them to me!