Prroject Hell

Can I just say that I HATE school projects? I hated them when I was a child, and I especially hate them now that I am an adult. For me, science projects were always the worst. If you just mention the words "science fair" I immediately have heart palpitations. I hate tri-fold boards, foam core boards and poster boards. I am not crafty or creative, and I believe this is partially why projects conjure up such negative emotions within me. I feel like they are nothing more than busy work.

Since my children have been in school - here are some of the projects I can remember them having to do:

Decorate any type of shoe to represent a fairy tale - REALLY?????????
Decorate a "family" turkey - again I say REALLY????
Create an imaginary land and make a map of it - teaching topography I guess
Biome bottle - EXPENSIVE - had to buy lots of little animals & sand to fit into a coke bottle
Read a chapter in a mathematical puzzle book and illustrate the problem in a creative way - WORST EVER!
Make an art project out of trash - busy work
Make a mobile to represent the book The Angry Sailor - why a mobile?
Various research projects on winter animals, habitats, weather phenomenons all on poster board - they all run together
Roman/Greek History project - pick your own topic and medium - my son wanted to make a DVD - HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE DVD's!!!!

I know there are more that I can't remember. The worst is when the project revolves around a book or something I haven't read and my kids need help on it. That drives me wild. How am I supposed to help when I have no idea what the subject matter even is? All this has been recently brought to the surface b/c of the three projects my son had due in different classes in the same week. On top of the projects he had two papers due as well - not to mention the daily regular homework.

Let me say this first and foremost - I LOVE MY SON'S TEACHERS! I think they are awesome and I respect them tremendously. That being said, however, I wonder if they don't talk or just don't care that they all assigned projects the same week. They might not think it is a big deal since they give them a good amount of notice but it killed me last week. I SPENT 16 YEARS IN SCHOOL. I already did my work. I don't want to do my kids' work, too. I am a firm believer that kids should do their own projects and have stood by that all these years. HOWEVER - I had to be very involved in all three projects last week. It was like a nightmare from my school days all over again.

I am thinking of starting a Facebook group called "I hate school projects." I bet I could get many fans VERY quickly.