Try reading a new book.
Try inventing something.
Try a day of saying only “yes,” or only “no.”

Saying only “no” would hardly be trying something new—which is the mandate for their entire elementary school. In lieu of any other homework, your assignment is to try something new and see where your natural curiosity and passion take you. It’s not for your parents to figure out and force upon you.

Uh huh.

In theory, yes on top of yes, with yes sauce. I’m all for it. Follow your bliss. Only why must your bliss always involve me? Carving roses out of strawberries? It’s not happening with a spoon.  Want to take a guess at what my beans want to try each week?

Watching a new movie.
Playing a new video game.
Buying me a new app to try.

Anything that enables them to live on cruise control. So unless they’re learning about the three-act structure of storytelling in film, watching a new movie as homework ain’t happening in Mama’s house. Though, I’ve gotta say, that’s a fun idea. Giving them a pad and paper, play a new movie, with the pause button at hand. Then, I could #TryItTuesday by teaching them how to craft a story, what elements are needed and when? If I were to suggest it—rather than guess, here it is:

“Hey, would you want to for next Try It Tuesday watch a movie, where I can show you how the screenwriter created the story? Like, what things it must have and when? Then the week after that, you could even create your own movie story because you’ll know all the secret, hidden moves needed to tell great stories?”

Lucas: “Deal. I like it. Though, can we go bake something now?”
Abigail: “That seems really boring to me.”
Phil: Much the way one coughs “bullshit,” there’s Phil upon hearing me pose this to Luke, coughing with a manufactured “Lame” sneeze.

And so the antagonist is born.