Tall, etc.

My son E. is a Freshman in high school. He's always been incredibly smart, able to understand concepts and facts that boggle even my mind. It has always been easy for him to ace his tests and do well on quizzes and breeze through his homework, though he's often been incredibly lazy and avoided schoolwork at all costs. As a result, we stay on top of him every second.

Yesterday, when I asked him if he had homework he said that yes, he had history homework. I told him to go do it, and he groaned but went to his room. Less than five minutes later, he was back out, telling me that he was finished. I asked to see it.

He had to answer a few questions, and for most of them he did fairly well. And then I came to the question "What are the characteristics of Gothic architecture?" My brilliant, lazy son's answer? "Tall, etc."

Seriously? Tall, etc.? That's his answer?

I made him re-do it of course. I even pointed out some of the (very obvious) answers in his textbook. We talked about the thin walls, flying buttresses, tall spires and ornate construction that is typical of Gothic architecture. I offered to show him pictures from my trip to Europe, where I saw a cathedral that is a very good example of Gothic architecture. But no. He wrote a few things down and called it good, but I continue to be stunned by his level of laziness.

Unbelievable.

Etc.