Confessions of a 3rd Grader's Mom

Listen, friends, I almost failed 3rd Grade.
I don't remember this, but my mom tells me that I even turned in a test with nothing on it once.

I was tested for A.D.D. at least twice growing up... and I guess I even failed that.

I don't know what to say, other than I can write block letters like a champion and am quite possibly a doodling professional.

So as you can imagine, it kind of baffles me that I have children that are over achievers in the school department.

They do not get this from me.   Clearly.

I used to look at all my friends who got to be in the advanced classes as the  "Smart Kids Club" 

This year, we decided to allow our son to participate in the "Smart Kids Club."

Of all my children, Jared is probably most like me.  He has his head in the clouds.  

(I have been floating around in those clouds since 1989. )

Jared is very good at math, it comes natural to him.  I never have to worry about his math homework-THANK GOD!

Here is where it gets tricky...  he has a lot of projects and the homework is intense.

Since he tends to daydream, I often feel like he is missing something.

He comes home and throws me his backpack and I find myself looking at all his papers and assignment notebook, trying to figure out what I need to have him do..

I have even made a calendar of when assignments are due so that I can make sure he is doing what he needs to do and have turned in.

Fine.

Whatever.

Then I think: 

WHY IS THIS SO MUCH WORK ON ME!?!?!?!?!  I ALMOST FAILED THE 3rd GRADE!

I never EVER want to be THAT mom that does her kid's homework --and trust me, NOBODY wants me doing their homework!

TIME OUT:
Did you know that Momma Birds chew up food and then put it in their baby's mouth for them to eat? Gross

.

TIME IN:
 I find myself trying to iron out the tension between teaching him responsibility, taking initiative with his assignments and the very very fine line of chewing it up and feeding it to him.


I am leaning toward taking another couple of weeks of laying ground work with him and then letting go. Totally hands off.

Fly fly fly away baby bird!   Momma aint gonna chew it for you anymore.


My brother was a Resident Director at a college for a year or so and had a parent of one of his students give him a piece of her mind because her son was failing out of school.

It wasn't my brother's fault.  His job was to make sure the bathrooms had toilet paper and lights were on...

NOT make sure every (adult) student was doing their homework.

I refuse to send my babies to college without the ability to be a grown up.

I will lead them to water... but they have to drink it.

I am not a perfect mom.... like...by any stretch...I feel pretty certain I am screwing my kids in other avenues that will lead them to therapy someday.

.....I just truly believe we have to teach our kids to be adults... and for control freak moms like me... it is NOT easy but it's a gift that we will  give our child as we drop them off at their college dorm someday!

MOMS UNITE!

Currently Listening to:  THIS IS THE STUFF