I
am too tired to put this in a logical sequence, so I am going to skip around
some. Read carefully.
Well,
Michael officially thinks I am the meanest mother in the world. I told him from
now on, he has to earn TV time. For every ten minutes of TV, he has to do one page
in his 4th/5th grade workbook. I bought the workbook a
couple of weeks ago and so far he has shown no interest in doing any of it,
even thought it can earn him points. “All kids in the world watch TV!” he
grumped, as I tried to kiss him goodnight.
“Nope.
Lots of kids don’t watch TV, and you know what? They usually make straight A’s!”
I replied casually, and I hoped with confidence. “Hmmmph!” was his reply.
“I
didn’t say you couldn’t watch. I said you have to earn the right.”
I
have contemplated this for a long time, but I finally felt emboldened to say
it. Besides, I hate Jimmy Neutron…
I
went to the tennis court with Michael when I got home tonight. The weather was
nice, upper 70’s. Mike had no team practice and no lesson today. His coach said
he needs to practice backhand and serves. We took the bag of 50 balls, and
Michael served them all.
Just
out of curiosity, I took the spare racket and decided to try and hit some balls
to his backhand. To my astonishment, I actually hit quite a few that he could
return. We had a couple of short volleys going there. I just hope my arm isn’t
killing me tomorrow with arthritis. I enjoyed hitting the tennis balls. In my
youth, I loved to play tennis. I was never any good, but I enjoyed it.
This
morning I had an email from Michael’s teacher saying I should be proud that he
earned 65 points and made an F! I was furious. I also heard from the ESL
teacher, who is on my side and agrees the grade is unfair. Here’s part of what
she said:
“I will try to help any way that I can.
Michael's grades are not from me. He is a fine student. I treasure teaching him.”
She said she spoke to the principal, the assistant principal, and her ESOL supervisor for the county. I don’t know if it will help, but it’s something. She taught Michael all last year and knows how far he has come. She also knows his legal rights to not be judged the same as the kids who have been speaking English all their lives. I left a voicemail for the assistant principal telling her how upset I was at Michael’s unfair grade. I doubt they will do anything but I wanted them to know how I feel about it. * * * * *
After school today, I spoke to Michael, and
asked him if he did anything fun at school today. He said “Not really,” then
thought of art and said “Well, we had ART!” He loves art.
I said “What did you do in art?” and he
answered with great disgust, “We drew lines. Not l-i-o-n line but the other
kind.”
I said “Well, was that boring?”
Michael: “Yes. I finished first. And then I
drew a TRUCK!”
“Way to go! You showed ‘em, Dude!” I
laughed.
* * * * * *
We talked a little tonight at the dinner
table about religion. Mother wants Michael to be baptized. We will likely get
him baptized Episcopalian, since they have a wonderful program for kids his age
called Rite 13, that prepares them for confirmation.
Somehow we got on the subject of Jesus, and
what happened after he died. Alesia remembered Mary finding the empty tomb
after his death. Michael listened to the story with great interest. “And then
what happened?” Michael asked.
I recited part of the Creed. “And on the
third day he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the
father.”
Alesia looked suspicious. I call her my
little Forrest Gump because she always takes things literally.
“What do you MEAN, he SAT on God’s hand?!
Wouldn’t that hurt?!”
Michael imitated God going “OUCH!!”
We laughed for 5 minutes.
[Note:
what my kids said was in innocence. They did not mean to be disrespectful to
God. Please don’t send me comments saying I should fuss at them. Besides which,
I believe God has a sense of humor.]
