School Update

I thought I'd do a quick post-as I should be doing a million and one things.

School is good. All the kids seem to be glad to be back with their friends. Devree and Alex had quite a bit of homework yesterday. 

Alex's is his own fault. He forgot to do an assignment the FIRST day and then forgot his spelling list the SECOND day. Please tell me this is not a sign of how the whole year will be?

Around four thirty yesterday I walked in from spray painting Kambree's desk-the first of many coats-to find him eating a HUGE sandwich. I made him stop as dinner was in less than an hour. Then I got him working on his job-which was sweeping the garage. While he was out there-and I back at painting the desk-I asked him why I don't want him eating big sandwiches at 4:30 pm? 

"Because you're mad?" 

"Um....no. Because you won't eat your dinner. Will you?"

"No."

Then in an effort to do some simple math and NOT run out of bread in the morning for cold lunches I asked,

"How many slices of bread do I need every morning to make lunches."

Two?

"Okay. Tomorrow I will make one sandwich with two slices of bread cut it five ways. Do you think that will work?"

No

Then how many slices of bread do I need to make lunch.

(Long pause)

Eighteen?

Okay. Let's think this through. How many sandwiches do I make every morning?

(long pause)

Five?

Yes. And each sandwich needs TWO slices of bread...right?

Yes.

So how many slices of bread do I need?

(Huge pause.)

Come on Alex, you know this.

(Longer pause)

He begins sweeping and mumbles that he is trying to figure it out.

We go over the figures again.

Finally I ask what type of math do we need to do to figure this out?

Multiply?

Yes! Two times what?

Five?
YES! Two times five is......

Ten?

YES!!! YOU GOT IT!!!

Oh, give me strength. And last year he was testing ON grade level in math? The frustrating part is he can multiply. I had him working on problems like 328x430 just last week and he was getting them RIGHT! But yesterday he couldn't do a simple story problem?

Granted. He did just get reprimanded for NOT doing the first days homework, NOT bringing home his spelling and EATING a huge sandwich within an hour of dinner and NOT getting his chores done before his snack. So maybe he was just too stressed out? I know I was stressed out. (Painting does that to me in the first place, add Alex's forgetfulness, eating issues and crappy work ethic and I was pretty much done.)

Later that night he got up to ask me about something and we had a quite moment where I wrapped him in a big hug and told him I'm sorry I got after him so many times today.

"It's okay mom. I'm just learning."

"That's right, you're just learning. Do you think it helps you learn when I get mad? Would it be better if I stopped yelling?" (I did talk loudly about the sandwich & forgotten homework but I was not yelling during the math exercise.)

"No."

"So you want me to keep yelling?"

Yes.

"It helps you learn?"

"Yes."

" Okay," I say stoically  "I will make that sacrifice."

With that he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and bounded off for bed.

Good grief.

And it's only the 2nd day of school!

In other news....

Kambree starts her college classes today!

Austin is pestering me about helping him invest in the stock market. (Due to his financial literacy class that he has attended ONCE and now he wants to make a killing in the stock market!)

Rylee is loving her class and planning her outfit's each day.

Devree was stressed out over her math and asking me about prime numbers and stuff I remember nothing about and Jasmine may or may not be living here on a more permanent bases as she went home had issues with her Dad last night and came right back. Which is fine by me. I'd much rather her stay here than live the crazy "here and there" life that she leads. Not sure what's going to happen with her or what her dads going to do but when she called telling me that she might be back tonight and I could hear the emotion in her voice, I just told her to come home. She has a home here. 

Funny thing was I hugged her goodbye that morning when she left for school just like I do all the other kids but I don't think I'd ever hugged Jasmine before. She sarcastically commented "Wow. I'm moving up. I got a hug." I came back with "Just wait until I kiss you!" and she laughed. When I got home last night to find her safe at home I gave her another hug. "Wow, two in one day?" she mumbled. Then she had to turn away and focus on something else to avoid any more emotion. She's a tough little cookie that Jasmine. I think she's here to stay though.

Thank goodness, she will even out my five to six and you know, I'm all about even numbers!