When Will I Ever Use This In Real Life?!

I'm BACK!!!! It's not that we haven't been busy, just on blog-post-burnout. We have been quite busy actually. I've always wanted the stereo-typical soccer mom title. Run, Run, Run, and to be the "cool mom". I don't know if I still have the "cool mom" title with all my kids, but we do run, run, run.

So far this school year Than has played soccer and bowled and the youth bowling league. At this time both activities are done. He is also involed with AWANA at church which is once a week. And let's not forget school.

Being a homeschool project myself, I am asked somewhat regularly why I don't homeschool my own kids. I'll tell you why. I can't teach above average children and keep them challenged the way my son needs to be challenged. And I love them tooooo much to subject us all to that kind of torture. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against homeschooling, it's just not for my family. It's a calling from God that I don't have.

After parent teacher confrences, something I have always loved, I realized somethings not only about myself but about Tony and our mixed gene pool we call our children. Than has always been above average(gets it from Tony). This was confirmed yet again. He reads at an 8th grade level, but chooses not to most of the time(also from Tony) and has totally skipped 5th grade math and is in 6/7 grade math, which is taught by a different teacher than his home room teacher. We were told at the beginnig of the year that he was bumped up to the advanced class and to not expect anything over a C. Going into confrences he had a B- and that it could be higher, we still neede to go talk to the math teacher. I was sooooo proud of him, he was above what I was expecting. After talking to the math teacher we were told that indeed his grade was a B- and to be able to stay in the class he had to pull the grade up to and A. What? An A? Why?
Totally caught off guard by this report the controll freak in me came rearing it's head. What do we need to do to get this grade up, 'cause by golly I won't have any child of mine dropped down to a lower class! Here is the answere we got: Than needs to ask questions when he doesn't understand things, Than is not showing up for all the "extra credit" study time before quizzes and tests' (being at school at 7:30), Than needs to try the extra credit work(problems that the students only have to attempt to get 10 pts toward their grade). Oh, the Than is a quiet kid thing again(get's it from Tony). I simply don't get the quiet thing!
So, in the three weeks since confrences Than has brought his B- up to an A-, has been asking questions, showing up early when necessary, and attempint the EC work and getting it right. Oh yeah, I also kinda threatend him with being tutored, which would entail him talking to someone. You can do anything when you have a very persistant and vocal mother behind you.
We are so proud of him, I knew that grade would come up.

I know, I know, where am I going with all of this? One of things Than has to do is bring his math homework home so that I can check it before it's turned it. I'm finding I remeber a lot more than I thought I did from ???? years ago when I was in 5th-7th grade. Right now he's doing fractions and decimals. Sounds like fun doesn't it?

The answer to my title question. When will I ever use this in real life? When you have kids and they need help on their homework. That's when!

Two main things I came away from confrences are: 1) Tony and Than are more and more like each other every day. They don't like to talk, be around too many people, and apply themselves to their fullest potential. 2) I may need to go back to school so I understand how they are teaching kids these days.

Dani is still in dance once a week and absolutly loving it. Her confrences went great. She is slightly above average and such a little mother to the class.

Gretchen and Becca are still my babies at home and we are all loving it.

Hope this post makes sence to all of you.