needing a win

1-17-14

It is good the field trip is today because that kid needs a win.

The boys started homework at 3:30 when we got home from school. I got home last night at 8:40 and poor Bobby had only just finished.

While I was still at home, he and Ken had a bit of a rough patch with math. This new fangled way they are teaching kids how to do multiplication boggles my mind and over the past few days, we have mostly skated over the current method instead of walking him through how they use that style. Ken felt that he needed to learn this method and what ensued was some tear and frustration and use of all of my scented pine cones. In the end, I think Bobby understood better, but it was rough. I also had to intervene at one point when Ken was super frustrated. Bobby seemed to not be paying attention. I explained to Ken from the point of view of someone who has been there in terms of not understanding a math concept. It seems like we are not paying attention. It is just that our minds turn to mush and even the simplest things we knew the day before seem to run away screaming and we are left to look like an idiot when we now cannot come up with the sum of 1 plus 1. Yeah, it’s that kind of bad.

What took him the longest was actually a book. From what we could understand, they had groups in class in which they were reading this book. This isn’t a small book, either. Their group didn’t finish it, so they needed to finish it last night and then write character descriptions and a story timeline. Holy fuck! It was too much. Seriously. Now of course, I don’t know what the actual assignment was. Teachers in general are getting much too lazy with how they tell younger kids what is required. These are kids unable to finish projects in class and they expect them to relay all of the details of what is needed back to their parents? What the heck? Sigh. Hopefully it was a one time deal. The rest of the week was shockingly easy, so who knows.

I feel bad that I was out. I was chillin with Sarah and Riley. It was nice to see Riley and Sarah really needed to vent, which I am happy to provide an outlet for. It was also kind of surreal to be back at that house after spending a fair amount of time there when I was a kid. It seems smaller than I remember, but it is still a magical hobbit hole kind of home. Seriously, it is gorgeous. Sarah lives in the back studio, and as a way to get out of debt, it is great. The problem is, she needs to get away from her dad and sister. I really need to win a lottery. I would totally buy places for all my friends who are trying to get away from something.

After work today, before we go to the cemetery, I need to get my hair trimmed. I need about an inch, if not 2, cut off the bottom. It is fried there and I think it will help my hair in general. The only reason I hate getting my hair cut with just a trim is I get this strange urge to do something more drastic. But I am committed to growing my hair out, so a trim is what I need to do.

Bobby goes whale watching today, which sounds like fun. Ken is going along. Bobby is really excited. Dax will go next year as I guess it is what the third grade class does every year. Maybe I will go with Dax’s class.

We watched Lily and Luna do full on playing, and I knew that we did right by my silly pup. She now has a friend that she has craved for so long. I am so happy!