Small Victories

As many of you are well aware, last year was a tough one for The Child. The combination of a new school culture, her dyslexia and a less than great teacher match made for a whole mess o' struggle. The Child wasn't organized, she floundered. Every fact she learned flew out of her head when tested and she somehow managed to always turn in homework late, even though it was done every day. This all resulted, of course, in lousy grades, which further disheartened her. Why bother if you can't do it, right? (Not that I advocate such a life philosophy but you can understand how a 10 year old would go there).

Cut to this year. First week of school she comes home with a "no missing assignments award". She does her homework, for the most part without a lick of nonesense, every night. She goes to school each morning and comes home every afternoon with the stuff she needs. Homework, check. Sweater, check. Lunchbox, check. She appears to be turning in her work.

Yesterday she comes home with yet another "no missing assignments award". She also brings home a bunch of corrected assignments. A. A. A. A. B- (That was on a test. A test, I tell you). I think there was maybe another A in there. "How are you feeling about yourself as a student right about now?" I ask.

"Pretty great", she says.

So I tell her that last year was just a weird bump in the road. "A pretty big one, actually," she amends.

"Yes, it was a big one. A big pot hole. And you drove right into it and lost a wheel but babe, you're out of it now, you're wheel's back on and you are driving straight and true. I am really proud of you".

"And, Mom," she say, "If I ever see a big pothole like that again, I'm going to swerve around it. Carefully, of course".

My kid. Of course, I got so mad at her this morning that I broke my hairbrush but that's another story.