Tuesday, September 09, 2008

On their way to

three weeks into their new school year, survived and enjoyed the "get to know each other" schoolcamp, had their first batches of homework. Mom feeling like a little Viagra pill during the first week keeping spirits up and happy.

With tears in his voice Son nr. 3 announced yesterday he was ready to go back to his old school. Familiar surroundings, no stress, no home work, less confusing. The fact that he fell off his bike yesterday and tumbled into some thorn bushes (Ouch!) didn't help either.
Just as you think you know your kids they surprise you. I would have thought this particular one would have the least trouble adjusting and now he is going through a bit of a rough patch. Homework for him is like it's written in a foreign language -well, it is actually, French, English, math) and he can't grab the notion that he doesn't need to answer the questions in his workbook by heart, that it is all written down in his books, that all he needs to do is read!

Read....well yes, reading is not only going through the motions of moving eyes across the sentences with or without lipsync but actually understanding what is written out there. No honey you don't have to memorize it, just read so you'll be able to answer the questions, it's all there, believe me! And there he goes, quivering lips, reading again and doggy big brown eyes up to me: Mam... I've read it and what do I write down now? Together we go through the questions, spell out the answers and he writes.

Yes honey, that's right but you accidently wrote it in the wrong place you see?

Nothing that time couldn't help I hope but I feel so sorry for him.

7 comments:

  1. Sorry . . . I don't feel sorry for him (or you). I feel bad that he fell off the bike - that's the kind of thing the world throws at us when we're at our lowest.
    I feel joy at seeing the unfolding of the learning process.
    I feel joy that he has a Mam who takes the time to guide and not give the answers.
    I feel joy that you got to see that part of him.
    And I feel joy that you shared it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Is het niet raar dat juist degene over wie je je minder zorgen maakt, dan juist degene is die instort (en dan van de fiets stort en dan ook nog in de bosjes en dan ook nog met stekels...zucht..) ik heb het met hem te doen hoor, man er verandert ook zoveel ineens. Iedereen vindt het maar logisch dat je alles begrijpt en kan volgen... en hij zit daar vol vragen, twijfels en stress over hoe dat allemaal moet! Ik ben het wel met Tanna eens dat het fantastisch is dat je er voor hem kan zijn op deze momenten. En het zal allemaal goed komen, maar het is moeilijk om je kinderen zo te zien worstelen...
    Sterkte (allebei)!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. O ja vergeet ik nog te zeggen dat ik dat wel een hele mooie foto vind!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. arme jongen...
    het zal wel wennen op de middelbare school

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ Tanna: perspective. Thanks I guess I needed that, you manage to tilt the world and let me see if from a different angle.

    @ Lien en Peter: gek is dat he.. ik ga er zelf ook van twijfelen, hebben we wel de goede keuze gemaakt, is het inderdaad gewoon het wennen. Ik denk het. Hoop het.

    @ Lien: mmja vond ik ook, gemaakt door de Echtgenoot!

    ReplyDelete
  6. My youngest is a different drummer type who has trouble with the academic world. I remember when he was young, writing out an answer and he shouted out "oh no, I meant to write job" when I asked him what he wrote, he said "thirty!"
    It does seem unfair that everything is a struggle for him when his older brother and sister seem to have such an easy time in school, but in the end - I think it will be him with his head in the clouds that does great things in the world.
    Your son is blessed to have a patient and loving mom like you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Haha, Natashya.. that sounds like my boy! Thanks for sharing, it helps to hear from other moms.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting! I really appreciate and enjoy reading all your comments! If you have any questions feel free to email me.