Seriously, now!

School-- Just do it to get through it. It’s not imperative that you do your best; do what you have to do to get by.

I know this had to be my husband’s attitude because my MIL once gave me his last and final report card to take a look at. My jaw dropped! I couldn’t imagine how he passed! Btw you can pass in school with pretty much straight Ds as long as you have another grade here or there that brings you up. Totally unacceptable! Gotta love the public school system for that!

And I, of course, just absolutely love my hubby when he says something like “He’s just like I was. I didn’t see the point. When are you ever going to use that stuff? I still haven’t used it. Not since I did it in college, anyway!”

Well, believe you me… I know I haven’t used much Algebra since college either (other than teaching), but why in the world don’t you think before you let something like that come out of your pie-whole in front of your kid who could already care less about school! His mind is on mowers, baseball bats, hunting, and of course he already knows what he is going to be when he grows up…. Algebra isn’t necessary for that.

Hello… it is a necessary class you must take in college and you will have to go to college for the career your day-dreaming about while you are supposed to be getting that algebra problem done!  Or did someone forget to mention that?

Math/Algebra… I live it, breathe it, eat it…well not really but it’s the 1/4 the pizza thing, ½ a bag of chips, thing, and the calorie counting thing! Don’t forget donuts have a “whole” in the middle! Lol! I’m kidding! I do enjoy math, though, so I guess it is hard for me to understand why my son seems to have such a block with it.

As long as I sit and work the problems with him, allowing him to talk me through it while I write it on the overhead, he can do them time and time again. The moment I sit him down alone and say to do problems 3-10, he literally zones out! He stares at it and does nothing. This is where the “mom won’t help me” bit came in (prior post). Forgive me for thinking he should try and work some problems on his own for a change. Um… that’s how we did it when I taught public school. That is the way it is done. I don’t think his college algebra teacher will go for this method either.

So I’m covertly observing him and it actually looks like he’s asleep…hmm.  I get a little closer. Lean in…be very, very quiet! (Sigh….) He IS asleep!

“Son… Hey… Wake up…” soft and slow

No response.

“Boy, waaaake up!” with that southern drawl again, but a snap on the up to end it along with a thump on the head

“Wha…huh? I’m working?” blinking his eyes

“You were sleeping.”

“Oh… uh… no ma’am.” scratching his head

“That wasn’t a question. I saw you sleeping!”

“uh… I was just thinking.”

“Get that problem done!”  and the eyebrow raise

“Yes, Ma’am.”

And yep, my eyes did a roll! God knows I need some patience! Oh wait… back to the fruits of the spirit again? And I am really feeling it… Longsuffering? I’m going to suffer a long time through the teenage years aren’t I? Yeah, yeah… I know that’s not the interpretation I should be getting from the Good Book. I am trying to be funny… key word in there… trying! You really need a sense of humor if you’re raising a teenager.

Temperance...With a teenager?

“Mom won’t help me!” was the excuse I heard him give to his dad for not completing his Algebra.

“What?” replied my husband.

“I don’t understand and she won’t help me!”

“Did you ask her?”

“Um…”

The rest was basically lost because I was fuming about the words that I am sure weren’t meant for my ears!

I felt a sting similar to the time I accidently went for my cast iron skillet forgetting I that pone of cornbread just came out the hot oven. And oh wee…. that holler that followed! Scary! It was much the same ‘n came just as quick as the one I hollered out when jerking back those burnt fingers!

“WHAT DID YOUuuu JUST SAaaaYyyy? I WOoooN’T HEEELP YOUuuu? ”

‘n don’t forget to add this momma’s southern drawl to it, because I did draw it out most exaggerated I might add!

I then make my way into the room and the lecture begins (I must have been speaking 90wpm)…

“I help you all the time! I spend every moment of my day helping you and attending to your every need! You wanted to buff up, and I commit to waking up an hour earlier to squeeze a workout into our day. You want to go biking, and I go with you most every time. You wanted to go hiking in the KNF with us, though you had not met all your responsibilities (chores and schoolwork), so I took you anyway, because I hate leaving you behind! You have youth events with the church, and I let you go to those, because I know it is important for you to be with other kids your age since you are a homeschooling kiddo & socializing with others your age is important!

I haven’t done some of the things I planned on doing with your brother and sister, because I was too busy doing stuff with you/helping you! Or…I did those things that were supposed to be special and just for them, involved you, and they end up being about you and not about them!

They don’t complain, though I know they’re disappointed! You don’t think about what they give up for your happiness. They want to feel special and important, too!  In return-- you disturb them, pick and poke at them, mess with their stuff, or do anything you can think of to aggravate them.

Our entire world seems to revolve around you and your needs!  How could you act this way? And how could you say that I don’t help you?

We do everything to make you happy! I can’t believe you don’t appreciate what I do for you!”

The color temporarily left the boys face, because he knew good and well that everything I said was absolutely, positivity true. Of course my husband knows that, too, so next I turn to him…

“I can’t believe you let him talk about me this way!”

“Um… you kinda of didn’t give me a chance to say anything!”

And I guess that was true!

Oh the fun of raising a teenage boy! I recall stories from other moms and their teens and I looked at my little guy and told myself, “Oh, that will never be my boy! My kid goes to church, he’s raised up right, & he’s just the sweetest and most loving kid I know! He’ll always think I am the most awesome mom on God’s green earth!”

Rofl! I must have been delusional!

And so… that wasn’t my proudest moment, but I did speak my mind. I know for sure now that whatever amount of praying I was doing, I have got to do a whole lot more. Otherwise I don’t know how I am going to make it through the rest of his teen years! And what is worse, just as we get through the worst ones, the middle child will come into them, and then after 4 years, our youngest will be there.

I have got to get my armor on! And well I better get my basket of fruit, too or I’ll be turning into a basket case!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…” (Galations 5:22-23)

Umm… obviously I confused “TEMPERance” for “Temper” when I went off on the boy. Funny thing is-- we have this plastered on our fridge!

Yep… I maybe need to have a little more self-control!

I wish it was as easy as tacking a few apples on my chest, because honestly…it wasn’t the first time I’ve lost my temper on him! I can pretty much guarantee it won’t be the last time! 

About This Blog

iLive! iLuv! iTeach! blog are the ramblings of me…a homeschooling mom! I am proud to say that I am a Christian woman who believes in rearing her children up the Biblical way, Proverbs 22:6! I have an awesome husband who supports our homeschooling endeavor though times aren’t always easy on one income! We’ve been married for over 16 years and we’ve had our ups and downs, but God always lights a way! Our most precious treasures are our children: our eldest son – age 14, our daughter – age 10, & our youngest son – age 6!

My husband and I don’t have many close friends, as the majority of our time is devoted to our family! We love spending time with the children and each other! Children grow up so fast, and we don’t want to miss a minute of their lives! God blessed us greatly when he brought the two of us together and then entrusted us with three beautiful children! My hopes will be that they will grow up to glorify HIM in all aspects of their life even if we haven’t been the greatest example to them! We believe in admitting our mistakes, learning from them, and pointing them out to our children so they may learn from them also! After all… we’re not perfect, but Praise GOD we’re forgiven!