Mommy Is So Proud!

So, yeah, homework around our house is a hostile event. It's terrorist threat level red. We do on average 1 1/2 hours of extra drill plus whatever homework happens to be required at the moment every night except for Saturday. We practice spelling, because Dante seems to be slightly dyslexic. We drill in math. We read comprehension sheets. I have fully resigned myself that this will be what I must do for six days out of every week for middle school and for high school as well until Dante graduates. I'm prepared for it mentally. Sometimes it feels like something of a siege mentality; but Dante plain old doesn't like school. It's not school's fault. He'd just rather be rolling in the grass. Many times it's easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees, to forget that there is more to being a good parent than helping your kid understand fraction simplification.

Dante reminded me that everything will be just fine last night.

He was looking through the Scholastic book order sheets he brought home. He stopped on one title called "America's Dumbest Criminals." He put the paper down, looked at me, and said in a very offended tone:

"You know what? Isn't it bad enough that they have to, you know, go to JAIL for doing something bad? Do they have to be embarrassed by making a book about it for everybody to read? That's just wrong."

He then gave a very disgusted snort and tossed the paper across the room. Human dignity recognized as an essential human right. Check. Demonstration of righteous indignation. Check.

I don't know if that's good parenting, a genetic predisposition toward flag waving and brick throwing, or just his personality.

But I'm so goddamn proud right now I can't stand myself.

-- DV