Parenting 101

So I went to parent teacher conference at the junior high with both fear and trepidation. Actually, I was dreading it, as I watched the clock, knowing the time to go was getting closer and closer. So, I went to talk with the math teacher first. I was nice, I was polite, I was an interested parent wanting to know what I could do to help my daughter. I walked away with nothing. She told me we could re-do assignements, quizzes and tests for half credit. We are already doing that and by the way, have dropped back to a D-. I asked her if she had any other suggestions. She suggested that we have a "conference" to discuss what we could do to raise the D-, she says this as she circles the D- on the paper. I wanted to be nice and not create any uncomfortable feelings, but I am thinking to myself..."isn't this a conference?" So I asked her what we would do in that conference that we couldn't do right now. She suggested that Alex could attend so she could tell us why she is getting a D- and what the teacher could do to help. Do you really think it is going to be that easy? All this pain, and the solution is really that easy? I'm thinking call the school counselor and request a class change to a different teacher.

What I learned from going to the conference, however, was a life lesson that bears blogging about. I went to all of her other classes and repeatedly heard things like, "Oh, Alex is such a fabulous kid" or "she is so organized and self-motivated" or "she is such a delight". The truth is she is getting 4 As, 2 B+ and then the D-. I knew this, in fact, I could see the grades on the web page right there with the D-, but I focused on the D-. I think it consumed us so much that I forgot to see that she was getting some really good grades and that she is a fabulous kid! So the parenting 101 lesson is slow down and enjoy the moment! Don't get so caught up in what isn't there and the struggle you are currently facing that you aren't able to see the successes you are having or the things that are going right. It's a message I heard this last week both from President Monson and Oprah...slow down, simplify and live in the moment! Now I'm no dummy...if both President Monson and Oprah are saying it, it must be true!