Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Mommy Knows Best...or does she????

Well if you asked Middle if Mommy knew best this week...his answer would be a quick No.  Middle brought home an assignment and we had quite a time finishing this task.  The assignment was to follow directions...(my immediate failure) and draw specific designs in the squares of the grid to create a mystery picture.

Each small square was designed to make a Big Picture. 

What happened next was unfortunate. 

Middle worked and worked on this assignment.  He wasn't feeling well and time was slipping away.  As it grew later and later, I sat down and decided to help Middle finish.

I started doing what I thought was right.  He colored and I colored.  We talked...we laughed...and we got close to finishing.

Middle looked closely at the picture and said, "Mom...I don't think this is right."  "Of course it is", I replied..."we just have to finish to see the picture."  "No Mom...it isn't right."  I say, "Middle, I am 34 and you are 9...I think I know what I am doing here.  Why don't you go to bed and we'll finish in the morning." 

Clearly, the more I looked, the more I realized he was so right.  I had completely and totally messed this up for the child.  I mean...beyond repair.

The next morning, I woke Middle and apologized.  I told him I would beg his teacher for another night to finish and we'd get it right.

Sure enough...Mrs. Cline...our wonderful teacher and friend, allowed us just one more day to finish the task.  I do believe she laughed a bit when she saw my rendition (if you will) of the mystery picture. 

Later that night, we sat down and started again.  This time I let Middle read the directions and I followed his lead. 

You'll never guess what happened.

Tanner finished his assignment.  We call it Santa on a Rooftop.

And I created Art.  Art for me is what happens when I don't follow directions.  Like that angel food cake last year...that was art.

Being 34 didn't make me any smarter than my 9 year old when I tried to do things without guidance.  Life lessons tend to happen A LOT around here. 

Have a blessed day!
Referee of 3



2 comments:

Mel Schanz said...

:) It's so awesome when we are taught lessons through our children!

Mel Schanz said...
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