I'm really proud of this C. I never thought I'd be a parent who said that. I've always been pretty hardcore on getting good grades. Not in the "I expect straight As" way, but "Cs are hard for me to stomach" way. That being said, I always tell my kids that I expect your best. If you try your hardest, then that's all I can ask.
Math has been a struggle for my daughter since switching schools a couple of years ago. Common Core wasn't taught at her old school; it was the math that mom knew—old school math. I have watched her struggle. I have watched her work hard to learn. I've seen the tears of frustration as she worked hard to understand the concepts. I've watched her put in the extra hours of tutoring and work to make sure she passed.
It's been frustrating to watch. It's hard watching your kid struggle. It's tough to resist the urge of handing them the answers so it can be done and over with for both of us. I have to remind myself there's nothing learned in that, and it's hard. She doesn't see it now—mostly she sees the struggle and the work, but it's building her.
It's building her to work through the hard stuff because math won't be her only obstacle. It's building her to know you won't always be the best, but you can be the best you. It's building her to know she can do things on her own, but it's OK to ask for help, too.
It's also building me. It's reminding me that perfection isn't the goal. The goal is grit, integrity, and determination. It's reminding me that my expectations may not be reality and that I have to adjust with each child's ability. It's reminding me to appreciate the things that come easily and love hard through the frustration of what doesn't. It's reminding me that so much more is coming out of this than just the letter I see on a report card.
Right now, I'm proud of a C. Right now, I'm choosing to accept it is the best and she's giving it her all and that's all I can truly ask. Right now, I grateful I get to see her grow through this. Right now, I know one day I'll look back and know this hard part was just a stepping stone to building the amazing future she has.
Right now, I celebrate the hard work that went into getting a C—and that's enough for me.
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