She Belongs
It hurts when you see a child suffer a setback. I saved the text message that Cici sent to me in a panic at the beginning of the school year. Papa, I failed my chemistry test. I may have talked about this previously, but she is in the chemistry honors class. We talked when we picked her up from school that day and she was despondent. The other students in this class are so smart, she told me. They already know everything. I don't feel like I belong in this class. Can you change me to the regular chemistry class, Papa?
We continued to discuss this issue for the following week, with me encouraging Cici, trying to build her confidence. I exchanged long emails with the teacher, and learned that the entire class had done poorly on the first exam. Cici, as it turned out, had earned a C. But she was getting 100's on all of her homework, and was scoring high on the quizzes. If you really want to change, I will speak with the academic dean to make the change, I told Cici. But look at the big picture. All the students struggled on the first exam. Let me think about it, she told me. A few days later, she made her decision. I will stay in the honors class, she said.
Yesterday she couldn't wait to tell me the news. I got a 97 on my second chemistry test, she said excitedly, and it raised my grade for the term to an A! Sure enough, when I checked on line this morning the results had been posted. Cici has a solid A in the class now. She no longer feels like she doesn't belong in the class. Her math skills and her determination not to quit have propelled her to the top of the class. You can bet that Ping and I will be walking tall when we go to report card night next Wednesday.
Last evening while Ping was in belly dancing class, I asked Cici if she wanted to go for a walk with me. I thought she might not want to walk since Mama wouldn't be with us, but she hopped up and came with me. We had a nice, long walk, and talked all the time we were walking. She doesn't just belong in her honors class, you see. After our long summer of bonding, she also belongs to me.
We continued to discuss this issue for the following week, with me encouraging Cici, trying to build her confidence. I exchanged long emails with the teacher, and learned that the entire class had done poorly on the first exam. Cici, as it turned out, had earned a C. But she was getting 100's on all of her homework, and was scoring high on the quizzes. If you really want to change, I will speak with the academic dean to make the change, I told Cici. But look at the big picture. All the students struggled on the first exam. Let me think about it, she told me. A few days later, she made her decision. I will stay in the honors class, she said.
Yesterday she couldn't wait to tell me the news. I got a 97 on my second chemistry test, she said excitedly, and it raised my grade for the term to an A! Sure enough, when I checked on line this morning the results had been posted. Cici has a solid A in the class now. She no longer feels like she doesn't belong in the class. Her math skills and her determination not to quit have propelled her to the top of the class. You can bet that Ping and I will be walking tall when we go to report card night next Wednesday.
Last evening while Ping was in belly dancing class, I asked Cici if she wanted to go for a walk with me. I thought she might not want to walk since Mama wouldn't be with us, but she hopped up and came with me. We had a nice, long walk, and talked all the time we were walking. She doesn't just belong in her honors class, you see. After our long summer of bonding, she also belongs to me.
Lee, what took you so long to see this, most of us could see that Cici was yours around the end of June
Cici so happy for you and your "A", Congrats !!!
Reply to this
LOL
It is a good feeling, Michael. Cici and I seem to have a special bond.
When we go for walks now, Ping walks on one side of me, so close that our bodies are always touching. Cici walks on the other side of me, also allowing no space between our bodies as we walk along. I end up squeezed in the middle, being bumped from either side, but the message these girls give me through their behavior is unmistakable. We are a very close family.
Reply to this