Category Archives: Lessons Learned

Be Their Hero, Family Time, Lessons Learned

3 Things Your Son Needs from his Father

3 Things Your Son Needs from his Father

…and if he doesn’t get them from you ?

…he WILL get them somewhere else.

  • from his friends.
  • or from his electronic media.
  • from YouTube, internet, movies.
  • or from reality shows. That’s scary.

Your son needs these things from his father

Your son needs these 3 things from his father.

Here they are — 3 things your son …

… needs from his father.

  1. Your son nEEds to sEE you lead.
  2. Your son nEEds to sEE how you fail.
  3. Your son nEEds to sEE you love his mother.

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(1) – Your son needs to see you lead.

Your son needs to see you lead - by example - from the front.
Your son needs to SEE YOU LEAD – by example – from the front.

Real leaders are servants. Servants lead by serving others.

Hey, you might act like the boss at work. And you might not.

But you still need to be the leader of your family. And your son needs to see REAL leadership in your home.

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If he doesn’t learn from you, he will learn leadership somewhere else from somebody else.

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Not Taught but Caught

Leadership is NOT TAUGHT from the couch or by just long, boring talks.

Leadership is CAUGHT by example.

When your son sees leadership by serving, by example, by leading from the front; he will be better equipped to to understand leadership.

Dad, your son will become a better leader of his peers instead of being easliy manipulated by crowd mentality.

And your son will be a more effective follower when needed.

Real leaders know how to follow when necessary.

As he matures, your son will become a better leader at school, at church, at work and in his community. That is, if …

… if his father teaches leadership by example.

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(2) – Your son needs to see you fail

…and how you fail, not just how you succeed.

Things your son needs - Your son needs to see you fail and how you recover from failure.
Your son needs to SEE YOU FAIL and how you RECOVER from failure.

EVERYBODY has practiced their “end zone victory dance.” Even if only in their minds.  But NOT EVERYBODY knows how to process a “failure.”

That is, process a failure as a learning event.

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Overcoming Failure

Your son needs to practice how to overcome failure. Life will hand your son many more failures than successes.

If you are a professional baseball player and your batting average is 300, our world considers you successful and pays you well. This means you have only succeeded 3 times out of 10 “at bats.”

And you have failed 7 times out of 10.

Life hands us many more failures than successes.

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Your son needs to learn how to process – and succeed – from his failures.

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Learn from Failures

Teach your son how to learn from his failures. By your example.

Your son needs to learn from you about failure. How to recover. How to re-evaluate and try again. Try again. But differently.

He needs to learn how to “re-frame his failures as learning experiences.” By seeing you learn from a perceived failure.

By your example, your son will learn how to make mistakes. He will learn, “It is OK to make mistakes.”

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the son who is NOT afraid

Your son needs to learn from his father how…

  • to take on challenges that are beyond his skill set.
  • to stretch himself without the fear of failure.
  • to try new things for the sake of trying new things – without having an invisible score card that will record every attempt as a failed attempt.
Things your son needs - A son WHO IS NOT AFRAID of new challenges will become a MAN who is NOT AFRAID of new challenges.
“The son WHO IS NOT AFRAID of new challenges will become the MAN who is NOT AFRAID of new challenges.” – America’s GRUMPiest Grandpa

A son who is NOT AFRAID of new challenges will become a man who is NOT AFRAID of new challenges. And will learn how to learn from his own mistakes. Not every event in life has a “pass-fail” metric attached to it.

“A SON who is NOT AFRAID of new challenges will become a MAN who is NOT AFRAID of new challenges.” – America’s GRUMPiest Grandpa

Some things in life are worth trying just for the fun of trying.

Without the fear of “failing.”

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(3) – Your son needs to SEE you love his mother.

This is critical. Your son may have no other examples of real love in his life.

Your son needs to see you love his mother.

This will teach him how to treat all the women in his life. 

Things your son needs - Your son needs to see you love his mother
Your son needs to see you love his mother. This will teach him how to treat all the women in his life. 

Your son needs to SEE LOVE in action. 

Love in action EVERY day.

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I mean like love like 1 Corinthians 13 – even if you don’t believe in the Bible. It is still the best definition (bar none) of love I have EVER heard.

  • Love is patient.
  • Love is kind.
  • Love does not envy.
  • Love does not boast.
  • Love is not proud.
  • Love is not easily angered.
  • Love keeps no record of wrongs.
  • Love always protects,
  • always trusts,
  • always hopes, and
  • always perseveres.  (NIV – New International Version)

“And real love doesn’t sit on the couch watching ESPN while his mom prepares supper.”– (Grandpa’s Version)

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Have a meSSy Christmas. Just say NO to Pinterest-Perfect.

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Leadership in ALL Areas

Your son needs to SEE this kinda love from his father. 

The man who really loves your son’s mother wears an apron in the kitchen and washes dishes after supper WITH his children.

Loving your son’s mother means taking a leadership role in all areas of the home.

Remember, leaders lead from the front and by example. Not from the couch.

Your son needs to see this kinda REAL love from his father. 

What your son sees in you is teaching him how to treat all the women that he will meet in his life.

“Every moment his father has with his mother is a teaching moment for your son.” – America’s GRUMPiest Grandpa

While you are loving your son’s mother, he is learning how to treat his future wife. And is establishing a foundation for all future love relationships –  children, siblings, grandparents.

By your example, your son is learning how to have healthy relationships with co-workers and employees.

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Things your son needs - Your son needs to see his father lead, fail, and love his mother.

These are the 3 things your son nEEds

… from his father. He NEEDS to see …

(1) – needs to SEE you LEAD,

(2) – needs to SEE how you FAIL, and 

(3) – needs to SEE you to LOVE his mother.

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You get to choose.

It’s your move, dad !!!

Will your son get what he needs from you ?

Or from his friends and all of his electronic media – internet, YouTube, videos and movies ? And those unreal reality shows.

You get to choose.

It’s your move, dad !!!

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moms and dads

last chance to connect 

fun things to do for kids this summer

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Lessons Learned

just grinding || puTTing one foot in front of the other

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This morning getting out of bed was a grind. I was NOT motivated, NOT inspired, NOT at peace with my day or my goals. NOT at peace with my purpose in this world.

You know the feeling. Children not behaving to your expectations. Car problems – AGAIN. Money problems – AGAIN. Poor sleep and nightmares – again. And the list keeps getting longer. But you’re not motivated. You’re discouraged and depressed today. For some reason.

Just grinding.

Hey, so I decided. Today it’s OK. Just to grind. Just for today. With no expectations. I decided just to grind through this day. Just grind.

At the end of the day, I know I’m gonna be OK.

If I just grind but don’t quit.

* * * * * *

Just grinding …

… and putting one f00t in front of the other.

I decided. Just don’t let today become a GIANT ZERO.

Or, worst yet, don’t let today become a GIANT NEGATIVE day. Where I intentionally sabotage myself and lose ground on my goals.

Just because I’m feeling sorry for myself and feeling discouraged.

Just grinding. Some days this is all I can do. And it feels so disappointing. But grinding is all I can do today.

Disappointing to have some goals – big goals. And big commitments. And to just be grinding today. I’m thinking, “This is NOT how we accomplish great things.” 

* * * * * *

feeling drained and just grinding today
feeling drained AND just grinding today ?

And today I feel drained … 

… just grinding.

Even before the day started – so unmotivated. Having such a huge amount of mental clutter. Like a head full of angry drunken monkeys.

Have you ever felt like this ? 

Thankfully, I don’t have too many mornings like this. But when I do, I often use this unmotivated morning to sabotage my entire day, to sabotage my afternoon and my night AND to sabotage a few more days. It’s like collecting and storing all the guilt and remorse about not pursuing my goals. And validating all of my guilt and remorse. Being about as happy and positive as Mr. Grinch. 

So I can use this stored guilt …

… to ruin a few more days and to keep thinking “since I am such a failure …, why even bother ?” Since my personal and professional issues are so overwhelming, why even try ? And then fulfill these negative expectations. 

Giving great power to breaking all of those personal promises. About my daily commitments.

Breaking my promises … 

  • to write 500 words every morning,
  • to finish that book this year,
  • to run every morning,
  • to read and mediate every morning,
  • to pray every day,
  • to create my to-do list the night before,
  • to be super charged,
  • to be ready to “rock and roll” every morning,
  • to get going early (5:00 a.m.) every morning.

And my list of broken promises to myself gets longer during the day. And the drunken monkeys in my head get even crazier. And start throwing mental poop – like they do in the zoo. These drunken monkeys create a real “poop feast” in my brain. Now I’m starting to scare myself with my negative thinking.

I start to collect all of my failures during the day. And feed and nurture them.

I remind myself of all of my previous failures. Wow, this negative reinforcement is really working. My negative mind keeps rolling during these unmotivated and discouraging mornings.

Have you ever been there ?

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putting one foot in front of another
just for today – put one f00t in front of the other

One foot in front of the other …

Well, maybe on one of these unmotivated days – like today, it would be OK just to move forward on one small goal. Any goal – just to create a feeling of accomplishment. And to create a feeling of forward moment.

Or just NOT to fall too far behind on my goals.

Or just NOT to sabotage myself.

And just NOT to let today’s lack of motivation carry into the afternoon, and tonight and then into tomorrow morning.

I need to create some forward momentum from one small goal accomplished to …

… to just NOT allow this unmotivated moment or morning to destroy tomorrow’s motivation as well. To avoid being forced into failure before I even begin.

* * * * * *

Just grinding …

So, just for today, this unmotivated day. This unmotivated morning. Just grinding will be good enough. And I will settle for good enough.

Because it is the best I have to offer today.

Just for today. Just for this morning.

When you talk to people who have achieved great goals, they will tell you. That some days – some days they are discouraged. And they just grind. They put on their blindfold and just grind one step at a time. (Watch this video – 5:37 of extreme “one step at a time.”)

They just put one foot in front of the other.

Just doing the next thing on their list. Out of habit. Unmotivated, and just grinding. 

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you're gonna be OK
just grinding today ? guess what ! you’re gonna be OK.

Just grinding …

So – just for today – you decide. That you will be OK with just grinding. Just for today.

Just put one foot in front of the other.

Cuz you’re goNNa be OK. 

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Family Time, Fun Things, Lessons Learned

Be moMMie meSSy. Not Pinterest-Perfect. Just say NO.

Just say NO …

… to holiday craZZineSS.

Be moMMie meSSy. Not Pinterest-Perfect. Just say NO.

Just say “no” to holiday craZZineSS.

The holiday season can bring out the BEST in us. AND the craZZiest in us. We experience the BEST by watching how we care for the homeless during the holiday season. With meals and gifts.

And we see the worst and the craZZiest in the Black Friday subhuman behavior.  Black Friday, you know, that American tradition which reveals the dark retail underbelly of American greed and excess.

Just search YouTube for the latest WalMart Black Friday video. Click here.

I just have four things to say about the holiday craZZineSS.

  1. It’s not your fault.

  2. Be lazy. Be smart. Buy online.

  3. Say “no” to Pinterest-Perfect cOOkies.

  4. Say “yes” to a meSSy Christmas Tree.

Have a meSSy Christmas. Just say NO to Pinterest-Perfect.
Have a meSSy Christmas. Just say NO to Pinterest-Perfect.

1.) It’s not your fault.

We just mentioned the craZZineSS of Black Friday at WalMart.

Let’s refocus now. Not on WalMart. Let’s get personal.

i cancelled black friday
Cancel Black Friday at Wal-Mart 

Let’s talk about YOUR family.

How much of your holiday craZZiest is self-induced craZZiest ?

The answer is simple – ALL OF IT. You are responsible for ALL of your holiday craziest.

But just like in the movie, Good Will Hunting, where Robin Williams keeps saying to Will, “It’s not your fault. It’s NOT your fault. It’s NOT YOUR FAULT.” [link to video clip]

It’s NOT REALLY YOUR FAULT. It’s my fault. Blame it on me – the baby boomer who raised you. Yes. This is one you CAN BLAME on your parents.

But, now, you get to change the madneSS.

Just say “no” to the holiday madness. Just say “no” to the traditions that don’t work for your family. Including your crazy busy schedule. And your demanding expectations of the holiday season.

2.) Be lazy. Be Online-Smart.

Grandpa says, "It's OK. You're worth it."
“You’re worth it.”

By now, I hope that you have already replaced Black Friday with Couch Comfortable Amazon Prime.

Just say “no.” Just say, “If I can’t buy it online and have it delivered for FREE, I will not buy it.”

It’s a simple and easy decision.

There is nothing that a retail store has. That I want so much that I am willing to sacrifice my sanity to drive, park, shop, fight, stand in line, and buy at a retail location. And risk my life driving in Orlando / Chicago / Springfield traffic. I will not trade my sanity for a gift.

This shopping obsession is the civilian equivalent of self-induced retail PTSD. 

Just say “no” to retail madneSS. Case in point. Yesterday, I had razor blades delivered to my residence via Amazon. Ah-h-h, Amazon Prime – God’s gift to the lazy, the smart, and the tired (wise) elderly generation with our canes and walkers.

You can do this, too. Embrqce the techno tool specially designed for the meSSy moMMies. Those Online-Smart moMMies.

You, too, could be Amazon-Lazy. And Online-Smart.

Be moMMie meSSy (more about moMMie meSSy later) AND moMMie smART. Shop Amazon and let the elves at Amazon do the driving.

Just say NO to …

3.) NO to Pinterest-Perfect anything.

Be moMMie meSSy. Not Pinterest-Perfect.

You know those PERFECT cookies shaped like Santa Claus with embedded computer chips that sing Jingle Bells when you eat them. Just say “no.”

Because the Pinterest-Perfect moMMie that designed and created those cookies DOES NOT REALLY EXIST. At least, not on this globe. No mom working outside the home and raising children does things Pinterest-Perfect and lives to tell about it.

Forget the Pinterest-Perfect anything.

Settle for the moMMie meSSy version. And less streSS. The same applies to the annual cOOkie exchange that your mother taught you.

Forget that cOOkie exchange.

It’s not your fault.

You get to change. Not exchange.

I’m giving you permission to abandon some of the time-intensive madneSS. Instead. Create some rOOm.

Leave a hole in your schedule so you can relax.

Read a book after the children are in bed. Drop that annual Christmas Cookie Exchange. Just say “no.” Don’t bake cookies.

4.) Say “yes” to a meSSy Christmas.

Create your own traditions. Get your own tree. Make a WHOLE DAY

It's a family thing - cutting the tree down in the forest
It’s a family thing

of tree cutting. And get the imperfect tree.

Settle for imperfect decorations thrown on the tree by your 3-year-old — having fun. And do not try to decorate your Christmas Tree using the perfect picture saved to your phone.

That perfectly decorated tree was designed by a full time Christmas Tree Decorator. The picture was taken by a professional photographer. And then the picture was photo shopped to perfection. And (if there is no mess) no children were involved.

Lose the streSS. Make a meSS.

Just say “no.” And decorate like the Simpsons not Ozzie and Harriet.

Have a meSSy Christmas. Just say NO to Pinterest-Perfect.
Have a meSSy Christmas. Just say NO to Pinterest-Perfect.

Lose the streSS. Make a meSS.

Create a ginger bread house from a kit that you bought on Amazon. Click here to get a gingerbread house from Amazon.

And let your children build an imperfect ginger bread house like “The House That Jack Built.”

Say “no” to Christmas madneSS.

  • Shop online. Be an Amazon-Smart moMMie.
  • Say “no” to Pinterest-Perfect cOOkies.
  • And say “yes” to your first REAL meSSy Christmas.

Grandpa says, “It’s OK.”

we cancelled the excessive spending
just say NO to Christmas craZZineSS – more meSS and less streSS

More meSS. Less streSS. 

Because.

You are worth it.

Family Time, Lessons Learned

i died on …

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i died on december 31st.

so i made three changes before i died.

  • i cancelled thanksgiving.
  • i cancelled black friday.
  • i cancelled christmas.

what if you were going to die on december 31st?

what would you change?

well, i cancelled thanksgiving. 

ok. so i don’t have the power to cancel thanksgiving entirely. but the tradition of going to someone’s home who must cook and clean and polish silverware. and have the proper kind and number of apple pies. the proper number of pumpkin pies and pecan pies and whipped cream topping. too much stress.

i cancelled thanksgiving
we replaced thanksgiving with our outdoor thing and paper plates 

i (we) cancelled that kinda thanksgiving. i cancelled the chaos. and replaced it. we really did.

we cancelled all of that chaos and forced busyness. for thanksgiving, we are taking our combined families to a park. to blue jacket park in orlando, florida.

ok. we live in florida. so we can do this outdoors thing. so no one has to clean their house. we will cook hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill. turkeys don’t have to worry about us. we’ll be using paper plates and plastic cutlery. and plenty of outside time and activities for the children.

thanksgiving outdoors
thanksgiving at the park eating hot dogs and using paper plates 

our thanksgiving mess stays in the trashcans at the park. and no spilled cranberry juice on the new carpet. no one has to vacuum their house. and because we are eating outside, we will be less likely to overeat. and more likely to play frisbee, fly a kite. and less sitting on the couch.

less sitting in front of the television …

… and watching the parades and the football games. we will leave that to someone else. that’s traditional, maybe, but we / you don’t have to do it that way.

if you can’t picnic in a park

– for you northern states people – then serve food all day in a “soup kitchen” – with your entire family – including your out-of-town guests. get away from the dinner table and the football games. be thankful by doing something for someone else.

serve some american street refugees …

… by preparing some portable meals. drive around town and serve meals to the homeless. what i call our “american street refugees.”

since i died on december 31st.

i cancelled black friday.

black friday – this is strictly an american retail tradition. a national shame – where the corporate giants intentionally hijack any thankfulness that we experienced on the previous day – thanksgiving day. and those retail rascals replaced it with scary, angry mobs inside their stores and outside in their parking lots.

i cancelled black friday
buying things they don’t nEEd and cannot aFFord

black friday – where you get to watch youtube videos of angry people fighting each other to buy things that they don’t need and cannot afford.

black friday – a traditional american planned apocalyptic event. a corporate conspiracy where americans fight each other so they can buy unnecessary stuff to start their new year with more credit card debt in january. and designed to create amazing and unbelievable youtube videos of fighting people in the land of plenty. permanently preserving on youtube the tradition of crazy walmartians for future generations to enjoy.

black friday – i cancelled it. if we can’t buy it online (via amazon prime or best buy or … ?), then we just don’t buy it.

i cancelled black friday. so that black friday will no longer hijack all of the peace and serenity and family joy that we experienced on thanksgiving day.

i died on december 31st. so i cancelled …

i cancelled christmas, too

at least, the excessive spending part.

we cancelled the excessive spending
we cancelled the excessive spending

i’m taking my grandchildren to the dollar store to spend their christmas money on other people who really need some stuff. who need something as basic as a toothbrush and toothpaste.

my grandchildren do not need anything. they are all well fed have enough stuff. nice shoes and beds and electronic devices.

ten (10) electronic devices …

… for a family of four. drew, my oldest grandson, and i counted the number of electronic devices (flat screen tv’s and tablets and smart phones and …) in his household – 10 for a family of four. that’s plenty of stuff.

we have enough stuff. 

help to create a smile for a homeless person
help to create a smile for america’s strEEt refugees

so we’re going to the dollar store to create “care packages” for the “american street refugees” living on the streets of orlando. living in the woods near mc donald’s. so that they can use the toilet facilities during the daytime. and can eat from the dumpsters at night

you see them with their handwritten cardboard signs “working their corner” in the traffic. you see them everyday. i know i do. i try to avoid eye contact intentionally so they won’t ask me for money. but you and i still see them everyday. 

i cancelled christmas. and we’re going to the dollar store so that every grandchild gets to create a $10.00 bag with a toothbrush and toothpaste and … ? you get the picture. my grandchildren don’t have billions of dollars to spend. but we can spend our hundreds of dollars.

and create a new tradition. and, hopefully, put some “christ” (and joy) back into christmas for us and others. and let our children / grandchildren experience giving instead of receiving.

giving intentionally to help some of the “street refugees of the usa.” you can help a refugee for ten dollars.

here’s a good facebook update for ya.

“stop investing in life AFTER death. and start investing in life BEFORE death.” 

and it can be a timely tweetable.

so, yes, i died on december 31st.

and i changed my perspective and my priorities between now and december 31st.

so, what if? in 45 days, or 123 days, or 299 days?

what if you were going to die on december 31st?

what would you cancel?

what would you do differently?

tell me and then do it. 

tell me what you would change in the comments below.

 

 

Family Time, Fun Things, Kindergarten, Lessons Learned

3 Ways to Fail at Homework with a Six-Year-Old

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3 Ways to Fail at Homework with a Six-Year-Old

I did it. I failed miserably. I was trying to do homework with my six-year-old grandson, Daniel. And I failed miserably in three different ways.

… and I did it all in one aftern00n.

It felt  like a major setback this week. Doing homework with my grandson, Daniel.

So much progress made this year motivating Daniel. And then an EPIC FAIL in one aftern00n.

I dare you to make learning fun.
“I dare you to make learning fun.” – Lucas, one of Daniel’s older brothers

Thursday after school didn’t go well.

It didn’t go well at all. Daniel just decided to assert himself – more than usual. Our homework session started OK. Then Daniel just said “no.”

  • “No. I don’t like math.”
  • “No. I don’t want any help.”
  • “No. I don’t want to do homework.”
  • Just “no.” “No.” And another “NO” for good measure.

And internally I just crashed.

It was already an emotionally charged week for me working with Daniel. Daniel was in a “no-no-no mode” this week. My aged brains cells raced with frustration and questions.

  • Doesn’t he understand how valuable MY time is?
  • Doesn’t Daniel understand how IMPORTANT education is?
  • Doesn’t he appreciate ALL OF THE WORK I have done to create a friendly learning environment?

Internally, I crashed and was CRUSHED when Daniel kept saying “no.” I thought I had created the ideal learning environment. I knew I had failed this aftern00n. And I had finally met my match in self-will and stubbornness.

Hey, I’m dealing with a six-year-old who would rather watch video games (you know, Minecraft) than spell words and do math. And compared to Minecraft, all this education stuff means nothing to him.

daniel with 3 letter words
“No. I don’t want to do homework.” – Daniel

No amount of M&M’s (candy bribery) or …

… false encouragement and excitement about education would change Daniel’s mind.

Well, the next day, Friday morning, I was trying to understand where I had failed.

Where did I FAIL ?

Here is the 3-point assessment of my faulty (MBA) thinking.

Every Child Wants an EPIC WIN
Daniel’s brain cells were saying, “Enough is enough.”

My first FAILure was …

… the obvious – thinking about me and that I had failed. I had provided the right environment and the right processes. But Daniel had a tough week and had reached an invisible emotional peak (or valley). He had reached some sort of educational saturation point.

Daniel’s brain cells were saying,  “Enough is enough.”

Daniel is six years old.

Every Child Wants to be a SUPER HERO
“Play is the ultimate SUPER HERO learning tool.” – Captain Daniel America

And I’m, well … real old. Daniel had reached the six-year-old limit for doing homework on a routine. He had reached the six-year-old maximum number of days in row for doing homework on time.

  • That’s all.
  • Simple.
  • And out of MY control.
  • This was all about Daniel. And HIS limits.

Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not listed in some education manual that I could predict. Daniel’s maximum limit did not fit into my linear way of thinking.

Second FAILure …

My expectations were t00 high.

  • It was like pushing a string.
  • Like stopping the wind.
  • Like trying to put t00thpaste back into the tube.

No amount of “grandpa super powers” would work.

My expectations of my perfect plan combined with intellectual super powers were unrealistic.

Crazy thinking on my part. To try to compete with a six-year-old’s thinking. 

My unrealistic expectations were MY RECIPE FOR FAILURE. Or a recipe for feeling like I had failed.

“A six-year-old’s super powers for resisting homework will always trump this old man’s thinking about what’s gonna work for Captain Daniel America.” – America’s GRUMPiest Grandpa

Third FAILure …

… WAS keeping score. Trying to think in terms of black and white. Wins and losses. Thinking that when Daniel gets to win, then grandpa must loose. I forgot that …

I forgot. The goal is to help Daniel to enjoy learning. Not just complete another math problem.

Teach the way he learns - Daniel
Daniel and his learning maZe crEation – complete with a Lava Lake and a Kangaroo Wave Park

 

“If Daniel doesn’t learn the way I am teaching, then maybe I should teach the way Daniel learns.” – America’s GRUMPiest Grandpa

If Daniel doesn’t learn the way I am teaching, then maybe I should teach the way Daniel learns. (Simple. Profound and true.)

Try some new things.

  • Teaching on the computer, the iPad?
  • Taking our homework class to Panera Bread and mix in some double chocolate brownies with math?
  • Or (for a six-year-old) just SKIP HOMEWORK one night? WOWzer !!
  • Or do homework AFTER SUPPER instead of ALWAYS BEFORE supper?
Teach them the way they learn - America's GRUMPiest Grandpa
“Teach them the same way they learn.” – America’s GRUMPiest Grandpa

I need to remember the goal is to sell the learning process – not just to do one more math problem.

The end result …

… of Thursday evening was: Daniel did finish his math and spelling – peacefully – with his mom AFTER SUPPER. With no drama.

And then Daniel happily showed me his completed homework.

Ya gotta admit it.

Moms and six-year-olds are so smart.

Mission accomplished. 

moms and six-year-olds are so SMART
MOMS and six-year-olds are so SMART – Daniel and Libby