Saturday, January 25, 2014

The dreaded -1

My little Rosebushes love to learn.  They learn new and exciting things everyday.  Emma is in preschool and this is the time of year that the teacher has started to get a little more hard core with the kids on their daily work pages.  I picked up Emma from school today and I grabbed her work from her cubby and we headed out into the polar vortex.  When we got home I looked at her work and went over it with her.  This is the page we started with
Do you see the little -1 and the smiley face with one O eye and one X eye?  Apparently the one O eye means you need to work on some things. It seems my know it all daughter missed one. I didn't think this was a big deal at all.  I asked her to count them again and that is when the major meltdown started.  
Emma: Hands in the air and face full of drama. "WHY? WHY? WHY? I tried so hard and I didn't get it?"
Me: "It's fine.  Nobody is perfect. "
Emma: Even louder and WAAAAYYYYY more drama. "I. Want. To.  Be. Perfect!"
Me: "Emma, really it's not a big deal you just missed one. You just need practice."
Emma: The drama level reached epic proportion and included tears. "Mommy I just want to be so smart like you and daddy.  Why can't I do this?  I counted and counted and it was still wrong!"

At this point I made a huge parenting mistake, make that a colossal parenting mistake.   I accidentally snickered and sort of chuckled a little because her ridiculous overreaction was funny.   I didn't mean to do it, I swear!  It just happened.  I really did feel for her and am so glad that she takes learning so seriously but her reaction was so over the top I couldn't help it.  

Emma: Tears flowing.  Hands on hips.  Brow furrowed.  "Oh so now it's funny that I can't count.  Now that I have an O eye you think this is hilarious.  You think I'm dumb!"
Me: "Emma I do not think you're dumb.  I know you are smart.  I know you can count. I think you're being a little dramatic about missing one question, that's all.  I'm sorry I laughed at you. "
Emma: "You need to work on not laughing at people and I need to work on counting.  I guess we both need to practice something today."

That ladies and gentlemen is how you get schooled by a little Rosebush!

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