Day 92: Kids ... They Have Their Moments.

Cullinary Artist: Tammy, age 6

As usual, I wasn't in the mood to go tutor today. And, as usual, my kids cracked me up and made me happy once I did.

Today's moment of joy came when I saw "The Cocoa Puff Piece." How could a person look at that and not laugh? (Side Note: She created the piece on her own, at home, to celebrate her 100th day as a First Grader ...)

The ticket (see photo below) was issued in the aftermath of assuredly extreme "torture" I recently inflicted on Henry and Tommy (my original two - the first boys I ever tutored). Seriously - Abu Gharib has nothing on me. After not finishing their homework two weeks in a row, I warned them that if they didn't get in done a third time, there would be repercussions. There were. I took away 20 of their team points (I believe their team name that week was "The Hamburger Barf Boys"), and that meant it would take longer for them to accumulate enough points to visit The Treasure Chest (a literal treasure chest - it's huge - in the back of my car that's kept filled with little toys and weird prizes).

And then there's the short story that was dictated by Eleanor (age 3-1/2). She's not even one of my official students - I work with her older sisters. But she's outside waiting for me every time I come, and wants desperately to read and write. For now, she dictates. This is her most recent story:

Martin Luther King was a pig. The girl was named Alex and she dreamed that her family was gone. She dreamed her family was killed. Then she woke up and had new cereal. For dinner she had sausages and oranges. The pig went out to get his mom and dad in the woods. Then Alex ate the pig. But there was a whole family of pigs, and Martin Luther King popped out of Alex's mouth. The end.

I really can't complain about the way I make a living. I just can't.


Issuing Officers: Henry and Tommy, both age 8