Chris stayed up late doing research last night. So this morning I left behind a sleeping husband as I went to the church for a Christmas service project.
When I went in our bedroom for the first time since getting home, the blankets were pulled up, but no pillows were arranged on the bed (last one up makes the bed). I told Chris, "You get a solid C for making the bed, but Cs aren't passing in the Hartwell home." He added they aren't passing in a PhD program, either.
I realized that I meant it. Cs aren't passing in my mind.
And then.
Then I remembered a sassy little third grader who did not like her teacher. And to show her dislike, she didn't turn in her homework. Which led to her getting a D and some Cs in third grade. The bad habit followed her to fourth grade, with a few Cs.
I can still vividly see the scene of the talking to I got from my mom when she got the report card with a D on it. We were standing in the doorway between her bedroom and the kitchen, her trying not to blow up, knowing I was capable of so much more, but not wanting to create another power struggle (because obviously, I had already decided that not turning in my homework hurt my teacher, not me). Cs were not acceptable, and Ds were big trouble in the Parish home, especially if you had the potential to do much better.
I'm afraid that one day I'll have to deal with these same sort of issues. And then I pray Baby Girl takes after her dad.
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3 comments:
Her dad got a D and a couple of Cs as an undergraduate in college. I wouldn't pray that she becomes like me.
Oh Deidra, I do love your posts. I used to think C's were bad...until I went back to college in my 40's. My perspective suddenly changed when I took Physical Science and quarks weren't even invented when I was in high school.
However, you're so right. C's shouldn't cut it in the Hartwell home where there is so much potential :)
hey, i knew that sassy little third-grader! and, i know how very much she didn't like that teacher...it was a rough year.
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