Billy Coffey
Billy Coffey

What kindergarten homework taught me

October 13, 2009  

I’ve never been a math guy. Numbers scare me in the same way zombies do; both seem so foreign and lack even a hint of personality. Words can sing. Numbers just stand there mouthing.

The unhealthy relationship I have with plusses and minuses does not apply to homework, however. At least not the kindergarten kind. Because even if 1 + 0 = ? is just as cold and emotionless as ay2 + by + 2a + c = 0, it is a little easier to figure out.

But not to my son, who understands the concept of adding one thing to another one thing and getting two things about as well as I understand how to split the atom. Put all of that together, and you have a recipe for disaster when the two of us sit down to complete his assigned work.

Last night we sat at the kitchen table to tackle the beauty that is addition. Past practice has taught us that both patience and planning is key. Which is why I brought coffee, and he brought Kool-Aid and a Tootsie Pop…

To read the rest of this post (and to find out what I really learned about math), I invite you over to High Calling Blogs for my new column.
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Comments

  • katdish

    Heading over there now…

  • Lori Lundquist

    Wonderful story. Great reminder for a gal who shies away from letting anyone see anything until it's perfect (or so thought perfect by said gal). Mistakes are scary! What freedom to know – we're all just figuring it out together.
    Also, coffee is an absolute essential in tackling any problem. Didn't know about the tootsie pops, though. I'll have to try that out.
    Write on!

  • Andrea

    Beautiful story!
    Blessings and prayers, andrea

    PS: Urgent prayer request on arise 2 write.

  • Sarah Salter

    Has anybody told you that you write really well??

    I always enjoy your posts… Some of them make me smile and some make me sniffle and some make me laugh out loud… But today's was one of the ones that just made my jaw drop. The word that came to my mind was "classic." It was just beautiful, Billy. Beautiful.

    (So do you really think I don't know what love is 'cause I don't have kids? That's very sad…)

  • Heart2Heart

    What a great story! Your son and daughter are learning so much from what you teach them not only with your actions but through your loving words.

    Love and Hugs ~ Kat

  • RCUBEs

    Math???I hate it, too….Ahh..you're a great dad…And that is a "plus"…

  • The Things We Carried

    You got me. here I go…

  • Rebecca on The Homefront

    I'm just coming back over from reading the post. It left me breathless, because I've been struggling a lot lately with the "I'm a grown up, but I don't really know what I'm doing." Your son's words really echo my own.

    Like Sarah said, "Classic." Thanks for another great post.

  • Angela

    So true! When it comes to parenting, I'm still trying to figure things out. Good thing there's an eraser. :)

    Thanks for the encouragement! I needed this reminder.

  • S. Etole

    How often we try to use worldly erasers to cover up our mistakes when God's love has taken care of them all. {from your other post}

  • Denise

    Great story my friend.

  • Mom to 9 Blessings!

    wise words and beautifully done!

    blessings,
    jill