Mom Grades

What kind of grade do I get as a Mom?

My children are in bed and I'm at the kitchen table with my laptop - two sleeping golden retrievers at my feet...grading paper after paper and presentation after presentation from my Regis students and I started thinking...what kind of grade did I get today?

My day started with the usual rush of morning routines and I was running late again...just as I begin to yell up the stairs I hear my 5 year old ask his sister "Madison, I can read this book, do you want to hear me read it?"  I freeze.  Without yelling, I waited patiently as Logan read his little "I Can Read" book to his sister.  With a warm heart, I hustled them both into the car and sent them both off to school without yelling.  I was officially late to work...employee grade?  C       Mom Grade = A

After work, the plan was to pick up my children, take them to the daycare at the gym and actually get a workout in this afternoon...this would have resulted in double-daycare visits for my children but doesn't it actually benefit the kids when moms choose to do something for themselves?  I might need a standards based rubric to truly assess this one...

I couldn't resist the sunshine this afternoon.  I skipped the gym.  Picked up both kids, drove home, changed clothes, pumped up 6 bike tires and the kids and I were on the bikepath to the park by 4:35.
Mom Grade = A+

Logan rode his bike, with training wheels, all the way to the park..then the learning began.  If I thought, by skipping the gym, I would be missing out on a workout this afternoon, I was mistaken.  Teaching a 5 year old how to ride a two-wheeled bicycle is a lot of work.  Lots of running, bending over, more running. 

We started in the grass - Logan rode his bike down a slight slope with his mom holding onto the back of his seat...then his waist...then his shirt...then nothing!  Success!  Mom Grade?  A!  Well, not so fast.

The whining began early on - Logan gave up, stomped away, hid under the park slide.  I began with encouragement "Logan, I know you can do it!  Let's give it another try!  Just once more - you can do it."  You get the idea.  Mom Grade?  Definitely an A.

Then I realized that Madison brought (aka SNUCK) a small bag of Oreos with us on our journey. 
ME:  "Hey Logan...you can have a cookie if you make it all the way to Madison on your bike.  Wanna try again?"  Yikes - food bribery for bike riding? Mom Grade = D

Then I noticed the bag of goldfish...cookies and goldfish - bribing my child to ride his bike without training wheels - it was working!  Success and guilt ran through my mind but the adreneline masked it all!

Picture this:  Logan and Mom at the top of a small grassy hill - Madison at the bottom, waving bags of cookies and goldfish...and Logan begins to waiver again.  This called for a new tactic.

Logan reluctantly climbed back on his bike.  Standing right behind him, I lean in close and whisper, "Hey Logan - do you think you can take out your sister?"  A sly smile creeps onto Logan's face and he slowly asked, "Reeaally?"  I whispered again, "Yeah - sure - you can do it.  Focus on Madison and ride right into her - knock her over."    Mom Grade = F

In my defense, boys are different - boys are motivated by physical responses.  This strategy kept Logan on his bike and focused and I also knew that Madison would move if he ever got close - in fact, she was so excited about his success that she would move closer to where he would fall so it looked like a better run than it actually was...adjusted grade based on additional evidence?  C

The evening progressed with a flurry of excitement and celebration - Logan learned how to ride his bike!  The ride home was an adventure:  I would get Logan started, run back to my bike, ride to where he stopped/fell and start again.  Once we got home, we threw his bike in the back of the van, drove to Grandpa's house so we could show off Logan's new talent.  We enjoyed a McDonald's dinner with Grandpa - stopped for ice cream on the way home and the kids went to bed without brushing their teeth.  (The above events could easily average out to a grade of B.)

So what is my overall, grade as a mom today?

It was all clear when my little guy threw his arms around me at bedtime and said "Thank you, Mommy, for teaching me how to ride a bike! You're the best mom ever!"  A+

When it's all said and done, being a mom is hard work.  I have good moments and not-so-good moments, successes and embarrassments.  But each day, I'm in it - 100%.