Sunday, September 28, 2008

Exam? what exam?...

It sure is a busy week at my house. I'm super hyper, like i'm on a taut string and a little touch will send me spiralling into the air. Exams always does this to me. The 11 yrold on the other hand is as cool as a frozen ice lolly. As far as he's concerned, its just another thing cooked up to make sure he has a rotten week. He's still reading his storybooks and decorating an arsenal timetable like he's arsenal's manager. For the uninitiated it's not weaponry but soccer...yeah...I've added the much hyped soccer-mum hat to the various other hats i wear...


Coming back to exams, I remember this history teacher in school. She was BORING!!!! and unfortunately believed that quantity is directly proportional to quality. Which meant that the longer the answers, the more the marks. So once i figured that out, it was pretty easy. The 11 yrold on the other hand is a master at brevity. He can condense a page into 5 lines. His speed-reading skills came to light when he read 5 chapters in 15 minutes. Algebra is scoffed at...the whole idea of x and y being in equations is silly...steps are skipped because 'i know it, she knows it, why the hell should i write it down"?

and yes, we have the conveniently censored expletive, "What The!!!!" going on right now....

I sympathise with him thoroughly when he complains ...Luckily for him, he's intelligent and has been getting good grades solely on what he remembers from the classes...which will not last him long. Maths needs practice and he's not too convinced about it. Besides, what is he going to do with 100%?!!!!(yes, we never fall short on confidence)

We've told him that we really don't mind the grades...what matters is that he works hard and shows some discipline in coming up with a time table and not keeping everything till the last minute....Right now, he's as receptive as the wall except when he tells me to chill!!! Still i live on eternal hope :)

The younger one on the other hand never lets me down, as far as learning goes. He has just learned about the middle finger...and the myriad expressions it brings on....He saw an 8yrold showing it, and other kids going gaga over it ' ... he patiently folds his four fingers and proceeds to show me the middle finger!

sigh...Ahhh! well, when you can't fight them, join them..i showed him how to use those fingers to make a camera....Hopefully he's going to be better occupied in school today...


and now biting my fingers...errr nails... wondering when this tune will hit my house soon?

36 comments:

Jaya said...

Suma: You have a gem. Some people grasp quickly and need little time in preparation. For others it might be different. He could be a good investment banker or a detective:) :) LOL at younger one. He never fails to amuse us :) Good you thought him how to make camera.

ceedy said...

Well...no wonder you were biting nails even on my post...

But honestly from my experience...let the kid learn naturally...dont force it...whatever has to be retained will be in shorter spells as it will be more concentrated effort than a lethargic endevour

click the pic of the lill ones camera...

--xh-- said...

ROTFLOL - kids r soo smart than us.

"know it, she knows it, why the hell should i write it down" - makes perfect sense, rt? :)

and yeah, wht can one do with 100%? it is such a waste. I realised it when I was older than him - he realized 'the eternal truth to happy study days' very early.

LOl @ the middle finger :) teach him more creative thinks like camera, birds and hope he will use them instead of giving the bird :)

Sairekha said...

Wow! You're really livin on the edge, aren't you? :) This too shall pass:)

Compassion Unlimitted said...

life is absolute fun isnt it..LOL
TC
CU

broca's area said...

i realized the unimportance of marks when i entered medical..ultimately what counts is ur board exams..but guess these marks do play a role in shaping ur self esteem..

once had used the word "nin pinda" ..and guess what happn..got belted by my father....was in 3rd std then.,,,

Prats said...

I'm not saying a word!!!! And I hope you never reach any song stage...heheheheh

My sons been learning too...and pretty well....so its best to sit and giggle....and turn the deaf ear...

Prats said...

@brocas....heheh you really had a great vocab...no wonder you got the belting...

aMus said...

joy...

lol... why a detective? :)
he needs to self motivate himself...and inprove on time management...i can't always be keeping track of what he's studying and when :(

Pavi!!!! said...

Herez wishing the boys All the Very Best for their exams...

n like i told prats

- Its just mid-term exams. YOU really SHOULD take it easy :)

Also both of ur posts and few other things have triggered a Q in my mind..which i ll blog abt soon!

rayshma said...

hehee... cheeeell... :)
don't worry.. this too, shall pass! :)

but seriously.. i hate exams!

Anonymous said...

so, when do we get an epl post now, soccer mom? ;)

Preethi said...

This was hilarious Suma.. I am going to get there soon ain't I! I can imagine how that will go with Cheeky!! I love the little one showing you the middle finger!! Best to ask the expert... MOM!! I get a lot of that too.. Amma Will said I was a stinky buffalo.. what a silly word.. and goes around calling everyone he sees "Stinky" Buffalo" not to mention Cheese Head and Chicken Legs!! yikes.. I need to run make a post on this!

aMus said...

ceedy...
heh..heh...your post was quite err...a revelation :D

pic? let him perfect the camera first...have you ever doen that when you were a kids...intertwine the fingers to make that camera ?

aMus said...

xh:
yes, he's smart...to the point of overconfidence...his teacher once told him ...it's nice to be confident but its better to always stretch yourself to know something that you don't...
now, i didn't know the six year old would follow that advice so diligently :)


Ziah...
like i said, i live on hope...:D

aMus said...

@ brocas...
its not marks which worry me, its the attitude...and the pressure will soon build up...
and i don't know what that word means...perhaps ignorance is bliss in this case...


prats...

SIGH!!!....i wonder what will happen when yours and mine get to meet?!!!!

aMus said...

pavi!!!!
:)
you were concerned at parents helping their kids to study...i don't help him to study but i feel guidance is necessary to help them learn better study methods...time management...formulating a revision time table when you have the exams coming up...studying 30 min-1 hr everyday so that it does not pile up towards the end...i sure don't want him to become a student who does rote learning...you need to guide till the point the child learns to self motivate himself...

aMus said...

rayshma...
i'm chilling...exams are over YAY!!!!


manuscrypts...
EPL post? rite now i'm functioning more as a snack bar and cheerleader and toilet break supervisor...

Keshi said...

Kids r way too smart these days lol!

Keshi.

Neera said...

Honestly this was delightful read at this point of time for me, don't know what I'll do when I'll have to deal with it myself. Sigh!

Fuzzylogic said...

Lol!you really do have a little smarty pants Calvin there huh?:)Being parents I think worry comes with the territory but I think you are doing a fabulous job. From a former kid who hated doing any sort of homework and scoffed her nose at algebra giving her mom quite a bit of sleepless nights I can say it will all be ok:)

Mama - Mia said...

i so so love reading your blog! :) do i sound silly saying it again and again!

had a big goofy grin on my face reading through the post and seeing 11yo's confidence!! :) very very cool i say!

middle finger? really?!

thats it then! no school for Cubby! :p

cheers!

abha

ceedy said...

Yes....I used to do that :) to make my camera....but all the pictures were always blurred :P

Jaya said...

You have been tagged.

aMus said...

keshi...
smart? now way, i'm smarter han them...:D


neera::
when it was swaraj, i was super paranoid...now i know that you cannot monitor external influences all the time..inspite of my best efforts, he still has found out what he wasn't supposed to...so might as well divert his mind...instead of making a big fuss and ensuring that he's more curious about it...
as for exams...SIGH!!!!

aMus said...

fuzzy...
i was an average student till age 11, then i suddenly changed..but you know, i have to my bit of worrying to justify that bit of grey hair na?
and you reassure me...u did turn out more than okay...:D

aMus said...

fuzzy...
i was an average student till age 11, then i suddenly changed..but you know, i have to my bit of worrying to justify that bit of grey hair na?
and you reassure me...u did turn out more than okay...:D

aMus said...

mama-mia...

oh... i do so love hearing it...i feel highly unappreciated these days..so let the compliments flow...:D

relax...cubby's gonna be okay...i see this change after coming to singapore...the kids here are very different...my boyz were lambs comparatively :P

ceedy...
LOL!!!

Joy...
came, read and liked...will be doing... soon!!!!

aMus said...

mama-mia...

oh... i do so love hearing it...i feel highly unappreciated these days..so let the compliments flow...:D

relax...cubby's gonna be okay...i see this change after coming to singapore...the kids here are very different...my boyz were lambs comparatively :P

ceedy...
LOL!!!

Joy...
came, read and liked...will be doing... soon!!!!

~nm said...

Hahahah! Hilarious post! Couldn't help laughing at the middle finger thing :D

And BTW, tagged you. Pick it here

Sumana said...

Yes mommy dear can you answer the one question, What is anybody going to do with a 100%?? Simple and plain but tough to explain. i am sure you are enjoying all of it thoroughly. Write more, love to read them.

Anonymous said...

I love your attitude to the whole thing. I failed everything, and I'm a good example of why its important to do well in exams!!

Guruprasad said...

hey!

glad to have dropped in... its been ages... life's been a little chaotic, if i could use an understatement! :)

i loved the way you handled the 'tricky' situation of the middle finger :)

i remember my big boss and i maintaining a straight face when our then 6-year old son asked us what the 'f' word meant... :P

Pavi!!!! said...

Tagged!

WhatsInAName said...

Oh Gosh,
Are we sure we are talking of your elder one and not my younger one? I am having a sense of Deja Vu here... and I see the same story unfold next week
* biting my nails*

Shruti said...

:D smart kids.. and junior. OMG!! he seems to ALWAYS learn just the right things :P :P