Okay, maybe not.
“I’m going to Harvard! I’m going to Harvard!” My very pleased with her self Mariah was chanting as she proudly displayed her report card last night.
I won’t post her GPA, but let’s just say, it is better than last year, but not close to scholarship worthy. It was, however, better than Brooke’s GPA which was a 1st for Mariah.
Brooke is naturally very bright. She doesn’t study, and does bare necessity to get natural A’s and B’s. This year has been a bit tough though. Brooke, very much like me, holds very high standards for herself. I have softened & buffered the moments this year when she doesn’t do well on a paper. Nobody is harder on Brooke than Brooke, so my job is to put it into perspective so stress doesn’t consume her.
I understand Brooke. Recently I dropped a course after a couple weeks into it because a professor gave me a 90% on a paper. Infuriated, I proposed a strong argument to the university who allowed me to transfer my course to a new instructor at no cost. I ‘get’ Brooke. I ‘get’ less than an A is not acceptable, but those are standards I only hold for myself.
Mariah on the other hand has strengths in many other areas.
Academically, not so much; however, Mariah is breezing through Child Development while the rest of her class is struggling. Mariah has an amazing heart and her area’s of strength have been carefully watched and admired by this mom. J I also take my own moment of pride & credit in the fact that she was raised well and learned first-hand.
Brooke has only one class she is not doing well in, the others are natural A’s & B’s. I hush Mariah’s ‘happy dance’ moment due to Brooke raging at her own shortcoming this grading period.
Mariah deserves her moment of glory and I will take her for sushi to celebrate this life’s celebration-worthy moment.
What has been a neat observance from my viewpoint is Eric’s new-found attitude with Mariah’s grades. Once upon a time he went nuts with her grades, threats made every grading period. Now, grades have lost their powers when it comes to the overall grand picture in life. Grades are important, yes. In the face of death, they don’t matter. Grades are put into perspective thanks to Lou Gehrig’s.
As parents, we know our children’s strengths and weaknesses. It is our job to encourage them to be their very best in life, but I would rather my Mariah excel in child development naturally and be an amazing mom to my grandchildren, then high pressure her to excel in every class when her happiness lies in her natural athletic abilities, natural tendencies with child development and her loving and happy heart.
Will her GPA make it to Harvard? No.
Will she give my grandchildren a Harvard quality upbringing? Absolutely!
Congratulations Mariah for getting your GPA up and a high-five for beating easy-A Brooke this grading period!
