Yesterday afternoon I was doing my best to finish up some work while at home. My son Travis needed attention, though, as he had a math assignment he needed to finish. To his credit, he went right to work at it once he got home but soon became stumped and frustrated.
He asked me to read his assignment to him and I did, though it drew more responses from him saying it was okay if he didn’t understand it. Knowing Travis, though, I knew he would get this assignment as it involved managing money. He is very money-aware and the problem’s scenario involved keeping a balance sheet for family savings.
As I explained the problem to him and pointed out how to fill out the balance sheet, he hopped into my lap. Soon I was gently stepping him through the problem, marveling at the light bulb coming on in his head as he figured out what was being asked. Suddenly, the once insurmountable math homework was easily conquered and Travis was happily flying the flight simulator that once had to wait. We spent the rest of the evening happily crashing Cessna Citation-X’s into the ground.
I’m no dummy, I’m getting old and my kids are growing up fast. The opportunities to have my kids hop into my lap while we work on homework are becoming fewer and farther between. It was a real treat to help Travis over his frustration and get to play parental hero one more time.