Algebra!!!

Here is your one word problem of the day:

If you take away a 13 year old girl's phone until she does her math homework. How long will it take her to do her math homework?

My dear Sasha and I made a deal last semester that we both would do our best to make sure she gets better grades this semester.

I feel for these kids because, I too, have cried from frustration of not understanding how to do homework every now and then growing up. The only thing is, they are like this on a weekly basis.

These kids never want to do their homework because they don't believe in themselves and think they are dumb. Most of the time teachers are not a big help to their self confidence.

Today, I was helping Sasha do her algebra homework. After breaking down into tears, she said she wasn't going to finish. I decided to snatch her phone and I told her to tell me when she is ready to finish algebra, and until then I will be waiting. 2 hours, 15 phone calls to her number trying to find out where I hid it, and some pouty faces later-- she finally caved. There was one section that she said she didn't have to do only if she wanted a 10 or 11 mark (about an A grade in America) she had to do it. Said "but I don't want a 10 or 11". She went on telling me "only Luba and people like her can do this section"... I guested out saying something on the lines of "ohh hell no girl you did not just say that".

Anyways... Short story I turned long going back into a somewhat short story,

She did it!!! All on her own! And it was more than thrilling to see her happy doing math. After making some awesome post it note tables of squares and square roots, she was set to go!!! Those moments you do things on the fly in hopes of it turning out ok is so awesome when it does turn out ok.

After a long stressful weekend of the silent treatment, lost children, nagging, broken toys, etc. I am so glad to have ended my lovely weekend on this note. And tomorrow is Monday!!! Hallelujah!

Until next time,
The answer to the problem given above is: pretty fast