School Is Back In Session (this year, I'm in 6th grade)

I know there are some who think that I've abandoned my blogs, some may be going through withdrawals - I know how addictive it can be :) But I wanted to take a minute to assure you that I'm still here and I have very high hopes that my schedule will settle down soon so that I can get back to doing the things I love...

As some of you may know, school is back in session. It's only been two weeks and already I am left scratching my head over the homework assignments.

Do you know how long it has been since I was in the sixth grade????

Well, it wasn't back in the "old days" as some might think; but, it has been long enough that I am completely lost when she asks for help on her homework - usually math.

Obviously, these crazy problems aren't anything that we use on a regular basis; because I have no idea how to solve them or even why I would ever have the need to know this stuff.

I mean seriously, how many times, in your life, will you need to know how to expand AND write out 7.09823?? In what field of work would you need to be for this to be a necessary skill?

I'm just sayin'...

I tried calling the "homework helpline" only to discover that the number has been disconnected - guess they forgot to pay their bill :(

With no book to look up examples and no comprehension of what exactly was expected, I turned to my good friend, "Google". This lead me to a 24/7 tutoring site called Tutorvista. This site cost $99.99 per month for as much tutoring as your child needs - but you could "Try it now for free".

Of course, you and I both know that nothing is REALLY free. So they get you to sign up for this "free trial" - thinking that you are actually going to get some help with this problem that you're trying to solve - and now, they've got you right where they want you!

Your child needs help, you don't know the answer, you've exhausted all your measures, and the time is growing late; she must finish this homework before heading to bed and you are STILL no closer in figuring out how to help her.

"If you sign up today, we can schedule a session for your child to help her with whatever she needs."

As I'm talking to the nice gentleman, who is explaining that they are running a special right now for only $25.00 for the first month, I keep hearing a bell and clapping in the background.....it sounds like they're having a party over there, in India. He asks me to do something, but I can't hear him for all the noise in the background and he explains that someone - just like me - has just joined their program and that's what they do every time they get a new member.

A few minutes later, they rang that bell again, only this time it was for me.

That's right; desperate times call for desperate measures. I took the bait and paid my $25.00 for help with my sixth grade math problems - I hope I get an A...