Hark! It's spring!

1) Aaron is mowing the lawn.

2) There are robins in our yard so fat that they look like they may fall off the fence posts. Aaron says they stake out the end of the sump pump hose to catch the worms that bathe there. Smart birds.

3) Bikes and sidewalk chalk.

4) I'm plotting ways to make a sheet hung over the kids' window NOT look like a sheet hung over their window. 6:30am is too early for them to be awake.

5) Gymnastics and dance are wearing out their welcome. We want to play OUTSIDE, not in!

6) Kids are living in mock Crocs again. Seriously, those shoes look ridiculous on adults, but are a parent's dream shoe.

7) And finally...I have parents requesting me as a tutor. Here's the story.

When Leah was a baby and we lived practically next door to a high school, I decided to do some tutoring, and enjoyed helping two young men get themselves organized academically. I put myself on the list of possible tutors at that school, but no other situation worked out. Also, I was soon pregnant with Ben, and then the time commitment didn't seem so appealing.

Since then, it seems that every spring I get a few phone calls or emails from parents (hardly ever the student themselves...hmmm) wondering if I will tutor their child in Algebra or Geometry. And they are from various schools in the area, not just the one I worked through. I have a couple of problems with these requests:
A) I haven't even been INTERESTED in tutoring for several years.
B) They are always for algebra or geometry. ALWAYS. And I, of course (see previous post on my bookshelf organization), was an English teacher. Not very helpful, even if I WAS interested.
C) Parents, dear, sweet, desperate parents, let me tell you something right now. IT IS MAY. Your child has less than a month left of school, and you are looking for a tutor NOW? The time for this was back in March, at the latest. At this point, you may as well face it: He/she is going to fail. Or at the very least damage their GPA.

Now, aren't you glad you're not in high school anymore? I get shivers just thinking about finals and grade point averages. I much prefer bare feet on the green grass. Bring spring on!