儿子的文科一直不好。从小学一年级就被语文老师天天要求跟我通话，说他到现在26个字母都识不全。
到了二年级，学校头一次组织MAP test，而且还是一年要测三次的那种。虽然他的数学一直都是95%或是99%。可是MAP的阅读真是一言难尽。二年级始终徘徊在45%，到了三年级，到了60%多一点。那还是我在他homeschooling，就是学校网课教学的时候，天天追着他做一篇阅读理解。而且儿子做阅读跟要杀了他一样，一篇阅读要读好久，心思总静不下。一课的Wordlywise3000，女儿不到一个小时就完成了，儿子则磨磨蹭蹭几个小时也做不完，而且总是不一会儿逗狗狗玩，就是上厕所，吃东西，或是打一会儿游戏，弄到最后我只能放弃让他阅读，因为时间实在耗不起。到了四年级，我又琢磨着让他听audio book，也是坚持了不到半学期，因为游泳训练繁重，每天晚上9点之后，连听书都懒得听。在抓孩子语文补差还是数学提高上，我还是选择了数学提高。虽然我也担心孩子的阅读，但是LD说他小时候就这样，小学时候阅读一直算比较差的，等到了初中就突然开窍，突飞猛进。后来写作啥的，在学校里也不算差，算中上top10%的水平。
我将信将疑，四年级末的时候，看到儿子的MAP阅读增加到79%，觉得还行吧，至少有进步。
这次冬季的MAP，他居然考出91%的水平，让我大跌眼镜。他终于摘掉阅读这个脱贫的帽子了。
这次中学六年级选课，女儿一开始跟我吵，不肯修这么多的accelerated的课程。可是真不是我多管闲事啊，今天各科老师给的推荐选课表里。除了social study，女儿的英文，数学，还有science，基本上都是最高一级，可以连跳两级修课,文科阅读写作类似于8-9年的普通版水平。她的大部分闺蜜现在都在普通班上，一来是她们不想幸苦，她的朋友圈的女孩都是想成为学校里最popular的女孩，心思应该不在学习上。然后LD头一次介入，做闺女的思想工作，还写了一封常常的信。
你们看看爸爸写的挺理性的,也不知道管用不管用,她是否听进去. 换了我,肯定又跟她争的面红耳赤,威胁少给买衣服,小首饰,少做指甲...
Just wanted to know what you think of the poem. Does it have relevance to your current situation?
Being born with gifts is not always easy. There is a lot expected of you because you can do some much good in the world. I also felt under a lot of stress when I was young. I remember when I decided to enter the science fair and make a computer game. I had so much to learn and no one except my dad knew anything about writing code at that time. I had to mostly teach myself. But after all the struggle to find out I won, even though I was only in 6th grade, was fantastic. And to this day it's a moment of pride that I remember fondly even though I have accomplished so many other things in my life.
I do not remember the parties I went to, or the social events I attended at your age, but I remember accomplishing that. Why? Because I had to work for it. If you win a medal every day they become trash, but if you have to work all year like you did to win at the Gulf swimming championships, that medal means so much more.
Challenges in life are what give you a chance to grow and your life purpose. True happiness comes from a purposeful life. Growing to meet new challenges will be the point in time you remember when you're old like me. Do not let fear make decisions for you, and remember all good things are on the other side of fear.
Love,
Dad
