Yes, yes, I know I owe you a post on Paris. Thing is 5th grade (and 3rd grade too) is really hard here in Portugal. So hard that while we were on holiday, a holiday that was made to be a break from school, my kids had homework. Every night in Paris my son made sure he got a very good journal entry in and my daughter and I studied. I am not a tiger mom. Not at all. I think at this age kids should be managing their work on their own. I am all about fostering independence. Thing is, the amount of work and content to be learned is crazy. Then add that my kids are doing this in a second language and it’s kind of insane. THEN ADD the fact that my kids are very booked up with almost daily activities (their choice, not mine), we have a school madness trifecta.

About a month and a half  into this school year, right after my daughter had her first ‘testes’ we realized that we were not in Kansas anymore. When her first test in English came back with a not so great school, then her math test score was not so hot either, then history…. we knew we needed to change things. We knew she was working very hard, but she was devastated with her results. I could have insisted that she drop out of swim and stay after school every day for homework help, but that just didn’t seem right. We love her involvement with her swim team, and she is loving her dance class, so we decided to keep those.

For one we knew that she needed to learn to study. That I could help her with. But first I needed to learn what she was learning. And so I have. Holy cow. I have learned heaps of new Portuguese vocabulary in science and history/geography. We could have insisted she make all her study materials, but that would take heaps of time she does not have so this year, and this year only I will make them for her. And for her friends. We share. See I am not a tiger mom. I do not want my daughter to be the best. I want all the kids in her class to do well too.

So last week the kid had 4 tests. 5 if you found he one she had the Friday before. On Friday I decided we needed to celebrate these kids’ hard work. And we did.

A friend, whose child is in the class had once asked me what grade I told Lana she needed to get. I told her that I would accept, and be happy with any grade if I thought my child had done her best. And that is what I was celebrating for all these girls. They all had worked so hard and done their best.

Well today my daughter received her results in 3 tests: English, Science and French, and in all three the received a Muito Bom. Very good. I would say that translates to a B+. I don’t know about you, but I am so proud of that kid.

Yesterday when we were leaving school I Iooked at her. Her beautiful highlights in her hair reflecting the last of the day’s sunlight. One wisp of hair was flapping out of her hair tie. She looked so beautiful and confident. And I too was proud. Muito Bom Lana Banana, muito bom indeed.