No, I'm NOT Smarter Than a 5th Grader!!

I spend a lot of time helping children with homework. Usually, it isn't a problem, because I am pretty smart, and they are all 12 and under.

Every week my 10 year old daughter gets a math packet that is about 40-50 problems. She does the packet on her own, skipping over the ones she needs help with. Most of the time she only has a few problems she needs help with. I can usually help her, but sometimes not. In which case I text people a picture of it, and if they don't know, I put it on Facebook.

For example these ones, from in the fall:

It's really not all that horrible since she only usually needs help with a few problems.

For a very long time, I didn't need to consult anyone if she needed help with a few problems here and there. I could always figure them out. Until a few weeks ago when she needed help with several questions.

It was late (like 11 PM late, too late to be thinking late). I was tired, and she hit's me with this one:

I was totally at a loss. I texted 3 sisters. No one could help me. I asked Facebook friends. No one replied. Then one of my sisters looked it up (thankd google) and texted me to figure out the whole square area, then subtract area the non shaded area for the answer. After that my daughter did it in two minutes, since she knew the formula to figure out area of a triangle ( I however, did not). I texted my sister that we got it and thanks.

When I was done, and was finally going to sit down my sister texted me about how I got the answer. Now, a math problem that didn't even belong to her kid was making her crazy. I tried to explain on text, but it wasn't working. An hour of texting later, she called me and I verbally explained. She understood and I got to finally sit down (AT 1215 AM)!!

Fast-forward to last Sunday. I get home from on overnight trip to see my sister and her band LOLAH play. It was a late night. I get two hours sleep. I drove 3 hours home had a bad headache and stomache ache (bar food, drinks, and little sleep anyone). My daughter informs me shortly after I walk through the door that she needs math help. Turns out, she needed help with 21 out of 45 problems! WTF??? Today this happens?? KILL ME NOW!

I was able to help her with most of them. Except these ones:

Ok, I will not tell you how these ended up being solved, because I really am not smart enough to explain it. See the 9 I wrote on the top one, I was wrong. Disregard that stupid 9. It should be an 8. See I can not do 5th grade math!

I spent 5 hours helping the girl with these 21 problems. The ones above I texted and posted to Facebook. Several people tried to help, but gave wrong solutions. Do you know how many people gave me correct solutions? ONE! Do you know who she is? A MATH teacher/tutor! She was the only person that know how to solve these.

These do not seem like 5th grade questions to me, or, apparently, any other adult I knew, since no one could do them!

I absolutely LOVE helping my kids with homework, I am good at it. But math at this age? No thanks! Anytime I hear my girl ask me sweetly for help with MATH, I start to sweat and my heart starts beating super fast! But who could say no to this face?

No really! Could you??? SUCH a cutie!

Needless to say, math is really not my favorite thing at this age. Before this, I had no problem helping her. My son, who is a 6th grader actually has easier math than she does. How is that even possible? I have no problem helping him. 5th grade math though? No Thanks!

SO TRUE:

I figure, I have 7 yrs of having school kids behind me and 12 yrs to go. I feel smarter already and I haven't even helped with high school homework yet! Just imagine how smart I will be twelve years from now!

How about you? Are YOU smarter than a 5th grader?