Tests and the First Grader

Yesterday Jio remarked that he has a lot of tests. No, kidding. I started to tell him about the days of yore, when I was a first grader, and had no homework at all, not to mention tests. I just ran around outside with my friends or watched "Bugs Bunny." But then I realized that maybe that was not the best way to talk to my son about school. "Do you like tests?" I asked. He thought for a moment, and then he said, "I like spelling tests - a little." Bless his little heart! To date, he has never gotten a perfect score on an English spelling test. Whenever he gets a word wrong, he has to write it ten times. "Did you have to write the words ten times, Mom?" he asked. Actually, I was very good at spelling, but I didn't tell him this. "Uh, no. I don't think so." He sighed with longing. "I wish we lived in America." First time I've ever heard him say that! I'm afraid, though, that American kids now have lots of homework and tests as well.

Lilia has a math test today. Her teacher said that it would be mostly story problems. Whatever. I think that Lilia should learn how to read before she's expected to tackle story problems.