Josh won his 5th grade class Spelling Bee.. HOORAY for him. He was so excited that he now got to complete in the school wide Spelling Bee. I was proud at first then I quickly moved to being annoyed. Why you ask? More work for
ME I mean Josh. During CHRISTMAS BREAK they send home this HUGE spelling list for the contenders to study. Who wants to study spelling words during Christmas Break not me and defiently not Josh. I didnt worry about it at first cause we still had plenty of time... but the weekend before we were to start school again and the week before the actul Spelling Bee I started to sweat a little..
I reminded Josh that he only had a week until the Spelling Bee and everyone else probably studied ALL break so he probably should start. Each time I brought this up, I got a "Don't Worry Mom, I have a system.. I just close my eyes and see the word .. No Problem." As the days got closer I continued to "bug, ask, threaten and finally DEMAND" him to study. I told him that he was going to get out on the very first word if he did not put any effort into it. Again.. he explained his system and how it was going to work and rolled his eyes and complained when I pulled out a spelling list to study when he was trapped in the car with me.. or slid one under the door while he was going to the bathroom.. um,you know something to do while he was just sitting around..
Oh, the fights that week.. I didnt care if he won, I just didnt want to go to all the trouble to get a babysitter for Zane and show up for him to get out on the first word esp when he had not put any effort into it and mostly for him not to be embrassed. BUT... I gave up. This was going to have to be a learning moment for him and I was done trying to save him. So the day of the Spelling Bee I wished him Luck and dropped Zane off with a friend and showed up to watch his "DOOMED" Spelling Bee Experience. When I got there all the parents were sitting in their designated place ready to see their child SHINE.... I however, wasn't too optmistic. Josh was the 2nd one up... and they gave him is word and he paused and spelled and got it RIGHT! Whew, I thought as I watched the others get up one by one... and started dropping like flies.. 12 got out the first round out of 24. They needed 8 for the state wide Spelling Bee that was coming up. I did the math.. they only needed 4 more kids to get out and then the rest were going to the next Spelling Bee. Thats when I started to picture the next month of fighting Josh to study and trying to get him to put an effort into it... and I started to pray that somehow his system for knowing the words would fail him with a tiny bit of hope that he would keep going because I'm not total evil you know. He got up and asked to spell, paused, started to spell his word... and ....got it WRONG!!
I was a little happy about this but sad for him as well, because again I am not totally evil.... so as he walked by me (And all the other parents)to go sit with the other kids that got out. .. I conjured up by best smile and thumbs up ..you know to be the supportive mother I am. He glared at me and said very LOUDLY(in front of ALL the parents) "SEE MOM, I TOLD YOU I WOULDNT GET OUT ON THE FIRST ONE!!" Yes, all the parents turned and looked at me like I was EVIL.. guess you can't win everything right.
