AQ'S Corner

Photo Credit: AQ’s Corner LLC, WordPress Generative AI

This is a love letter to every parent who’s stayed up late checking homework, circled missed questions with patience or NOT, and turned summer into a season of growth instead of just sunshine. Recently, my daughter took her end-of-year reading and math assessments. And when I found out she scored above grade level in math, I had to pause. Not because I was surprised, but because I knew how much quiet, consistent work it took to get there.

The Grades Told a Story, But I Read Between the Lines

All year, she brought home A’s in her final grade each semester. Her final report card was a clean sweep of excellence. But I’m the kind of mama who reads between the numbers. I paid attention when class assignments fluctuated between high and just passing. While her reading and other subjects hovered in the high 90s, I noticed her final math grades each semester were in the low 90s. That was my signal. I didn’t treat it like a problem, I treated it like a patch of dry grass. It just needed some extra watering.

Summertime Isn’t Just for Rest, It’s for Reinforcement

Every summer, I pick out books that challenge her. Reading and math, always a little above her grade level. I don’t do it to pressure her, I do it because I want her to know she’s capable of reaching higher, thinking deeper, and mastering what’s next. While other kids may be taking a total break, my girl is flipping through math workbooks and reading chapter books that stretch her. And she complains a little until I explain the purpose. She then asks for more. That’s who she is: curious, motivated, and fiercely focused.

Homework Isn’t the End. It’s Just the Beginning.

I don’t just glance at assignments. I study them. I look at how the teacher graded her work, and I ask questions:

• What did you mean here?
  
• Do you understand what went wrong?
  
• Let’s try it a different way.
  

Mistakes are never met with scolding. They’re met with growth. Because every error is just an opportunity to strengthen her foundation. I also listen closely to her teachers, what they say about her strengths, where she needs to slow down, and what she’s mastering quickly. That feedback is like fertilizer for this little learning garden we’re growing.

The Results Spoke Loud and Clear

When her test scores came back showing she was above grade level in math, it didn’t feel like a surprise. It felt like a flower blooming after months of care. It felt like proof that this isn’t about being lucky. It’s about being intentional. We often look at other kids or families and wonder what they’re doing to succeed. But the truth is this: the grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s greener where you water it. 

And I’ve been watering her brilliance every single day, one assignment, one book, one bedtime math riddle at a time. So to the mamas, dads, aunties, and caregivers out there putting in the quiet, behind-the-scenes work: it matters. It counts. It grows something beautiful. And when it blooms? Whew, there’s no feeling like it.

Here’s to raising strong minds, tender hearts, and kids who believe in their brilliance.
We’re just getting started.