By B. Eddie Bauman

 Midterm is over and we all have a pretty good idea what kinds of grades we will be getting in our classes. For many of the younger students, this will be the first time grades are mailed directly to the student instead of the parent. There is comfort in knowing that you will be the first to see how well or poorly you have done, but if you live with your family you will eventually be asked to show-and-tell. This is the scary part.

Non-traditional students are not off the hook on this one. Those of us with kids at home will have to put our grades on display right along with those of our children. If your children are doing poorly and your grades are above average, you can set an example for them. If your kids are straight A students, grade-sharing time can be very intimidating.

I was born into a family of under-achievers. When I was in grade school there was no pressure to do well in school. I think they only made me go because it was against the law to let me stay home. I hated school and I only did the bare minimum to get by. School was something to get through. When I graduated high school I vowed never to set foot in a classroom again.

When my kids started school something weird happened. I was prepared to recite the truancy law to them as soon as they started complaining about having to go. They never did. They loved school. They were so excited about learning and came home ready to impress me with their knowledge. They couldn’t wait for tests so they could impress the teacher with how well they understood the subject. They got excited about papers and projects. It had a very strange effect on me.

I think my children can take all of the credit for my desire to return to school. It is through them that I have come to appreciate education and knowledge in general. They have set the example that I am trying to live up to. They have received honors and accolades for their efforts. Now I have to show them my grades. They are not an easy act to follow.

If any of you younger students are nervous about what your parents will think of your grades, remember, you can always tell them that you wish you were as intelligent as they are. (It’s hard to get upset at someone who is flattering you.) That won’t work in my situation.

It is hard to give parental advice and guidance with credibility if your children believe they are smarter than you, so the pressure is on. I think I would prefer to have a parent disappointed in me for coming home with a lower than expected grade than run the risk of having my kids make fun of me.