Challenge #24: Appreciate Our Resources

Kids now days are incredibly fortunate to have computers and the World Wide Web......not for things like facebook, twitter, and email....but as valuable tools for Learning. 

The reason I say this is because of the way I struggled with math.  My head was not wired for it.  Poor daddy sat with me by the kitchen table trying to get me to understand 'story problems.'  His gentle frustration showed, yet he never once made me feel dumb because my brain couldn't understand.  He was the type of guy who would sit patiently with me, explain and re-explain, until his explanations sort of made a little sense to me.  I remember feeling so sorry for him that I'd tell him I understood, when I really didn't.   

Now, there are websites where kids can have fun with math, for instance http://www.funbrain.com/, www.playkidsgames.com/mathGames.htm, and http://www.mathplayground.com/.  Catholic grade school didn't afford us kids "fun" venues for learning our arithmetic, as it was called back then.  We were either good at our numbers and praised, or we faltered and lagged behind with no special help or outside resources whatsoever. 

My final word on math is simple and concise.  Mickey Mouse and I think with the same side of our brains.  Both of us are tickled pink to be able to count to 20 without taking our shoes off!