7 Kids-One Happy Family

Chapter 5

Maddie's POV

"Maddie, how about you tell us the answer?" Ms. Wilson asked. The last thing I needed to look at was the stupid math problem on the board but she made me look at it anyways. "Maddie, the answer please."

"Um..." I muttered. I had no idea what we were doing. All the numbers and letters on the board got jumbled up in my head so easily and I could never understand any of it. "I don't know."

"I suggest you pay attention then," Ms. Wilson replied quite coldly. I hated Ms. Wilson. She was always so boring and so strict. Plus, I never understood her. Although now that I think about it, I never understood most teachers.

The bell finally rang and class was finally dismissed. I gathered my stuff and on my way out I couldn't help but noticed at Cooper, the cute boy I had a major crush on, walked passed me. "Hey, Maddie."

"Hey-" I started to say before I was interrupted by stupid Ms. Wilson.

"Maddie, may I speak with you?" she asked even though it wasn't really a question. Of course she had to embarrass me in front of everyone in class, and now she was doing it in front of Cooper. She must really hate me. Cooper was the last kid out of the classroom before Ms. Wilson finally talked to me. "Maddie, I know math might not be the most interesting subject out there, but it doesn't mean it isn't important. You're really struggling right now."

"Because I don't understand it," I told her.

"Then why don't you ask me questions instead of talking to your classmates," she suggested.

"All of those kids in there are super smart. I don't want to embarrass myself anymore than I already do," I replied.

She gave me a stare for a while before she finally spoke up, "How about this...after school you come in with me and we'll do the math homework together. Parent-teacher conferences are next week and I am sure that you wouldn't want them to be upset with you about your grade and your behavior."

It didn't seem I had a choice so I gave in. I gave a sigh and a bit of an eye roll, "Fine."

"Great," Ms. Wilson replied. "I will see you tomorrow."

I met with Ms. Wilson up until parent-teacher conferences. My grade did go up a little but not completely. All of these numbers would get so confusing up in my head and they were just swirling around. It was so frustrating all of the time and I think Ms. Wilson began to see it. I was scared about what she was going to tell my parents. My parents really encouraged us to have good grades and I knew I would be in trouble if I didn't.

Mike's POV

I walked into Maddie's classroom where I met Ms. Wilson for a parent-teacher conference. Carrie and I try to make it to as many parent-teacher conferences together as we can, but with seven kids it proves to be a difficult task. Ms. Wilson introduced herself as I did the same before she started to talk about Maddie.

"Maddie is a hard worker. She really is. However, she is really self conscious I think. She is sometimes embarrassed to ask questions or get help so I help her after school. Although, some stuff still seems to not be clicking with her," Ms. Wilson explained.

"What do you suggest?" I asked her. "A tutor?"

"Maybe," she shrugged. "Mr. Fisher, have you ever taken Maddie to be tested for any learning disability?"

"No, why?" I asked her rather concerned at this point.

"She has trouble with numbers a bit more than other kids do. She often times gets them switched around or doesn't understand place values and other things," the teacher went on. "I know a specialist that would be willing to take a look at Maddie and he can get her the help she needs."

After that parent-teacher conference, I was devastated. It wasn't that I was disappointed in Maddie at all. It was that I felt sorry for her. All this time Carrie and I had put so much pressure on her about getting good grades and after all these years we just now figure out that she can't help it. There's a possibility that there's is barrier that keeps her from being the best that she could be.

Carrie and I talked after dinner that night and talked about Maddie and Carrie felt the same way. We made the decision that we would call the specialist and see what he could do to help our daughter. We knew we needed to sit down and talk to Maddie first though so we sat her down after dinner the next night in the family room alone.

"So I went to your parent-teacher conference yesterday and met Ms. Wilson," I started.

"And?" she questioned wanting me to go on.

"She mentioned that you were struggling a bit in math and that you were having some trouble," I continued.

"She said she wouldn't tell you. She said that if I got help from her and I did better that she wouldn't tell you. And that's what I did but she lied to me," Maddie said rather angered at Ms. Wilson.

"Maddie, Ms. Wilson is only doing her job. It's important that she tells us these things," Carrie stepped in.

"She mentioned something about kind of having trouble understanding and getting numbers switched around," I said.

"Ya, so what?" Maddie backfired.

"There's a special way you can get help with those things," I answered. "Like going to see a doctor."

"So I'm so stupid I have to see a doctor?!" she panicked.

"Maddie, you are far from stupid," Carrie contributed. "I know for a fact that you are out of this world smart. You just have to work a little harder in math."

"But other kids don't have to," Maddie snapped back.

"Everyone has something that they have to work harder at because they aren't as good," I told her. "You know how I play really good offense when I am out on the ice?"

She nodded.

"Well, I'm not as awesome at my defense as I am my offense," I admitted. "So coaches, my teammates, and myself make me work ten times harder to get better on my defense all the time."

"And when I did Sound of Music, I had to work ten times harder at my acting since I'm not as good at that as I am with my singing," Carrie gave an example.

"What if the other kids make fun of me?" Maddie asked.

"They won't make fun of you. They probably won't even know," Carrie answered. "Daddy and I just want what's best for you and we don't want you getting frustrated doing your homework so we think this might really help."

"But we won't make you do it unless you aren't okay with it," I told her.

Carrie and I kept our eyes towards Maddie who seemed to have a pondering yet nervous look about her. She finally came up to her decision and made it known as soon as she did. "It won't hurt if we give it a try I guess."

Carrie couldn't help but smile at our daughter's optimistic attitude. She wrapped an arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "And we'll be here every step of the way."