I don't want to go to school. The third-grade wall

My daughter started crying this morning, saying, "I don't want to go to school."
The reason is math.
And she just kept crying and screaming, "I want Mommy."

Lately, it seems she's been struggling with "division with remainders."

Time kept slipping away, but even after she got dressed, my daughter couldn't stop crying...
I held back the urge to rush her by saying, "Hurry up!"
In the end, I let the younger child go ahead with the school group,

and my older daughter and I headed to school late together.

On top of that, a typhoon was approaching today, and it was pouring rain.
Water splashed on my daughter from a passing car,
making her mood even worse.

"Maybe today is just not going to work..." I felt like my own heart was about to break.

At the school gate, my daughter cried, "I want you to walk me to the classroom."

Torn between embarrassment and worry, I reluctantly went with her.

There were a few other children arriving in tears as well,
and I realized it wasn't just us...

I felt a little relieved.

When I finally handed her over to a friend in front of the classroom and explained the situation to the teacher, and was finally able to send my daughter off...
Honestly, my mind was a blank.

Walking home in the rain,
I suddenly felt, "So this is the kind of trial parents go through every single day."
Sending a crying daughter to school is so difficult,
and it hurts my heart so much.

Today might just be an ordinary day,
but it feels like it will remain in my heart as a "day we both did our best."


I realized that third grade is a time when children hit "academic walls" and "emotional walls."
As a parent, I want to push her forward and say, "You can do it," but for her, she is already giving it her all.
At times like that, I thought the very fact that she was able to go to school, even while crying, was a huge step forward.

I also felt that it's okay to have days where I, as a parent, am just doing my best to get her there.
If I can send her off with a little more of a smile starting next week, that will be enough.
Believing that we are growing together as parent and child.