The goal: Complete 100 math problems on top of home and schoolwork to strengthen the kid’s math skills.
Status: I failed. Sort of
Grade: C+
Rationale: We stumbled out the gate
but regrouped and ended strong.
The Challenges: Among the things I underestimated were the amount of time Ella would spend with her grandparents in January, the toll a new job would take on my evenings, and our inability to work together over the phone when she was with her mom.
The Remix: Midway through the month I received a pro tip from a friend: “since Ella loves Uno, why not modify the game to include math?” It worked like a charm. Imagine a game of Uno where you had to add or subtract the card atop the pile to the card being played before the next person can play. If you’re too slow or if your math is bad, you have to draw 2 cards! It took a few rounds to catch on, but it was well received and admittedly a lot of fun. While we didn’t do 100 problems, we played well over 100 hands, got lots of math practice in, and got some quality time to boot.
Lessons Learned: Be flexible. Find ways to make the goal fun and it’ll feel less like work.