Beyond me

Daniel has maths tonight, whilst Jamie’s playing with his iPod.

Me:         Have you done your maths yet?

Daniel:    I don’t understand it

I smirk thinking back to my ‘b’ grade O level which I like to think was nearly an ‘a’.

Me:         I can help you. What’s it on?

Daniel:    Quadratic sequencing

Me:         Quadratic what?

Jamie tunes in with his two year younger brother inferiority.

Jamie:    We did that ages ago.  Last year.  Last decade

Daniel:    Ha Ha.  It’s not just sequences you know (eyes narrow to indicate silent expletive)

Jamie:    n squared plus n plus two?  That stuff?

The right answer is clearly the wrong answer and the fact that Jamie knows how to do it does not go down well.  I push my luck.

Me:         Why don’t you get Jamie to help you?

This time there is a definite noise from the not so silent expletive, but not loud enough for me to decipher.

Daniel:    I’ll look up the book

Like you should have done in the first place I think, but it’s a result.  He’s doing it.  So I start on Jamie to make it seem fair.

Me:         Shouldn’t you be doing your homework?

Jamie:    I am

Me:         What – playing with your iPod?

Jamie:    I’m not playing, I’m drawing it

I now realise he has a wrinkled piece of paper under his hand that looks like it’s been rescued from the bin.  The kitchen bin.  Or the bottom of his schoolbag.

Me:         Why on earth are you drawing your iPod?

Jamie:    It’s art.  We’ve got to draw a small electrical object.  Or toy

I can’t say it doesn’t meet the remit.  I consider the utterly smooth rectangular object and its challenges.  I suppose it’s got rounded corners and a dent on the side where he dropped it.

Me:         Couldn’t you have chosen something a little more detailed?

Jamie:    Shrug

Daniel:    That’s quite good actually

Praise indeed.  I stare again and wonder what I’m missing.  Maybe next time I’ll get it.