P stands for, uh, Perfecto. Right Mom?

Little S is one of the brightest six year olds I know. He's inquisitive. He loves science and math. He reads like a champ with rarely any prodding from me. His behavior at school this year is incredible...knock wood.

Little S's handwriting sucks. It plain just sucks. My kids were saddled with a perfectionist mother when it comes to school. I try not to project that onto them. It's the beginning of first grade and I'm letting him get his feet wet. He's finding his niche and learning to be away from home each day for 7 hours.

I'm trying not to be too picky about the handwriting. I complement him when he gets an S for satisfactory. He's gotten two Ss on his papers in two months. Everything else is a P. P stands for progressing. I is for Improving. S is great, P is okay, I means your child needs tons of help, why don't you help them you awful parent.

Another P came home today. This time it was on a practice page for Ts. Ts for God's sake.

Stephen's reply, "P stands for, uh, Perfecto. Right Mom?"

Not quite son, not quite.