Tutoring...

So, since I am out of school, I started feeling like I should do some kind of community service. I was considering the Big Brother Big Sister program - like my cousin, but I tried that before and it did not work out too well. My ‘little’ thought I wanted her to act like a “white” girl because I insisted that she not refer to street as skreet, strawberry as skrawberry, and so on…. Also, I tried to get her to not suck her thumb (she’s 10 years old!). Although that was hard to do because her mother believed it was ok and her older sister (who was 14) and older brother (who was 18!) sucked their thumbs. What could I say?

So, I asked around to see if anyone knew someone who needed some math tutoring. That is a service that would be appreciated right?

There is this really sweet lady at my job that told me about her grandson that needs some help in his math. And of course I agreed and told her not to pay me (this is community service). She and I decided that I should meet with him once a week. We decided that it should be on Saturdays at 10am.

Well, before the holidays, I would go every Saturday. The first time I went – I was really nice, but it took forever to get anything done. He acted like I was his friend, so he kept losing focus. So, the next time I went – I had to be more stern – so he wouldn’t treat me like his friend, you know? He did not like that. He would complain about the smallest thing.

The next time that I went he was out of control. I threatened to leave and his grandma and father came and yelled at him. Then he started crying – saying something about he thought that math was supposed to be fun – and they make it not fun by looking over his shoulder. I think he was trying to play me.

The next time, I was all business-like. When he complained – I ignored him. He didn’t bring his books home claiming that he didn’t have homework and didn’t know he was getting tutored. I gently reminded him that I come every Saturday.

The last time I went, he wasn’t even there. He went to his mom’s house claiming that he didn’t know I was coming. Can you believe that?? I get up early on a Saturday morning – every Saturday morning when I so don’t feel like getting up, but I’m like – I am doing a good deed, you know?- drive over to HIS house and ISN’T EVEN THERE!!

I was actually relieved, because I didn’t feel like dealing with all the drama. But then I got pissed! What am I doing? I am not going to be begging people to tutor them! So, I was thinking I am never coming back I have so much other stuff I could be doing.

Well, the sweet lady asked me today when I was going to help her grandson again. *rolls eyes* I do NOT want to go back there. But what do I do? I don’t want to tell her no. But, seriously, what do they take me for? Some kind of punk? I must be. I don’t know how to tell her no….