On Palm Sunday, a boy a few rows behind us fainted during the long Gospel reading. Just in case you didn’t know this, locking your knees while standing will make you faint. You never know when that information might be useful. We explained to our children what had happened so that they wouldn’t be alarmed.

Billy is struggling with long division. Until it clicks, we’re doing basic math worksheets with 6 multiplication problems like 148 x 4 and 6 division problems like 105 / 5. His method of getting through it is to avoid doing it in the hopes that his (still) feverish mother would just quit. So I told him to bring his worksheet and pencil over to my desk to stand by me and complete those final two problems.

He wanted to bring a chair. I said no. This is punishment, by golly.

“But what if I lock my knees and faint,” he wailed.

Well, that would be one way to avoid doing your math. One day, I’m sure, one of them will have to try this.