What third grade taught me

Parents, do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of homework your children have? What about all the paper they bust out of their backpacks? It's like the reality show "Survivor." You have to outwit, outplay and outlast through a sea of notes in a rough terrain.

Inevitably something falls through the cracks. Maybe you miss out on a teacher night fundraiser or a gift for bus driver appreciation week. You hate it, but it happens. You simply can't be perfect. And that's OK.

It took me awhile to get to this point, but thank goodness I did and it was just in time!

With my oldest daughter in third grade, she now comes home with an immense amount of material. Our nine-year-old has been preparing for test after test!

First, it was the Cognitive Abilities Test or CogAT... then the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills or ITBS. Now we're focusing on End-of-Grade tests or EOGs. The initials can be intimidating -- let alone what the test scores really mean! It all adds up to more paper on our countertops, additional homework for my daughter and major confusion on my end.

So here's what third grade taught me this year: How to survive as a busy mother of school-aged children.

Outwit by teaching your children how to be responsible for the papers, books and assignments they bring home.

Outplay by remaining involved in their homework and offering assistance when they need it.

And outlast by doing your best as a parent... and by telling your children that their best is good enough.