Jump to content

Menu

Math for the elderly... :)


Recommended Posts

I have never been able to memorize my times tables.  Only a few have ever stuck.  The 4s were especially problematic for me.  The past couple of weeks I have been really working on the 4s and so has DD.  We have both been skip counting, filling in grids, looking at the patterns, etc.  Today she was quizzing me and I did really well.  I had to pause to think on a couple but I could do them without counting on my fingers.  Yeah!  DD was happy.  Then she got frustrated.  "Mom, I don't want to have to wait until I'm as old as you to get my times tables down." (Yes she thinks of DH and I as pretty darn old since we are in our 40's :) ).  I pointed out that she seems to be doing better at understanding math patterns than I ever was so she actually does better in some areas of math than I do.  But barring that, I pointed out that even though math was a struggle for me I still managed to do great in college, get into a very challenging and fulfilling career field and I handle all of our personal finances as well as run the business finances so obviously not having all the math facts down didn't really impede my ability to succeed.  She felt a lot better.  But she is still determined to really master math before she gets as elderly as I am.  :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't memorize all of mine until I taught my older kids while  homeschooling several years ago!  I think I was "absent" the week we learned the 9's and just never mastered  those back in my own  schooling days. I know them now! :hurray: I did manage to get a degree in a non math field. We did have to take a few math courses in my major  and it seems we all struggled with math and  we were mostly the same age.  I think there is always hope!  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a kid, I recall asking my mother what it was like to walk around in tiger skins.

 

I used to ask my mother this stuff all the time.

 

I remember asking her if she'd been on Noah's Ark when the flood came, and when she said no, I asked why she wasn't drowned.

 

(I asked this on purpose because I'm mean).

 

But what really made her feel old is when I came home from history class at university and told her about the video they'd shown, and ... she said ... "I watched that live when it happened :("

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Reviving this thread to share with fellow elderly parents that I am doing a lot better on my 8 times tables now.   :laugh:  DS thinks I might have all my times tables memorized within 10 years.  

 

Anyone else have something they are happy has improved, despite being nearly ancient...?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is kind of weird, but my attention to detail with machine sewing has improved. I haven't sewn in forever, and I recently made things for DD's AG dolls. With DH's help, I also learned to install eyelets.

 

Honestly, I'm just happy to be alive. I had a melanoma removed in January about 10 days after FIL passed away. Our refrigerator died the same day as DH flew out to the funeral. Stress was high, but we were calm. Anyhoo, I have an enormous scar on my right arm now, and we are telling people that I was the victim of a shark attack.

 

Rereading this thread is funny. I was pushing 30 when DS was born and 38 when DD was born. I think age has mellowed me a little.

Edited by Heathermomster
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is kind of weird, but my attention to detail with machine sewing has improved. I haven't sewn in forever, and I recently made things for DD's AG dolls. With DH's help, I also learned to install eyelets.

 

Honestly, I'm just happy to be alive. I had a melanoma removed in January about 10 days after FIL passed away. Our refrigerator died the same day as DH flew out to the funeral. Stress was high, but we were calm. Anyhoo, I have an enormous scar on my right arm now, and we are telling people that I was the victim of a shark attack.

 

Rereading this thread is funny. I was pushing 30 when DS was born and 38 when DD was born. I think age has mellowed me a little.

Hey that's great about the attention improving.  Mine has gone the opposite way.  I really have to work at it now.  :)

 

Understand totally about being happy to be alive.  Just had my 7 year check up after cancer.  Things still look good.  Yeah!  

 

Sorry about the stress.  I love the shark attack story, though!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...