It's a tough morning. Jacob is struggling in math and insists he is not smart. Very hard to deal with the sad feelings I have for him. Like many parents, you want to wave a magic wand and make it better- and the fact is that we have other problems, all running at the same time. It's nothing that a snappy magazine article can help or the supportive ear of a friend- it's something we have to tough out as a family- and that's all there is to it. I have to learn how to turn this around, and only change and hard work will make it happen. I owe to my family and to myself to brave these challenges.