DAMN these standardized tests that have our third graders so nervous. Daughter’s teacher is pissed off, too.  "They’re so young. They’ve never taken tests before. They don’t even know how to fill in the bubbles," she told me. This very experienced and sensitive teacher really feels for her students.

And so do I. Daughter has been taking the whole thing very seriously. On Monday night she came home from school and said, "No homework because tomorrow’s THE TEST.  I have to get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast."

We didn’t talk much about the test but we worked hard on the good night’s rest part. Daughter got into her footy pajamas at 7 pm and was in bed before 8.

"I’m not tired," she said less than five minutes later. By 9 p.m. she was FINALLY asleep. But that after I read her two picture books and three chapters of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

Fast asleep, she looked so adorable and young in those footy pajamas with the reindeer design. Too young to be taking a god-damn bubble test that will determine her promotion to fourth grade.

Tuesday morning, Daughter wanted scrambled eggs. By the time she was ready to eat, they were a tad cold.

"Heat them up, please," she said. "They said we should have a GOOD breakfast!"

This morning we dispensed with the scrambled eggs and were out of the house before 8 a.m.

"I really want you to have a toasted bagel with cream cheese at the Mojo. Remember you need to have a good breakfast," I told her walking up Third Street toward Seventh Avenue.

"Just because they said that doesn’t mean we have to," Daughter said, ever the one questioning authority.

"You know why they say to have a good breakfast? Because your brain works better when there’s food in your stomach. It’s hard to think when you’re hungry." I explained.

"Don’t you think you can think VERY CLEARLY when you’re SCARED TO DEATH that you’re going to FAIL THE TEST." Daughter said.

Daugter ate a rainbow sprinkled Krispy Kreme donut at the Mojo. My girl. She doesn’t have anything to worry about at all.