Hello, my name is Claire (It is not actually Claire but that is what people call me). I go to a tutoring center called Kumon. If you are reading this, you are probably familiar with Kumon. Kumon is a dreadful, tedious, and painful thing, as you all may know. I have been taking Kumon for 2 years. I am on level J (two more levels to go). I HATE IT. My friend who also goes to Kumon and I use a code word when talking about Kumon, the 'dungeon'. Makes sense, right?
This blog is mainly for kids with tough, strict Asian parents. My mother is Chinese and she has always been obsessed with giving me extra work. Ever since I was little she would make these horrible math worksheets for me until she found this "great" place called Kumon which made the dreadful worksheets FOR HER. Yippee for her. Ever since I was little, I was always scared of my mom. If I got any question wrong on ANYTHING, whether it was school work or her stupid worksheets, and now Kumon, she would scream at me for hours and verbally abuse me. Now she is obsessed with Kumon. I'm completely serious. She has an undying love for Kumon.I started in sixth grade when I got a C on ONE math test. It was the only C I had ever gotten in my life (at that time). So then she decided I was a dumb***, was to stupid to belong in a private school, and if I wanted to keep up with the curriculum at my school I would need Kumon. I started on level B which is basic addition. I was in sixth grade at that time. It was basic addition, stuff that my four year old sister could do. And yet to my mother it was the greatest thing EVER. This year she tried to open her own Kumon center but it didn't work out (THANK GOD!!) . I am not allowed to go anywhere or do anything (not even use the bathroom) until I am caught up on my Kumon. My grades in school don't even matter to her anymore, I could be failing everything for all she cares about is Kumon. Oh, and guess what else!! After I finish all the Kumon levels, I get the special privilege of becoming a KUMON INSTRUCTOR!!!!!!! yaaaaaaay me. :(
So basically, Kumon has made a major impact on my life over the years, and NOT in a good way. It ruined my social life because my goddamn Kumon packets prevent me from socializing with my peers on weekends. It has lowered my grades because I spend so much time finishing the goddamn Kumon packets I hardly have time for my homework. It ruined my relationship with my mom. (my dad doesn't care) Every time we are eating dinner or sitting in the car she is yelling at me for either hating Kumon or getting a mistake in a Kumon packet. I can't even talk to her because I am afraid of her screaming at me. And lastly, It has ruined my emotional state. People used to describe me as a happy, bubbly child and now people see me as sad, emotional, and depressed. And it is because of Kumon. Kumon makes me depressed.
So if you read through all that and found you could relate yourself to any of it, congratulations, you are not the only one. I have created the Kumon Revolt. I may or may not change the name later to something different or an acronym. Please share your stories of Kumon ruining your happiness here. No matter who you are or where you are, you share something in common with almost every child at Kumon. You have the wish to quit and never even look at it again. So that is why you are here. Share your story and I will help you break free of the terrible thing called Kumon. And right now, this blog is not very well-known but if we all spread the word and work together, we can save the happiness of many miserable children.
