Well, at least it's an answer, and they're both on the same (damn elementary) page. It's certainly not even in the top ten of worst things to be frustrated about, either; with a mire this thick, she'd almost worried someone had died.

As it is, she hooks her thumbs into the belt loops of her shorts, giving the kid an plain smile.

"It can take time, to get good at it." Unfortunately for the situation, she can't speak from experience — prodigy child, and all that — but she's had friends with... less than stellar book smarts. Still, the picture he paints is a curious one. Struggling to read whatever this is outside, and with sunglasses on — he doesn't seem like the sunbather type, not that there's a great deal of sun, like, ever around here. Maybe he's avoiding the people he lives with?

She glances once at the house, then back at the boy.

"Have you been trying for very long?"