Bragging Rights

I’ve had a lot of ups and downs lately. Seems like more downs than ups but this is about an up.
Grace, the oldest, is in a public charter school this year. We moved her there because of all the opportunities that were available to her. I know every parent says their child is special and has extra talent but Grace really does. In kindergarten, she was getting into some trouble, little more engaged than the others. Sounds funny but she couldn’t help getting up and helping her classmates. To the point her teacher had to give her extra work.
Same thing happened in first grade. When we asked what she did in school that day, she always said she went to the library. I started to be concerned and worry when several days went by like that. Then her teacher called me for a conference. Grace had more than excelled in her class. She was bored. Teacher had made Grace class leader and she would help teach but still bored. So teacher asked her what she wanted to do and she always said she wanted to read. That’s how she was getting out of class to the library. After a second conference because Grace was blazing through test, the teacher and I decided that Grace needed to be challenged more. I let the teacher decide what needed to be done at school and asked if she could send 2 extra homeworks home. About mid-year our plan had started working. The teacher sent Grace to work with the special needs children. Grace was paired with an autistic boy and they quickly bonded. At home, with the 2 extra homework assignments, Grace sat up her own classroom. She began to teach her younger sisters. We did all this til the end of year.
Around March, we discovered the charter school, toured it and interviewed several members of its staff. The charter school was in its first year, everybody was new, curriculum was all new, the experience was all new. They were K-4 and adding a new grade every year to grade 8. They offer Spanish and Mandarin together to all students as well as some business education courses. Just the stuff to challenge Grace. We decided to enroll her.
So far this year, she is bored BUT the school has spent all this time in testing and will continue til December. They are a year round school so they can spend more time with the kids. Classroom has 13-15 students plus a teachers aide. Grace has proved to be far more ahead of her classmates again. The difference is, after the new year, when all the testing is done and all scores are final, she will be placed in another class. Her and about 3 other children in the school are very advance. The school has a certified gifted and talented teacher that they are considering. They may advance her into a different grade level (she tested last year with a reading level of 8th grade with comprehension level of 4th grade). Last option is using a teacher that will have a class of advance with behind children. Using the advanced to help teach the children with difficulties. Many choices to chose from just need to see the scores when done with the test.
Last night was open house and we met all her teachers. They couldn’t say enough good stuff about her. We were so proud. The part I was most proud about was right before we left. We had asked to meet the principal. We all went to his office, closed the door and I sat perfectly still as my 7 year old child began to tell the principal about a 9 year old child and her 6 year old brother, hitting her and threatening her and a bus mate. She was scared but she sat straight and repeated everything she had told me. The principal was very detailed in the notes he was taking. He assured her that she would not be bullied and she would be safe. She never said a word other than what was being asked and she didn’t make any noise. She would occasional have a tear roll down her cheek which was like a dagger into my heart.
I am so proud of my good student but so much more proud of her having the guts to stand up for her and her friend on the bus where they are being mentally, emotionally and physically abused.
One day, I hope she knows just how much I love her and will support her in everything she ever tries.

A lot in a week

I love my little family. Most of you know that already. Everyday is a new challenge, a new adventure. I have spent the first of the week preparing for the end of the week. My oldest started school on Wednesday at The Academy of Hope. We had school supplies we needed to get and she is required to wear a uniform. She has been very vocal lately about being more modest and wearing more dresses and skirts. I did try my best to find things she could use at school and be comfortable in.
The school is a public charter school in its second year. Last year it shared a new building with a church. This year, they have bought their own building. It is a very old school that has been a little of everything. The school has less than 200 students and faculty. The building they are in now is tiny. Maybe 20 classrooms. The school started with grades K-4 last year and added fifth this year. They will continue to add a grade each year up to eighth. It’s also a year around school. The calendar fits families here much better than just the summer off calendar.
Also this week, I had a little minor surgery on my hip. When Baby Boy was born, I had a lump to come up on my right hip. It showed up that night, just out of the blue. It had been 8 weeks and hadn’t shrunk nor did it get any bigger. My surgeon said the it seemed to be a fibrous mass and he couldn’t needle biopsy it, it would need to be removed. He wasn’t very concerned about the lump but with the recent history of cancer with my mom, he just wanted to be on the safe side. So yesterday, I had it removed. Very simple, less than 2 hours in and out of the hospital. I will get the results sometime next week.
One last thing, with the pain medicine, it makes me groggy and drunk. Last night when we were in bed, I was falling asleep with my hand on my husband’s chest. He was watching some action something on tv. I dozed off, then suddenly I jumped and screamed “NO!!!” at him. I instantly woke and was embaressed, hubs was in shock, afraid to move, then started laughing uncontrollably at me. I had dreamed the hubs was about to “Gibbs” slap Gibbs (NCIS). I was terrified and screamed at him before he could follow through. Apparently I thought it was very real and literally screamed at my husband in my sleep. I think he will crack up the next time he sees a “Gibbs” slap 😉

If I could write a letter to me

There is a song out that is about writing a letter to himself at 17. I have a close friend that has teenagers and I have a school aged daughter. I see the struggles that they are dealing with. To them they are life changing struggles. What this person said about this other person. How relationships change from day to day, week to week and month to month if they are that lucky. I also see how my friend puts these rules in place that literally causes the teenager to rebel just to prove a point.
I want, so bad, to give these kids a “gibbs” slap up against their head. They think this moment is all there is to live for. That there is no other life outside their school/friend circles. They will have the job of their dreams, car of their dreams, house, friends, money everything they dream of. They don’t think they should have to answer to authority. They treat their parents like stepping stones. They think work is a joke and they deserve lots of money for a job of flipping burgers.
My letter to me at 14 would be about how school was fun and I met some cool people. However, most of those cool people are not in my life now. Those cool people went on to do their own life. Some made something of themselves, many did not. They thought they could have everything in life that you should work hard for but they tried to steal, cheat or lie for. Their “cool” life turned out to burn them in the end.
I would tell me that, yes, my heart would be broken several times but to dust myself off and move on. Not to wallow in pity of my broken heart or expect to try to hold on tighter to the next. Although those people made me who I am today, I wish I had known they weren’t the future for me.
I would have told myself to do better in school. To earn higher grades and acheviments. I am a stay at home mom, but I would feel better to say I had did very well. My child’s 1st grade homework is a beast compared to what I did in 3rd grade. I know if I had did well in school, I would feel better about helping with homework.
I would have told myself to live at home with my parents for a few years after high school. I would have a better understanding for money and respect.
In the end, I would tell me to stop putting myself down because I wasn’t as beautiful as some or as smart. I would tell myself that I’m not perfect and no matter how hard we try, nobody is. I would tell myself that the homecoming king is a drunk and can’t keep a job and the homecoming queen was busted for prostitution. I would ask myself to see today as today. Yesterday was in the past and in my memory to learn from. Tomorrow is another day to make it right, if I couldn’t, then it would be in the past and I can start over.
I sincerely hope I can teach my children these things. I have a feeling that they, too, will have to learn on their own, and I will be right there with them.
So what would your letter say to you?