To all the parents out there

[Rita]

Great thread KDW!

Wishing all your kids a great year.

Jackie got her schedule yesterday after 3 tries (hers was completely screwed up). Counselor was very patient, nice and finally got it taken care of. She's a sophomore at a brand new state of the art school in Mansfield. That's exciting!

Band camp has been going all month so it's like they've already started except next Monday is actually the big day.

I remember last year when she was looking at the HS course book and had recently done a math project on college tuition and costs - we were talking about her interests and just future in general, she surprises me and says, "I'm really excited about the rest of my life!" (as if she just couldn't wait to do it all). That's a comforting thing for a parent to hear.

So far so good! Of course we gotta get through some more years here ....

Wish us luck and I'll look to the SoWal "experts" ;-) from time to time.

.

 

[Cil]

Cil, my brother moved his youngest daughter to Tallahassee on Saturday. Cawthon Hall. She's in hog heaven.

I had to swing by his house after he left to pick up a present for his oldest daughter's little boy, and found my first clue that pulling out was a little bit emotional...he had left the garage door wide open.

He would enjoy the empty nest, but his college-graduate-son just got his job with the Walton County School District and is still saving to move out!

Aww, your poor bro. ::sniff::
But yay for youngest daughter!
But I know how your brother feels with the nest thing...if our oldest doesn't find a job after his Paris internship, he could end up hanging out here for awhile.
However, I think we're his worst case scenario. ;-)

 

[peapod1980]

I need a pep talk. L'il Pea #1 is feeling overwhelmed. After he mistakenly missed biology class the first day, he and about 20 other kids were called into the office. They all had made the same mistake, but they were almost given detention for it. Evidently, another group of kids had a less merciful secretary and were assigned it. Then the lunch line was endless, so he had to grab something and eat in 10 minutes. At the end of the day, he wasn't clear on the carpool situation and was lost and had everyone waiting for him. Tell me it'll get better, please.

 

[Rudyjohn]

I need a pep talk. L'il Pea #1 is feeling overwhelmed. After he mistakenly missed biology class the first day, he and about 20 other kids were called into the office. They all had made the same mistake, but they were almost given detention for it. Evidently, another group of kids had a less merciful secretary and were assigned it. Then the lunch line was endless, so he had to grab something and eat in 10 minutes. At the end of the day, he wasn't clear on the carpool situation and was lost and had everyone waiting for him. Tell me it'll get better, please.

Wow, your school system is harsh! I can't believe they don't offer help on the first day or 2 for the freshmen. In my son's school, they had older student guides in the halls to help direct the new kids decipher their schedules & locate rooms. But it will get better. It will make him a stronger person in the long run. But it is scary.

 

[hnooe]

You all are so sweet to help me through this transition period. The first day went good. I found out that they have changed from 3, 6 week grading periods, to 2, 9 week semesters this year. Actually, I like this idea better. Also, he brings home all the required paperwork for me to fill out. Each class has different fee that needs to be paid. Man, those fees are getting higher and higher. Believe me, there is no more "free" education I tell you. I got to thinking as I am writing these checks (yes, a check for each fee, can't right just one) , that we live in a very rural community. 85% go 95% of the kids that go to school with Jesse are on a free or reduced lunch program. How in the He$$ are they going to pay all of these fees. I feel so sorry for them. Perhaps, the teachers will be lenient when it comes to the kids that can't pay. Jesse, likes all of his teachers so far, and he didn't get lost trying to find his classes, so all is good. I will keep you posted.

Kathy. First, I am not a parent. Well..., I do have a Border Collie (look left)who passed puppy school in Atlanta a few years back.

More inmportant, what your thread created is a great sense of community here (and elsewhere), and family responsibility. Everyone with similar stories has given both you, and THEM, a lot of support!

Not having kids, all I see is Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, et al., and then I wonder..their parent are now my age--is THIS how kids are being raised today???--You, and other parents, have answered my question resoundingly--No--you are raising your girls and boys to be responsible, good citizens. Thank you.

 

[Jdarg]

I need a pep talk. L'il Pea #1 is feeling overwhelmed. After he mistakenly missed biology class the first day, he and about 20 other kids were called into the office. They all had made the same mistake, but they were almost given detention for it. Evidently, another group of kids had a less merciful secretary and were assigned it. Then the lunch line was endless, so he had to grab something and eat in 10 minutes. At the end of the day, he wasn't clear on the carpool situation and was lost and had everyone waiting for him. Tell me it'll get better, please.

Awww....this stinks!!!
Can he take lunch? Lunch is never long enough anymore- they almost have to take their lunch to have time to eat. In Louisville, lunch was 20 minutes.

 

[kathydwells]

Kathy. First, I am not a parent. Well..., I do have a Border Collie (look left)who passed puppy school in Atlanta a few years back.

Well that makes you a parent in my book. ;-)

More inmportant, what your thread created is a great sense of community here (and elsewhere), and family responsibility. Everyone with similar stories has given both you, and THEM, a lot of support!

Not having kids, all I see is Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, et al., and then I wonder..their parent are now my age--is THIS how kids are being raised today???--You, and other parents, have answered my question resoundingly--No--you are raising your girls and boys to be responsible, good citizens. Thank you.

What a very nice thing to say. I do think that we have some wonderful, wonderful parents on this board. We are here to help each other out with encouragement and anecdotes, stories or whatever else it takes to make our lives easier. Thankfully, we as parents have shown you that it isn't all bad. ;-) Thank you for your kind words!!!


Percy, it will get better. Just hang in there. I personally think that the freshman should at least a week to "get it" before they start getting in trouble for being late to class..etc. That is how it is at Jesse's high school. I promise you it will get better!!!!

 

[peapod1980]

Wow, your school system is harsh! I can't believe they don't offer help on the first day or 2 for the freshmen. In my son's school, they had older student guides in the halls to help direct the new kids decipher their schedules & locate rooms. But it will get better. It will make him a stronger person in the long run. But it is scary.

Well, I don't know exactly what sort of help is available the first couple of days. I think they have leeway in terms of being late, but I'm guessing missing a class altogether is a different story. A friend today told me that, from the school's standpoint, skipping a class is skipping a class, and my child is an unknown quantity. Within that group would have been kids who simply made a mistake and kids who intentionally skipped; the school has to address the issue.

Awww....this stinks!!!
Can he take lunch? Lunch is never long enough anymore- they almost have to take their lunch to have time to eat. In Louisville, lunch was 20 minutes.

He can, and I suggested it, but he vetoed it for today. We'll see what happens. I remember I was told as a high school freshman not to bring my lunch because it was a dead giveaway. L'il Pea #1 says the cafeteria has great food and doesn't want a sack lunch. :roll:

 

[Rita]

I need a pep talk. L'il Pea #1 is feeling overwhelmed. After he mistakenly missed biology class the first day, he and about 20 other kids were called into the office. They all had made the same mistake, but they were almost given detention for it. Evidently, another group of kids had a less merciful secretary and were assigned it. Then the lunch line was endless, so he had to grab something and eat in 10 minutes. At the end of the day, he wasn't clear on the carpool situation and was lost and had everyone waiting for him. Tell me it'll get better, please.

It will get better! ;-)

Similar lunch experience last year with Jackie. Cafeteria wasn't running smoothly first day and way too many kids eating at same time. jackie wouldn't have gotten lunch at all if her last block teacher hadn't let them go get vending snacks and eat in class. That teacher understood the situation.

From then on it was sack lunches eaten in the band lounge. There it was just a race for who could get the couch first! Plus she could hang with friends. All was good!

.

 

[dbuck]

Pea, as I'm sure you know having 4 kids, it will get better. #1 will adjust and learn what he is suppose to do. But, I will say that lunch period was always a bit of a struggle for Tyler until he became a senior. Sometimes the class he had right before lunch was so far away from the lunch room that he was very far back in line and left little time to eat (and they aren't alloted enough time as it is, IMO). So more than likely when #1 gets home he will be starved, and that's when you become his hero again (good snacks ).

P.S. Have you noticed there is nothing lower on the food chain than the high school freshman boy, or at least that is the way they feel. I think the freshman year was Tyler's hardest year, but he made it.