This weekend was a big one for my son. On Friday, he got to go to the greatest place on earth. And no, it wasn't HOM1. We made our semi-annual trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, land of indoor water slides. He had a good time. I'll post pictures when I can download them from my camera, I don't have a cable with me now. He's grown so much over the last year, he's easily identifiable from a distance. He's tall and scrawny. I saw him from across the water park carrying his tube up the steps to the slide. His profile took me instantly back to when I was a kid and my brother walked the same way.
Sunday, my son went skiing for the first time. He's participating in a skiing program for Special Needs Teens and Adults. For five weeks they take the skiers up to Liberty for the day, give the participants rental equipment and a lesson. One of the staff members told me when we picked him up last night, Kevin didn't follow instruction very well, he made no turns, just went straight down the mountain. I'm going to have to send a camera next week just so I can see him out there. I don't ski. I've tried a couple times in my life and I just don't have a fondness for that much snow in my face. Or my face in that much snow.
Last Thursday's Post
I've been contemplating new year's resolutions. I always want to do better, be better, but to actually declare a resolution to the world feels like I'm being set up for failure.
I need to resolve to be a better housekeeper and parent, which are the means to the end of being a better wife. Or is it the other way around?
I know better than to set the bar too high, but I still need to have goals. I've already mentioned balancing the checkbook. I paid some bills last night and wrote them down, even though some were paid on-line.
I need to remember to get a load of laundry through the whole cycle so I don't have to wash stuff over again that sits in the washer too long. Dernit, there're loads in the washer and dryer I need to move. Wonder if I'll remember to do that when I get home? I need to take care of my own clothes and get around to purging the clothes I haven't worn this century.
I need to plan meals better so we don't resort to delivery pizza and Chinese 4 times a week. Wednesday, I subscribed to a menu service for three months. I'm afraid no one else will be on board with me about it and I'll end up doing all the cooking and eating, they'll veto the menu and we'll end up having the same three dishes over and over all year.
I need to keep the paper piles down on my desk at work. So I can find things. And get work done.
I need to remember to take my new ADD med to help me remember to do all the things listed above. I finally went to see a psychiatrist and now I have no excuses.
Then, in the middle of all this contemplating, I get an email from my daughter's algebra teacher, two days into the new quarter, mind you:
Just as a "head's up", I wanted to let you know my findings about Fern's performance in Algebra. I honestly don't think unless the pressure is on, that she is doing what is necessary to earn passing grades in this class....
Last quarter Fern could have done much better if she had only turned in assignments, ... I then informed her that if she didn't do her part, her grades will continue to suffer. Fern claims to understand this, but she is easily distracted in class... she still didn't turn in any homework already for the this quarter. ...
Two days into the quarter and she has missing assignments! This is the child who wants to go to UVA and is failing high school algebra anyway. Now, I have to add to my list of resolutions to check behind my daughter and make sure she's done her homework. she says she has. What next, follow her to each class and make sure she turns it in? It put me in a real depressed mood when I got this news. It's hard enough to deal with my ADD, now I'm going to have to deal with hers.
1House of Mouse, a.k.a. Disney
7 comments:
Two things:
1) I gave up new year's resolutions years ago. They just set me up for failure... and now I find I resent all this "lose weight, excercise more" etc stuff in my face.
2) I totally identify with your struggles with Fern, on two levels. E, in 9th grade, is actually working hard for the first time in her acaademic life... and is not sure how to handle it, since she had no trouble just sliding by in middle school. Also, you may not realize but D will be in 6th grade next year... and I am very concerned about the middle school transition. Ahhhh!
why do they have 7th graders doing algebra anyway? Even if they are advanced, I think it's too early to start them on h.s. work. And how are they supposed to keep them interested in 11th-12th grade if they've done all the requirements already??
There is certainly no shortage of things to feel insufficient about. It's good you have Kevin to remind you what pure joy is like. It sounds like he is much better at skiing than I ever was.
Will I feel less scattered when my kids are grown?
I have some of those problems with my daughter and algebra also. She does not seem to focus on the classes she does not enjoy.. human nature I guess. But still frustrating. As for New Year's resolutions, I try to make ones that I will enjoy keeping! :-)
New Year's resolutions are not something that ever works out.
But as I have said lately, I have things I'd like to look furthur into that might make improvements in my life. That's good enough.
I saw an ad and coupon on my Coke can last weekend for Great Wolf Lodge and thought of you all. Then I find out that was where you all were. Now that's freaky
J is into feeling resentful over work he doesn't enjoy. And he is good at it all so I don't understand resenting it. But I'll be beating that out of him soon enough....
Oh dear, the algebra really is a tale of woe. I have always had to be on hand for the girls and homework assignments and have you completed it and have you put it back in your backpack - but I've never yet managed to be on their shoulders in the class room to prod them into handing them in on time.
Best wishes
Those are very manageable resolutions, my dear. You can do it.
As for Fern, damn. I know what you're going through. Child has the same issue...she actually even does the work and then doesn't turn it in. Only reason her math grade last trimester was a D and not a B. Seriously.
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