Wednesday, August 16, 2006

A Mom's Lament - School is back in session!

As we embark on yet another school year and close another summer, I wrote down some thoughts that probably all moms can relate to.

Good News: School starts tomorrow!!!

Bad News: I have to start getting up at 6:30 again and don my taxi cab hat.

Good News: My daughter is officially going to high school (our high school is 10-12th grade)

Bad News: It's only 3 years until she graduates and is off to college. Boo hoo.

Good News: My daughter has been noticed by the high school orchestra teacher as a very good player and has some plans for her to do some extracurricular things.

Bad News: My daughter may not want to do these things or have time, since I think her course load is going to provide her with lots of homework. We have to be thinking what is best for her college endeavors, and at this time, that doesn't include orchestra, so it might have to take a back seat.

Good News: My daughter has become a good violinist because she is self-motivated and works hard. We have not given her the benefit of lessons too often in her almost 6 years of playing. The lessons were good for her, but they just didn't always fit with the rest of our life (or maybe I should say my life). So she's accomplished much on her own.

Bad News: Don't see any bad news there, how can it be bad to have a child work hard at something?? (Something that is good for them, anyway. My boys work hard at video games, but I don't see the benefits there.)

Good News: My youngest son got the 6th grade teacher that I wanted. She was my daughter's 6th grade teacher and she is a very nice woman, easy to talk to, and prepared my daughter for Junior High quite well.

Bad News: He's not looking forward to going back to school, has voiced that more this year than in the past, so don't know what he's thinking exactly. Perhaps he is not looking forward to the hard work aspect that he will need to do in some areas. On the other hand, he really loves science and social studies (he wants to be a meteorologist), so I would think he is looking forward to learning more in those areas. The other bad news is that my "baby" is in 6th grade!!!!!!! We are almost done with elementary school forever. Doesn't seem possible.

Good News: My youngest son is so excited about being in band again that he wanted to talk to the band teacher when we were at school last night meeting his classroom teacher. He gets to march this year in a city parade in early September. He wanted to find out how soon he could bring his clarinet to school.

Bad News: Don't see any bad news on that one, either.

Good News: My oldest son is playing football for the first time (real football, not that flag football stuff - he didn't consider that real football) and has spent the summer in training to play. He found out today that he will be in the starting lineup as a wide receiver on offense and a safety on defense. These are the two positions that he wanted to play, so I think he is happy.

Bad News: I'm going to be a nervous wreck watching him play and fearing that he will get hurt. He doesn't talk much, so he could be hurt and not tell anyone, which bothers me. I'm going to be watching him like a hawk to see if he drinks water during the games. It is going to be hot in the beginning and he needs that water! He had an issue in the spring with possible dehydration. We don't need to be messing with that on the football field.

Good News: Getting ready to play football is lot of hard work. He has spent most of the summer either lifting weights, doing agility drills, going to camp, etc. He told me today that he really likes football and the hard work was fun. He's never been one to care much for hard work, so if this would spark his ability to work hard in other areas, that's good. If playing football makes him a little more assertive in the classroom and in his relationships, that's a good thing too.

Bad News: He likes football!! I thought that after he was done with the season and all of the pre-season work, he would either really like it or really not like it. I wasn't sure which way I wanted it to turn out. I love football, but it's different when my son's body is the one getting hit. I'd rather he stick to basketball in that sense. I guess we'll see how it goes.

Good News: My oldest son will also be playing in the jazz band (trombone) which he has been wanting to do. And he has developed in interest in being a graphic artist and will be taking an art couse this year to help propel him in that direction.

Bad News: Very little bad news here, other than he has so many interests, he is going to have a hard time choosing in the future. For now, he can do a little of everything and maybe that will help him decide later on.

Off and running through another year of my children's lives. It all goes by so fast, I know that's a trite saying, but it feels so true. These are exciting times because my children are coming into their own with their opinions, their interests. I enjoy seeing them develop. But it's kind of scary too. The world is scary, and soon they will be living in it on their own, mom and dad won't be there to help them with decisions and to talk through problems. While a parent's work is never totally done, at least I hope we have the kind of relationships with our children that they can always come and talk about anything with us, it's not the same when they are young adults as when they were little children. Do I want them to be pre-school age again? No way!! I'm just a normal mom who is concerned about her kids and excited to see them becoming independent people too. I am so thankful that God is watching over them and that they believe God is there to help them through. Now if I could just hand over the reins to God! LOL