Up Next: High School
Lately, Max has been reminding me that he will be in high school next fall. I am surprised he is bringing it up so often. Maybe he is not just reminding me but coming to grips with it himself. Will high school be a big change for Max? In terms of meeting new people, maybe not. After all, most of the kids who will be in next fall’s freshman class are kids he has known since second grade. A lot of students who will be seniors at that time are Gus’s pals so Max will know several upperclassmen as well. He may be anticipating harder classes, a different type of schedule and having to learn his way around a new school. There will be new teachers. Max may very likely be taught by a few who taught his older brother. Gus had a successful first year of high school before
College Cards Begin To Fall
I’ve spent the better part of the past 10 months educating myself on the “how to” of applying to colleges, aligning deadlines, consulting with various experts, searching the Internet, studying virtual tours of campuses, organizing files and data, prioritizing, making phone calls, sending emails, visiting colleges and attending art portfolio reviews, all right along side of Kass, my high school senior in waiting. After several down and dirty jam sessions at the kitchen table last summer, the whole college application matter began to capture Kassiane’s attention (almost) as much as it was mine. She began to take it seriously and tuned in to the details and requirements to help get this machine called “applying to college” launched. She found that fellow art school mates were furiously at it as well and realized that time was of the essence to get the ball really rolling. The fall was chock full of
Pre- Empty Nest Syndrome
Lately, we seem to be experiencing at least brief episodes of there being NO TEENS at home! Mind you, there is still a heap of action on most days (and NIGHTS) to keep me doing head counts, body counts and car counts, but the two teens who are living at home, Austin and Lydia have been on the go. Both are extremely social and are never at a loss for plans. Add in that Lydia has recently obtained her drivers license and you can imagine the implications. She is now lots more mobile and is independently getting herself wherever she needs or wants to go, which equates for somewhat less driving for me. It is good and bad….I worry about the safety of my brand new driver, but her driving means less backing out of the driveway for me. She is even taking Austin to some of his destinations or
A Teen’s Life is Changed
Just like that, in a split second of time, the life of a teen athlete is completely changed, perhaps permanently and forever. Just visualizing that statement and reading it again gives me shivers. As the New Year 2012 barely got underway and as most of us launched forward with the promise of bright and new beginnings, a high school classmate of my son Austin was seriously injured during a school wrestling match. Only 2 days back into school, the young man, a junior known as Hugo sustained a cervical neck injury requiring him to be transferred to a trauma center and undergo surgery. From the time of his injury, and still, he is reportedly not able to move his legs and has diminished movement of his arms. Of course, he remains in the hospital over one week later. Few details beyond that are actually known at this time but with my
Kayaking in January?
Well yes, as a matter of fact! Given the mild weather that we have been enjoying through the winter (so far), almost all things water related are still possible in eastern NC. It has been awesome to still be out of doors on some days in shorts and flip flops, absorbing the air, wind, sun and as it happens, floating on the New River. My husband Tim spent New Year’s Day (afternoon) kayaking with a friend, who had never kayaked before. What a treat! And, you know what they say – whatever you choose to be doing on New Year’s Day will at least be a sign of what you will be doing for the rest of the year. You can’t make a better choice than paddling and skimming peacefully and reflectively along cool calm waters. Some modifications are surely required to be on the water in January even if
