Just over 14 months ago, my sweet baby boy finished 3rd grade. In just four days, he will start middle school. He is excited and ready. Not nervous at all. I, on the other hand, seem to be a wreck. What is wrong with me? I can only attribute this sudden mini-breakdown of mine to the fact that I wasn't ready for this jump into "almost adulthood". I feel like we skipped "late" elementary school completely. One day he was in 1st grade and suddenly he is almost a teenager. I am constantly questioning my judgement...mostly about the grade skip and pulling him from his congregated gifted classroom this year. Did I make the right choice?
Yesterday, the kids had a "meet and greet" at their school. We took Lizzie to the 1st grade class. Typical, sweet teacher. All is well. We ventured into the 3rd grade hall to meet Hannah's teacher (she actually has two because they are each teaching part time). Normal, familiar stuff.
After picking up Ammon's class schedule from the gym, we climbed the stairs to the middle school area. I felt overwhelmed. Not only does he have the normal six or seven classes a day, he also has different classes depending on the day of the week. I think he has like 10 or more teachers in all. He got his locker and we met a few of his teachers...his Language Arts teacher, his Math teacher, his Chinese teacher (who is actually from China and I could barely understand him because his accent was so thick), and his orchestra teacher. They all had long lists of the different things they want him to bring to class each time. It seems to me that when I was in junior high, I just had one big Trapper Keeper (lol, I know that is way geeky) notebook with pencils and stuff and then my textbooks. Not Ammon. Each teacher has way different things they want him to bring for class...some want pocket folders, some want spiral notebooks, some want 3 ring binders, etc. I have no idea how he is going to keep track of this stuff. I mean, he was just barely mastering bringing home stuff from ONE teacher. I can't imagine how he will ever remember what to get for each class every hour (and I can only grimace when I picture how his locker will look!).
I think that I have three major worries:
1. How will he ever stay organized when his organizational skills are non-existent?
2. How will I be able to advocate for all his varied needs (from the advanced stuff to the dysgraphia handwriting issues)? It has been hard enough working with ONE teacher. How can I ever handle ten?? None of these teachers know him or anything about his history. Argggghh. I don't even want to think about it.
3. Is he too young for this? He is only ten years old and in middle school. Did I make the wrong decision for him? I hate this sort of responsibility!
Okay. Got it all out. I think. I'm not exactly sure why I am suddenly all freaked out about this. Any advice you all could give me would be great. Ammon is not worried at all, by the way, so I guess that is a good thing. Of course, I was a wreck when I started junior high anyway. I wish I had been more confident like he is! Do all parents worry like this, or is it just me?
P.S. I was going to come post my last pictures from our trip to Boise, but I just couldn't concentrate. Sorry about that...
4 comments:
Lori,
I know I've told you this a thousand times, but I'll say it again: if Ammon had been born a few WEEKS earlier he would be starting middle school this year even without being skipped. I think he's more than capable of handing the classes, even the organizational stuff - it will give him something to work on. He'll be learning responsibility.
Also, I think the point of moving to middle school is that he, more than you, handles interactions with his teachers, since you can't be super involved with all of them. Maybe in the classes where handwriting will be an issue, you could talk to the teacher, but other classes like math, it won't make much of a difference. If he's himself, they'll soon see he's gifted.
Well, I doubt that makes you feel better, but I really think it's going to be fine. Many kids start middle school at Ammon's age, and they survive it.
Love you!
Emily
Dear Sweet Lori,
You are amazing - and pretty consistent. My only thought is this - trust yourself. I know you to be a woman of faith and to me that means that you don't make important decisions (like advancing Ammon a grade) without going about it the right way. Ditto for the school change. So, stop worrying. You put your faith in the Lord - don't now stop and think YOU are in charge of the decisions. Ammon will do great. He may have some challenges - but so what? That's what we came here to do, right? The first child out the chute always has to pave the way. That's why my mom wouldn't let me wear nylons (yes, garter belt and all) in the sixth grade - she feared it would lead to early marriage.
He's not little - as Em points out, he's the same age as the majority of his class. But it is scary -- wait 'til he starts driving!
love...mom
Thanks so much, ladies. I think I have calmed down some. I DO remember that he is not that much younger than some of the kids, it's just that I feel that his organizational skills are WORSE than kids for his "normal" grade. It only makes it worse with the skip. I am sure there MUST be other kids (boys especially) that are just as disorganized. Hopefully the teachers will expect it!
Emily, I really appreciate the idea of letting him handle his own advocating. That suggestion alone has really helped. Probably because I am such a wimp and I HATE doing it. He is good at it, though, and not nervous to stand up for himself.
I will wait to talk to teachers about his handwriting issues until it becomes a problem. Maybe he can handle it.
Thanks again. I'll keep everyone updated on how it goes. :)
Yes. Dito to what these ladies said. Excellent advice. But I do have a question. . .garter belts on nylons? Who'd have thunk it? I mean, I'd seen them in the movies (mostly westerns) but I'd have thought that would have been done away with a hundred years ago, at the least! What a pain that would have been!
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