<p>S2 just reported that one of his friends just declared that he is dropping out of the biometric systems engineering major and is going into sports psychology, which is reputed to be much easier. S2 reassured us that he is very happy and has no intention of changing.</p>
<p>JS, here’s what my D says about Python; don’t ask me to explain it:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>But it sounds as if prof and TA could be issues too.</p>
<p>We don’t have cheerleaders. But it’s funny you should mention football Missypie. When son was all in a bunch about football and measuring up, one of his comments was, “Mom, you don’t get it. Some of these guys are from Texas!” As if that was a different breed of football player all together! But at the core of this is that when you are on a field like that, there is a lot of expectation. From everyone. And to fumble the ball or whatever, is a very special public humiliation. </p>
<p>Said it before but son was essentially challenged to walk the talk last year and ended up trying out for the student directed plays. Some kids choose short plays already written, but the play he made was a parody of the Wizard of Oz and was especially well written - I really loved it. Anyway… for the confidence son can exude, it surely went missing for awhile. In the short answer of the common application, he said that he gained a whole new respect for his classmates and learned to really appreciate the differences between competing on a field and performing on a stage. He fully admitted he wasn’t good, but he earned some respect and made some great friends along the way. He was very proud of the fact that at his grad party, there were more kids from all different groups at school and not just “his” group. Anyway… be the change you want to see in the world. I wrote the school newsletter at the big public high school for older D and made a point to seek out the kids who were doing things under the radar or off campus for a lot of the reasons Ilovetoquilt mentions. </p>
<p>But our local paper doesn’t give our school any ink. I used to thnk it was a private school thing, but they report on the catholic school stuff… so I am not sure what’s behind that one. I used to write letters to the editors pointing out that they are a community paper, and not an arm of the HUGE public school. My biggest complaint was just how completely arrogant they came across. Anyway… I stopped reading that paper. It was just too frustrating.</p>
<p>PS I have absolutely no clue what Python is beyond a snake to avoid.</p>
<p>Do I have the dubious honor of being the first on this thread with a kid with swine(?) flu?</p>
<p>D went to the health center on Sunday with fever, aches, and sore throat. They cultured her for strep (neg) but not SF - apparently they are treating all flu cases as if they are swine. She was quarantined in her room; her roommate moved out. She’s been getting food deliveries, and sleeping. She was fever-free yesterday, but still exhausted. By late today she was feeling much better and plans to go back to class tomorrow.</p>
<p>It was soooo hard for me to not be with her… she rarely gets sick, but when she does she sounds pitiful:( I was happy to “hear” her smiling today.</p>
<p>Oh PRJ… that’s miserable, but glad to hear she’s on the mend. At our PA meeting on Monday they said that they are getting about 15 calls a day of absences. Once the school reaches 5 percent absent, they have to notify the state. What I find odd about that is that for every day that 15 people are out, a couple return so not sure what it takes to reach that critical mass.</p>
<p>Son has not mentioned anyone being sick where he is, but then again, he literally is in the middle of nowhere. I imagine that might change as the sports season gets underway and parents weekend comes and goes. Hopefully a vaccine will be available soon.</p>
<p>Oh… one more thing. some kids go and “interview” professors before registering for their class. Either stop by their office hours or poke a head into a lecture hall to check out the accents. Not being prejudice, just realists. And that would include moving around TA run discussions as well. </p>
<p>And oh… son wasn’t meeting with prof after all. There were a bunch of upperclassmen who informally TA after class. Basically, math majors who offer to help if needed.</p>
<p>PRJ, that’s terrible. I’m glad she seems to be doing better.</p>
<p>Modadunn, I am with you on that one (post 4144). Ick. I thought a python was just a snake. Silly me.</p>
<p>And “Ruby” is a precious stone, and “Java” is something that gets me going in the morning … except in the CS world …</p>
<p>python and ruby??? Java I know only because DH used it in the past. If DH didn’t help DS learn “Dreamweaver” over the summer I would have thought it was a song from the 70’s. </p>
<p>PRJ–I hope she feels better soon. From all I’ve been hearing/reading it might be less mild right now than later in the year. I hope the vaccines start to arrive soon.</p>
<p>ilovetoquilt - you keep saying your kids don’t want or need the cheers that you seem to think all athletes get (which really isn’t true - there are always some sporting events at schools that seem to barely attract any crowds or cheering fans.)</p>
<h1>1 - why do you seem so twisted about it? If the kids don’t care, why do you? It seems that it’s important to you that other parents and students actively “cheer on” your kids.</h1>
<h1>2 - my child played a sport but NEVER really “heard” the cheers. A true athlete isn’t “in it” for that - that’s not why he or she participates.</h1>
<h1>3 - sorry, but I think you’re unfairly “dissing” athletes and doing way too much stereotyping. Many, many athletes, mine included, play a sport and/or write for the newspaper, and/or hold an office in NHS, and/or do community service. They’re all important and all enjoyed equally - with or without cheering fans. And at our h.s. they were all celebrated. (and there were no organized “cheerleaders” for any sports)</h1>
<p>$4 - you’re focusing way too much on athletes as the only “cheering/recognition hogs.” How about students actors, members of the marching band, the kids at the Geography Bee with a large audience. At our school we have “Writers’ Celebrations” all the time where parents can come in to “celebrate” their kids!!!</p>
<p>Just remember that recognition comes in different forms…please don’t make student athletes the bad guys here. Honestly, I think this is really more your personal issue.</p>
<p>D’s team won the state championship last year and no one from the school was there aside from the coach and parents. I think the kids didn’t really care if the parents were there or not. They were too busy enjoying themselves. Oh well.
D is really over her flu - not even coughing anymore.
She has some midterms next week - although they are called preliminaries - or prelims for short - sounds vaguely British to me…
Owlice - not only can you cook but you write beautifully as well!</p>
<p>PRJ – Hope your D recovers soon. My D had pneumonia last year – 2500 miles away … and she told me there was nothing I could do if I were there anyway, so not to worry. Well, I could <em>pamper</em> you, I said … isn’t that what moms do?</p>
<p>Owlice – H and I biked 35 miles on Monday. Then slept till 8:30. What a luxury… the sleeping in that is…</p>
<p>Raisiing a nice glass of can to Owlice, China, Modadunn and poor PRJ!!! </p>
<p>PRJ…I am so sorry! I’m sure you wish you were there with her.</p>
<p>D2 texted and asked me to send her bible. She has joined a group called Athletes in Action. I am glad she has made a connection. sigh…</p>
<p>sabaray–that’s good that the TA is more understandable! That can make a difference!</p>
<p>TheAnalyst–great that your son is secure in his major choice! I’m sure there’s some switching going on for lots of kids. Just hope mine will give it a good chance.</p>
<p>Zetesis–I’m going to copy that description from your daughter, and give it to my son, so he’ll know that it’s not how all comp programing is (hopefully!). Btw, my hub got his bike out – I’m crossing my fingers we can do some spousal bike trips in the near future! 35 miles is impressive!</p>
<p>rrah–I totally think of that 70s song when I hear Dreamweaver! lol</p>
<p>Modadun–I am going to take that tip about ‘checking out’ a prof/TA before a class & pass it on to son (somehow…in a way that won’t make him totally resist the idea…). </p>
<p>PRJ–sorry your daughter had to go thru that. Scary! Glad she’s feeling better.</p>
<p>35 miles – but with not much elevation gain either way – and I drafted hubby on the way home when we hit a strong cross wind. Highly recommend letting H go first and following on his wheel. Just like the pros … sort of.</p>
<p>Anyway, a bit stiff the next day, but mostly just not wanting to sit on the saddle again for a while. How do those guys in the Tour de France do it!?</p>
<p>NM – I’ve known some fine people associated with AIA; a good connection for your D, I should think.</p>
<p>I care because it is so frustrating. This thread has been an example of that mind set.</p>
<p>We had a poster who complained that D was made not to feel welcome because she was a jock/ </p>
<p>It got me to thinking. Parents going to HS sporting events, parents going to their kids college sporting events.</p>
<p>And then I thought about all those kids, the ones many parents of athletes, and I am making a generalization, but from experience, have found the assumption not so far from the truth, that those parents have no clue what goes on behind the scenes at most schools with regards to other students who don’t do things that are so public. </p>
<p>Never ONCE did any parent thank any of the stage crew for all their hard work. Never ONCE. Those kids stay every night, they painted the sets, the did the costumes, they did so much to make the productions happen, but not one thank you in 6 years.</p>
<p>I knew many kids who were the team managers- doing bandages, making sure the water and the ice was there, etc, and they weren’t even included in the sports dinners the parents would organize, as if they didn’t matter.</p>
<p>Yeah, it bothers me. Yeahj, it pathetic that so many parents don’[t have a cliue that so many kids are behind the scenes so their kids can get the applause.</p>
<p>Yes, my Ds and those other underappreciated kids enjoyed what they did, they knew it was important, they knew it mattered, and they didn’t need claps and rahrahs.</p>
<p>It would be nice in this sports obscessed high school and college culture that people actually knew about the unsung heroes behind the scenes.</p>
<p>I hear parents complaining about not seeing all the sports events anymore, or saying, wow just saw S play again, as if that makes the parents somehow more involved or more caring.</p>
<p>It comes across that way, whether it is meant to or not. Sports parents brag about how they go to every game and cheer their kid on, or lament that they can’t. Why do athletes need someone to cheer them on anyway? I don;t get it. if the sport is for oneself, you shouldn’t need a bunch of parents going GO GO GO</p>
<p>Lots of kids do amazing things without a parental cheering squad. And they don’t need one. Why do athletes then</p>
<p>Wow. This has always been such a fabulously supportive thread. In the past week or so, there have been three different “controversies” that so erode both the spirit of this thread and the previous Parents of the HS Class of '09 one. It’s very sad to me, but probably indicative of the need for me to move on and away from my CC obsession…this was a haven when I needed it, and I thank you all! </p>
<p>Here’s to our kids and the adults they are becoming.</p>