<p>Congrats on the job and forgetting the xbox, amandak.</p>
<p>missypie, ShawD was in a performance of Chicago last year. The dance program director was a serious guy in the dance community (Twyla Tharp, etc.) and a costume designer flew up from NY to do the kids’ costumes. These got vetoed by I’m not sure whom as too risque and had to be redone. The cast thought it was pretty funny: If the objectors allow the director to do a show about sexy Vaudeville showgirls who use their sexuality to manipulate, why are they later objecting to sexy costumes? </p>
<p>I thought it would be fun to do a production of Chicago with the cast wearing burkhas, but no one took me up on the idea.</p>
<p>S received an invitation to join Alpha Lambda Delta and/or Phi Eta Sigma NHS. He is not interested and does not want to join. Besides doing volunteer work and attending social events, are there any benefits being a member?</p>
<p>Apparently S has received the electronic invitation at school. The paper invitation came in the mail today otherwise I would not know anything about it.</p>
<p>DS’s high school produced a fantastic “Chicago” a couple of years ago–I was completely blown away. Just stellar. I had never seen a high school production as good.</p>
<p>There was uproar in our small, conservative town–letters to the editor decrying the depiction of smoking, the scanty costumes, a scene with characters in a bed…scandalous.</p>
<p>My favorite letter was one in which the writer complained about having taken her eight-year-old son to the show, only to have him see some leg. The show posters, as I recall, did recommend twelve and over, and really, who has not heard of “Chicago” by now? Didn’t it win some awards or something? </p>
<p>Not a word about the MURDER angle, though. I guess that was A-OK. ;-)</p>
<p>sunnydayfun, can I add on with the exact same reaction and questions for Gamma Beta Phi?
I did a little google search and found an article saying many kids don’t even want to join
Phi Beta Kappa anymore.</p>
<p>I’m hopelessly behind, so forgive me if I’ve missed anything earth-shattering. Hope everyone had a lovely time having kids at home over break. </p>
<p>I’ve been housebreaking our newest addition to the family, Daisy. Picked her up in NJ on Friday. She is a sweet little girl but having spent her whole life breeding in a puppy mill she didn’t know how to “go” outside. But she is very smart and getting the hang of it quickly. She even woke me up at 2:30 last night to be let out. Thankfully, with the weather being so brilliant I’ve been able to spend a lot of time with her outdoors with the added bonus of getting tons of garden work done. I love seeing new things peek through every day. </p>
<p>Boychild called sometime last week sounding a bit stressed out. Lots of reading (3 books), two papers, and budgets of the two clubs he is treasurer for needing to be submitted by weeks end. I told him to plow through and try to remember the semester is over in 4 weeks.</p>
<p>midterm grades are in and they are not good. Two F’s, 2 B/C’s and one B. Have not talked yet to S, who is home on spring break. H & I talked about it this morning and we have decided to do our best to not rant and rave. S will have to figure this out on his own. My advice to him will be to look at this as an opportunity to reevaluate and really determine what he wants to do with his life. If it is college, then where? He obviously cannot transfer with his grades, but could take some classes part time at a local state school. If for some reason he gets to hold onto his scholarship at his current school, is he going to change majors, etc. Maybe he takes a year off and works. We have decided we will help him but we are not going to enable him. I feel badly but cannot live his life. This is his second semester with crap grades, something needs to change. …sigh</p>
<p>Hugs to mamom. I think your approach is just right - loving and supportive but with accountability. Good luck with the next steps. </p>
<p>Our kids’ academic schedule differences are apparent. My D is in mid terms this week. I worry about the workload/stress for my dear little perfectionist. Next week, she goes to Florida with three girlfriends. Please, of please, don’t do some of the stuff I did with my friends on break in Florida!</p>
<p>Mamom: I’m really sorry about the disapointing grades. Your approach sounds like the best way to proceed. Can your son drop or withdraw from one of the courses he’s failing? Sending hugs your way.</p>
<p>Mnmom: I hope your D has a fun and SAFE time in Florida. This is the tough part of letting them grow up.</p>
<p>momjr - S can drop classes, not sure how they effects his scholarship this semester, it may bring him below the required credits. In my normal mode I would be researching this, but I need to step back and let S handle this.</p>
<p>Just dropping in to reminisce. I went back and reread our thread from last year at this time (Pi Day) and wow a lot of us and our kids have come far. </p>
<p>Sorry mamom for the disappointing news. We all knew that this process may not be linear for all- sending you hugs.</p>
<p>Mamom-You are right to step back and let your S have the ownership of all this. Whatever the outcome is he will feel good about himself that he is in charge of it.</p>
<p>mamom - sorry to hear this. For what it is worth, I think you are doing the right thing by letting him take accountability of this and figure a way out. I am guessing it’s killing you to not go research all options (I know it would have killed me!) - but this is a good time to step back, be supportive and let him figure things out. Hugs!</p>
<p>Feeling for you, mamom. You’re doing a great job. Isn’t it helpful that the school/outside world will provide natural consequences here? You don’t have to be the bad guy - you are setting financial parameters that apply to your own wallet, and your S can take it from there. Good luck to him!</p>
<p>We are in spring break mode. D is pretty relaxed, and told me how she plans to put next year together, also her long-term plans for summer work, etc. It sounds like she’s getting good advice from profs and older students, and that she’s ready to take charge of her future. It’s nice to see these little steps toward full adulthood. I worry she will make mistakes … no, I know she’ll make mistakes … just want to be supportive and approving. I know very well that she is plenty hard on herself. </p>
<p>When she goes back, there will be 8 weeks of classes, and then exams. I know it will fly by! She’ll be involved in at least 2 productions as well, one of them as a performer.</p>
<p>She has asked me to be hands off about this summer - she plans to work and assistant direct a play. She does not want to take a class. Hopefully she can find at least a junk job, but she says she will take care of this. </p>
<p>A year ago we were heading for our big weekend of rejections - 4 in one day, all expected, but rough to digest. That whole experience is feeling very small and far away now. We had a talk yesterday about how her friends picked schools (for better or for worse), and I know she feels like she did a good job, and that she learned a lot and moved forward.</p>
<p>mamom: It is so hard to watch them struggle when we know that they are perfectly capable of doing well. I think that the approach that you’ve chosen is just right – putting him in the driver’s seat and making him accountable. It’s not easy, though, is it? If it’s any consolation, you’re certainly not the only one struggling with this. I have a very dear friend whose son muddled through the semester and ended up on academic probation. They decided to allow him to return to school for the second semester and they’re hoping that he can do well enough to hang on to his scholarship, but the ball is in his court now. If he can get his act together, he’ll be able to return in the fall. If not, he’ll be looking at Plan B.</p>
<p>"Just dropping in to reminisce. I went back and reread our thread from last year at this time (Pi Day) and wow a lot of us and our kids have come far. "</p>
<p>Hey Kinder! Lets do lunch soon. It’s perfect weather for a meet up at sidewalk cafe!</p>
<p>Hugs MaMom. I have no advice that hasn’t already been said.</p>