<p>S3 needs help with homework, and I feel powerless to help. He asked me a couple earth science questions this week and I wasn’t able to answer them and I felt bad. I felt bad not just because I didn’t know the answer outright, but also because I didn’t have much energy left to look it up and work it out with him. After helping S2 with a calculus question and looking over D1’s summer program application and reading a short story to my 3-year old, I was spent. What’s more, I don’t have a plan to systematically help him or any of my kids. </p>
<p>It seems once they reach high school, my kids just can’t set aside any “free time”. On weekdays, they would be lucky to squeeze in a pick-up basketball game or a quick ice cream run with friends, and sleep before midnight. When I’m ready to help, they don’t have time for me. I’m completely reactive, and very ineffective.</p>
<p>Our quarter ended last week. Od2’s grades were as expected. Diving season ends tonight. We’re traveling to districts, about 2.5 hours away, so a late night tonight. Od2 is expecting a dead last finish, but she’s a freshman without a real coach. Making it to districts at all is accomplishment enough. Marching band’s last peformance is on saturday at a local college game. </p>
<p>I’d like to think things would slow down but they won’t. Jazz auditions were yesterday. We’ll know which
band she makes tomorrow. She’s shooting for jazz I - wants to run with the big dogs, I guess. Cheer started in early October.</p>
<p>Fogfog we’re in wait mode on od1’s college stuff. Acceptances are all in, but it’ll be february before we hear about exchange.</p>
<p>PCP I’ve been completely ineffective at help with math homework since first year algebra. In science, I’m ok through bio. Chem comes along and I’m done there, too.</p>
<p>D asked dad to quiz her for a Biology prefix/suffix exam last week. After a few flashcards, he said “I didn’t know you were taking Spanish this year.” </p>
<p>Yep, by high school, we parents are pretty useless!</p>
<p>The teachers at our HS either arrive early or stay late several days each week to be able to work with students. I don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing for parents to not be able to help…then the student is forced to deal with the teacher if she doesn’t understand something, which is exactly what they are expected to do in college.</p>
<p>wow, momreads, I’m impressed that your son has done so much and so well while running cross country at the same time. My '14 son does well in school but cross country has been the only thing he has managed to do since school started. I’m kind of glad he’s opted not to do indoor track like his friends. Now that he has a break he’ll do winter drum line and speech team.</p>
<p>I am so disappointed with my D. She is a very smart girl but a bit immature and too social. Her first 9 week grades are in and she is all over the place and has a 3.0 GPA. She plays on the JV Volleyball team and subs in sometimes on the varsity team. She can do so much better than this. I took her phone and ipod last night, she knew this was coming so no yelling match. I told her I can’t do it for her so unless she plans on going into the military at the end of HS se better get it together. I served in the Army and someone in my family has served their country going back 100yrs. I think if she does not mature that this is a great thing for her to do while earning money for college. Anyway just needed to vent because very depressed this morning. Feeling like daughter has so much talent that she just throws away.</p>
<p>Newfaith, we have almost the same D, only mine is on two cheer teams instead of two volleyball teams. We got her progress report last night and I thought, “I’m going to have a ‘middle of the class’ kid.” But no punishments from me yet. She’s a delight, loves physical stuff, dislikes school. As long as she is sweet, engaged and well-behaved, I can live with the Bs instead of As.</p>
<p>Thanks Missy, I just wish my D would focus more on school and stop the constant texting to the boys in her class. Wait now that I have her phone I guess no more texting! LOL</p>
<p>Yes the first grades were all over the place here too.
Part of it is the adjustment to hs
Part of it is my kiddo is like “Fernando the Bull”…likes to smell the flowers…</p>
<p>First quarter grades about to go in. DD is hanging in there - adjustment is going well. She does marching band for varsity football, and cheers for jv. I’m surprised that her grades are holding up. Thankfully, things slow down in a few weeks, and she’ll have a break until the spring musical rehearsals (if she makes it, that is).</p>
<p>I can certainly see why it is said that kids who are involved have a better time adjusting. She is typically the kid who doesn’t like being the “new” one in the group. Since she started both marching band and cheer during the summer, she already knew so many students (and some of the layout of the school). I can’t believe how much she has matured in these past two months.</p>
<p>I hope it’s not too late to join this thread with a quick intro. I have my oldest dd in the HS class of 2014 at a public HS. She is in all honors except for math which she recently chose to withdraw from honors into regents. She has some math anxiety so while she is able to do the work, the pace of the regents-level class seems to be better suited to her. Her passions are acting/singing. She is a very bright girl, but her work ethic waxes and wanes. As the first quarter comes to an end, I anticipate her lowest grades to be in the upper 80s.</p>
<p>I also have a 6th grader and a kindergartener. I’m looking forward to being a part of CC boards for the next few years…I have alot to learn about HS/College with my first!</p>
<p>Welcome pinkmomagain!
I just joined the 2011 group this spring so I think you are on the cutting edge here! I hope we’ll be welcoming new families into the college years. I have enjoyed the wisdom of several members who have graciously stuck around past their students college years! :)</p>
<p>I have three children as well, class of '09, '11, & '14. One changed quite a bit in high school, one stayed steady as a rock (crossing fingers with three quarters left to go!), so who knows where the youngest will go. I think you’ll find as your dd finds her stride with her ECs (chorus/drama?) she may find more stability in her grades. The more structured my older kids had to be with activities, the better they did.</p>
<p>Blueiguana - Thanks for the welcome. Yes, I believe that’s my dd to a “T.” The busier she is with EC, the more productive she is academically. Unfortunately, she did not make kickline or the fall theatre production – 2 things she really wanted – so we are trying to fill her time in as best we can with clubs and lessons. Keeping my fingers crossed for the next school production. Unfortunately, as a freshman, she sorta has to pay her dues and she’s just chomping at the bit to become more involved.</p>
<p>Looking forward to learning and contributing!</p>
<p>Last of 4 kids in this class. I didn’t expect to see a forum already for this age. My boys were both lax and non competitive on the grade end. He doesn’t see why he has to study more then he did in middle school. We’ve had serious talks (ok, lectures) as he thinks I push too much. On one hand, maybe I do. My girls are both competitive and wanted those A’s- and they graduate tops in their class at a great public high school. My older son was much more low key and he enjoyed school more- no health issues and just didn’t put himself in the rat race. This one is doing the same. Its good- as someone mentioned- the race to the top is tough filled with pain. The more relaxed version got my older one in a great college and now he’s buckling down on his own and really working at it. But my younger one needs to start caring!!! ACK!</p>
<p>D took ACT as a 6th grader to qualify for some advanced classes. She gets invitations every year to take it again. When I was about to throw out the postcard the other day, she said “I think I’m ready to take that again, and see how much I’ve learned since 6th grade.” Sometimes these kids surprise me!</p>
<p>Anybody else have a kid that is really into civics? This year we got by without my son insisting on an all-nighter watching the polls, but he was very intent on the switch in the house, and there was a point in the night that he knew that the senate would not swap. He knew several different situations that had to fall into place. He doesn’t stick to one set of views or another, but really has his opinions on individual things.</p>
<p>The rest of the family cares, but not like this one. I called his civics teachers several times over the last several years making sure he was being tolerant of other peoples opinions (okay, he will yell back at the tv), however I was always told he is great for conversation, knows the issues, and willing to listed to others. Whew!</p>
<p>Happy Thanksgiving preparations, all! 2014 son just went to bed with a stomach bug. Hoping he’ll be feeling better by Thursday dinner. He’s had a busy semester. As soon as cross country season ended he started working on speech team, then he got recruited to play percussion for the high school musical. He had to learn the entire Oliver score in 2 1/2 weeks! Still, he enjoyed himself and he had fun writing his duo with a buddy and performing it the past two weekends. Unfortunately, the typical speech meet judge, a middle aged woman, may not be familiar with the topic of their duo (the last Batman movie - The Dark Knight) so they haven’t scored especially well, but at least they’re having fun. Hope your 2014 kiddos have found some fun activities to be involved in.</p>
<p>D got her learner’s permit about a week ago. I have yet to ride with her. I figure if I can carry them and birth them, H can teach them to drive.</p>
<p>Last Saturday D got to cheer at a football playoff game at Cowboy’s Stadium (aka Jerry’s World).</p>
<p>Second six weeks grades are out, and my son is thrilled with getting an A in his honors/Cambridge English class. He just hates the class, too. He is not much of a reader – at least, not yet. But his dad tells me that he was not a big reader until after college. So there is hope.</p>
<p>Apollo, I hope your S feels better. It’s no fun being sick on a holiday.</p>
<p>S has become involved in Latin Club (a big activity at his school) and attended state convention last weekend. He was disappointed in not winning any awards. This is kind of a new experience for him and a good one.</p>
I hope we’ll be welcoming new families into the college years. I have enjoyed the wisdom of several members who have graciously stuck around past their students college years! :)</p>