My son was looking at the calendar the other day. Trying to count how many days to Halloween, he turns around and looks at me and says...."Where the heck did September GO?!" I laughed and said you are too young to worry about where the time is going! But yea I have no idea where it went.
It seems like my post here lately is dwelling on where all the time went. Its definitely going by fast! And it doesn't help when every other post on Facebook is counting down to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas! Geez people can we just get thru the first 6 weeks of school?!
Speaking of school i have a a rant about the system. Or the lack there of anyway:
I remember being disciplined in school. If I broke a rule I was sent to the office where my mom was already waiting for me. (Didn't help that she worked at my elementary school) but still. So not only did the principal lecture me about how talking in class and being disruptive was disrespectful, I had to get an ear full from my mom when I would get home. Now kids get 5 classroom warnings before a parent is called and they wonder why kids are basically little shits in society.
I never in all my school years was talked down too about my abilities, skills, or desire to learn. I loved art, music and reading. Anything to do with language and spelling I was all about it. I love History but didn't care for math and science. Did I ever have a teacher tell me I wasn't going to amount to anything? NO! (Well there was this one teacher in High School I absolutely couldn't stand, but that's neither here nor there. I am sure he/she felt the same way about me)
I had a small issue with Jessie's homeroom teacher. She is also her science teacher. She also had Jill in her science class 4 years ago. And here I go again, 4 years seems like forever ago, but at the same time I feel like Jill just left 5th grade yesterday. Jessie came home with a bad attitude about science. OK i get it. I may have had an attitude about it at some point in my life as well. But it is a mandatory class and there is no way around it. She had a crappy attitude about her teacher who in a round about way compared her to Jill. She is nothing like Jill. Just like Jaxon is nothing like Jessie and Jill is nothing like Jaxon. You get the idea. Same parents or not I firmly believe that siblings aren't 100% alike. Do they have some of the same traits as their dad? Yes. Are they sharp- witted and funny like their dad and I? Yes. Does Jaxon remind everyone in Josh's family of him when he was younger? Yes.
Anyway after a meeting with the teacher she explained to me that Jill had a love of science and just went above and beyond in her class. She wished she had more kids like her. She saved projects of Jill's to use as examples for future students. I think that's neat. I think that says a lot about Jill Considering when she moved in with us her highest grade was a 54 in science and her attitude about school was...well there wasn't one really since her "mom" never got her to school to begin with. (That's a whole other subject on a whole other blog :) Jessie wasn't being compared to Jill in the aspect that Jessie took it. Teacher ask her if she loved science as much as her sister and she said hopefully its your work I will be showing off one day to future classes. Basically telling me that the girls are very artistic and creative. (again from Josh) They are caring and sweet (clearly they get that from me :)
But the teacher is there to do her job. Her job is to teach a bunch of 5th graders science. I wasn't going to Jessie have a bad attitude about her teacher because shes stern, has rules and expectations from each and every student. Jessie is smart. Jessie is passing science with a 96 (which when she moved in with us her highest grade overall was a 67) and after talking to her about difficult people in her life and how the older she gets we as her parents, teachers, college professors, bosses will always have high expectations of her because we all want her to succeed in life. Not run away when life throws a teacher at you that is doing her job and wants you to succeed. Removing her out of that class wasn't and never will be an option. What does that tell Jessie? To quit when people are "mean". To give up and look for an easier route in life because the teacher expected you to pass her class and just show an interest in science. Yes that's exactly what it would have told Jessie. I am not raising quitters. I am not raising kids to take the easy way out. You eventually run out of classes to keep switching around. Teachers want your kids to do well and a lot of that starts at home. SO......long story, ill sum up....Jessie has a new attitude towards teacher. Understands she wasn't being compared to Jill to live up to her expectations. And she is enjoying science now and appreciates her teacher. YAY! Problem solved by (step) MOM! **pats on back**
High School issue number one: Orchestra has become an important part of Jill's life. She had never held an instrument until the 5th grade. We put her in orchestra. Rented a violin from the school and she became a natural. Fast forward a few years, we bought her a violin, she is 3rd chair 1st violin in the Amarillo Youth Symphony. Her middle school teacher was always highly impressed with her and how quick she was to learn new notes, songs, etc. Bragged on Jill to Josh and myself. He was under the impression she had either been playing from an early age or we payed for private lessons. Neither. We just pushed and guided her along. Again....support starts at home.
High School Orchestra teacher is a bit of a downer. Hard ass. Whatever you want to call him. Had the audacity to tell Jill she would never make it as a soloist. (her dream in the Amarillo Symphony) bumped her back a few chairs and made her fell like shit in front of the whole class. Siiiigh! She comes home aggravated, upset and ready to hang up the violin. Then I stepped in. She isn't going to quit something that she loves because the orchestra teacher had their panties/underwear in a bunch. Shes going to show up to class everyday and give 150% like she has done the past 4 years since playing the violin. AND!!! When she makes her big break and has a solo or she is still first chair with the Amarillo Symphony after many more years with the youth symphony, we will send Grumpy pants orchestra teacher an invite to watch her perform. MIC DROP!
My point is......Life can suck. Believe me I know. But supporting your kids makes them better people in society. Teachers aren't their care givers. You want responsible kids, teach them responsibility at home. You want your kids to be respectful to others, teach them and respect them at home. Teachers aren't paid enough to deal with little assholes who get away with being little assholes at home. I feel this post is all over the place. My other point is ..... well....I guess sometimes we are hard on the kids. Neither Josh nor myself went to college. We have instilled in them the importance of a good education. We want them to have careers in life and not mediocre jobs that they bounce around to and from. We want them to have their heads in the books and not drugs in their noses. I would much rather visit the kids at a college dorm than prison or a rehab facility any day. So yes.... I will keep pushing them to stay on the A A/B Honor Roll. They will continue to have good attendance. I will continue to give a damn about what path the girls take in life and where Jaxon ends up. All 3 of them are my responsibility.
It seems like my post here lately is dwelling on where all the time went. Its definitely going by fast! And it doesn't help when every other post on Facebook is counting down to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas! Geez people can we just get thru the first 6 weeks of school?!
Speaking of school i have a a rant about the system. Or the lack there of anyway:
I remember being disciplined in school. If I broke a rule I was sent to the office where my mom was already waiting for me. (Didn't help that she worked at my elementary school) but still. So not only did the principal lecture me about how talking in class and being disruptive was disrespectful, I had to get an ear full from my mom when I would get home. Now kids get 5 classroom warnings before a parent is called and they wonder why kids are basically little shits in society.
I never in all my school years was talked down too about my abilities, skills, or desire to learn. I loved art, music and reading. Anything to do with language and spelling I was all about it. I love History but didn't care for math and science. Did I ever have a teacher tell me I wasn't going to amount to anything? NO! (Well there was this one teacher in High School I absolutely couldn't stand, but that's neither here nor there. I am sure he/she felt the same way about me)
I had a small issue with Jessie's homeroom teacher. She is also her science teacher. She also had Jill in her science class 4 years ago. And here I go again, 4 years seems like forever ago, but at the same time I feel like Jill just left 5th grade yesterday. Jessie came home with a bad attitude about science. OK i get it. I may have had an attitude about it at some point in my life as well. But it is a mandatory class and there is no way around it. She had a crappy attitude about her teacher who in a round about way compared her to Jill. She is nothing like Jill. Just like Jaxon is nothing like Jessie and Jill is nothing like Jaxon. You get the idea. Same parents or not I firmly believe that siblings aren't 100% alike. Do they have some of the same traits as their dad? Yes. Are they sharp- witted and funny like their dad and I? Yes. Does Jaxon remind everyone in Josh's family of him when he was younger? Yes.
Anyway after a meeting with the teacher she explained to me that Jill had a love of science and just went above and beyond in her class. She wished she had more kids like her. She saved projects of Jill's to use as examples for future students. I think that's neat. I think that says a lot about Jill Considering when she moved in with us her highest grade was a 54 in science and her attitude about school was...well there wasn't one really since her "mom" never got her to school to begin with. (That's a whole other subject on a whole other blog :) Jessie wasn't being compared to Jill in the aspect that Jessie took it. Teacher ask her if she loved science as much as her sister and she said hopefully its your work I will be showing off one day to future classes. Basically telling me that the girls are very artistic and creative. (again from Josh) They are caring and sweet (clearly they get that from me :)
But the teacher is there to do her job. Her job is to teach a bunch of 5th graders science. I wasn't going to Jessie have a bad attitude about her teacher because shes stern, has rules and expectations from each and every student. Jessie is smart. Jessie is passing science with a 96 (which when she moved in with us her highest grade overall was a 67) and after talking to her about difficult people in her life and how the older she gets we as her parents, teachers, college professors, bosses will always have high expectations of her because we all want her to succeed in life. Not run away when life throws a teacher at you that is doing her job and wants you to succeed. Removing her out of that class wasn't and never will be an option. What does that tell Jessie? To quit when people are "mean". To give up and look for an easier route in life because the teacher expected you to pass her class and just show an interest in science. Yes that's exactly what it would have told Jessie. I am not raising quitters. I am not raising kids to take the easy way out. You eventually run out of classes to keep switching around. Teachers want your kids to do well and a lot of that starts at home. SO......long story, ill sum up....Jessie has a new attitude towards teacher. Understands she wasn't being compared to Jill to live up to her expectations. And she is enjoying science now and appreciates her teacher. YAY! Problem solved by (step) MOM! **pats on back**
High School issue number one: Orchestra has become an important part of Jill's life. She had never held an instrument until the 5th grade. We put her in orchestra. Rented a violin from the school and she became a natural. Fast forward a few years, we bought her a violin, she is 3rd chair 1st violin in the Amarillo Youth Symphony. Her middle school teacher was always highly impressed with her and how quick she was to learn new notes, songs, etc. Bragged on Jill to Josh and myself. He was under the impression she had either been playing from an early age or we payed for private lessons. Neither. We just pushed and guided her along. Again....support starts at home.
High School Orchestra teacher is a bit of a downer. Hard ass. Whatever you want to call him. Had the audacity to tell Jill she would never make it as a soloist. (her dream in the Amarillo Symphony) bumped her back a few chairs and made her fell like shit in front of the whole class. Siiiigh! She comes home aggravated, upset and ready to hang up the violin. Then I stepped in. She isn't going to quit something that she loves because the orchestra teacher had their panties/underwear in a bunch. Shes going to show up to class everyday and give 150% like she has done the past 4 years since playing the violin. AND!!! When she makes her big break and has a solo or she is still first chair with the Amarillo Symphony after many more years with the youth symphony, we will send Grumpy pants orchestra teacher an invite to watch her perform. MIC DROP!
My point is......Life can suck. Believe me I know. But supporting your kids makes them better people in society. Teachers aren't their care givers. You want responsible kids, teach them responsibility at home. You want your kids to be respectful to others, teach them and respect them at home. Teachers aren't paid enough to deal with little assholes who get away with being little assholes at home. I feel this post is all over the place. My other point is ..... well....I guess sometimes we are hard on the kids. Neither Josh nor myself went to college. We have instilled in them the importance of a good education. We want them to have careers in life and not mediocre jobs that they bounce around to and from. We want them to have their heads in the books and not drugs in their noses. I would much rather visit the kids at a college dorm than prison or a rehab facility any day. So yes.... I will keep pushing them to stay on the A A/B Honor Roll. They will continue to have good attendance. I will continue to give a damn about what path the girls take in life and where Jaxon ends up. All 3 of them are my responsibility.
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