Parents Anonymous, FOFC Branch

[JonInMiddleGA]

So the 16 y/o got a writeup in one of the local papers this week



An abridged version of the article (rest behind a paywall) is here

[JonInMiddleGA]

"Be it known that William Loveless has this day been found worthy of the rank of Eagle Scout"

What a long, strange trip it's been. Proud of the kid, a true lesson in perseverance.

[tarcone]

Congrats. Proud moment.

[tarcone]

I will add mine. I forgot about this thread. But I will add my moment, even though it happened last Fall.

My Freshman daughter is on the Varsity Cross Country team. She placed 7th in conference. Kind of disappointing. Had a bad day. wasnt expecting her to win. But was thinking 3rd. But it was okay. The team won conference and she was all-conference.

Districts was a week later. Here is is where it gets crazy. A couple nights before districts, I had a dream about her running in districts. I told her about the dream the next morning. Now, you may think I had her winning districts. But thats not how the dream went. I dreamed she had to fight to get 13th place. Strange number to finish at. And the fact that she had to race at the end to get it.
The top 15 go to state. So why 13th? Strange.

Districts were upon us. Its a good course to watch the race. Lots of spots that arent to far apart to see them. When I saw her the first time, at about the one mile marker, she was 17th. I encouraged to get going.
Im not one to chase around the track, so I went up to the finish area and waited. Here they come. I start counting. 1,2,3........10, 11,12. Here comes my daught with 2 other girls with her. Its a race at the end. And what place? She took 13th. Got all district. But 13th, just like I dreamed about.

She got to go to state. And finished 104th.

I am really at a loss. But I have started paying more attention to my dreams.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Congrats. Proud moment.

Thanks, from 1st grade to 11th grade, it's a long journey to look back on.

I wish I could take any credit at all but this has been entirely him & my wife. It's an endurance test as much as anything I think, she spent a lot of time (bordering on absurd) making sure his waterfowl remained linear, especially down the stretch.

Interesting thing though, he's a bit numb after it becoming official but he commented how it felt like ... less. Less of an accomplishment, I guess you'd say, because he knows so many Eagles.

I pointed out the rapid 50-60 Likes my Facebook parental brag got as a way of trying to restore some sense of perspective. It IS a pretty big deal, but between the shock and the relief and the commonality of it in his experiences I'm not sure he fully appreciates that yet.

[Coffee Warlord]

Hey, I'm obviously not even close to this point yet, but the subject came up a couple weeks ago, and I was curious, for those of you with older kids.

When did you guys start leaving them home by themselves for short periods of time (dinners, etc)?

[tarcone]

We started breaking them early. Maybe when my oldest was 10, we would leave them for 10 minutes when we went to the gas station. I would say when she was 12 we started leaving them longer. But we trusted her and felt she was mature enough to to handle it. That's the big thing. Are they mature enough.

[Lathum]

I forgot how much fun having a two year old is.

yes, thats sarcasm.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I forgot how much fun having a two year old is.

yes, thats sarcasm.

Ours hit two on Tuesday...

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Ours hit two on Tuesday...

already?

Thats crazy

[stevew]

Originally Posted by tarcone

We started breaking them early. Maybe when my oldest was 10, we would leave them for 10 minutes when we went to the gas station. I would say when she was 12 we started leaving them longer. But we trusted her and felt she was mature enough to to handle it. That's the big thing. Are they mature enough.

This sounds about right with us as well.

It does look like IL has a law of age 14 though, which is crazy

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by stevew

This sounds about right with us as well.

It does look like IL has a law of age 14 though, which is crazy

Really? I looked around not long ago, and I didn't see a specified age.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I forgot how much fun having a two year old is.

yes, thats sarcasm.

Three was the bad year with Bren...Rae has her moments right now, but we're not looking forward to 2016.

[PilotMan]

So my youngest son has finally found something that he really enjoys. He's the same one that I went to Raw with in the spring. He's gotten very into wrestling and started experimenting with stop motion photography over the summer. After watching some other videos on You Tube (who knew) he's decided to start his own channel. Here's his newest video. Keep in mind doesn't turn 12 until next month. I certainly couldn't do it. I don't have the patience to do it, but he is very excited.

If you like it, subscribe to his channel, like his vid, and give him some words of encouragement.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXs...MxtveBcjEmudrA

[Barkeep49]

Good stuff. Which app is he using? If he really gets into it getting a good app makes a HUGE difference in helping the quality be as good as what you're willing to invest the time in making it.

[PilotMan]

Its called Kamadori Stop Motion. I don't know anything else about it, he found it all on his own.

[tarcone]

Awesome. Very creative. Good for him.

[JeeberD]

First day of Kindergarten for my baby boy!

[Galaril]

For all the parents and also teachers of school age kids.My girlfriend posted this from a website and it is pretty good.:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATTENTION ALL TEACHERS AND PARENTS

This is an article that needs to be repeated:
Every Friday afternoon Chase’s teacher asks her students to take out a piece of paper and write down the names of four children with whom they’d like to sit the following week. The children know that these requests may or may not be honored. She also asks the students to nominate one student whom they believe has been an exceptional classroom citizen that week. All ballots are privately submitted to her.

And every single Friday afternoon, after the students go home, Chase’s teacher takes out those slips of paper, places them in front of her and studies them. She looks for patterns.

Who is not getting requested by anyone else?
Who doesn’t even know who to request?
Who never gets noticed enough to be nominated?
Who had a million friends last week and none this week?

You see, Chase’s teacher is not looking for a new seating chart or “exceptional citizens.” Chase’s teacher is looking for lonely children. She’s looking for children who are struggling to connect with other children. She’s identifying the little ones who are falling through the cracks of the class’s social life. She is discovering whose gifts are going unnoticed by their peers. And she’s pinning down- right away- who’s being bullied and who is doing the bullying.

As a teacher, parent, and lover of all children – I think that this is the most brilliant Love Ninja strategy I have ever encountered. It’s like taking an X-ray of a classroom to see beneath the surface of things and into the hearts of students. It is like mining for gold – the gold being those little ones who need a little help – who need adults to step in and TEACH them how to make friends, how to ask others to play, how to join a group, or how to share their gifts with others. And it’s a bully deterrent because every teacher knows that bullying usually happens outside of her eyeshot – and that often kids being bullied are too intimidated to share. But as she said – the truth comes out on those safe, private, little sheets of paper.

As Chase’s teacher explained this simple, ingenious idea – I stared at her with my mouth hanging open. “How long have you been using this system?” I said.
Ever since Columbine, she said. Every single Friday afternoon since Columbine.

Good Lord.

This brilliant woman watched Columbine knowing that ALL VIOLENCE BEGINS WITH DISCONNECTION. All outward violence begins as inner loneliness. She watched that tragedy KNOWING that children who aren’t being noticed will eventually resort to being noticed by any means necessary.

And so she decided to start fighting violence early and often, and with the world within her reach. What Chase’s teacher is doing when she sits in her empty classroom studying those lists written with shaky 11 year old hands - is SAVING LIVES. I am convinced of it. She is saving lives.

And what this mathematician has learned while using this system is something she really already knew: that everything – even love, even belonging – has a pattern to it. And she finds those patterns through those lists – she breaks the codes of disconnection. And then she gets lonely kids the help they need. It’s math to her. It’s MATH.

All is love- even math. Amazing.

Chase’s teacher retires this year – after decades of saving lives. What a way to spend a life: looking for patterns of love and loneliness. Stepping in, every single day- and altering the trajectory of our world.

TEACH ON, WARRIORS. You are the first responders, the front line, the disconnection detectives, and the best and ONLY hope we’ve got for a better world. What you do in those classrooms when no one is watching- it’s our best hope. http://momastery.com/blog/2014/01/30/share-schools/

[JonInMiddleGA]

I am not yet authorized to mention details publicly (and Lord knows there are still details details details to attend to) but ...

I've been a parent for just shy of 18 years now, I don't think I've ever had a more joyous moment than the one a little while ago. There is really NOTHING that compares to seeing (or hearing) your child get what their heart most desires, and what they've worked insanely hard to achieve.

If you've been paying attention you might know what sort of email could have brought this very grumpy old man to some very happy tears.

A more formal detailed announcement will be forthcoming (as soon as I'm given permission)

[JonInMiddleGA]

I have now finagled permission to share

I've been a parent for just shy of 18 years now, not sure I've had a better single moment in time than tonight. I'll go to my grave remembering the sound of Will's reaction from two floors away to an email that read in part "We are pleased to offer you admission to the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi"

It is not a done deal, his final decision doesn't have to be made for a bit yet but of all the various acceptances that have been rolling in over the past few weeks, that was the one he wanted most. Naturally, it was among the last to be received ('cause that's how life works).

There's really not anything that I've enjoyed more than seeing my child get not only what his heart desired but even moreso what he's worked so very hard and so very long to achieve. To know that, wherever he ends up, whatever he chooses will be a choice that he makes and that's he's earned that right ... I lack the words.

Not much better that a parent can be able to say than that they are not only proud of what their child does but of who they are.

[digamma]

Congrats, Jon and Will.

[Umbrella]

My wife and I are now empty nesters, so when I was asked to relocate, we decided to accept. During the packing process, my wife was going through some papers in my old desk, when she stopped and started tearing up. I asked what was going on, and she handed me a paper my oldest daughter wrote. It didn't have a date on it, but based on her writing, I'm guessing she was in fifth or sixth grade. It was called "My dad is the best dad ever!"

I don't know if that's true or not, but it was really interesting reading it. It gave a real good glimpse into what kids think make good parents. I honestly don't remember that paper, but obviously I thought enough of it to save it for ~15 years.

Fast forward a couple of days, and then I find out my youngest daughter is pregnant. So now I'm going to be a grandfather. It's funny, because I always though this would be a possibility for the other kids, but she has always been the responsible one. I'm simultaneously excited and concerned.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I now have permission to share this news, so ... Will has accepted an invitation to attend the honors college at the University of Mississippi starting next fall.

They've weaved their way from contender to frontrunner to final answer, to a question that he started asking himself seriously some seven years ago. I privately predicted Ole Miss several years ago, outside of his earshot, saying that if he ever visited that'd be his choice. While it's nice to be right, the reason I'm happy with the decision is that it's HIS decision. He's done his due diligence, he's set priorities, he's evaluated the options, he's done the work. Visits, meetings, interviews, the whole nine yards, at a variety of schools from the Mississippi River to nigh on the Atlantic Ocean.

While other schools remained in the running for quite a while, I knew things were all but settled when, over dinner in Oxford, he looked at us and said "I can't explain it but this just feels like ... home". And as far as I'm concerned, that's how it should be, I couldn't have asked him to make any other decision.

‪#‎HottyToddy‬

[Wolfpack]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I now have permission to share this news, so ... Will has accepted an invitation to attend the honors college at the University of Mississippi starting next fall.

They've weaved their way from contender to frontrunner to final answer, to a question that he started asking himself seriously some seven years ago. I privately predicted Ole Miss several years ago, outside of his earshot, saying that if he ever visited that'd be his choice. While it's nice to be right, the reason I'm happy with the decision is that it's HIS decision. He's done his due diligence, he's set priorities, he's evaluated the options, he's done the work. Visits, meetings, interviews, the whole nine yards, at a variety of schools from the Mississippi River to nigh on the Atlantic Ocean.

While other schools remained in the running for quite a while, I knew things were all but settled when, over dinner in Oxford, he looked at us and said "I can't explain it but this just feels like ... home". And as far as I'm concerned, that's how it should be, I couldn't have asked him to make any other decision.

‪#‎HottyToddy‬

Awesome. Congrats. You going to be visiting Oxford often? It's a bit far for him to come home on weekends, I'm sure.

I was pretty sure I'd end up at State when I was younger which was about a half hour from home, but distance wasn't really a consideration for me, just wanted a solid comp sci program and State had that. Only other school I even toyed with applying for was Georgia Tech, but I was pretty sure I had the grades and the legacy needed to get into State without much trouble, so that was it.

[PilotMan]

My 14 yr old came was talking with me and admitted that he has a crush on one of his teachers. Knowing which one it is, I'd say he has good taste.

This was just a little while after he went on his first couple outings with a girl. The cat may be out of the bag on this whole girl thing for him now.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Awesome. Congrats. You going to be visiting Oxford often? It's a bit far for him to come home on weekends, I'm sure.

Yeah, with the distance & all I suspect we might see him once or twice during the first semester before Christmas at most. And that's in part due to grandparents on both sides insisting on seeing Oxford sometime sooner than later (tho that could happen over the summer)

One quirky advantage is that his relatively small HS (basically 100ish in each senior class) will have {counts} I think it's 5 or 6 alums there next fall. They mostly get along pretty well so they might get back here a little more often since they can split up driving duties when they come back.

He's actually driving over there tomorrow -- first time doing that solo. Pre-rush parties for fraternities are getting into gear & so he'll actually be there (instead of, you know, HERE) for his 18th birthday on Saturday.

Not that such a scenario could make a parent feel REALLY old or anything.

And, lest I sound like the world's worst parent or something ... once he arrives tomorrow night he's under the wing of one of those local alums I mentioned. He's got his back (I believe) and should keep things from getting too out of hand.

[CU Tiger]

This coming Saturday I am taking my son to a football camp. That part in and of itself isnt highly unusual, he loves football and he has been to several camps. This is a specialized camp just for O-Linemen. We knew this "camp" was pretty exclusive as its ran by 2 NFL OL coaches, 1 current 1 semi-retired.

There are 40 kids who are invited from the region and you cant attend without an invite. The cool and apprehensive part is this. My son will be the only Freshman in attendance. This is a full-contact, full-pad 12 hour day With (3) 2 hour "contact sessions" and the remainder filled up with classroom, film, exercise instruction and break/food times. We both just found out tonight that he is the only Fr.

For literally the first time in his life, I've seen him get nervous.

I'd lie if I said I wasnt a touch as well. We know there are 6 kids there who are rising Sr and have accepted D1 offers. Physical size isnt an issue. He can hold his own there, he is a big kid. Plus he has some experience as he played and started Varsity ball as a Fr last year. But as a parent sending a 15 year old to compete not just against 17-19 year olds, but ELITE 17-19 year olds well I have a touch of trepidation. Seeing him be a little nervous SHOCKED me.

Its 1:30 AM and I cant sleep thinking about it.

The twilight zone part of this?

Saturday is tax day. April 16th. 23 years ago to the day 4/16/93 I was a Fr in high school and in a weightlifting class on a Friday morning I tore my ACL...the injury that would eventually end whatever hopes of a football career I had. (When I reinjured/re-tore the ligament 5 years later)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

For literally the first time in his life, I've seen him get nervous.

Camps are learning experiences, perhaps even moreso as a freshman in that situation.

He's there for a reason, he's one of that 40, not #63 or #127. I hope he remembers that no matter what the day brings.

Here's to him sucking every bit of good out of it he can get.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Camps are learning experiences, perhaps even moreso as a freshman in that situation.

He's there for a reason, he's one of that 40, not #63 or #127. I hope he remembers that no matter what the day brings.

Here's to him sucking every bit of good out of it he can get.

Thanks man. That's good perspective I needed. Now lets just hope he doesn't get murdered out there

Oh and here is a pic from this past weekend, just because...

[CU Tiger]

Well he survived and even thrived in a few scenarios.
It really gave him a huge confidence boost.

He was beaten and soundly by a couple guys, but he also held his own against those same guys in others drills.

Man he was on cloud nine when it was over beaming ear to ear.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Well he survived and even thrived in a few scenarios. It really gave him a huge confidence boost. He was beaten and soundly by a couple guys, but he also held his own against those same guys in others drills. Man he was on cloud nine when it was over beaming ear to ear.

And mine got home just before 9pm, having survived a two-day frat rush weekend ... that included him turning 18 on Saturday.

[JonInMiddleGA]

In addition to being "college t-shirt day" (a major milestone event at our school each year) it's also the first look at the traditional Senior Boards. His take, after pondering how many of those boards he's seen en route to being on one of his own was "I always looked at them and thought 'Well, they're pretty much of here' "

Yeah, he is.

[tarcone]

My daughter, Cori's basketball adventure continues.
We got her on an AAU team in the Adidas circuit.
A local tourney has a web site that evaluates players and posts results on their site for colleges. Took her to that. Got some good feedback. Positive feedback in the skills area. But she needs to work on her athleticism. Which I knew.

Then, the other day, Truman St. University sent her an invite to their elite camp. That level is about right for her. Maybe a little high. It is a division 2 school.
Cori is going into 9th grade. She is 6'0" tall. So with a good skill set, she will have an opportunity to play at the next level.

I wont lie, this is something I want. Not just for her, but for me too. Yes, I am living my dream through her.

And Truman State is a great University.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by tarcone

And Truman State is a great University.

And interest often begets interest, other schools get concerned they might be missing somebody. So that's an added benefit.

[tarcone]

Funny thing. I emailed my family about it in our daily emails. Seems my Grandpa went to Truman St. (previously known as Northeast Missouri State) almost 100 years ago.

That is a cool thing.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by tarcone

That is a cool thing.

Yep.

[CU Tiger]

Ive posted frequently about my son and his endeavors. Lost in that I have a younger daughter, 12, who is tied with him for worlds greatest kid - thoughI realize several of you would disagree.

She is the brain between the two. I mean really smart, top 5 in her class. and it comes easy.

But she WANTS to be an athlete. Really wants it. She tries so hard with mixed results. Has played softball and basketball the last few years with mixed results. (Basketball as BAAAAD and Softball she is ...starter level bottom 3rd of the lineup for travel ball team (we dont have rec ball so this isnt an elite level travel team.))

Well she decided to try out for Volleyball now that she is in the 7th grade. 45 kids tried out for 12 spots. She just found out she made the team! The only 7th grader they kept...she is so stoked. Its mighty dusty in my office this afternoon...not sure whats up with that.

Sorry had to share with someone.

[Coffee Warlord]

And on the flipside of all these crazy kids starting college...my oldest starts Kindergarten on Tuesday. Hoo boy.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Sorry had to share with someone.

It's woot-tastic

[Kodos]

That's great, CU!

My 7-year-old girl was just asked to join a swim team by her swim instructor at the Y. She's really good at the backstroke.

[tarcone]

Congrats CU.

And Coffee, it is just beginning. Time really starts flying by. Grab hold and enjoy it.

I have 2 in HS now. Junior and a Freshman. Sigh.

[AnalBumCover]

This is all great stuff! Congrats on all the successes!

Like CW's, my little girl started Kindergarten this week. She would not let go of our leg, and needed a crowbar to pry her off. But teacher told us afterwards that once we were gone, she did great.

[finkenst]

Originally Posted by AnalBumCover

This is all great stuff! Congrats on all the successes!

Like CW's, my little girl started Kindergarten this week. She would not let go of our leg, and needed a crowbar to pry her off. But teacher told us afterwards that once we were gone, she did great.

Our son just started kindergarten. He couldn't wait to go into school and away from us. The parents on the other hand were more teary than the kids.

[PilotMan]

I am so fucking tired right now. Last week my youngest came home sick with a fever Monday last week. Didn't seem so bad at first. His fever spiked the next day and then came the vomiting. Three days later he finally went to the Dr to be diagnosed with Pneumonia. He started antibiotics and the Dr says if he's not back in school on Monday come back and see me. Well, nothing changed. All weekend was fever and vomiting and coughing. New antibiotics, two of them, and perhaps school by Thursday.

I came home from my last trip early because I wasn't feeling well and didn't want to be sick out of the country, luckily that didn't sick around.

My wife is freaking out because we she is exhausted from taking care of him, is trapped in the house, and is worried his seizures will start back up again because he was having a hard time keeping anything down. She's also upset because we haven't been able to do our special Christmas photos and get our cards out. We haven't been able to do the Zoo Festival of Lights or any other Christmas activity while I've been home. We're on a tight time schedule with my job and all. We booked a weekend family trip to Santa Claus Indiana the week before Christmas, even though our kids are pretty old for all that stuff, but we couldn't afford to do it when they were smaller and we are down to the last few years of family Christmases. So she's not dealing well with that either.

My middle son, who is an insane overachiever, will do hours of homework to keep his grades up in his advanced courses. Has multiple after school activities each week, makes himself fake being well when he's sick to avoid losing perfect attendance, wants to go to a residential high school at Western Kentucky after his Sophomore year and knows that it's very competitive and he can't afford to fall behind, didn't feel well yesterday. He stayed up until nearly 1130 trying to finish his homework, before I made him go to bed. He gets up at 545a. He got up to get ready this morning, then fell asleep on the couch in 2 minutes waiting for our time to go to school. Says he's feeling worse and I told him to go back to bed and stay home and he didn't argue. That NEVER happens.

So now I've got 2 sick kids, a stressed out wife, a holiday season that waits for no man, oh, and my oldest has Aspbergers. He's the low needs one right now.

I'm tired.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Just to illustrate how long parenting stress will continue, I'll share this little story.

Guess who's college Honors student -- who had only missed one class his entire first semester -- managed to sleep through his first final of the week?
Yep, and I don't mean by a little bit. I mean slept through it as in woke up after it was over.

So after his panic stricken phone call ("the only thing I can compare the feeling to was my car accident") and our advice to throw himself on the mercy of the court, we spend an hour worrying.

Worrying about the impact on his GPA ... which could get him kicked out of not only the Honors program but also wipe out most of his scholarships. About having an oversleep -- which, you have to admit, happens to most of us at some point in our lives -- cost him pretty much everything he's worked the majority of his life for. About the financial ramifications. About pretty much everything.

An hour later, and a terrified meeting with an understanding professor (who even had advice for how he should handle things the next time he sleeps through an exam) ... re-take is scheduled for later today, no grade penalty attached.

But you wanna talk about a fun 60-90 minutes? Yeah.

[Coffee Warlord]

So what's the market value for teeth these days? My boy lost his first tooth this morning.

[PilotMan]

Couple for the first, and 1 for the others is what we did, but we were the absolute shittiest Tooth Faries ever.

[tarcone]

We always gave $1.

Then we forgot one night. We told our daughter the tooth fairy must have been real busy.

We put $5 in the next night. I think more to ease our guilt.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Couple for the first, and 1 for the others is what we did, but we were the absolute shittiest Tooth Faries ever.

My wife was. It's all on her. I was solid.