I survived 9th grade...TWICE

I have no significant recollections of my ninth grade year. I was not traumatized. It was merely a very long time ago. I remember people and classes. I think my mother bought me a "pity bra" this year. (You know...flat chested, didn't need it, but everyone else had one). Nothing specific. I remember that I survived it. I survived ninth grade again this year. This time I survived as the parent of a ninth grader. Amazingly enough, I did not go to jail. Not one time. Despite the one hundred million times I wanted to physically harm my smart mouthed, hard headed ninth grader, I survived. I did threaten him about 2,900 times that I was going to send him to live with his father and despite his assertion that this was not at all what he wanted, I was able to make this threat 2,899 more times after the initial threat. We started this year with a speech from me, The Tyrant, explaining that ninth grade is important and will set the tone for high school and subsequently what college he gets into and attends. He expressed an understanding of this concept every single time I said it. Maybe I was getting through to him? 

Homecoming

 Big Joe and I had a problem every single morning. He did not want to get up. He did not pack his lunch at night. He did not shower before bed. He stayed up too late. He didn't plug his phone up in my room. (They are supposed to plug their phones up in my room at 10pm). He wanted to wear sweat clothes to school ( I think sweat clothes are for working out and don't allow them to wear them to school). He wanted to wait until the morning to alert me to activities or the need for money. He would not be ready when I was ready to take him to school. Every morning with this child was a test of my patience. I am so grateful to God for summer vacation because if I had to deal with this child in the morning year round, I would pull my eyelashes out. Amazingly, he survived.
 

The school year was not a bust. He played football for the first time in the Fall and also played in the marching band. He seemed to manage both well. This was his first season playing football, so he did not have as much experience as some of the other players and therefore did not see as much playing time as he would have liked. He talked about quitting and just sticking to skateboarding. I hate football. I think it's dangerous. I don't want to raise a quitter though. He stuck it out and plans to play again this Fall. He impressed his mother with his determination. Big Joe has struggled with school in the past. He is a very intelligent kid and his grades rarely reflect that. This school year was a sigh of relief. His grades were finally reflecting what I knew he was capable of all along. Of course, he did not bring home perfection, but I am pleased that he is beginning to see the importance of doing well in school. He even earned Merit Roll a couple of times!!!! He ran track in the Spring and did pretty well. He worked hard and showed that he could follow through with goals that he sets for himself. He attended the Senior's award night at his high school and was amazed at the number of scholarships for music. He came home determined to practice his trumpet more. If only someone had said this to him before (his Mom did)....If only someone had paid for private lessons (his Mom did) and encouraged him to audition for outside opportunities(his Mom did). Sometimes you have to learn things on your own.

My goals for next school year are: 1. Make him more accountable for his time. He will use his own alarm clock to get up in the morning. When I say be ready or I'm not taking you, I will hold myself to that consistently. He can ride his bike if he is not ready. 2. Push getting ready at night. No TV until lunches are made or showers are taken is hard for me because I want to go to bed. If I'm in bed, I cannot monitor this. I will have to change my bedtime and stop being a little old lady. UGH!!!! 3. Show up to more events. I missed some this year. I started a new job and it was difficult to take time off to attend games or meets. I have figured out how to flex my hours so that I can be present at more of the Joes activities.

Big Joe will be 15 on June 17th. Lawd have mercy. 6 months until a learners permit. 3 months until Sophomore year. I think we are ready for Sophomore year. I think....
Big Joe is number 85!!!