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Yay Lisa I started my new term at school today. Today was the Internet for Business class, which I thought was going to be lame. However, we will be learning Java script and asp. That is cool. The entire network is down on campus at the moment, that is not cool. But it meant after reviewing our sylabus we were dismissed, so class was all of 15 minutes long. While the short time at school though I got a message from academics. They said it was urgent that I go to my daughter, Lisa's school. We had dropped her off at the school so she could begin preparing to take the math portion of her test again. When I walked outside though, Lisa was getting out of a red pickup. My first reaction was to think that I was gonna have to kill her , that she was in a strangers truck etc. My blood just ran cold. I do not care that she is 17, I still do not permit her in cars with people I do not know. (ok so I am just a little over protective, sue me) but the driver was her teacher! They came to my school so excited. It turns out that Lisa DID pass her whole test, including the math. They just miscalculated because they gave her the wrong bubble answer sheet. All of this means Lisa is now a high school graduate! I admit it, I cried. Tears of joy, pride, relief just flooded me. I am so happy I do not know the words to express it. Every year around Januarary 2 - 3 ish I usually lose out on all shots of the famed "Mother of the year" thing. I don't really care, because I know I am 'different' and thats okay. By different I mean I am very unconventional when it comes to raising my children. Have you ever seen "Finding Nemo"? You know the scene when the baby turtle goes swimming off and gets caught outside of the tide and Nemo's father goes to swim after it and the turtles dad, holds him back and casually says "Lets wait and see what he does first"? Thats me pretty much. I don't think that raising children should disable them to the point they cannot do anything without you or become so attached that they are afraid of the world. So in a lot of ways my children are not and never have been sheltered. When my oldest, Amy became a teenager, she was hell on wheels. She spent every good intention we as a family unit ever had, she pushed each of us to the point of regret. She made a lot of mistakes. Trust me that kid took years off the backside of my life if worry and tears are as determental as reported. She was one of those kids that just decided to try every part of rebellion possible. She ran away, sometimes she would be gone for months. During which time I would search for her. I almost got arrested the first time she ran away, because she was not a considerate run away, there was no note , no call etc. She left for school one morning, kissing my cheek on the way out, seeming happy, and just didnt come home. I freaked out completely. I called 911 every 20 minutes or so through that long night. They kept telling me it wasn't an emergency, I kept telling them that my kid missing is an emergency and until they took me seriously I would talk to them in a few minutes! And while Amy was rotten, and yes I know I am not supposed to say things like that about my own child , it is not only true, but remember it is jan and time for me to get out of the 2004 race for Mother of the year. Anyhow while she was rotten she always had good manners. That is something there has never been a compromise on. Ever. My children have learned that, each in their own way, and all the hard way when they were younger. Mom don't play when it comes to manners. Amys Father spent a whole day at school with Amy when she was in high school. She refused to quit skipping classes. So I had this bright idea. If she had to be treated like a two year old, then she would. If she couldnt seem to find her way to class, no problem, a day of Daddy escorting her to each and every class and sitting in the class with her should cure her of skipping. Although the school said they had never had a parent do that, and Amy was completely embarrassed , it did not deter her at all. What do you do with a kid like that? Ofcourse she quit school, got married at 17 and pregnant, well pregnant first. We begged, we pleaded , we cried, she didnt listen. She had that baby 3 months early and thus we began a constant vigil over the premature grandchild. I used to think even when Amy and Lisa were very young, there is only 12 months between them, that God gave me Lisa to kind of make up for the terror of Amy. Yep even back then she was a pain in the ass. I could tell you stories that perhaps today are funny, like when at 5 am we were awoken with the sound of a huge crash in the nursey, running in there with our hearts in our throats to find that amy at 14 months old had somehow worked every screw out of the crib til it collapsed, while she rolled on the mattress laughing so hard she couldnt breathe. Or how she woke up from a nap to find me in the shower when she was 15 months old, climbed up on top of the refrigerator (yes she climbed on it) and got food coloring kit from a cupboard up there and used it to paint her baby sister (Lisa). I walked out to find a human easter egg looking Lisa. Oh man was I pissed, that shit stains the skin rather well and took an act of God to get out. So you see, Lisa graduating gives me hope. It is more then her efforts for me, its knowing that even though Amy was saving all her energy to cause as much grief as possible, that not all my children will choose the wrong paths. I am so proud of Lisa I just want to tell the whole world. It is not often I can stand and see a teacher of any of my childrens and be pleased, excited and happy. What a pleasant change! Normally, the teachers who have to call me most likely take an antacid before doing so. I would if I were them. It isnt that I always side with my children, but it is that I speak up on their behalf and demand their side be told. I may not be getting Mother of the year, but I am definitely nominating Lisa for Kid of the year today. ! |