Oh my freshman!!
The end of the school year is approaching which means all three of my wee ones are beginning to review (and stress) for finals....My final child, although new to the "finals" era (she has just entered middle school), probably has the least cortisol level of the three. My firstborn, a veteran by now, has finals as well as a "board review" in his Music Program at the University of Oregon. His levels are probably rising by the day until he has crossed his last "T" and dotted his last "i" sometime in mid June.
My freshman, however, is trying to figure it all out, how to organize his studies, how to review, what to review, how to map out his time in these several days leading up to high school "finals".......
This child, by unanimous vote, is the mini version of my husband. Maybe not in every aspect, but its probably in the 90ish percentile. He is extremely bright, highly creative and incredibly stubborn. We have tried to help him throughout the years with his organization. If you opened his backpack right now or his school locker, you would be immediately greeted with a loose, crumpled maze of papers, possible homework assignments, stray wrappers and minor resemblances of unidentified academic memorabilia.
We have been encouraging him for years to get try and conduct himself in a more orderly fashion.
To no avail......
As finals approach in the next 10ish days, we are once again reciting this script...
He is adamant about doing it "his own way". He doesn't want us to "control" how he "does things". He wont "be motivated" if we tell him "what to do"....
Anyone heard this before from their 15 year old???
We try, very lovingly, to explain that we have done this before, we were once 15 year old, and we did happen to give birth to a male child 3 1/2 years prior to him that successfully entered college. I can see my freshman's face begin to contort into the alien that he occasionally becomes, especially when we rehearse this script of organization. We continue to explain, calmly but at a slightly higher volume, that in fact he has not recently handled his organization on his own very well. That we are only trying to help him succeed in HIS desire to go to the best college he can get into. He repeats the "I know but..."s once again.
So here is my profound parent statement of the day......
Ready!.....
"We are not trying to rule the kingdom here by being the King and Queen...We are just trying to help you become a King".......!
We all stood there in the kitchen and laughed which lightened the mood alittle! I don't know where that came from it just popped out in the midst of frustration and nonsensically redundant conversation.
It was funny at the time...
I just hope it helps Our Majesty, pass his finals, with an organized, "Royal" success!!!!
We have been encouraging him for years to get try and conduct himself in a more orderly fashion.
To no avail......
As finals approach in the next 10ish days, we are once again reciting this script...
He is adamant about doing it "his own way". He doesn't want us to "control" how he "does things". He wont "be motivated" if we tell him "what to do"....
Anyone heard this before from their 15 year old???
We try, very lovingly, to explain that we have done this before, we were once 15 year old, and we did happen to give birth to a male child 3 1/2 years prior to him that successfully entered college. I can see my freshman's face begin to contort into the alien that he occasionally becomes, especially when we rehearse this script of organization. We continue to explain, calmly but at a slightly higher volume, that in fact he has not recently handled his organization on his own very well. That we are only trying to help him succeed in HIS desire to go to the best college he can get into. He repeats the "I know but..."s once again.
So here is my profound parent statement of the day......
Ready!.....
"We are not trying to rule the kingdom here by being the King and Queen...We are just trying to help you become a King".......!
We all stood there in the kitchen and laughed which lightened the mood alittle! I don't know where that came from it just popped out in the midst of frustration and nonsensically redundant conversation.
It was funny at the time...
I just hope it helps Our Majesty, pass his finals, with an organized, "Royal" success!!!!
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