I feel this post HARD. Honestly, my current bar for my middle schooler is even… lower? That sounds wrong or bad but what I mean is, I want my kid to survive. Make it through. Feel proud of both those seemingly throwaway and totally not throwaway achievements. He’s a seventh grader on the spectrum and LGBTQ and lonely AF. Breaks my heart on the daily. But if I can get this child to 8th grade grad I will cry buckets even if there are no extra words after his name. We are incredible moms for loving and supporting our unique kids in the ways they need rather than the ways we are pressured to “support” them. I say this as much for you as for myself. 💪🏼❤️
Yes to all of this. Except for one thing: You did not take something serious and ruin it. You took something serious and made it memorable, personally meaningful and fun.
Saving this to share with my kiddos at the appropriate time. Achievement culture just sent so many of us into so many hours of therapy, and yet somehow...it persists.
As someone who barely made it through high school, mentally and academically, thank you! Band (well, colorguard) was the only thing I did and I didn’t even want to do that. I was already pretty jaded from the actions of the adults around me and didn’t know a single person who sat around me at graduation, partly because my grad class was over 500 students. It was long and boring and all I kept thinking throughout the whole ceremony is “I will never see these people again” and for the most part , I was fine with that. It sounds like your girls have gotten better preparation for life than school provides and that ,in my book, is worth so much more.
My son, Band, graduates from high school next Saturday, because he did in the eleventh hour bring up his failing Government grade to a D, and this post has me in tears. Grateful for the way you show up in the world, Steph. I now plan to instigate "please stand to be recognized" with him as our next inside joke.💜
Needed to read this today!! Idk, I’m of the mind that pushing MY kid in school would do more damage that letting him figure out his own motivations. Thanks for publishing this, it can be lonely going this route!
I feel this post HARD. Honestly, my current bar for my middle schooler is even… lower? That sounds wrong or bad but what I mean is, I want my kid to survive. Make it through. Feel proud of both those seemingly throwaway and totally not throwaway achievements. He’s a seventh grader on the spectrum and LGBTQ and lonely AF. Breaks my heart on the daily. But if I can get this child to 8th grade grad I will cry buckets even if there are no extra words after his name. We are incredible moms for loving and supporting our unique kids in the ways they need rather than the ways we are pressured to “support” them. I say this as much for you as for myself. 💪🏼❤️
Yes! I am proud of us both. ♥️
Yes to all of this. Except for one thing: You did not take something serious and ruin it. You took something serious and made it memorable, personally meaningful and fun.
Ohh!! That kind of made my day. ♥️
Saving this to share with my kiddos at the appropriate time. Achievement culture just sent so many of us into so many hours of therapy, and yet somehow...it persists.
Yes! On all counts.
I absolutely love this. Especially the last paragraph.
Thank you, Ellyn! That means a lot.
As someone who barely made it through high school, mentally and academically, thank you! Band (well, colorguard) was the only thing I did and I didn’t even want to do that. I was already pretty jaded from the actions of the adults around me and didn’t know a single person who sat around me at graduation, partly because my grad class was over 500 students. It was long and boring and all I kept thinking throughout the whole ceremony is “I will never see these people again” and for the most part , I was fine with that. It sounds like your girls have gotten better preparation for life than school provides and that ,in my book, is worth so much more.
I appreciate your perspective so much--thank you!
My son, Band, graduates from high school next Saturday, because he did in the eleventh hour bring up his failing Government grade to a D, and this post has me in tears. Grateful for the way you show up in the world, Steph. I now plan to instigate "please stand to be recognized" with him as our next inside joke.💜
Needed to read this today!! Idk, I’m of the mind that pushing MY kid in school would do more damage that letting him figure out his own motivations. Thanks for publishing this, it can be lonely going this route!