So, things on my mind…

• I love, love, love Old Navy’s Dreamer jeans. I forgot how wonderful it is to wear jeans that don’t gap in the back. In fact, I want to buy more and just toss out all my other pants.
• I won – Thank you Cursingmama! – a copy of The Mayo Clinic Diet book & journal over at her review blog. I also started it even though it cautions to wait until a good time. The week before Easter is decidedly NOT a good time. As I have mentioned every single year on this blog, my favorite candy in all the world is only available at Easter. The first two weeks (the Lose It! portion) you are suppose to give up sugar. Hahahahaha. Yo, that shit is hard. I’ve done… ok. Not perfect but not nearly as bad as I would have been if I wasn’t doing this. Also? I have to decided to eat as much candy as I want on Easter. For one day. I will be in a sugar coma. Then? I might extend the first 2 weeks for one more. We shall see.
• As anyone who follows me on twitter already knows, I had my annual review yesterday at work and it has been decided I’m full of the awesome. As for a raise, extremely minimal merit raises are being offered up. I for one am glad to have a job. Not that we couldn’t use the money but I’d rather have no one lose their job.
• Found out a friend from high school is in the hospital with an infection around his heart… from twitter. Twitter FTW! (As for the other business on twitter. Suck it, don’t suck it, I’m out of caring. Although, thanks for the entertainment.) As for my friend, I’m seriously worried. He is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met and we just reconnected. Get well Alan!

Child update for the related people and grandparents out there reading – non-related and non-grandparents, do not feel the need to read my annoying gushing. (I must gush when I can because usually I’m just complaining about them):

• Alex played for the Varsity baseball team during a scrimmage the other day. He was not nervous. I was a wreck. He held his own though. It’s his first year catching and he’s doing great but has some stuff to work on. What? I don’t know – see: not informed about sports. Still, the coaches seem to like him and he’s getting the hang of it.
• Tyler made the JV golf team. He’s very excited and we are very proud. Now we need to invest in a membership for him at the local golf course.
• The last parent-teacher conference ever for Dylan was the only one where the teacher had nothing negative to say. Only lovely words were spoken. And his grades are higher than they’ve ever been. Also, it has been agreed by all that Jr. High should be good for him. Apparently letting him almost flunk out last term worked. He’s getting all his homework done at school now. Now if he would just let me cut his hair.
• Zach. What to say about him. He’s a bit sassy. A bit whiny. All brilliant and still adorable. Baseball starts next week.
• The 3 youngest have all signed up for the mini-triathlon again.
• Clearly none of these children are related to me.

This is for Carmi over at Written Inc. He does a thematic photo every week and this week I thought I’d hop in. The theme is What I Did On Vacation and he has a very similar photo posted. I just couldn’t resist adding my version of “They don’t always get along as peacefully as we’d like. They’re bright, creative and engaged kids, so it’s inevitable that they have their moments – with each other and with us. But sometimes, when the stars align, they manage to make our hearts melt.” Yes, Carmi writes that beautifully. And yes, I totally stole his words there.Feel free to join in!

My brain is so full I just haven’t known where to start. So I will just start…

• My kids got into the honors classes they wanted. Tuesday was their first day. So far, so good. We will see. I will say they are happy about it. And, they both had homework to do last night. A first this year. And as you might assume, the homework was in their honors classes. So yes, they have more work but no, it doesn’t seem too difficult for them. I think I’m liking being THAT mom.
• I have officially started my holiday shopping. Hold me.
• Little snow flakes are showing up in my weather app on my Google homepage. Not for today but for Friday and Saturday. I have heard there was a sighting of flakes this morning. f.l.a.k.e.s. Not happy. Not ready. And yes, our heat is on already. I do not compete in your furnace wars you foolish ones. I like to be warm. In related news, the kids are still complaining it’s cold in the house.
• It seems the children and I are battling a cold. I’m not sure who is winning at this point.
• SQUEE! GLEE! is on tonight.
• I have now downloaded all 16 Glee songs that are available on Amazon. I may have a sickness. I will not tell you how many times I have listened to Gold Digger on my ipod. There is however a need to point out the absolute brilliance of Mercedes’ (Amber Riley’s) opening of that song. If you have not heard it? I would like to offer my condolences.
• The Halloween costumes have been procured. Only 2 of the children still want to dress up. The other two are wearing masks. At least, that is what they tell me when I say they can’t go beg for candy without some kind of costume. I have also bought extra masks. What are the two littles going to be? A repeat of Indiana Jones that necessitated a new whip and hat. (Old whip was broken and old hat is too small for his GIANT 11 year old noggin.) The littlest little is going to be Dr. Horrible. I predict no one here will know who he is. Except me and the boys. I am okay with this.
• The invites for our Halloween party have not been printed.
• The garage has not been cleaned.
• I predict it will not be warm like it was last year. I predict rain and cold and snow. Glad we had the roof replaced. Also, Jeff ripped out the ceiling and the beams are now exposed making the garage extra spooky. Also, the cobwebs add ambiance. Do not try to dissuade me of this fact.
• I got a call from one of the children telling me he had to stay after school for the next 3 days to make up something or other in band. BAND. Fine, whatever.
• I got another call two hours later telling me he was home and skipped out on his detention that “is not really a detention.” I do not even know what to do with this information.
• Anyone who knows any of my children can identify this particular child. I shall not name names here. Although he may have had a birthday recently.
• One of the children keeps crying. Over EVERYTHING. Surely not everything you say. Yes, EVERYTHING. It is making me weary. Also? I hate nine. Nine and boys do not go together well.

That is all. I have things to do and loins to gird. I’m not sure I want to go home tonight.

For ten years and four kids I’ve tried my best to avoid being “that” mom. You know the one. The one that when the teachers or administrators at school see you coming they groan, run and hide or roll their eyes. I’ve really tried to let them do their jobs and trust them. We live in an excellent school district. In fact, we moved to our current location BECAUSE of the school district.

But…

I have found one problem. I’ve let it slide most of the time. Or rather I’ve addressed the problem and then let it go numerous times. Individual teachers have made it easier to let the issue go. In 98% of cases they’ve done their part. The administration however has refused to do their parts. And now I’m done discussing the issue. I want action.

Maybe I should mention what the problem is. Yes?

The school refuses to challenge my kids. More specifically, my oldest two. They slide by without putting any effort in. They are happy enough getting mostly A’s with the occasional B without doing more than the bare minimum. I am so not okay with this. Now that they are in 8th and 9th grade they need to learn how to work a little. They need to be in a more competitive academic atmosphere. They need to be with kids that work at school and take pride in their grades.

Here’s the thing. My oldest’s friends are all in honors classes. They have been since 7th grade. None of them understand why he isn’t. His father and I don’t understand why he isn’t. The junior high has some formula they use to place kids in honors and apparently he didn’t qualify. Even though he could do the work. We let it slide. I will admit, this was my mistake. I should have gone to the school back in 7th grade. I should have pushed. But I didn’t want to be “that” parent.

Now he’s in high school. He has 100 average in everything 5 weeks in and we told him he needed to talk to the school about getting into an honors class. He needs a challenge. Get this: He AGREED. I told him to pick one subject that they offer as honors. His choices: math, science & social studies. He chose social studies. Now honestly? That is the LAST class I would chose to take an honors version of. In fact, I believe that was my worst subject in school. But that’s what he picked. He spoke to his teacher yesterday and his teacher said he was already looking at moving him into his honors class. All he has to do is ace his unit test this week. Only thing standing in his way? He hasn’t cracked a book. Guess what we’re doing tonight.

My oldest has also said he’d like to try for honors math next year. HIS OWN SUGGESTION. He doesn’t want to do it this year because he thinks it might be too much all at once. I told him the longer he waits the further behind he’s going to get. His response? Geometry is easy. You guys can help me get caught up. To which I replied, “Hell no. I can’t do geometry. I’m the algebra lady.” Yes, it’s true. Geometry is impossible for me but I love Algebra. I know. Odd and GEEK. Whatevs. He says dad can help him.

So see, no need to be “that” mom. Son, taking action himself. I’m so proud.

Now, on to the second child. Oh dear son of mine. He has his head in the clouds most of the time. He is silly and goofy and a more than a little devious.  Good thing he’s so handsome. Makes it easier not to kill him at times. Also, keeps the girls from completely dismissing him.

One other thing he is? A math brain. He is the child that would make me put addition and subtraction problems on our chalkboard at 3. For fun. And he got them right. He would demand more math when I was trying to make dinner. He made up his own math problems on white boards, chalkboards, paper. He could just “see” how numbers worked. He was also the one shouting out the answers to the multiplication problems when I quizzed his older brother before he could even comprehend what I just said. He is the one we’ve been trying to get into honors math since the end of 6th grade.

Last year we fought with the principle over and over. He would not budge. We were told we were forcing our son to do something he didn’t want to do. That we would make him hate math. It was implied that we were being “those” parents. Then they conceded. He could take a math placement test at the end of August. A 90 or above meant honors math.

The fact is he got a 75.

Part of the problem was we were so intent on him studying for his Bar Mitzvah (on September 12th) and going to his Hebrew tutor’s. We didn’t push the math. The math he said he went over. The math practice test he assured us he could do. The day before the exam I realized the error of our ways and brought him to work with me. He worked for five hours. I showed him how to do about 30% of the problems. He got it. He took the exam the next day. He complained there was stuff on it not on the practice test. Four kids took the test.

I know at least one other didn’t pass it with a 90. She got an 80. She studied all summer with three different tutors. He is not in honors math. This is a kid that WANTS to be in honors math. This is a kids that could do it if you just put him in the damn class. The school won’t budge. I was going to give it up. After the exam I did nothing. But now he’s bugging ME about it.

So now it’s time. I’m making yet another appointment with the principal. I’m going to be “that” parent. I’m going to sit there and not budge from my position. I’m going to take a lesson from son #3 and be stubborn. So damn stubborn and not give up. I will not give in. I will wear him down. I will just not take no for an answer. I don’t care about rules and guidelines. There are always exceptions. This is one of those exceptions. It is time.