Band Parents

Band Parents

Thursday, February 19, 2009

My ADHD teen and sports

We are coming to a rather scary period of time. It is the between sports season time. Wrestling season is coming to a close. Baseball won't start until the first of April. Actually, Spring has not been as much of a problem as late Fall, I think becasue we have been able to keep the 13YO is some extended wrestling. Even practice 2 days a week prevents many Hyperactivity symptooms. However, he is showing signs of being ready to be done with Wrestling. Last Spring Hubby had the boy going to the off season practices, but he was goofing off even more and that's not fair to the coaches or the other teammates. So I am hesitant to do this again. Maybe they will keep up on the strength training on Tuesday night. I think we can convince him to go to those.

Another note, we met with the Intervention Specialist for Freshmen of the High school yesterday. That makes me feel even better that this school is the right decision, not matter what other uses I can come up with for spending that tuition money.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

More High School musings

Due to some bad decisions and financial mind games that were played this summer, our finances are crap. To someone’s credit, the problems have been realized and the future course has been adjusted.

Fortunately we are both still well-employed and our jobs look as stable as they can be at this time. We have cut back on expenditures greatly. Although I still feel like I am often saying “No, let’s not eat out. Let eat at home I can whip up ______. “

Anyways, I have written here about the parochial high school. That decision seems to have been made and then it comes back up as a debatable item. I think my once a week carpool friend is tired of hearing me go on about it. LOL! But it is debatable. We are fortunate enough to live in one of the best public school districts in the state. There is also another parochial High school only a mile further away from our house where the tuition is significantly best.

But the chosen school, while big, features a house system where the boys are broken up into groups of about 160. There are daily mentor group meetings of about 20-25 boys with the same teacher year after year. My ADHD son still needs some guidance and someone to be accountable too.

But if I listen closely, I am bombarded with the message that this is the right choice. Three teachers at last night’s open house commented that they think my son will do well at the chosen school next year. Next week we have a meeting to revise his IEP for next year. The intervention specialist from the high school will be there.

Sending him to this high school is like sending him to an Ivy League college. The Alumni are a tight-knit, involved and loyal group. Many events associated with the school that we have been to have been run by dedicated staff, faculty and parents of current students. It’s the network.
So why can’t I make peace with this? How does an excellent education compare to being debt-free? (Or having less debt?) Are we still living a life built of cards? Who knows what this economy will bring.

Oh yes, as a reminder, College tuition will be covered for him. As a benefit of my job, my dependants can take advantage of tuition remission at the state university where I work. If it weren’t for this benefit, the High school would be out of the question.

P.S. At lunch today, I was once again talking about the High school decision. One of the guys with us said that his experience that the kids coming out of our public High School are good at Math but here at the College they often have to take remedial English. Yes God, I am listening. Thank you for the reinforcement.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

More snow...


Even as of this morning, the forecasters were predicting show showers with very little accumulation. But at about 2:45, some turned the faucets on. The city is project to get 4-8 inches of the stuff. At my house we have about 4 so far.