Basketball Game and Growing Up

Yesterday, Christopher stayed after school to watch the boys' basketball team play. Talk about a grown-up moment. A moment I realized he can do things such as stay after school and watch a game.

He saw the C team play and part of the B team before I came to pick him up.

I texted him to let him know I was at the front of the school. He texted back with "K were on r way."

He excitedly told me about going to the gym after school and waiting for the game to start. He paid $1 to get in and then bought some snacks.

He's at the point between a boy and a teenager -- pre-teen is the official name. To me it's he's between being a little boy who wanted me to be with him everywhere to a boy who wants to bravely try new things, but still tell me about where he is and what he does. I'm at the point of wanting him to be with me, but knowing he needs to explore and test his decision-making skills.

So far all choices have been A+. I hope he continues to get an A in the wise choice area.

Bringing Home the Board by Chris

I brought home my Robert E. Lee board today. Mrs. Ruiz said if we didn't take it home today it was going in the trash.

It was tough. I couldn't call my mom until I got in my friend's grandparents' car. I couldn't get a grip on it. I couldn't hold it from the side. I couldn't hold it from the top. That thing was trouble.

Drawing Sea Lions by Chris

In art I started drawing a sea lion. I am using pencil and regular white paper. It's big, like the size of the paper.

It's tear-outs. I'll tear out paper and put it on the sea lion. That is how it will get colored.

Oregon Trail

Social Studies was always a favorite subject of mine. I enjoyed learning about cultures, history and how countries work, but as I help Christopher study for tests and review his homework I have discovered I don't remember as much as I should.

His latest project is creating a poster indicating he is selling seats on his covered wagon going to Oregon.

I know the trail lead to Oregon and people came from the East, but that's about it. Seriously, don't know the time period or if Oregon was even a state at the time.

I know I need to know this, but maybe I'll just rely on Christopher telling me about it. That then may result in the ever-popular, ever-familiar, "I don't know."

Getting to School

On days I travel and when Gervais has practice, we rely on our village to get Christopher to school.

Previous trips, Christopher spent the night with my parents. The sleepover at their house ensures structure, a good hot dinner, early to bed and a nice breakfast. I also know homework will be completed. My dad probably errs on a bit too much information if it is social studies, but hey, more is better than none. To get Christopher to school in the morning does require an earlier start and puts my parents out of their way driving him over closer to our house.

So this trip, because he asked and it worked out, Christopher spent the night at his friend's house. They are earlier risers and eat breakfast so for that I felt good. The homework part and going to bed early . . . not so sure.

As Christopher walked home yesterday, he called to check in as he does every day. He said, "We're going to Dave and Busters tonight." What!? A school night!? My reply, "Do you have homework." He said in return, "No, just spelling and that isn't due until Friday." I took a deep breath and told him to have a good evening.

Since this was a favor, I figured I had little control over dinner, but prayed that the game night would not happen. When I called Christopher that night, he said they didn't go and were getting ready for bed. Whew.

Today, he said they got up early and were ready by 7:10 a.m. That may be a challenge to my parents. I don't know if he's ready that early at their house!

For now, we have two options. Friend and grandparents. Nice to have choices. With each trip, we'll choose carefully.

History Project by Chris

I got a 95 on my project on Robert E. Lee. I got a 100 on my process paper in Social Studies. I have to wait for my process paper grade in English. I hope it is a 100.

Early Morning Tutoring

I could get used to this. This week, Christopher has gone to tutoring three days. He'll also go tomorrow, Friday. He gets up with his alarm clock in the morning -- even though it's about 20 minutes earlier than his non-tutoring days.

And, we get out of the house by 7:30 a.m. and then I'm at work around 8:15 a.m.

We're all so much more productive in the mornings. We get through breakfast and our devotional pretty smoothly.

Aside from the easy morning aspect, the tutoring is helpful. It's free and he gets one-on-one time with his teachers. The interactions become safer because Christopher feels at ease expressing concerns and asking questions when he is the only student with the teacher. I think the comfort then moves to the classroom. He won't sit back and wait for a question to be asked, he'll raise his hand.

Yeah for tutoring!

Knock Out by Chris

In PE we played knock out. You use a basketball and shoot. When it's your turn, you shoot and if you make it you stay in. If you miss it and the person behind you makes it, you are out.

I did good. There's usually a last person in regular knock out, but this is a different kind of knock out. You just keep going and going.

We didn't even dress out. We were in our regular clothes.

Ratios and the Internet

Now he's working on ratios. The first worksheet came home tonight and Christopher asked if I would check his work.

OK, the first part of each of the six questions was easy -- what's the ratio of something to the total. One was ratio of completed passes to total thrown. Easy, got it.

Then, the second part of the questions raised the ante -- what's the ratio of completed passes to incomplete. Maybe I overthought it,but we used the trusty Internet -- a great math site on ratios -- to instruct us. Aaahh, we got it.

What would we do without the Internet? Maybe the bigger question is where are the notes on ratios from Christopher's math class?

Tutoring all week by Chris

Almost all week so far I have had tutoring. Monday we got to school early but because it was benchmark they wouldn't let me in. I just went outside.

Today, you went to Mrs. Espinoza's room for reading tutoring.

Tomorrow, I have Mrs. O'Keefe for math. I didn't really get the test. I should have told her. She said she could tell I didn't get it.

Walked in the door . . .

"Mom, I can now read a book and understand what it is about."

Aaaaah . . .heavens parted.

"Do you want me to tell you about it?"

More angels singing.

Basketball by Chris

In PE we played basketball today. We didn't get to dress out. We just played basketball. They were like holding me out there.

Our coaches were there. But we didn't dress out.

Reading Progress

Christopher's been reading. He'll read between 15 and 30 minutes each night.

Tonight, I asked him if he is enjoying his book and he said yes. I didn't ask anymore questions. I didn't want to dwell on past issues of not understanding what he's reading or it taking too long.

Monday night, I told him to read until 9:05 p.m. He typically closes the book at the exact moment the clock changes to the aforementioned set time. Monday, I walked in his room at 9:08 p.m. to get him in bed and he was still reading. Three minutes isn't a lot for some people, but that was an extraordinary moment for me. He went over his time limit for reading.

We're making some reading progress.

Geography Bee by Chris

Today in Social Studies we had to take a test on geography. I did not do good. I guessed. It didn't count.

I asked Mrs. Ruiz, "How am I supposed to know this." She said, "your knowledge." I don't get that.

Like one of the questions was where do peanuts grow in the United States, Georgia or Utah. I don't know.

And, then I did get Salt Lake City is in Utah.

I didn't make the geography bee.

Oops Pass

Because he made As and Bs on his report card the first nine weeks and had perfect attendance, Christopher received a Harris card. The card lets him skip a quiz, not turn in homework, get a bathroom pass and gives him an "oops" excuse.

He has decided to execute the oops portion of the card. He is not doing his spelling activity for the week. He confirmed with his teacher that the oops was allowed.

I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, he is judiciously using his reward. On the other, he should do his homework.

But what I'm really feeling is rats if we didn't have this thing during football season and those horrible Thursday night games where we got home at 10 p.m. and he had homework due the next day!?!??!?

Hair Cut by Chris

My dad made me get my hair cut Saturday. It doesn't look right. It's crooked in the front, slanted kind of.

I hope people get used to my hair. Some people at school today said it looked good. Some people said it looked bad.

After the Holidays

Back to school today after a week off. Boy it was rough this morning. Nothing like sleeping in each day and going to bed late each evening. I so enjoy the slow-paced, nowhere to be in particular lazy holiday days.

So the alarm shrilled at 7:20 a.m. and Christopher did not move. His first words to me, "I don't want to go to school."

After that groggy comment, he stumbled out of bed, took a shower and was downstairs by 7:40 a.m. My kid learned efficiency from me!

I asked him if he remembered his regular and PE locker combinations. He looked at me as if I had two heads. "Of course," he said. "Who forgets that stuff?" Your mom for one. I remember very clearly forgetting my combination after each holiday . . . even after the three-day weekends.

Only reading homework tonight thankfully. The teachers are probably easing back into the routine as well.

I'm already ready for the Christmas holidays. Three weeks?