<p>WOW. Good luck to both of you. Best thing I did was to send my D to a summer camp where they preached priorities so it didn’t have to come from me. We overdid it last year with classes from 9 til 9 but she is really focused on college auditions and applications this year. Only 2 AP classes - music theory and English Lit (both of which she loves.) We have a few competitions and one dramatic performance but they are planned into spaces where there are no conflicts or we are past auditions. Our only hitch was a new vocal coach at school but that has turned out exceedingly well. Maybe you could get their private teacher or guidance counselor or some other adult they trust to “intervene” on your behalf? It’s like telling your husband for 5 years that he needs to slow down on the red meat and then when the doctor tells him - it’s this enlightening revelation of information he’s never heard before and he immediately takes it to heart. Hmmm.</p>
<p>Well we had the discussion today about whether he can handle everything on his plate for the year. Actually I think you have to know your kid too. He actually performs better the busier he is. He is in 4 AP classes, drum major, in Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra where after he takes the train downtown he plays every Sunday from 12 till 8:30 THEN takes the train home. He is in the pit orchestra for the Musical, takes two lessons piano and horn, teaches 5 little kids for 1/2 hour lessons, oh did I mention he decided to try the violin this year and is in orchestra along with band and choir. I don’t know, we decided if he could set up a list of what he had to do for college applications and final compositions he would like to write yet, then put it into a schedule on days that he has open he could work on it in an orderly fashion and not feel overwhelmed. That is what I am worrying about, his feeling out of control. If you nail everything you want to do it feels good, right?</p>
<p>88fingers - would your son happen to have a late August/early September birthday?</p>
<p>I’m betting he does, BeezMom! We know how much fun it is keeping up with those kids- my car is lounging around, in relief, now that D is at college!</p>