Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - Original

<p>madbean:</p>

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Can you read minds?

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<p>I knew you'd ask that! :D</p>

<p>mamabear,</p>

<p>Ah, yes, the sleeping-till-noon thing! My S is doing that, too. </p>

<p>No job apps here, as S is 14 and can't get a work permit until 15. (Guess what he's getting for his 15th birthday? heh heh heh!!) He's going off to camp for six weeks next Sunday, three weeks one place, three weeks another. We'll pick him up on a Friday from his first camp, come home, do all laundry necessary (probably in a laundromat to make that go faster), pack him up, and ship out on Saturday to deliver him bright and early to the second camp the following day, which is about a 6.5 drive from home. </p>

<p>In the two weeks he's been out of school already, he's perfected: 1.) the sleeping-till-noon thing; 2.) the studiously ignoring his need to gather student service hours thing; 3.) the forgetting about the summer reading list thing; 4.) the disregarding applying for one scholarship thing, and; 5.) the avoiding cleaning his room thing.</p>

<p>And it's not for nothing that one of the tee-shirts he wanted for camp has printed on it "Keep Out of Direct Sunlight."</p>

<p>He's already quite skilled at the staying on the computer for many hours at a time thing, yet seeks to refine his already stellar technique at this activity.</p>

<p>But I dragged him to the pool yesterday anyway! :D</p>

<p>Well very similar story here with my s. Sleeping 'til noon-check. Big plans with friends every single day-check. Avoiding cleaning room, community service--check, check.</p>

<p>But, he does have a paying job all lined up to work at his high school's bookstore sorting the new books for each student for the coming year, which starts mid-July. Lots of kids apply and I'm grateful he sounded enthusiastic enough about lugging book boxes that they hired him. :) Also, in August we will begin driving (!!) as he gets his learner's permit. I recall all the joy that activity brought the family when it was S1's turn behind the wheel (deep sarcasm noted) and cannot wait to see what fresh hell is awaiting.</p>

<p>Owlice, I think we need some refreshments to get us through the next three years!!</p>

<p>madbean, always happy to cater, I am! Right now, I've got espresso chocolate chunk brownies and ice cream to offer up; interested?</p>

<p>Teaching a kid to drive (OMG, I have NOT thought at ALL about THAT!!!!!!!) might just make my hair go white! So far, however, S has shown no interest whatsoever in driving. Yay! for that!</p>

<p>I had my first car accident at 4 or 5; started early, I did. Stepped on the clutch, put the car in gear, and, scared that the car and I would roll all the way to the creek at the end of the street and then into it, turned the steering wheel so the car smacked into a neighbor's car instead.</p>

<p>I do not envy you your August!</p>

<p>Good for your S for having a summer job lined up! Maybe he'll be too busy with that to want to learn to drive?</p>

<p>Nah, probably not. </p>

<p>:: checks the bourbon supply ::</p>

<p>Joining in as another mother of a rising sophomore. Still can't believe I have a high-schooler (he's my oldest)! We are in Barcelona, and he goes to a very small international school, only 25 in his whole class. Which presents its challenges and advantages. I'm definitely going to be scouring this site for college tips, since very few kids from his school even attend university in the States, and the college guidances counselors, being on the international circuit, come and go every couple of years. The one we have now is decent, but who knows how long she'll be here?</p>

<p>Definitely identify with the sleeping till noon and attached to the computer when awake! DS is volunteering at the school's camp for two weeks, then off to Dublin to study international relations (his only passion) at CTY Ireland for 3 weeks, then to Hungary for 10 days to fence. I'm thinking maybe his computer could be "misplaced" while he's gone? ha ha</p>

<p>I can provide some chocolate chip cookies, which I'm baking now using imported brown sugar and chips brought by my mom when she came to visit last month!</p>

<p>Mmmmm, chocolate chip cookies! For breakfast, even, given the time difference. Life is good! Thanks, bcnmom!</p>

<p>Yay! for CTY Ireland! I have tried to get my S interested in going to Ireland for CTY, but for him, that means no double-sessioning (yeah, I'm making up verbs. :)), so he's not interested, alas!</p>

<p>I'd say volunteering for two weeks, CTY for three weeks, and Hungary for 10 days is a pretty good expenditure of time on non-computer things, and wow, great travel opportunities, too!</p>

<p>:: envies travel opportunities ::</p>

<p>S self-studied (after a fashion) for the AP Psych test. I thought about waiting for his score to come in the mail, but .... nah, didn't happen; I called on Monday. HE can wait for the score to come in the mail -- he doesn't seem to care one whit about it! I'm hoping that mail gets here before his first CTY session is over, so it is here the one night he'll spend here between sessions. And you can bet I'm baking a cake to celebrate!</p>

<p>I've been trying to ignore this thread and focus solely on class of '09 D, but what the heck. Class of '11 S just informed us that he wants to be a stand up comic. Is there an SAT subject test for Humor? AP class in Improv? Meanwhile, it's all about baseball, girls, avoiding summer reading, girls, and badgering us to take him driving (turning 16 in September) Oh, and did I mention girls?</p>

<p>Yes! We reeled in another one!! :D</p>

<p>:: hands chintzy a cookie ::</p>

<p>Welcome, chintzy! Stand-up comic, hmmm? That sounds like fun!!</p>

<p>How much summer reading does he have to do? My son has to read only one book over the summer. One!</p>

<p>Same here, owlice--one book. He also has a math packet to refresh his Algebra skills before Algebra II and a History packet w/ some articles to read, terms to learn, etc. All in all, nothing too taxing. Although he acts like the amount of work would violate the Geneva convention, he also assures us he can complete it all on the plane on the way to vacation.</p>

<p>Thanks for the cookie!</p>

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Although he acts like the amount of work would violate the Geneva convention

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<p>OMG. Our kids are twins separated at birth!</p>

<p>My son only has one book to read as well. My rising first grader has more summer work than he does! And my rising 7th grader? NOTHING. Of course, the Spanish and Catalan teachers "recommend" they read some books in Spanish/Catalan, but no requirement, not even recommendations of titles.</p>

<p>Picked up their grades yesterday and DS's were less-than-stellar, grrrr. So bright and SO lazy. Aces tests, but ends up with B's in classes because he doesn't turn in assigments, or does them in a "half-ass" way. I just don't know how to motivate him. It's hard to see beyond tomorrow at that age. My husband and I joke that he'll be able to pump gas in four languages...</p>

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Picked up their grades yesterday and DS's were less-than-stellar, grrrr. So bright and SO lazy. Aces tests, but ends up with B's in classes because he doesn't turn in assigments, or does them in a "half-ass" way. I just don't know how to motivate him

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<p>Apparently chintzyboy has twins scattered around the globe! H and I have a slogan: "3.5 or you can't drive!" which we hope will help him get his act together. Now we just have to decide if that's weighted or unweighted!</p>

<p>Okay, triplets separated at birth!</p>

<p>I love the slogan, chintzy; mind if I borrow it in a couple of years?</p>

<p>:: passes around a plate of cookies and chocolate ::</p>

<p>School starts two weeks from yesterday here. Kid is back from camp; I picked him up on Friday, we spent the weekend in Ithaca, and since returning home, he's been on the computer except for the time he's been asleep or out with friends.</p>

<p>One book to read this summer for school, and he's not done with it yet. He's not crazy about it; there are three others on the list he could try, but I'm betting he will like those even less. We'll see! I think tomorrow is a day to go to the library. It'd be nice if today, we got all the camp-related laundry done and stuff put away, and I do mean we. So far, I seem to be the one doing it all; see "computer" above.</p>

<p>madbean, how are the driving lessons going? </p>

<p>bcnmom, how was CTY Ireland? How'd your son like Hungary?</p>

<p>Everyone else, how's the summer ending up? Kids back from being away? Volunteer hours planned been completed? Eagle Scout stuff accomplished? Have you purchased the PSAT prep books yet?!?! (I'm kidding about that last one!)</p>

<p>:: puts out brownies and cookies in case someone stops by ::</p>

<p>:: adds ice cream ::</p>

<p>Thanks for asking, owlice. S1 goes off to college a week from tomorrow. Wow. No req summer reading, but he enthusiastically read <em>in advance</em> a book req'd for comic book Freshman seminar. (Watchmen) LOL!!! On a more serious note, he is required to write an essay for his honors college writing class, and he was NOT happy about it. But it's done. Yay. I captured him for three days last week (no car, no gf) and all shopping/paperwork/prep was magically completed. And now he's feeling so free.</p>

<p>S2 is still doing online drivers ed--and is moaning about it all the time. Hope he finishes today. CA's got a crisis with our DMV (budget issues) and they have cut back hours so drastically we may have to camp out there for a week just to get him a permit. :)</p>

<p>He loves his summer job (high school bookstore). Has plans to buy himself a big screen tv. But just who was I kidding on the PSAT prep this summer? No way. No how. Sigh.</p>

<p>Thank you kindly, but I'll pass on the cookies and brownies. Watching calories. But I'll help myself to a biiig bowl of ice cream. :)</p>

<p>Ah! madbean, so S2 did get a summer job after all! Yay!!</p>

<p>Will your S2 take the PSAT in 10th grade? Since it doesn't count for anything in 10th, not prepping is okay, I think. He can see how he does and then, if he needs to prep for the test as a junior, will know how much and on what.</p>

<p>I'm going to join you in ice cream as soon as I find a fuse to go under my S and light it...</p>

<p>Ah, brownies, cookies and ice cream! Owlice, you certainly know how to lure us in. My son hasn't touched his summer reading book yet, and I don't expect he will until he absolutely has to. He is still working at his community service job. It involves lots of hard outdoor physical labor so he's sporting bigger muscles, quite the tan, and mosquito bites. Lots of mosquito bites. He thinks it has been worthwhile and will do it again next summer. He won't be doing any test prep, but will take the PSAT this fall just for the experience.</p>

<p>chintzyboy brought his summer reading book on vacation, so it is well-traveled, if not exactly well-read. He just announced his plans to travel either to Dublin or Cancun during his next school break to visit some girls he met on vacation. Would you list "playboy" as an EC or community service? Frankly he works at it like it's his job.......</p>

<p>I'd offer amaretto chocolate chip cookies, except that they got mailed off to D1 at camp. Food packages are verboten, but it's overlooked for the CITs, since they're the ones doing the package screening for food contraband. </p>

<p>Summer reading report is thumbs way way up on Dorian Grey (Gray?), not as enthused about Sense and Sensibility (everything else pales when compared to Pride and Prejudice). School starts 3 weeks from tomorrow.</p>

<p>Son has finished all his summer reading, now he just needs to tackle the reports. Spent a few weeks working as a CIT, several weeks at sports camp and just finished a week at boy scout camp. He has been playing basketball 5 nights a week on 2 leagues. He is a tall kid, 6'3" and would love to play bball this winter so he is working his butt off trying to improve his skills. Sports are very competitive at his school though, so even with all the playing time this summer, he may not make the school team. Football tryouts start next week and tryouts/practice go M-S. What is up with that? I can't believe labor day weekend he has a scrimmage, if he isn't already cut. Plus he needs to bring a check for $130 when he picks up his equipment so everyone in practice is wearing the same shirts/shorts and socks. So if he gets cut, he owns some expensive clothes I would rather have not bought. I expect he will make the football team, I am just a little peeved that practice clothes are required and cost so much. </p>

<p>He was invited by his freshman history teacher to work with him, another student and an alumni (or is it alumnus?) on a long term project researching deceased veterans that have attended his school since its inception around the time of the civil war. Since my son plans on majoring in history in college (long way off I know) I am tickled pink. I figure establishing a good relationship with this teacher may lead to a good rec when the time comes.</p>

<p>Joan</p>

<p>S2's school gives the PSAT to sophomores so he'll take that this Oct. He took one practice test in June (back when I had big hopes for a little work this summer on vocab). Hmm. Can I hope that a few months older will make a difference in score? lol.</p>

<p>Slithey, I loved all things Austen. Maybe I could reread S&S for your D?</p>

<p>chintzy, I think your S has only to start a "chick-magnet" club at school, become prez, and then teach skills to needy nerds as community service. Could be a big hook at certain (can't mention or might get flamed) colleges.</p>

<p>2blue, I visualize a great essay on mosquito bites in service to the community brewing!</p>