Adaptation
I picked our kiddo up from school today at about 12:45. Well, not really: I picked him up from the Starbucks a short scoot away from school. To borrow a phrase from Pushing Daisies, the facts are these:
The first day of school for everyone is actually tomorrow; today was an orientation session to get kids who had never had to manage a seven period schedule familiar with the process, the locations, their lockers, etc. I think it's a bloody good idea and wish I had had such a thing when I was a seventh grade nothing. It was intended to be a way to lessen the stress involved with such a big change.
For our son, it was a bigger change than most. He was not only changing to a new mode of pedagogy, he was also in a school where he knew no one. He was about 30 miles south of where he had last been a schoolkid, he has only been in our home for about five months, and he has been through more shite in his young life than most do in a lifetime. It was no surprise when I got a call around 10:20 that he needed his antacids. I took him his pill, bucked him up to finish out the day, and headed home.
When pickup time came around, I drove to the end of the parent-pickup line and texted him. When he got out, he texted back to pick him up at the aforementioned Starbucks. We had brought his scooter with him to school this morning with the intention of allowing him to scoot all the way home (about 15 minutes uphill); he deemed it too hot today for that. I was going to be nearby regardless to ensure he knew the way, hence the line, so I was able to accommodate him.
So, 'first' day accomplished. He is happily chatting away on his headset with fellow gamers as I type this. The hatches are still battened, though, as tomorrow IS another day.
The first day of school for everyone is actually tomorrow; today was an orientation session to get kids who had never had to manage a seven period schedule familiar with the process, the locations, their lockers, etc. I think it's a bloody good idea and wish I had had such a thing when I was a seventh grade nothing. It was intended to be a way to lessen the stress involved with such a big change.
For our son, it was a bigger change than most. He was not only changing to a new mode of pedagogy, he was also in a school where he knew no one. He was about 30 miles south of where he had last been a schoolkid, he has only been in our home for about five months, and he has been through more shite in his young life than most do in a lifetime. It was no surprise when I got a call around 10:20 that he needed his antacids. I took him his pill, bucked him up to finish out the day, and headed home.
When pickup time came around, I drove to the end of the parent-pickup line and texted him. When he got out, he texted back to pick him up at the aforementioned Starbucks. We had brought his scooter with him to school this morning with the intention of allowing him to scoot all the way home (about 15 minutes uphill); he deemed it too hot today for that. I was going to be nearby regardless to ensure he knew the way, hence the line, so I was able to accommodate him.
So, 'first' day accomplished. He is happily chatting away on his headset with fellow gamers as I type this. The hatches are still battened, though, as tomorrow IS another day.