I remember my freshman year in h.s. so well. Singing "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" all the way to and back from Chicago on the bus for a science field trip, crying the whole time back because a girlfriend was sitting with who I wanted to be my boyfriend. Such drama! I suppose I forgot a few things but since Mom had no car during the day, too bad so sad. I'm old enough to remember learning to type on manual typewriters and our kids are old enough to not ever having any phones or iPads to use so technology really has come such a long way. Well, wait, I guess our youngest when in the 4th grade got to type on one of those old Apple computers that first became available. Her first typed sentence was: "My favorite part of school is lunch."
Leavi.ng cell phones at the door like cowboys leaving guns at a saloon. Powerful words in lieu of all the children in schools who have been slaughtered. Aside from appears you are going through what most of us have or some are going to. I do not agree children's dreams should be diminished. Ever. If your daughter longs to be a prima ballerina ... buy the shoes and if she flops. Hug Her.
Awe Betsy is in high school! Such an exciting time. She'll pave the way for the next 3. It will shock you how soon you'll be standing in a stadium or gym for her graduation. Yes enjoy being needed! It's a crazy and fun 4 years. For you, more like a decade plus before Waffle dons the grad cap. Happy you appreciate this time! Such a funny and nostalgic one today. Still adjusting to empty nesting here. Loved it!
Though I'm not a longtime follower, I still can't believe it went so fast, but I will adapt fast to Betsy being in high school, who I have no doubt is gonna achieve a lot while in there.
I smiled a lot throughout this newsletter, remembering how my beginnings in high school looked like. Mine had no orientation Tour, because it was small and I knew the place well, having my junior high two buildings down the Street, but few larger neighbouring ones did those, with a prestigious private one my cousins went to organising even an orientation/integration camp during the last week of summer holidays. We weren't issued school tablets, even getting public funds for books was a rare occasion. The only time electronic devices were handed in my country was when few years ago there was a government program colloquially known under the name "laptops for fourth graders", but it was ill-fated. The laptops were of poor quality and soon many "smart" parents tried to sell them despite each laptop being sealed with the coat of arms and prohibited to be sold for five years).
I am as well team Android, however it didn't matter in the eyes of any school I went to, as their stance on phones varied within unfavourable view. As far as I know, the law for many years now is stating that terms of using phones in the school are regulated by its rulebook, however taking someones Phone or other device would be considered a theft. I remember checking the acts on it very carefully when in my junior year the Staff wanted to enforce the "phone box" for all classrooms. Ultimately the Staff, parents and the pupils reached (after few months) a compromise that the box won't be enforced and use of phones would be allowed during breaks and sometimes permitted by teachers during classes in order to search sources for tasks, but nobody was eager to give up. That's why with many of my friends we ignored that box or bypassed the ban by using consoles or tablets instead.
As for sports, I was awful at them since primary school, so I bailed out of them, opting to participate in intellectual and group project competitions, where I excelled. And I have it similar when it comes to leaving somewhere my phone - it takes me some time to figurę its location when left in mute and not in one of my regularnie spots.
Looks like cell phones in the classroom are an issue everywhere in the world. I'm glad the parents and staff were able to reach a compromise. I don't think the cell phone pouches will be a big deal here, beyond the risk of kids forgetting their phones in class. I'm sure that will cause more than a few crises. You made a good call on bailing on sports early. Looking back, for all the time they took, I don't think they were worth it.
My kid's school systems is going to be using Yondr pouches this year. The older kids will bring them home, the younger ones, like mine, will leave the pouches in school. My kid expects to leave her phone in her locker instead. I'm not sure that allowed yet. I guess we'll find out. School doesn't start here for another couple of weeks.
My high school was 2000 kids, about 500 kids in each grade. It was a good time. Still in friends a lot of those school mates.
Similar story—granddaughter is high school freshman volleyball player (but “Betsy” is her mother’s name), so I am curious: What book was required reading for your Betsy over the summer?
“Then he hit us with the opposite truth and told us that level of skill is pointless. In his twenty-seven years administering high school, he’s seen two kids get full ride athletic scholarships. Everybody else gets partial money to a small school they didn’t really want to go to. The kids usually drop the sport and the college after the first year. “
FACTS !!! This was the experience of every high school athlete in daughter’s class 10 years ago!
high school staff should lay it out like this. #RealTalk.
It will go so fast your head will swim! When mine were in HS, I was working a graveyard shift. I hated that I missed so much due to me being an absolute zombie. Enjoy youngman…these will be the fastest years of your life 😞
"Don't blink or you'll miss it" is what I tell all parents with a freshman in high school. I don't know why, but those years seemed to fly by faster than the previous ones. Enjoy it while it lasts!
As always a few laugh out loud reactions to your masterful way with words. Thank you James 😀
Your storytelling is very entertaining!
I remember my freshman year in h.s. so well. Singing "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" all the way to and back from Chicago on the bus for a science field trip, crying the whole time back because a girlfriend was sitting with who I wanted to be my boyfriend. Such drama! I suppose I forgot a few things but since Mom had no car during the day, too bad so sad. I'm old enough to remember learning to type on manual typewriters and our kids are old enough to not ever having any phones or iPads to use so technology really has come such a long way. Well, wait, I guess our youngest when in the 4th grade got to type on one of those old Apple computers that first became available. Her first typed sentence was: "My favorite part of school is lunch."
I hope Betsy has a terrific freshman year!
Some things never change. The best part of school is still lunch! All my kids would agree.
Leavi.ng cell phones at the door like cowboys leaving guns at a saloon. Powerful words in lieu of all the children in schools who have been slaughtered. Aside from appears you are going through what most of us have or some are going to. I do not agree children's dreams should be diminished. Ever. If your daughter longs to be a prima ballerina ... buy the shoes and if she flops. Hug Her.
Awe Betsy is in high school! Such an exciting time. She'll pave the way for the next 3. It will shock you how soon you'll be standing in a stadium or gym for her graduation. Yes enjoy being needed! It's a crazy and fun 4 years. For you, more like a decade plus before Waffle dons the grad cap. Happy you appreciate this time! Such a funny and nostalgic one today. Still adjusting to empty nesting here. Loved it!
That's what scares me. I'll blink and they'll all be through graduation and out on their own. At least I'll still have the pigs to keep me company.
[Insert the "so it begins" meme]
Though I'm not a longtime follower, I still can't believe it went so fast, but I will adapt fast to Betsy being in high school, who I have no doubt is gonna achieve a lot while in there.
I smiled a lot throughout this newsletter, remembering how my beginnings in high school looked like. Mine had no orientation Tour, because it was small and I knew the place well, having my junior high two buildings down the Street, but few larger neighbouring ones did those, with a prestigious private one my cousins went to organising even an orientation/integration camp during the last week of summer holidays. We weren't issued school tablets, even getting public funds for books was a rare occasion. The only time electronic devices were handed in my country was when few years ago there was a government program colloquially known under the name "laptops for fourth graders", but it was ill-fated. The laptops were of poor quality and soon many "smart" parents tried to sell them despite each laptop being sealed with the coat of arms and prohibited to be sold for five years).
I am as well team Android, however it didn't matter in the eyes of any school I went to, as their stance on phones varied within unfavourable view. As far as I know, the law for many years now is stating that terms of using phones in the school are regulated by its rulebook, however taking someones Phone or other device would be considered a theft. I remember checking the acts on it very carefully when in my junior year the Staff wanted to enforce the "phone box" for all classrooms. Ultimately the Staff, parents and the pupils reached (after few months) a compromise that the box won't be enforced and use of phones would be allowed during breaks and sometimes permitted by teachers during classes in order to search sources for tasks, but nobody was eager to give up. That's why with many of my friends we ignored that box or bypassed the ban by using consoles or tablets instead.
As for sports, I was awful at them since primary school, so I bailed out of them, opting to participate in intellectual and group project competitions, where I excelled. And I have it similar when it comes to leaving somewhere my phone - it takes me some time to figurę its location when left in mute and not in one of my regularnie spots.
Looks like cell phones in the classroom are an issue everywhere in the world. I'm glad the parents and staff were able to reach a compromise. I don't think the cell phone pouches will be a big deal here, beyond the risk of kids forgetting their phones in class. I'm sure that will cause more than a few crises. You made a good call on bailing on sports early. Looking back, for all the time they took, I don't think they were worth it.
My kid's school systems is going to be using Yondr pouches this year. The older kids will bring them home, the younger ones, like mine, will leave the pouches in school. My kid expects to leave her phone in her locker instead. I'm not sure that allowed yet. I guess we'll find out. School doesn't start here for another couple of weeks.
My high school was 2000 kids, about 500 kids in each grade. It was a good time. Still in friends a lot of those school mates.
That's so many kids. Does your class do reunions? You'd need to rend out a concert venue just to meet up.
We did some reunions, but my class in particular really scattered to the 4 winds. The 20th reunion had some 50 or so people show up. lol
Similar story—granddaughter is high school freshman volleyball player (but “Betsy” is her mother’s name), so I am curious: What book was required reading for your Betsy over the summer?
She could pick any autobiography she wanted. She did not pick my memoirish book. I tried not to take that personally.
Interesting. Granddaughter read Fahrenheit 451.
...She would simply like to get to college at all.
Is this written correctly?
“Then he hit us with the opposite truth and told us that level of skill is pointless. In his twenty-seven years administering high school, he’s seen two kids get full ride athletic scholarships. Everybody else gets partial money to a small school they didn’t really want to go to. The kids usually drop the sport and the college after the first year. “
FACTS !!! This was the experience of every high school athlete in daughter’s class 10 years ago!
high school staff should lay it out like this. #RealTalk.
It will go so fast your head will swim! When mine were in HS, I was working a graveyard shift. I hated that I missed so much due to me being an absolute zombie. Enjoy youngman…these will be the fastest years of your life 😞
The last fourteen have been pretty fast as well. I can't imagine they'll be slowing down any time soon.
"Don't blink or you'll miss it" is what I tell all parents with a freshman in high school. I don't know why, but those years seemed to fly by faster than the previous ones. Enjoy it while it lasts!