Graduation

Bobby graduated from elementary school on Monday. Much to my surprise and delight, he won the Presidential Gold award for academic excellence, which I’m still beaming about. Since the information about graduation was hard to come by, I wasn’t really prepared for what a big deal it would be - we didn’t have any nice clothes (Bobby’s outgrown all his button up shirts) so he was one of only a few kids not in a suit or nice shirt, and we didn’t have flowers or leis or balloons. BUT I got my sister here from Florida, got tickets, got us all there on time, bought presents (a Devo shirt and a Kraftwerk shirt), made a cake with a customized Kermit, and made dinner plans. Next time I’ll make sure everyone has a decent shirt. 

It’s been a non-stop whirlwind since Friday - my sister came in late that night, then the H and I went to an all day punk festival that was awesome but destroyed my body and melted my brain, then Sunday Bobby had a class get together at a park and then I had to go sing at Knott’s, then get up early Monday for the graduation, then yesterday I opted to keep both kids home from the last day of school because who cares anymore, then went to a class get together for Theo where none of the parents talked to me, and today and tomorrow there are more friend get togethers. Needless to say, my exercise and diet have been suffering, which is causing me some anxiety, sigh.

Yesterday my sister and I hiked up by the old school and saw they were doing the traditional last day of school whiffle ball game, and I saw a bunch of Bobby’s old friends participating, and I teared up a bit. I realized I haven’t been doing that hike because it breaks my heart a little bit to see the boys’ old school. Things would have been so different if they had stayed there. Bobby graduating from the school he’d been in since kindergarten, where I knew all the parents and had watched all the kids grow up, would have been very emotional. I don’t think either of us felt much about graduating from a school Bobby had only been in for one year. 

However, it was still a great day, and I’m very proud of all he accomplished. With Theo still having two years at the new school, I’m going to try to lean in a little more and get involved over there - it’s my tendency to detach from places when I know they’re about to end (childhood trauma); for his sake, I feel like I need to focus on his remaining time there. 

Slight exaggeration - actually two mothers talked to me at Theo’s class get together, people I’d met before, and they both have older kids that just completed their first year at the jr high. Sadly, it did not go well for them. They struggled, couldn’t keep up with the work, were overwhelmed. To say that was hard to hear is an understatement. Bobby already had a hard time remembering to get things done on time this year - he stubbornly refused to write assignments down in his planner no matter how many times I cajoled him - so I’m concerned he’s going to go the same route as these kids. I guess it’s just a heads up to me that I need to have his info on my computer and need to check in weekly that he’s turning things in and getting decent grades. I had a hands off policy with his current class, but maybe I have to be more vigilant next year. Luckily both parents said their kids did fine socially. So there’s that.

One parent gave me the suggestion of having Theo walk with friends to the nearby library to wait to be picked up after school, which would solve the problem of how to pick up the kids an hour apart. Apparently their kids did this all last year and it worked out. So I’ll give that a try. I’m a bit concerned about 5th grade boys raising hell and driving the librarians crazy, but Theo’s a good kid - if I lay down expectations I’m fairly confident he’ll not be a nightmare over there. One good thing, it’ll make my days a little longer - I gain an hour each day (Bobby won’t get out until 3:30, which means a pick up more like 3:45), different from the 2:45 I’ve been doing all year. So there’s that. Now, on to summer!