Dear Readers,
Sometimes I wish that I could do all and be all but I am not, will not and can not.
First I would like to apologize for the typographical errors in the last edition.
It was very difficult edition. I wanted to quit after it. I wanted to throw in the towel. The duty of compiling the information was overwhelming to say the least even though we received so many positive responses from the edition.
We will try to do better and next year it will be more organized. This was the first year that we did it and we started in February. We were getting information right up to the last minute and running out to take pictures. Next year we will not allow so much chaos.
I have printed an article in column “As I See It”. It was written by Wendy Weiss who wrote about amateurs vs. professional. I thought it would help a lot of people.
I have so much to say in this edition but I will let you know what is coming in future “Excuse me are you Listening?” columns. Of course, I will bring you the antics of Anissa and Amir. We have an added dynamic now that my 13 year old is home for the summer.
Teenage years are hard. I thought long and hard about whether to write about my high school experiences with my 13 year old and I will because there may be someone in the same boat as I am who may be able to give me advice.
He is my first teenager, I remember being a teenager and it was no fun for me. I just wanted to graduate so badly and did so at 17 with a year of college credits.
It seems like today, some children do not care if they are held back. It seems as though some parents do not care if their children are pushed ahead when they are not ready.
Gianni was pushed ahead two grades and I so regret it right now. He is not as mature as the 15 year olds in his grade. He just turned 13 in April.
I am not making excuses, but he worked really hard to embarrass me and his father last school year. Of course, I have not one bit of shame to my game so I will tell you about it. To most he is just doing regular kids stuff. However, I say to myself and aloud at times, “Why can he just be an exceptionally well behaved like the valedictorians in this edition on Page 6?”
I guess we will have to work on it. I don’t want to be below the radar when it comes to making our children responsible.
Gianni did not do himself any justice by hanging out with some students who did not care about whether or not he got an education.
They would tell him, “You don’t have to worry about it, you skipped two grades.”
True indeed, I am pretty open and a bit eccentric but the other students my son decided to hang around were “Gothics”. Hmm, you say to yourself. Hmm, I said aloud when I noticed that he was just wearing black clothes.
My response was to get rid of all of the black clothes, I could take the sagging pants and even the black clothes if he was doing well in school but he wasn’t doing well at all.
Hey, what was a concerned father and mother to do. Any advice? How do you teach children to be responsible, when you think you have done your best?
Sincerely,
Rina N. Risper
