Children's choir, first of all, is on a year-long hiatus, and all I can say about that is YIPPIE! Forced break and I will take it.
I had talked with Kate about maybe not signing back up at her gymnastics academy ("academy") this year, because... many reasons. Long story short,
- She didn't always have fun or want to go.
- She left class hurt several times. Nothing serious, but still. Back hurting. Neck hurting. Doesn't seem so good.
- Lack of progress.
Yes, she has learned to do a back walkover and her cartwheels have certainly improved since she was 5 years old. But to pay actual money every month and not really see her gain new skills or experiences from it...? I don't know. I feel like it has stalled out.
She and I had a kid-sized discussion about it earlier this summer, and I thought she agreed with me. So when it came time to register, I just... didn't. And now she has asked to go back. Luckily I guess, there's room in the class. It's not that expensive, and if she wants to do it, I want to encourage her. But when I asked if maybe she wanted to step it up and try a different studio (she'd mentioned cheerleading/dance as possible activities, too), she declined.
Anyway, that will start up again on Thursdays.
And basketball registration was this week, and practices will begin in October. I'm okay with basketball. It's school-sponsored and I do love Team Spirit. :)
Both kids are taking piano lessons, Wednesday nights right before bedtime (7:45-8:45). I feel like Kate's heart isn't in it. I think Alex's still IS. Neither one of them practices like I think they should. But let's talk about Alex for a minute...
Just how easy do I let him take things, now that he's in high school? I don't want to be a pushy Mom, but I need him to put in a little effort and get involved in something. (Not to mention those pesky college applications, which the high school counselors already won't stop talking about.) It's not news to him; we have told him all along that he'll want/need to join at least one club, simply to meet people. Well, we're a month in, and he hasn't really even thought about it from what I can tell. He sits alone at lunch, we've learned, and has come to some peace about that. But I am NOT at peace about it! Every time I mention clubs to him, though, I feel like a nag.
Parenting teenagers isn't as easy as it looks!
I just checked a couple of club pages on his school's website. So, okay, I didn't really see anything that was too interesting. He can be a Wrestling team manager. Or a videographer for the football team. Or a Young Democrat/Republican. (No.) Bother. What can I get him jazzed about? A/V production (the school 'TV' broadcast)? Service Clubs? History Club?
He's taking the Band class, but he isn't in marching band. Not sure I WANT him in that, frankly; it's super expensive and time-intensive, although the camaraderie can't be topped, from what I understand. We'll see, I guess, where this year leads. I know he's enjoying the challenge of it, compared to middle school band.
What did you do in high school? I was a cheerleader, and was lucky that tryouts happened just before school began, so I came in with a couple of new friends immediately. Also, my school was 72% smaller than his (gigantic public) school.
3 comments:
Ooh, just the stuff I'm in the thick of. Let's see ... after I finally quit playing basketball, I did a service club (always a good thing), the school play, the newspaper, and by far the most fun -- I think it was called Forensics? It was this series of competitions that included a debate team and oral interpretation -- those are two of the things I competed in. (I've given up on the whole sentence-ending preposition thing, btw.) I LOVED the debate team. If standing up and talking isn't his thing, I seem to recall that each two-person team had a speaker and a researcher -- because I know my partner never spoke. I'm with you, though -- I had 100 people in my graduating class. I have no idea what a HUMONGOUS high school will be like for Madison. Right now, she is LOVING band -- but it's a class. And she is tolerating volleyball, which has a really short season. She has nothing planned for when volleyball ends. A play is starting soon but she says she can't do it and do volleyball. But I don't think it's the school play. I think it's a play at a community theatre which is acting like it's a school organization -- confusing and kinda annoying actually. And I'm rambling. I'll think some more.
I did a version of Forensics in middle school - we called it "speech" because a lot of the events were memorized monologues or sometimes two people (I remember one year doing "Who's On First?"). It was SO fun. We didn't have debate as part of it, but I'm impressed you did that!
What instrument is Madison playing?? So fun. I am jealous; never got to be in a band. I hope she will DO the play! Tell her it's in her DNA! :) :)
Sorry for the months late comment. Just dropped in to see how things were going with you.
Hope things are going smoothly for Alex in high school and that he and you are adapting to and enjoying life at a big public high school after Catholic grade school. Sophie is at a large public high school too, but it's not such a shock since she switched to public school in middle school.
Always "fun" figuring out the activities. As far as school-sponsored activities, Sophie is just doing D&D club (~1.5 hours per week). She is doing 2 ensembles with the Pittsburgh Girls Choir (they are traveling to Germany this summer!) and still doing roller derby twice a week and Girl Scouts a few times a month, so I'm not really sure she can handle any more extracurriculars. I wish she would have done Marching Band, like I did, but she quit saxophone about 1 year ago. I think she may consider doing the school musical eventually, but not this year. I was in the stage crew for 1 musical and chorus for 2 others, and she sings far better than I do. I'm trying not to push, but I think she would love it.
Peter was sidelined from so much this fall as his broken leg healed. He moved from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and we are just wrapping up a Lego Robotics club. He continues to play piano and started playing clarinet, and I continue to try to gently nag him to practice. So conflicted on the practice reminders. I hate being a nag about it, but I also hate paying for lessons and instrument rental if no practicing is occurring. They stopped offering musical theater club at his school (one teacher left and the other is unhappy about an increase in the % of the fees that the school is taking). He has resisted other theater options in the area, but I'll keep suggesting them to him. I really think music and theater are going to be his niche, but I don't think he sees this.
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