If it helps any, tell him that my brother had the same problem growing up - probably even worse because he had some reading issues that caused him to have to spend every summer in summer school and to repeat one grade. BUT, my brother is now a CEO at a national company that is based locally (worked his way up from the bottom), travels all over the United States on a regular basis, and probably makes
at least twice what I make
(I've got a Master of Science degree, he has a high school diploma
). My brother probably takes some consolation in that now!
Your DS needs to come up with some really good story about his Sis to share with those well meaning busy bodies - something like, "yeah she is a good student but did you hear about her webbed toes"..........."her brain transplant" or just "yeah, but I am cuter" or "I am Mom's favorite" (all said in a conspiratoral whisper) etc... Your DS sounds like he has the sense of humor and good naturedness to come up with something really good and will be able to deliver it with a straight face. Basically a really nice way to say, hey back off!
Thanks for the thoughts; you do make some good points that are probably relevant for DS.
DD was always a teacher's dream, she was the most DRIVEN student I had ever seen. She started hyperventilating if her grade point average in a class dropped below a 97 (I kid you not). Polite and pleasant; a regular Miss Goody-Two-Shoes at school (she had her moments at home, believe me). The teachers loved her. On the negative side, she tended to not try new things because she couldn't be "perfect" at them the first time. Athletically, she excelled more as a youngster in soccer (her only sport) but became more of a "head case" when the leagues became competitive and that definitely hampered her. So she quit playing altogether when she turned 17.
DS is every bit as bright, but getting perfect grades isn't his thing. He is more of an "I'll study hard for the final exam at the end of the semester and ace it" (they count for 20% of your final grade at our school), pulling my high "B" up to a low "A". He is less of a people pleaser; more of a class clown, which drives some teachers nuts. Athletically, it took him years to find a sport that he loved. We tried soccer, baseball, football, track, karate, wrestling - and then along came lacrosse. Perfect match. He has good instincts and plays all out - not a "head case" at all. He's talking about playing lacrosse at college on a club team.
It just bugs me because you would think most administrators/teachers would want to think of these kids as individuals, not clones. And I know that they're probably trying to start a conversation and one way to do it is to talk about something/someone they know - DD. But it just makes DS defensive because he feels like he'll never "measure up" in their eyes. At home, we never make comparisons out loud (sometimes in bed at night, DH may talk about how one does something better than the other, etc., but we never say it to their faces).
Anyhow, I've talked THAT to death, haven't I?
I am feeling much better, although the cold is lingering still. As a result of the cold and the motorcycle trip to Nebraska, I haven't had the opportunity to get back into the pool. Hopefully that will change this weekend.
Brain Age, huh? I'd probably be around 75 most of the time lately!!!
Forgot to tell you about our excitement on the way back to Nebraska.
Just east of North Platte, we're riding along on the Harley, going about 82-83 mph. All of a sudden, two guys on crotch rockets blast by us going at least 120. Ten seconds later, there's a state patrolmen going by us going the same speed. Then 20 seconds later, another state patrolmen going that fast. Then 5 minutes later, another one. We don't see anything of them for almost 50 miles. Then, at the top of one of the interchanges, there's about 4 cop cars surrounding the motorcycles. One is down on the ground and they're carrying one of the drivers away on a stretcher. There are about 4 or 5 cop cars screaming toward us in the opposite direction, so they must have caught up to these guys not very much before we got there.
Guess that's what happens when you try and outrun those Nebraska boys. Think Dukes of Hazard with badges!!!
Glad that Tigger is feeling better, Horseshowmom. I can't believe that the dog WET on his cage!!
Melissa, any word on the new teacher situation?
Well, back to work. Have a great day, all!!
). She really loves showing, she just lets it get to her sometimes. I'm hoping that when she gets out of college, she'll mellow out some. 
From now on, I'm putting him in the kennel for 30 minutes, and he can go while he's in there whether he likes it or not, because he's making me crazy! 
(BTW, he's short haired, but I think the long haired ones are adorable!)
Drives me nuts. And of course, you can't say anything because then you're criticizing him and he was trying to help.
