Parents of the Class of 2019

[Colleen27]

my daughter is 14 and a freshman. She says she wants to go to college for Art. Her elective is Art and she spends a lot of time at home drawing and painting.

She doesn't seem to get much homework so far. Good luck to everyones kids that have midterms coming up. Ours start this Friday.

I actually have two kids in high school this year. My other daughter is a Senior.

Our midterms start tomorrow - actually, they started today but only for first hour which is gym/no exam - and DD is making me crazy. She's so convinced this is "different" from middle school tests and I think she's going to find that she's built it up to be much worse than it is.

On the bright side, she's got a ski trip starting on Friday and then winter formal coming up in a couple weeks so she's got plenty of unwinding to look forward to.

 

[dotfurio]

Our midterms were finished by Christmas break. She has winter formal on Saturday. There's drama going on though, so I'm not even sure she's going. Have to see how things play out this week.

 

[mom2grace]

Good that he's going. Okay to go with just the guys! My girls had homecoming last weekend and had a great time. DD14 had a "date" which was just a guy from her friend group. However, she felt at the football game and at the dance that he acted like it was more than going just as friends. She does not want to be more than friends. I'm not sure if he likes her in that way, or if his mom was just coaching him on being a good "date".

Overall though, it was a fun week of activities. The freshman class beat every other grade at tug-of-war on Friday, which surprised me until DD reminded me that they are at least 20 kids larger than any other grade (50 kids in other grades, 70+ freshmen). Coronation was fun to watch, the kids all do funny things as they are introduced.

In other news, DD14 got a decent part in the school play. They are doing Hillbilly Wedding and she is the 5th sister, named "Five". She was hoping for a bigger part, but is happy that a senior girl she looks up to is "Four" and she can get to hang out with her. Also, her crush has a major role (playing her Pa), so here's a chance to be around him. They are the only freshmen with significant roles. Getting her to practices is going to be a bear. I thought the first night last night would be short, so I did a couple of errands and then sat in front of the school (it's 11 miles from home). It was 2.5 hours. I was so bored with the games on my phone! The problem with going home is that we won't know an end time, so it'd be 15 minutes from the time she texts till I get there, but I think I will go home most of the time. Some of the time, DD16 will take her and hang out at her boyfriend's until practice is over, so that will help.

I have a freshman who does after school stuff. After sitting in the school parking lot a few too many times, we now wait for her to text us! We are about 10-15 minutes away. She's fine with this new plan, better than cranky mom & dad when she gets into the car. She's young and won't be able to drive until halfway through her junior year, ugh!

 

[PollyannaMom]

My DS embarks on his first midterms this week as well. He's nervous about three, and feels OK about the other three. I hope he finds them easier than expected (but not so easy he doesn't study next time!)

 

[mom2rtk]

Wow, it's interesting to hear everyone's schedules. I'm guessing a lot of you didn't start until after Labor Day My daughter is almost 2 weeks into her second semester.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We're well into 2nd semester here as well - started on the 4th. Finals were before Christmas. DD has some classes that are a semester only, and some that are a full year. But, grades start fresh each semester regardless. Historically, English is her best subject, math her weakest. But, she's acing Geometry & just "getting by" in English LOL.

The women's select choir opened to freshmen for the first time this year (they graduated a TON of seniors last year & had more openings than normal). DD & her best friend both made it in, and she's enjoying that. DD is an alto & singing mostly with older girls, so she's made some new friends there She's also in a weekly animae (sp?) club which she really likes.

 

[deedeetoo]

Our midterms are next week. Spring semester starts Feb 1.

My son is mainly involved in sports. He played soccer in the fall and is now playing basketball. Both are everyday after school, plus practices on the weekend.. Now that it is basketball season he is getting home about 6:30 when there is no game, and usually not until after 8 when they have games. Its a huge time commitment. I wish he would pay as much attention to his studies as his sports but that is just not how he is wired. I'm not looking forward to seeing the first semester grades. Last update I saw he had 2 C's and the rest B's. He gets A's on all homework, projects, papers, etc, and then blows the tests. If we made him quit the sports teams I don't think he would spend more time studying, he would just be shooting hoops on the driveway. We're still trying to figure out how to motivate him.

 

[soccerdad72]

Midterms for DS were last week - 2 exams on each day Wed - Fri last week. He was done each day by noon, though, so he was able to come home and get 3-4 hours of studying done in the afternoon before anyone else got home. Sounds like things went well for him - report cards don't come out until next week, though.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Wow, it's interesting to hear everyone's schedules. I'm guessing a lot of you didn't start until after Labor Day My daughter is almost 2 weeks into her second semester.

That is correct. We actually just went back to starting after Labor Day. For a long time, we started the week before.

 

[mjkacmom]

We are nearing the end of the second marking period. Dd14 got a 89 in algebra 2 last marking period, keeping her off the high honor roll for the first time ever. Now she has A's in every subject except honors English, again, a 89. She still has a week to get it up.

She is super busy, with 5 nights of dance (2 1/2 hours a night, plus she teaches a class and gives some privates), and got a part in the HS play (she didn't want a part, she wanted to be in the dance ensemble, but she got a callback - the part is small, less time on the stage than the dancers - lol). None of her friends made it in at all (not many freshman), but she likes the kids (including her brother). Practices are right after school, so not a big conflict.

She lettered in cross country, ended up being the 3rd fastest girl on the team. Ended up injured towards the middle of the season (apparently, according to the ortho, daily cross country, followed by dance, isn't such a great idea - she will have to mix and match some next year).

She is gearing up for a major dance competition in Scotland in March. She will miss 4 days of school, which stinks. She missed 5 in the fall for a competition in Ireland, and it was really tough to make up the work. Fortunately, she is super type A, and will get it done (ds17 would be lost).

Knock on wood, no friend issues, no drama... She plans on running track in the spring, I think being busy helps avoid drama.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Our midterms are next week. Spring semester starts Feb 1.

My son is mainly involved in sports. He played soccer in the fall and is now playing basketball. Both are everyday after school, plus practices on the weekend.. Now that it is basketball season he is getting home about 6:30 when there is no game, and usually not until after 8 when they have games. Its a huge time commitment. I wish he would pay as much attention to his studies as his sports but that is just not how he is wired. I'm not looking forward to seeing the first semester grades. Last update I saw he had 2 C's and the rest B's. He gets A's on all homework, projects, papers, etc, and then blows the tests. If we made him quit the sports teams I don't think he would spend more time studying, he would just be shooting hoops on the driveway. We're still trying to figure out how to motivate him.

There's always good old bribery! - You could promise to take him to a college or pro game if he gets so many A's on his report card.

Seriously, though, find out what his optimal study style is. Not all kids remember things from just reading notes. Some do well with little cards posted on the bathroom mirror, so they see the things they are supposed to memorize frequently. Some do well hearing things out loud. - You can have them read their notes into an old-fashioned tape recorder and play them back while they're doing chores (or even shooting baskets!) My own does well with moving things around. - Instead of making two-sided flash cards like I remember from school, he likes having, for example, the vocabulary word and definition on two different cards, so he can mix them up and then physically match them.

 

[bjscheel]

I have a freshman who does after school stuff. After sitting in the school parking lot a few too many times, we now wait for her to text us! We are about 10-15 minutes away. She's fine with this new plan, better than cranky mom & dad when she gets into the car. She's young and won't be able to drive until halfway through her junior year, ugh!

We do some of that too. Right now it's one act play for Speech Contest. She said the kids who drive wait in the commons till everyone else gets picked up, so a 15 minute wait is fine. She loves hanging out with them anyway. Soccer season is going to be awful since her sister is in track at the same time. Track practice is over at 5:00. Soccer practice is over at 6:00. And sometimes they practice in another town and when returning to the school, they'd pass within a mile of our house but I suppose the bus stopping on the highway to let her out is out of the question! DD17 can drive but we do like to carpool as much as we can.

DD14 is young too, but she has her learner's permit and after she takes drivers ed this summer, she can have a school permit for sophomore year. She shouldn't need it much until maybe soccer season of sophomore year.

 

[deedeetoo]

DD14 is young too, but she has her learner's permit and after she takes drivers ed this summer, she can have a school permit for sophomore year. She shouldn't need it much until maybe soccer season of sophomore year.

Wow you can get learner's permits at 14? Here you can't get it until after you turn 16. Normal progression is driver's ed right before 16th birthday (15 years 9 months is the minimum age). At 16 they can take the written test and get their permit. With the permit it becomes legal for them to actually learn to drive. They can take the road test 6 months after getting their permit, so 16 1/2 at the earliest for having a license and being able to drive themselves around.

 

[bjscheel]

Wow you can get learner's permits at 14? Here you can't get it until after you turn 16. Normal progression is driver's ed right before 16th birthday (15 years 9 months is the minimum age). At 16 they can take the written test and get their permit. With the permit it becomes legal for them to actually learn to drive. They can take the road test 6 months after getting their permit, so 16 1/2 at the earliest for having a license and being able to drive themselves around.

Yep, learners permit at 14, drivers ed anytime after that, school permit (drive alone directly between home and school only) after having learners permit for 6 months and having passed drivers ed. License at 16 with some restrictions.

 

[mjkacmom]

Wow you can get learner's permits at 14? Here you can't get it until after you turn 16. Normal progression is driver's ed right before 16th birthday (15 years 9 months is the minimum age). At 16 they can take the written test and get their permit. With the permit it becomes legal for them to actually learn to drive. They can take the road test 6 months after getting their permit, so 16 1/2 at the earliest for having a license and being able to drive themselves around.

Here it's 17 to get s provisional license (only 1 passenger, curfew). Thank goodness, because dd would never be able to reach the pedals - she's lucky if she doesn't deactivate the air bags.

 

[KristiMc]

In Ohio they can get their permit at 15 1/2. My son has an end of April birthday so he will be one of the last ones getting his permit.

 

[soccerdad72]

In Ohio they can get their permit at 15 1/2. My son has an end of April birthday so he will be one of the last ones getting his permit.

My son's a September birthday, so he's planning on taking his permit test in a couple months.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

My daughter will be 17 when she gets her license. Permit at 16 and here in PA it's recently changed from 6 mos to now 1 year of driving with permit before you are allowed to take the driver's test.

 

[soccerdad72]

First semester report cards are in, and we're torn. Our son got a 4.06, which is obviously a very good result - high honors.

The problem is that he went into the midterms with a 4.15 and of his 6 midterm exams, 4 of them ended up being B or below, including a D on his midterm in Algebra II/Trig. He took an A down to a B+ with one exam on that one.

We're hoping that this is a wake up call that despite what he thought was a lot of studying for these exams, either he didn't study enough or didn't use his time wisely enough.

 

[PollyannaMom]

First semester report cards are in, and we're torn. Our son got a 4.06, which is obviously a very good result - high honors.

The problem is that he went into the midterms with a 4.15 and of his 6 midterm exams, 4 of them ended up being B or below, including a D on his midterm in Algebra II/Trig. He took an A down to a B+ with one exam on that one.

We're hoping that this is a wake up call that despite what he thought was a lot of studying for these exams, either he didn't study enough or didn't use his time wisely enough.

First midterms can be a shock. The kids really don't know what to expect.

Mine would be upset with a D too, but I'd remind him that he must have done great overall if that only brought him "down" to a B+. (Lots of kids would be thrilled to have a test bring them "up" to that!)