The Rationalist and his fellow teammates came in third place in their school's Battle of the Books contest. I was pleased that they at least placed. The Rationalist has been a part of many competitions and always missed making it into the top three.
Next week brings the Math Bowl for The Intuitive, a nerve-wracking, timed competition that is torture for me to watch. I can't handle hearing the beeping timer and watching the team members arguing about the right answer while they lose time, which also means they earn less points.
The Rationalist has become a SPIT--Safety Patrol In Training--following in my elementary footsteps. I have yet to tell him I got kicked out of the Safety Patrols for being a serial procrastinator who never turned in homework. Maybe I'll keep that to myself. Knowing my son, I'd lose all respect in his eyes.
The Rationalist was born to be an enforcer. I'm hoping becoming a Patrol doesn't reinforce the negative aspects of that personality trait. He already sees himself as the third parent in the house...no matter how many times I remind him that he isn't.
3 comments:
Good looking kid! As well as smart...The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
I eventually learned to go sit in the car and pray during tense events for my children. They didn't feel abandoned. They understood once explained. In fact, when it came to basketball, my second son was quite relieved to have me out of there.
Terri, didn't mean to be flip. I found that one of my kids was calm and just wanted me to stop fussing or stay out of sight if I was going to be nervous, as she wasn't (she's the one who I always think over-confident, who I worry will be terribly disappointed when things don't go as she expects....and then they go better). She is optimistic and things go well for her.
My other one would be a bundle of nerves, and I with her, and then she would be so focussed during the show/classics competition or whatever that I would be amazed.
It seems long ago now. I find it harder to figure out the boundaries now they are college aged. When I try to let them have space and independence they feel neglected, but when I try to be supportive they feel crowded...We are a loving family, but their launching is a real loss for me. Not least because I more or less abandonned doing everything I trained for and valued for twenty years and now feel a bit like Rip Van Winkel. Too old for the vocations I would like to pursue, and not sure where to go with my life, which in turn makes me worry too much about the kids.
It is corny, but I think kids are helped by happy, fulfilled parents. My own vocational and personal distress (having to become the breadwinner in an unrelated line of work) has had a rather negative impact on my kids. You know, if Mom ain't happy, ain't nobody happy...
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