I met my kid at her middle school after dismissal–outside the building…
She seems OK.
She wants to go home. But, she wants to walk. She doesn’t want to jump right on to a bus or a train.
We stopped at Aeropostale. She chose one t-shirt to purchase. She doesn’t seem to feel the need to purchase a whole new wardrobe and turn into a completely different person–which I, as a parent -without much to to on- take as a good sign.
She doesn’t want to stop at the diner. She doesn’t want to talk to me. A soda and chips from the deli will suffice.
At home she goes into her room.
Processing…???
I get a call from her “advisor” at the new school. They have “advisory” at this new school. The adult teacher person has been assigned 12 students to keep track of over the coming school year. She called me to give me her cell phone number and e-mail address. This is very encouraging. I had an awful time in 6th grade and I graduated from elementary school at the end to 8th grade. The building didn’t change. The schedule didn’t change. Nothing changed except for the fact that the 6th, 7th and 8th graders were all going through puberty… All I can say is I”m glad my kid, and all the other kids in the building have been assigned specific grown-ups to talk to about whatever is going on before anything has been identified as a “problem”. Because there will be problems. Bodies will change size and shape. Boys will cease to be “the enemy”. The realization will set in just how much school there is left to get through if one wants to become a doctor or a scientist or anything else…