bravery defined

As parents of a fifth grader, we've had a number of opportunities of late to start learning about middle school. After all, next year, our little girl will go from being at the top of the food chain to the very bottom. This is a rite of passage for every fifth grader (and, later, for every eighth grader), and we've accepted it as fact. We've also accepted, based on where we live, that our daughter will be going to the local middle school. That second assumption may need to be revisited. Our county offers a number of special programs, including a very selective math & science program. This program, held at one of the other middle schools in the area, offers students with an interest in math & science to apply for admittance. The program only selects a dozen or so individuals per year, so acceptance is a long shot at best, but what impressed me is that my daughter is excited to apply. Knowing that she would be leaving behind her friends and a comfortable path, she wants to push herself and really explore the possibility within this program. This cannot be an easy thing to do, let alone for a ten-year-old girl. We're talking about an age where kids just want to be liked, to fit in, and to be a part of something. She's willing to step outside of all of that to pursue an incredible opportunity. Make it or not, I could not be more proud of her.

branching out on his own

Nothing fills a parent with pride like seeing a child truly come into his own. We all have ideas about what our kids will become, and we often wonder what parts of ourselves we will see in them.  My youngest are now 7 and 9, and we can finally begin to see parts of themselves punch free.

Tasked with honoring Dr. Seuss at school the other day, our little guy went online, researched how to make his own Dr. Seuss hat, printed out everything he needed, and built it himself!  The type of newsworthy achievement on par with the fictional Doogie Howser? Hardly.  For us, though, it was a great statement about our little guy's determination, creativity, and spirit.  When I saw that finished product, I could not have been any prouder of him.