Like a waterfall in slow motion, Part One
3 years ago
Monday, January 18, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Steph's Surgery Update
Just talked to Dr. Friedman, Steph's doctor...there was a little bit of meniscus tear which he cleaned up (minimal), and he released some tension in the patellar retinacular medial ligament hoping to allow the patella to track a little better. This was all he was able to do through the scope. No other problems really noticed but if it is still an issue, the next options are more of a reconstructive issue moving ligaments and/or bone. Only about a 50% chance this is going to fix her current knee problem but it was worth the chance to try this attempt first.
This is what I know so far. Currently we are sitting in Post Op 2.
This is what I know so far. Currently we are sitting in Post Op 2.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
An open letter to the parents of 7th grade students
Dear Parent,
I am sorry your child won't do their homework and their grade is now horrible. However, please don't blame me. Of course your child is very talented and is brilliant at everything they can do. How proud you must be of them! And yes, until this year, your child has always been an “A” student and you cannot understand why they could ever have such a low grade now.
I know it is tempting to blame the teacher. After all, your child has always excelled at everything and the only change has been me, so obviously, I must be the problem. Unfortunately, you are missing one MAJOR element here. Your child is entering adolescence.
Your child is becoming a teenager, and with this also comes hormones. Sadly, when children are pumped full of hormones, they only have blood flow to control one part of their body at a time. They lose their abilities to think rationally due to no fault of their own; they are basically toddlers stuck in adult bodies.
However, I have also heard your child has their own cell phone, with which they text message their friends into all hours of the night. Of course they wouldn’t go to sleep, they are basically toddlers and have no sense. And when you let them use their phones and you don't take it away when they wrack up thousands of minutes, what would keep them from continuing?
And of course you would buy them an XBOX live for their birthday; they obviously deserve it. But your child tells me they spend every minute they have, when they are not at practice, playing it. So obviously they are too tired to study.
Finally, I know your child is taking music lessons and is on the select sports team; obviously keeping your child well-rounded and allowing them to use their talents is good for them.
Unfortunately, with your child being so busy, what with the wracking up 3000 text messages per month, playing their XBOX live until 2am on a Wednesday and spending every other night at soccer practice and piano lessons, your child has little to no time for other activities, like sleeping and doing their homework.
They come to my class exhausted, often wearing the same outfit they had on the night before, as they are far too tired in the morning to shower or put on clean clothes. By the time they are finally awake and ready to learn, they are so hopped up on their lunch of Doritos, fruit snacks, soda, Oreos and a PB & J, they can barely sit still.
I know that parenting a teenager is one of the hardest thing any person has to do in their life. I have 58 of them, I understand. But I would really like to ask you a favor. Would you mind meeting me in the middle? I have to teach them every day, and like I said, I have a lot of them. So could you take over when they get home?
Could you make them do their homework BEFORE they play their video games? And since your child currently has such a horrible grade in all their classes (not just mine,) perhaps it is time to consider taking away some privileges, (like the games, or that select sports team, or their cell phone,) until they can prove they are responsible enough to handle their job as a student and a member of your family.
I know your child tells you that you are being unfair and that they hate you when you do actually make them suffer some consequences. It must be very hard to have your own child speak to you so horribly. However, please understand, it is much better they learn hard lessons now, when they are still very young, than when they are actually adults in society.
Thank you,
The teacher
I am sorry your child won't do their homework and their grade is now horrible. However, please don't blame me. Of course your child is very talented and is brilliant at everything they can do. How proud you must be of them! And yes, until this year, your child has always been an “A” student and you cannot understand why they could ever have such a low grade now.
I know it is tempting to blame the teacher. After all, your child has always excelled at everything and the only change has been me, so obviously, I must be the problem. Unfortunately, you are missing one MAJOR element here. Your child is entering adolescence.
Your child is becoming a teenager, and with this also comes hormones. Sadly, when children are pumped full of hormones, they only have blood flow to control one part of their body at a time. They lose their abilities to think rationally due to no fault of their own; they are basically toddlers stuck in adult bodies.
However, I have also heard your child has their own cell phone, with which they text message their friends into all hours of the night. Of course they wouldn’t go to sleep, they are basically toddlers and have no sense. And when you let them use their phones and you don't take it away when they wrack up thousands of minutes, what would keep them from continuing?
And of course you would buy them an XBOX live for their birthday; they obviously deserve it. But your child tells me they spend every minute they have, when they are not at practice, playing it. So obviously they are too tired to study.
Finally, I know your child is taking music lessons and is on the select sports team; obviously keeping your child well-rounded and allowing them to use their talents is good for them.
Unfortunately, with your child being so busy, what with the wracking up 3000 text messages per month, playing their XBOX live until 2am on a Wednesday and spending every other night at soccer practice and piano lessons, your child has little to no time for other activities, like sleeping and doing their homework.
They come to my class exhausted, often wearing the same outfit they had on the night before, as they are far too tired in the morning to shower or put on clean clothes. By the time they are finally awake and ready to learn, they are so hopped up on their lunch of Doritos, fruit snacks, soda, Oreos and a PB & J, they can barely sit still.
I know that parenting a teenager is one of the hardest thing any person has to do in their life. I have 58 of them, I understand. But I would really like to ask you a favor. Would you mind meeting me in the middle? I have to teach them every day, and like I said, I have a lot of them. So could you take over when they get home?
Could you make them do their homework BEFORE they play their video games? And since your child currently has such a horrible grade in all their classes (not just mine,) perhaps it is time to consider taking away some privileges, (like the games, or that select sports team, or their cell phone,) until they can prove they are responsible enough to handle their job as a student and a member of your family.
I know your child tells you that you are being unfair and that they hate you when you do actually make them suffer some consequences. It must be very hard to have your own child speak to you so horribly. However, please understand, it is much better they learn hard lessons now, when they are still very young, than when they are actually adults in society.
Thank you,
The teacher
Monday, January 04, 2010
Sunday, January 03, 2010
A Year in Review
2009- A Summary
January
A new President was inaugurated, Evie had tubes put in and we bought a new dining set fit for giants.
February
Evie demonstrated her independence and Steph nearly killed her students on Valentine’s Day.
March
The water heater exploded, the state cut funding for education and Stephanie’s brain died. March was bad.
April
Bryan’s Grandmother came to visit.
Still recovering from the seizures, Steph started back to work, where one of her students wrote an essay about the “16th” chapel.
May
Evie discovered the potty by throwing things in it, and Bryan really, really hated his job.
June
We finally finished the flooring project, three years after it began.
Steph’s school year and job ended; Bryan still hated his job.
July
Bryan’s family came to visit and Evie turned two! Bryan and Steph celebrated five years of marriage.
Steph taught summer school to a high school English class of 17 boys and one girl; by the end of summer school, the class was down to 10 boys and one girl.
Steph bought a 2003 VW as her commuter car; it started breaking the week after she drove it off the lot.
August
Steph was hired back to her school in the same position for another year; Puck tried to eat Evie’s face and the hunt was one to find him a new home.
Evie started dancing, all the time.
Bryan was at work most of the month, dealing with “Cash for Clunkers.”
September
Steph turned 30 and started her first school year in her OWN classroom.
October
Puck moved away, Bryan had a birthday and he and Evie went to Texas for his 10-year college reunion/homecoming. Evie was a perfect traveler.
Then they got home and Evie drank a bottle of Motrin.
November
Steph dislocated her knee.
We celebrated Thanksgiving and Bryan continued to hate his job.
December
Steph enjoyed two weeks away from seventh graders, we celebrated Evie's third Christmas and Bryan enjoyed some quality time with his best friend, Brian T.
January
A new President was inaugurated, Evie had tubes put in and we bought a new dining set fit for giants.
February
Evie demonstrated her independence and Steph nearly killed her students on Valentine’s Day.
March
The water heater exploded, the state cut funding for education and Stephanie’s brain died. March was bad.
April
Bryan’s Grandmother came to visit.
Still recovering from the seizures, Steph started back to work, where one of her students wrote an essay about the “16th” chapel.
May
Evie discovered the potty by throwing things in it, and Bryan really, really hated his job.
June
We finally finished the flooring project, three years after it began.
Steph’s school year and job ended; Bryan still hated his job.
July
Bryan’s family came to visit and Evie turned two! Bryan and Steph celebrated five years of marriage.
Steph taught summer school to a high school English class of 17 boys and one girl; by the end of summer school, the class was down to 10 boys and one girl.
Steph bought a 2003 VW as her commuter car; it started breaking the week after she drove it off the lot.
August
Steph was hired back to her school in the same position for another year; Puck tried to eat Evie’s face and the hunt was one to find him a new home.
Evie started dancing, all the time.
Bryan was at work most of the month, dealing with “Cash for Clunkers.”
September
Steph turned 30 and started her first school year in her OWN classroom.
October
Puck moved away, Bryan had a birthday and he and Evie went to Texas for his 10-year college reunion/homecoming. Evie was a perfect traveler.
Then they got home and Evie drank a bottle of Motrin.
November
Steph dislocated her knee.
We celebrated Thanksgiving and Bryan continued to hate his job.
December
Steph enjoyed two weeks away from seventh graders, we celebrated Evie's third Christmas and Bryan enjoyed some quality time with his best friend, Brian T.
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