Progress...

Last week, Jack almost made me drive off the road, not because he was fighting with his sister but because of what he said. He told me "Mom, when I was in the second grade I felt like a failure." As I safely steered the car back on the road and regain my composer, I asked why. "Mom, I was in trouble everyday and I was not very smart." Good thing I have been in training for the last 20 years for this kind of distracted driving, in fact, my friend warned me about the "backseat confessional almost" accidents that her children subjected her to. "Jack, no one thinks that you are a bad kid or not smart, believe me they don't, I don't." As the words came out of my mouth, I began to wonder if he believed me or if this a case of "your Mom thinks that you are beautiful." Jack is the kid who has never won anything (not really- but I am just saying), he has never been recognized for his achievements at school, he is not the kid who has ever read to the Principal, been a Character that Counts, or until this year, high enough on the roll to get honored or even a letter in the mail. We think he is the best, but does anyone else?

***FLASH FORWARD TO YESTERDAY***

Jack was to receive the reading medallion, and award for kids who read and earn a certain amount of points according to their grade level. Steve and I joke that it is really our award, because half way through the year Jack lost interest in taking the required tests, but we continued to "encourage" him to work at it. Halfway through the assembly, the Principal described the Student of the Quarter award. Each class has two, a student who has character, who works hard, and who is a friend to all (totally my kid everyone thinks). As kids' names were called all of the kids coming forward were kids who had already gotten High Honor Roll or Principal's Honor Roll (predictable), until Mrs. Nixon's class... Jack K. Lump in my throat, tear in my eye my kid was being recognized! Someone besides me thinks that he is great! We are so proud.

I guess I need to take the "My underachiever can swim faster than your overachiever" bumper sticker off the back of my car- I kid! It is hard to imagine what this year would have been like if it hadn't been for Jack's amazing teacher. She is patient, kind, intelligent, funny, and just the person to make Jack feel smart and important. Thank you, Mrs. Nixon for everything! This morning a different kid woke up at our house. A kid excited to go to school and do things (it may have something to do with today being "Video Game "Day, but a different kid none the less).