New Year's Eve and Fall Update in In the Meadow

Here we are on New Year’s Eve in the Eastern Time Zone. I will catch up on some of this fall’s happenings. Kayla and Timmy are now in tenth grade. I think they are better adjusted this year, although most kids are in their second year of high school. Their report cards have been mostly As with a few Bs. They are taking a college prep curriculum and they seem to be enjoying their classes. We try to have a designated homework time and that helps. Timmy was on the soccer team and is now on the ice hockey team. Kayla has been taking dance and gymnastics lessons. She is now on the indoor track team. She has been running middle distances, 800 and 1600 meters.

Aaron is in seventh grade. This is his first year of middle school. The school he attends is a K-8 school, and the seventh and eighth grades are in the middle school section. We have been helping him with organization. There is a lot more to keep track of now that he has six different teachers. When I went to the parent teacher conference they said he raises his hand and answers questions in class. He has become more outgoing. Socially, he has had several different friend groups. It seems like at this age social groups form and and reform fairly quickly. Aaron is playing in the youth hockey league.

Socially the twins are doing okay. They have a few friends that they had in ninth grade, and also new friends. They will turn sixteen in mid-May, and will be able to get learners permits to practice driving. The end of tenth grade is going to be busy with Advanced Placement Exams and social activities. We have talked about them waiting until summer vacation to work on getting the learners permits. They will have time to study for the knowledge test and do the application process. They also have been talking about getting summer jobs. We will see how that goes, as I know a lot of places do not want to hire sixteen-year-olds. They could do babysitting jobs and yard work if they are not able to get formal jobs.