Friday, May 30, 2014

The Middle School World Scares Me

"Are you sure all these kids are sixth grade? A couple of people look like they belong in high school," Tom said beside me, looking baffled as a tall boy with stubble walked past.

"It's just the sixth grade awards," I explained. "So yes, these are only sixth graders."

It's always a bit of a shock to go from an elementary school world, into a middle school one. In the elementary world, there are colorful cartoon pictures on the walls, children without stubble, and kids sporting t-shirts with Disney Princesses on them. In the middle school world, girls were wearing tight tops and many kids wore too much cologne or perfume. The air was thick with Axe.

"I want to go back to elementary school," I whispered to Tom. "I like it better there."

"Why? Middle school means the kids are growing up which means they are almost out of my house," Tom answered.

Seriously.

I had no idea what award Tommy was even getting. I received a letter in the mail stating that he would be getting an award, but it didn't specify.

"Where's my baby boy?" I asked Tom, as clumps of students filtered in. Many looked bored.

"He's not here yet and he's not a baby boy," Tom replied.

"He'll always be my baby boy."

Tom rolled his eyes.

I'm like Beverly Goldberg from the show The Goldbergs. She calls her kids cutsey names, even though they are all over the age of 12. She doesn't like the fact that they are growing up. She says things like this:



We have a lot in common, Beverly and I. I'm still in disbelief that I even HAVE a child in middle school.

"I want to go back to elementary school where the kids still look cute," I muttered to Tom, who once again rolled his eyes.

When Tommy came in, I waved. He flicked his eyes briefly towards us, and walked with his class.

"In elementary school, he'd have acknowledged our presence," I fumed.

Natalie still happily waved when I turned up for her events. "Hi Mommy!" she'll bellow. "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!"

In middle school I imagine it'll all change. I noticed NONE of the kids acknowledged their parents. One Mom tried to get her kid to come over for a photo.

"Mom, NO, stop it!" the girl snapped, rushing past.

Would that be Natalie in a few years?!

"I don't like it here," I said from the side of my mouth.

"You're weird," Tom told me, only because he has no heart.

So the awards show began, and the principal began speaking. At one point she told the students to give their parents a round of applause, because they couldn't do so well without us. A group of sixth graders were nearby and I heard one boy say, "I'm not clapping for my parents. They can go fu*k themselves."

I almost fell off the bleachers.

What? WHAT?

In a couple of years, would my kids be saying that I can go fu*k myself? WHAT WORLD WAS I IN?

The first awards were for the Honor Society, which I was never in, because math is EVIL EVIL EVIL. Tommy didn't get in either, because he inherited my ability to NOT be able to do math. Sorry kid. It looks like Natalie doesn't get math either.

Then each teacher stood up and picked two students from all their classes to get an award for positive attitude and good behavior.

Tommy got one for language arts! He would not look at me:


His teachers always gush on how polite he is. How he tries. He's told me before, "Why are boys my age so rude to adults?"

Tommy seemed nervous going up front. His eyes flicked all over the place.

More awards were passed out. The straight A awards were given. Tommy did not get straight As even though he wants to.

"It's MATH!" he once bellowed.

"I know. I never got straight As either because of math. It's okay son, I'm not a tiger mom, I'm not going to freak."

The final award was the You Can Do It award given to only two kids in the entire 100+ sixth grade.

Tommy got it for the boys.


It meant he had an overall positive attitude and that he tries his best always.

Yay!

And that was it. We could go find our kid and take pictures after, even though Tommy looked a tad mortified to see me coming towards him with a camera.

"My boy!" I gushed and went to kiss him, but stopped when I saw some boys watching and snickering. Middle school can be a scary place; I didn't want to make things worse for Tommy. There are, after all, rude boys.

"Good job," I said diplomatically and shook Tommy's confused hand.



I'm incredibly proud of him. School does not come easy since he has autism. He constantly has to process new things and cope with changes.

But he does it, because he's awesome.

And now he's technically in seventh grade.

My BABY!

28 comments:

  1. yay for tommy! and i hear you on the middle school jazz....i'm terrified when kayla gets there. she's going to be starting grade 1 and already the girls are biatches. yeah, i said it. GIRLS ARE MEAN and i hate that she has to navigate that shizz at such a young age.

    -kathy
    Vodka and Soda

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  2. Congrats to Tommy on his awards! And, yes, he will always be your baby.

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  3. So awesome that Tommy got that award!!!
    And, yep, middle school is rough! I think high school is much easier overall - most of the kids have figured out that the rude kids aren't worth wasting time on!!!

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  4. Congratulations to your son - he sounds so sweet and you definitely should be a very proud mama indeed xxx

    www.bohemianmuses.blogspot.com

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  5. Congrats to your son! Math IS evil and my daughter told me that one of her favorite subjects is math and I'm all "who the hell are you and how did you come out of me?!"

    I am dreading middle school. My daughter will be in second grade in the fall and already the girls are little assholes.

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  6. Math is evil. I get to enter high school world next year. I am not ready. I just got the swing of middle school world.

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  7. Look at Tommy go! Congrats for him being so smart and on top of things!!

    Wait till high school. Just wait. Skirts are ass-cheek high and cleavage is well, out there. It makes me gag.

    I yelled at my daughter last week for wearing her leggings with a t-shirt. I do not want to see crotch and ass looking at me.

    It's way different than when we were in school...but that doesn't make it ok.

    You've got a fine young man on your hands there. You've done a great job...even if he won't kiss you in public.

    Love...=)

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  8. Two awards?! That is awesome. Says a lot about you as a parent... even if he doesn't look at you in public :)

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  9. I hated middle school world when I was in it, so I can imagine how jarring it is done! Congrats to Tommy on his accomplishments : )

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  10. *SNIFF* this post made me swell with tears. I was happy, I was proud of him, and I was scared of the rejection that comes with age...and middle school. That potty mouthed six grader needs to be straightened out, btw. Congratulations! And PS. Your husband is a serious hard ass! (No offense.)

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  11. Congratulations! I'm not a fan of middle school either. Our daughter is in 7th grade and she has that teenage attitude. Thankfully, she won't say we can go f ourselves as she admits behind the scenes that she likes us. She will even still hold my hand when she's guaranteed no one from her school is around. It just looks funny when she holds my hand now as she's over 5'7" LOL

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  12. Oh, and I did love math and my daughter hates it, but is freakishly good at math.

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  13. Yes I subbed in a middle school and the things that come out of those kids mouths shocked even me!

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  14. Oh I had to laugh at this post! I'm currently struggling with the fact that my "baby" is in Grade 9 and basically going to school with MEN! This is so not right! Thanks for letting me know I am not the only one!

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  15. Oh I had to laugh at this post! I'm currently struggling with the fact that my "baby" is in Grade 9 and basically going to school with MEN! This is so not right! Thanks for letting me know I am not the only one!

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  16. He's so cute! Way to go! My stepdaughter is 14 and heading toward high school this year...trust me, enjoy the middle school years. Adolescence is tough. Always some drama!

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  17. Yes. He's your baby. He always will be! Heck, Des is almost two and I feel weird calling him that but NO WAY. He's my baby.
    And Scarlet is only ENTERING elementary school and I'm so scared.
    And Tommy is awesome for this. And other things.

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  18. I think the You Can Do It award is waaaaay better than straight A award any day! Tommy rocks!

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  19. Every time you post a milestone for Tommy I think about how long I've been reading along with your life ... since Tommy was just a little bitty guy and before Natalie came along! It's so neat to watch them grow and know what they've accomplished and what struggles they've overcome. I love blogs. :)

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  20. SO awesome that he won the You Can Do It award!!! Proud of that boy of yours!!! :)

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  21. I know you are proud of him; you can be proud of you and Tom as well. You gave him the confidence to be who he is! Yay for you all!

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  22. When we went to Middle School open house for my son, who is my oldest kid (therefore my first to go to middle school), as we walked around I kept seeing these girls who looked like they could sneak into night clubs and possibly have babies of their own. I kept thinking, why are so many high school girls here visiting their old teachers? Then it finally dawned on me. THESE ARE MY SONS CLASSMATES. Because you know how girls mature faster than boys? That is never more evident than in middle school. My son was going to school with girls with boobs. MAJOR boobs. I wanted to curl up and suck my thumb.
    So now that I've made you feel even worse, congrats to Tommy on those awards!!

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  23. congrats!! the middle school years are the worst! just as long as they know that they aren't alone. there isn't a single experience or feeling that hasn't happened to someone else.

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  24. This was absolutely hilarious! My daughter is only 1 but I'm already freaking out about when she goes to middle school - middle schoolers are a weird (mean!) little bunch!

    Congrats to your son! (And yeah, I'm no good at math either and am doing just fine!)

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  25. Congrats to Tommy!
    Middle school scares me too.

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  26. Congrats to Tommy on his awards, how awesome! Middle school scares me too.

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  27. Congrats to Tommy!

    Middle school does scare me. I actually liked teaching it(I'm a weirdo like that), but I don't want my boys turning into middle schoolers. My oldest only has 2 years left in elementary and it freaks me out!

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  28. Moments like these are definitely the ones we hope for and dread all at the same time! I am so that Mom who tries to grab a hug or kiss before any of the friends see...now I have been reduced to a fist bump and talk to you later ;) LOL

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