Virtual School

As my 25 year high school reunion approaches, I’m thinking about how our world has changed over the years. One of my prized graduation gifts was a huge, silver boombox that probably weighed 10 pounds…complete with radio, stereo sound, and cassette player. It provided hours of enjoyment through college and beyond.   And now my 12Continue reading “Virtual School”

Educational Excellence in a Personal Environment

Educational Excellence in a Personal Environment That is the motto of the University of West Georgia, which we visited last weekend, and is also in line with our family’s values.  They have one of the few residential early-college entrance programs in the country. These programs are designed for gifted high school students who are notContinue reading “Educational Excellence in a Personal Environment”

Walk a Mile in My Shoes, or What To Do With a Gifted High Schooler

I never understood before how the parents of young Olympic athletes in our country could fathom allowing their child to move away from home while still a child, live in a dorm with other highly driven and dedicated athletes, and only visit their families a few times a year. Now, we were not blessed withContinue reading “Walk a Mile in My Shoes, or What To Do With a Gifted High Schooler”

How a Bonfire Can Keep Your Kids Off Drugs

A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. Benjamin Franklin Lectures, DARE presentations, and well-scripted movies have nothing over a bonfire for keeping your kids off drugs. Why? Because one of the top ways to keep your kids clean is to have strongContinue reading “How a Bonfire Can Keep Your Kids Off Drugs”

Panic or Adapt – It’s Up to You!

Group presentations. One of my least favorite memories from high school! My ninth grader was assigned his first group presentation in history class with two other boys he knew from his previous school. They were to have one week to work on it, but the illness of one combined with unexpected snow days left twoContinue reading “Panic or Adapt – It’s Up to You!”

My Son has a Fan Club?!

Breaking news in our house last night – my freshman son, Latin scholar and ignorer of all things nonacademic at school, has a fan club. What does this mean? I’m not exactly sure, but it is apparently the way that high school girls at his school indicate some type of interest in the boys. HisContinue reading “My Son has a Fan Club?!”

New Clothes and a New Attitude

I took my son shopping for a suit yesterday. It was no great surprise that the suit he had worn to a wedding three years ago was too small, but I was hoping the jacket from last spring’s banquet would fit. No such luck. Teenage hormones kicked in over the summer, and he is atContinue reading “New Clothes and a New Attitude”