cebii

when things work

S, our fourteen year old, is starting high school this year. She was in band in middle school and she kind of liked it, even though she isn't very good. We insisted that she stay in band at least to start high school. Band, in my experience, is someplace where you can be a little more off the wall and weird than the general school population and still be part of the group. Lord only knows that S needs all the help she can get to fit in. Her band directors have a policy of finding a place for everyone that wants to participate. Even though she couldn't play or march well enough to take part that way, her director explained that she could be the Color Guard manager, and help keep all of their equipment straight. He made it sound like an honor and she is pretty exited about it.

One of the band seniors called Holly the other day and explained that they have a tradition of kidnapping the band freshman early one morning and taking them out to have a party. Today was the morning. About a dozen seniors, complete with trumpet, cymbals and silly string, arrived at our house at 5:20 this morning. After I let them in, they quietly made their way to S's room opened the door and woke her to a cacophony. S handled it so well. She sleepy and confused, but she went and had a good time. It was probably one of the most normal things she's ever done.

We hope hope hope that she can get support from band. At least she will know people in her classes and in the hallways. She'll go to the football games and have a responsibility within the group. Those things made a big difference for me in high school. We don't know how much to let go. You never know if she is going to respond to something as a fifteen year old or a seven year old, but she seemed to handle this well, and that's a good sign.

posted by cebii @ 7:35 AM