Know Your Child

Today I dropped my 9th grader off early for band camp. She is scared and tired and not quite sure she is ready for this. Last night she had one of her major mental breakdowns. As some background, the Auxillary girls spent the night before making their tassels and going TP-ing. That's another story.

The 9th grader apparently, being crafty as she is, made her tassels in record time. She was telling me how impressed the senior of the group was and that she now holds the record for how long it takes. I am sure we will be making lots of tassels as the years go by, so she will have to explain that to me later. But the girls stayed up way past her bed time and last night I saw the result of that. She is the type of person who doesn't like the unknown. She wants to know exactly what we are doing, when we are doing it, and and don't give her any of this "You'll love band camp. You will have such a great time!" She didn't care about that at 11 PM at night, with less than 7 hours of sleep. She didn't know what she wants but she was sure she doesn't want to go to band camp. She wants to stay home in the comfort of her bedroom and cry. I love being a mom, don't you?

Anyway, I went to find her schedule to help show her exactly what she was going to be doing when, and give her time to calm down. Dad wanted to help, but his words of encouragement were to say the least, not very encouraging to a 15-year old girl dealing with emotions and sleep depravation. Bless his heart, he tries.

When I get back, I find the 9th grader packing a few more things, and she tells me that when they are seniors, they will do this and this and this. I hugged her and said, "See you are already planning for the future." She smiled and said, "I know." The best part is that she will be with her best friend, and she can make stronger bonds with the other girls and boys.

This morning, I told her best friend, that she had a mental breakdown last night and he had to be extra nice to her this week. "I'm always nice to her," was his response. (I am rolling my eyes at this comment.) He's almost 15, what does he know? This morning I stood around and talked for a few minutes and the 9th grader finally told me I could leave. So I hug her, tell her and the best friend to be good and that I will see the tomorrow evening. Then I turn and walk to my vehicle. I know she is in good hands and I will be out there tomorrow evening, spending the night and probably chaperoning the 9th graders as the prank the seniors and the director. But, that will be for another time.

The point of this story is that, 1)Never let your child go to a major sleepover right before band camp. 2)Know your child's limitations. 3)Patience is really something that you have to learn. 4)Compassion goes a long way in helping your child grow.

Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

Proverbs 17:6 Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.