SuZir
Well-Known Member
You know those moments, when it feels like you maybe haven't done everything wrong in parenting? I'm totally dumbstruck, but can't deny it. Today both of my kids caused me that kind of moment. And separately. Probably first time ever. Not sure if I will ever recover from the shock. 
First easy child came home with his report card from first term. Really nice grades despite missing over one third of the classes. And more importantly, achieved all by himself. I have done absolutely nothing, save asking him few times, how he likes his classes and are there any issues. He scheduled his work himself (and being so much away, that can be a challenge), stuck to it and came through with flying colours. No nagging, no helping to organize, nothing.
He has always done well at school, but changing schools and sports keeping him out from classes so much caused him some struggles. Especially when we decided to teach him to manage it himself. He was getting a handle of it already last spring, but then he still needed my help to map things out. Now he did all that all by himself. There is less and less little in my littlest boy every day *proud* *sniff*
Of course easy child making me proud is nothing new, and difficult child manages to do so also from time to time. But it really isn't common, that he would manage to choose the same day his baby brother. However he did now. He called me to chat and have a sounding board. He is worried about his flat (and team) mate. He is struggling both on the field, being part of the team and living abroad so far from home. Not understanding the language and different culture are really getting to him. And changing from playing against boys in college to playing against men in pro league has been a bigger step than he had anticipated too. difficult child has tried to cheer him up, told about what he learned during his last year's sophomore slump, shared the advices his sport psychiatric has given him and what not.
difficult child called me mainly to have someone listen his worries about his flat mate's situation and partly to sound out his ideas how to try to support him. It's of course unfortunate his friend is having such a tough time. I deeply sympathize. And there isn't much difficult child can do to help. But I'm very proud of difficult child actually taking time to notice his flat mate is having tough time (and not only at the field, that difficult child of course notices), understanding that flat mate being difficult at times is because of him having tough time, sympathizing and actually having courage to try and take action to help. That is really a biggie for my boy. He really is showing some growth here. It is unlikely he can do much to help his friend, but just trying is something I haven't often seen in him.
First easy child came home with his report card from first term. Really nice grades despite missing over one third of the classes. And more importantly, achieved all by himself. I have done absolutely nothing, save asking him few times, how he likes his classes and are there any issues. He scheduled his work himself (and being so much away, that can be a challenge), stuck to it and came through with flying colours. No nagging, no helping to organize, nothing.
He has always done well at school, but changing schools and sports keeping him out from classes so much caused him some struggles. Especially when we decided to teach him to manage it himself. He was getting a handle of it already last spring, but then he still needed my help to map things out. Now he did all that all by himself. There is less and less little in my littlest boy every day *proud* *sniff*
Of course easy child making me proud is nothing new, and difficult child manages to do so also from time to time. But it really isn't common, that he would manage to choose the same day his baby brother. However he did now. He called me to chat and have a sounding board. He is worried about his flat (and team) mate. He is struggling both on the field, being part of the team and living abroad so far from home. Not understanding the language and different culture are really getting to him. And changing from playing against boys in college to playing against men in pro league has been a bigger step than he had anticipated too. difficult child has tried to cheer him up, told about what he learned during his last year's sophomore slump, shared the advices his sport psychiatric has given him and what not.
difficult child called me mainly to have someone listen his worries about his flat mate's situation and partly to sound out his ideas how to try to support him. It's of course unfortunate his friend is having such a tough time. I deeply sympathize. And there isn't much difficult child can do to help. But I'm very proud of difficult child actually taking time to notice his flat mate is having tough time (and not only at the field, that difficult child of course notices), understanding that flat mate being difficult at times is because of him having tough time, sympathizing and actually having courage to try and take action to help. That is really a biggie for my boy. He really is showing some growth here. It is unlikely he can do much to help his friend, but just trying is something I haven't often seen in him.
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