There has been a paradigm shift in my teenage daughter. My once adamantly defiant of school work/home work daughter Holly is now pulling a 4.0 gpa.
This is the child that nearly got kicked out of pre-school at the tender age 4 for having a "personality conflict" with the teacher. Basically Holly was going to do what Holly wanted to do no matter what the teacher had to say. This is the child I would battle with for hours every night from Kindergarten on up over doing 20 minutes of reading or a 10 problem math work sheet. About half way through 6th grade I washed my hands of riding her like that. I was sick of the yelling, fighting, tension, & stress. It was time for her to face the consequences her choices would ultimately have on no one but herself. She wouldn't do the simplest tasks in order to get points like turn in signed progress reports. At the end of 7th grade she had to attend a special after school class to ensure that she passed her core classes. She had to pull passing grades out of her ass the last month of 8th grade. A few weeks into this school year she came home and announced that she was setting herself the goal of being Valedictorian when she graduates. She has always been a bright & very capable student, she has just never cared enough to apply herself.
It's not just her grades either. She is generally happier and more pleasant to be around, even affectionate towards her parents. Is it the new boyfriend? Is it that she realizes that high school grades matter to her getting into the college of her choice? Is it the laptop her dad has promised her if she can pull a 4.0 and maintain it through February? Is she hoping that we'll buy her a car when she's 16? (Still just over a year away.) Did she just grow up right before my very eyes? I don't know if it was any one of these things or a combination of any or all of them but can I say, "Thank you, sweet baby Jesus!!"?
I know we're not out of the teenage woods yet but I am hopeful of a much calmer passage than I ever have been before.
Her dad and I are so proud of her and more importantly she is proud of herself!
10 comments:
THIS GIVES ME HOPE :-)
MizFIt
LOVE love LOVE this post! Congrats!
wow that is so cool...good job mom...I would say all your hard work is showing itself in your daughter..they surprise us don't they?
This is awesome. I love that she decided she is going to be Valedictorian. She is determined to show the world that she is a star. Good for her...and congrats to you as a parent for raising such an amazing and independant young woman.
Sounds like you are raising a great girl who knows what she wants from her life :o) congrats!
Woohoo! New(er) reader.. This is fabulous.. I can't imagine being mature enough at that age to even THINK about being Valedictorian.. So kuddos to you for caring so much about your kiddos.. :)
Very cool that she made the turn around.
Awesome. :)
That's fantastic! Congrats to your daughter! :)
Awesome... just awesome! Bet's she sets another goal like President, Senate or something else high ranking too! Congrats... without a doubt, your parenting has helped her get there!
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