Middle School Here We Come! (again)

It's that time of year again - well, IF one of your children is going into a new school in the fall.  Peanut is prepping for Middle School.  Cheer tryouts, class selection, new counselors and "IGraduate"  EEEK!

We have her cheer forms completed - well, except for the sport physical.  We thought we had that done, but because of my mom's history of A-Fib, my baby has to have a sports EKG.  How overwhelming!  Luckily, Cook Children's is offering them for free in the month of February, so we will be there on Tuesday.  She is actually excited about the process - she is still wanting to be some kind of surgeon or physician or medical examiner.  It means I have to drive downtown - something I detest, but I will do it, because I am a firm believer in "better safe than sorry" when it comes to the kiddos.

I went to the HMS incoming 7th grade meeting on Thursday - lots of info, lots of choices to be made and some thinly veiled warnings from the counselor who presented...but I still believe we will go the Pre-AP route for her - even the math...we'll see!

Next Thursday is the IGraduate meeting - good grief!  It's a new thing for our school district - kids are having to declare their route for high school by the 8th grade.  I was hoping that meant that someone had identified a way to actually know what you want to be when you grow up - since that is what they are asking for our kids to do in this declaration - but sadly, no....it's just something they say will help, I feel is yet another way to silo our kids into this teeny tiny path.  Kids choosing their preferred sport at 13, kids deciding to focus on the college prep courses and missing out on fine arts or athletics.  I don't know.  I am withholding further judgment until the meeting next week.

She is such an enigma...she loves science.  She loves gymnastics.  She loves imagination games.  She is discovering drama and theatre.  She sings.  She dances.  She analyzes.  She sleeps with a dozen stuffies.  She loves fashion.  She is a phenomenal speller.  She works with the special needs kids in her school daily.  She is independent.  She is strong.  She loves her family.  She is practical like no one I have ever known.

She will be successful in Middle School.  It will be different and there will be some transition issues.  But she will be successful because she has decided she will be successful and that's just how she is!