I taught junior high school for four years (that was thirty years ago). It was the craziest experience of my entire career. I remember thinking many times in those years that eighth graders should be shipped to outer space and brought back to earth just before ninth grade began. It seemed then that seventh graders were innocent and impressionable while ninth graders were mature and somewhat reasonable. But, for the eighth graders -- every single day was an experience with raging hormones and bull-headed, thick skulls. I was never surprised when eighth graders wanted to hold hands or start fist fights.
I went through the eighth grade years with my girls and lived to tell about them -- mostly I tried to look past their drama of the day and their endless whining. When my girls turned 15-16, they became delightful young women, and I have enjoyed every day since.
In the past few weeks, I have been experiencing eighth grade again -- this time with my boy. I am not sure how to work through this experience. Eighth grade boys have weird voices -- like out of tune fog horns that squeak every once in awhile. My eighth grade boy has lived through braces and a broken thumb in less than a month. He also struggles to sleep without his pet manatee. And, no matter what question I ask him, his reply is, "What?"
For example --
"How do you feel?" --- "What?"
"Do you have homework?" --- "What?"
"Is Tanner in any of your classes?" --- "What?"
"Are you hungry?" -- "What . . . what . . ?" "Yeah, I am hungry!"
When I call my eighth grader to check on him while I am at work, he often answers the phone with, "Meow, meow!" He has grown four inches in less than a year. His feet are huge -- size 13 football cleats -- and smelly. His ears have cooties in them, and he rolls on the floor and lays on the couch a lot. Just about any comment his dad and I make causes him to bust up laughing. Just about everything is funny --- ha, ha! His sense of humor is never ending. At the same time he is very responsible and caring --- he worships his sisters and his little nephew, and he loves hanging out with his cousins. He will always kiss his grandparents goodbye. Then, at the most reverent, somber times, some unforeseen bodily function will explode from his person accompanied by more uncontrollable laughter.
Oh the life of a mother of an eighth grader . . . you've got to love it!
I went through the eighth grade years with my girls and lived to tell about them -- mostly I tried to look past their drama of the day and their endless whining. When my girls turned 15-16, they became delightful young women, and I have enjoyed every day since.
In the past few weeks, I have been experiencing eighth grade again -- this time with my boy. I am not sure how to work through this experience. Eighth grade boys have weird voices -- like out of tune fog horns that squeak every once in awhile. My eighth grade boy has lived through braces and a broken thumb in less than a month. He also struggles to sleep without his pet manatee. And, no matter what question I ask him, his reply is, "What?"
For example --
"How do you feel?" --- "What?"
"Do you have homework?" --- "What?"
"Is Tanner in any of your classes?" --- "What?"
"Are you hungry?" -- "What . . . what . . ?" "Yeah, I am hungry!"
When I call my eighth grader to check on him while I am at work, he often answers the phone with, "Meow, meow!" He has grown four inches in less than a year. His feet are huge -- size 13 football cleats -- and smelly. His ears have cooties in them, and he rolls on the floor and lays on the couch a lot. Just about any comment his dad and I make causes him to bust up laughing. Just about everything is funny --- ha, ha! His sense of humor is never ending. At the same time he is very responsible and caring --- he worships his sisters and his little nephew, and he loves hanging out with his cousins. He will always kiss his grandparents goodbye. Then, at the most reverent, somber times, some unforeseen bodily function will explode from his person accompanied by more uncontrollable laughter.
Oh the life of a mother of an eighth grader . . . you've got to love it!
3 comments:
And the amazing thing about boys is they also turn into fine outstanding young men. But the laughter never stops along with the bodily sounds. Hang in there.
Oh . . . but we love Willie!
Does this mean I have to look forward to this with all my kids at once? I read your post to Steve. He liked it too! Of course, he would though! I don't think he grew out of some of those things. That must be why he is in scouts with the guys.
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