Odd One Out

All of my friends have kids that will be Seniors in High School this year - 5 Seniors.

2 years from now there will be 4 Seniors.

When my youngest graduates next year, he will be the only one.

He is the odd man out and it doesn't seem like he should be by looking at all their age differences. Some of my friends have started their kids in school late or chosen to have a child repeat a grade for one reason or another or just have kids with birthdays that miss the cut off by a little bit or just barely squeak in.

When this son turned 5 I really debated keeping him home another year. He was just barely 5, with a birthday in June. He didn't know how to write his name and had absolutely no desire to learn. He was my baby and played the role to perfection. He definitely wasn't ready for Kindergarten. Then I started thinking about the benefits of holding him back. Would he be able to write his name in a year? Maybe, but who knew. His 3 siblings and I had been trying to teach him for over a year already with no success. Would he be older in a year? Yes, but would he act like it? Probably not. Would he no longer be my baby? Pretty much no hope of that. When could I realistically see him being ready for school? One year, two, possibly three or four? Nope - I couldn't really see him ready and willing to start school even in five years. He was never going to be more ready than he was right now. He was pretty much never going to be ready. So, I just sent him. About 3 days into his school career he asked me. "What day is tomorrow?" I said, "Thursday." "Do I have school?" "Yup." "What's the next day?" "Friday." "Do I have school?" "Yup." "The next day?" "Saturday." "School?" "Nope." "Next?" "Sunday." "School?"
"Nope" "Next?" "Monday." "School?" "Yes." He thought for a few minutes and then my little boy, who had always dreaded Sunday and going to church, said, "I'm sure going to be happy when it's Sunday!" Every once in a while I stop and question whether waiting a year would have made a difference and the answer is always the same in my mind. NOT ONE BIT. This child is never going to love school and he's never going to be ready to be there. He just goes and hopefully, someday, he won't have to go anymore and can actually do something that he enjoys and perhaps 13 years of school will help him be ready for whatever comes next. Plus, the fact that he's the only 2010 graduate of the group means my friends might be more inclined to give him a graduation present.

Today I am thankful that

I have a son who is old enough to take the other son with him to get haircuts, pay for both of them, and I don't even have to be involved. They both look very handsome! I'm also thankful that they both like short hair and I don't have to fight with them to get haircuts. They are the ones that want them.
I actually didn't feel horrible and got dishes washed and laundry done.
I have a son that stomps black widows for me.