My youngest is going into 6th grade, which is the first year of middle school in our area. The first Official day of school begins August 21. Because my daughter is an incoming 6th grader, she has to show up for a sort of orientation on August 20. In addition, August 16 is the first day that the 6th graders can show up to get their schedules, have their school ID photos taken, buy gym clothes, locks, and whatever else the school says they must have. I think I’m somewhat in denial. Except for writing this post, I haven’t taken much time to stop and think about all that. I haven’t discussed it much with my daughter since the end of May when we turned in our early paperwork -acknowledgements of school policies, release to use my daughter’s name and photo in certain situations, and emergency contact information, including any medical issues.
After discussing it with my daughter, we decided to not check the box that said she had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. She hasn’t had a big problem with it since fourth grade, though she had few shaky days in fifth grade. I get the impression she wants to start the school year without a label. I realize that if something comes up, this information could be useful to the school faculty, but I’ll just fill them in if something does come up. IF.
When I was growing up, School didn’t start until after Labor Day in September; perhaps this is why I’m not fully thinking about back to school shopping, or when in the heck I think we’re going to get that done. My daughter has her big dance recital THIS weekend. Saturday AND Sunday. Today (Friday), we have the all-day dress rehearsal from 3:30PM till possibly as late as 10:00PM. I’m typing this on Wednesday, August 1, and I still haven’t found a headband that we can use to attach her zebra ears for the Lion King numbers. I can’t do it today, because my husband drove my car to work, while his in the shop. During this weekend, we will have relatives from out of state here for the recital, and I’m not sure what all the sleeping arrangements will be. I know they have a hotel, but I also know that my daughter will want at least two of her cousins (the two that are girls) to have a sleepover. Oh, and one other female cousin might be coming out here, so that will basically be a slumber party. Yay.
Meanwhile, I am also participating in The Ravellenic Games, which used to be called The Ravelympics until the USOC said we had to change the name. I’m hoping to finish a sweater for my husband and a lace pattern shawl by the end of the Olympic Closing Ceremonies. At least the sweater was a WIP (Work In Progress) so almost half of it was done when I started back up again after the Opening Ceremonies.
Did I mention, the day after my daughter’s dance recital, we are driving out to Arizona to visit grandparents and all the cousins who were just at our house this weekend? We don’t know how long we are staying. We know we will be getting back before the 16th, but that’s about it. I really do not want to do back to school shopping in Arizona in August. I do not want to be knitting a wool sweater in Arizona in August. I am trying to finish the sweater before we leave so I can just work on the shawl while I’m there. This is why I’m not thinking about Back-to-School yet. Can I think about it when I get back from Arizona? Right now I just want to knit! …And make sure my daughter has everything she needs for the dance recital. But that’s it. Knitting and dance recital! I’ll think about Back-to-School later!
Intense Life Coaching 
I wish you well on the knitting.
Everyone says awful things about middle school, but it was the beginning of better things for me. I hope things go well for your daughter.
A very wise old woman who I respect immensely, once told me, even though you’re too busy to appreciate it, these are the best times of your life. I thought of this while reading your post. Middle school was great for me and I sope your daughter will find it so for her.
My son starts 6th grade at the new big middle school on Aug 13. Wednesday we went to an orientation that was a mini day. All parents and kids were given mock schedules to follow. Each class was 20 minutes long, but just enough for me to get over some of my jitters. The teachers were excellent, the counselor seems to really care, the administrators are on top of things.
I like how you said, “just enough for ME to get over some of MY jitters” hee hee. I know what you mean, though. My daughter is very overweight, but she is also pretty (for people who like red-heads, at least –I know in the UK, that would be an extra issue) Or maybe I’m biased…but I guess my biggest concern is her getting made fun of for the weight –though we have a plan in place to help with that, there are no guarantees, and even if we do everything right, it won’t be overnight. One thing that will help is that she has been in this school district since kindergarten. Honestly though, if she EVER comes home crying because someone hurt her, I will be taking names and kicking a$$e$! 😉 Okay, maybe not…don’t quote me on that….
Something my husband is really good at is knowing when it’s time to switchover to “just enjoy mode.” Sometimes I don’t think I hit that until I’m looking at photos years later. 😉 It’s nice your family is so close they want to come out to see the recital. It must be some big recital and your daughter must be doing very well in order to handle the natural anxiety. I don’t do well with back-to-back family or social visits. I have to go back and read more of your posts to see if you’re a real go-getter or if this is a lot for you too (introverted or sensitive), even w/o school. I loved going to different teachers for different subjects in middle school. For some reason that decreased the intensity for me, in a good way, and of course the material was finally starting to get rigorous/differentiated. I also found the kids much more focused on social relationships so they reached out a lot (I was new). Good luck to all! Good luck knitting and writing!
I’m more introverted, though I can bring myself to be extroverted if the situation calls for it. I prefer that someone else takes the lead, though I have also been accused of being bossy –all of my life. I guess I’m more of an introvert in that the act of being extroverted tends to drain me more often than energize me–though recent blood tests indicate, I MAY have a low thyroid condition, so GOOD news! ;-P (already fantasizing that medication for this will help with my energy levels AND my weight! The second set of tests will probably come back with, “nope, you’re just lazy!”) Anyway, on those party game personality tests, I usually end up as INFJ, though sometimes XNFJ.
You don’t sound lazy to me. Certainly not mentally, emotionally, and imaginationally. If you mean you don’t like to fuss with your appearance, clean your house, make late in the day efforts to socialize, that type of lazy… I concur! We were just watching Anne of Green Gables and the red hair thing came up. It was confusing to me bc my husband and all his sci-fi fantasy friends LOVE red hair. These cultural and subculture-al things are so annoying. Apparently whether or not sensitivity is appreciated is also largely cultural. So is weight, according to Clarissa Pinkola Estes.