Allie came home from school today I asked her "do you have any homework?". She said "No, but YOU do!". She was really excited about this fact like she was somehow able to shed some of the daily responsibility of being a kid on the first adult to ask.
So here's my homework:
Please help me get to know your student by using the page below to tell me about your student in ONE MILLION WORDS OR LESS.
Crap.
How do I do this? This is for Allie - my magical, silly, intense Allie. If you've ever spent any real time with Al you know how difficult this is. She is my most complex child. She is in this horrible middle stage where she's not yet a teenager but not quite a little kid anymore. She's on the cusp of something big but doesn't know just what it is yet. She has changed a lot in the last couple years and it has been a trying time for all of us. Once she was a shy quiet child that didn't make friends easily. It has been a blessing to watch as she has come out of her shell and started to be social. She has a great personality. She's actually pretty damn funny. We're slowly having to learn what is fun, what is funny and what can be rude and disrespectful. She wants to help, but sometimes for selfish reasons. Which is not in itself a bad thing. However, she's also learning how to manipulate which worries me. We had a lot of problems last year. I think it was harder with her than it would've been with the other girls because I know how loving and awesome she can be. To see that ugly side of her was devastating.
Allie is painfully stubborn. When she sets her sights on something there is no deterring her. She will get it by any means necessary. I can only pray that we are able to channel this energy and use this for good.
We learned last year that if she doesn't want to do something there is nothing in creation that will motivate her to do it. She is willing to take whatever punishment we can dish out.
But there is the beautiful magical side of Allie. There is the part of her that lights up a room and can take the center of attention without trying. She's fun to be around and can really motivate others better than any of the other kids.
She is passive and shy and quiet and can move through the world like a charging bull.
When Doug and I first started dating she watched quietly and made up her mind about him. There was no convincing her. She stood back and came to her own conclusions. She does that with everything. Give her the information and she will put it together.
She has made me strive to be a better mom.
She has made me be more patient and learn to keep my cool.
I am looking forward to seeing the adult she will become. Looking at her now there is no way to predict what the future will hold for her. It will be where ever the wind takes her fancy. The life she will lead will be exciting and I pray that the person she chooses to spend it with can hold on and keep up.
I'm guessing this is not what the teacher has in mind.
She studies hard, is distracted easily and has difficulty turning in her homework. She is willing to put in extra work when she's not getting a concept but is reluctant to ask questions. She is eager to please and likes to help out with classroom activities - You'll never be short of volunteers. If your patience can take it you'll be blessed to have Allie as part of your class.
There, that's better.
