Teenage children maturing into young adults

[100792]

DS is 15 and is turning into quite the young man. It just amazes me. I strive to be a good parent, raise him to the best of my ability and for him to be a good child and a wonderful adult man.

He has always been an 'average' student and I kept thinking what is HS going to be like....challenging. Well, it has been the easiest, granted we are barely two months in. He has never done so well.

I know that he is very motivated this year as he is in classes that he wants to be in.

He has always wanted to go into the military when he is old enough. His first class of the day is AFJROTC. He loves it, he is thriving in the class. He was selected as the flight commander for this quarter and he has taken it very serious. He is up and ready for me to take him to school at 6:15 am for his 6:45 drill class.

Today he had to counsel his 'squad' as several of them are failing in the AFJROTC class. He is also helping several of them get their grades up.

His second class of the day is Ag Science where he is in FFA. He is anxiously awaiting the purchase of his livestock as soon as we move into our new place next month.

From there he just keeps on going....enjoying his classes.

As I mentioned earlier he is wanting to go into the military and his AFJROTC class is helping him get some of the protocol down. Yesterday we were sitting on the couch and he said he wanted to do running start to help him get ahead with a basic degree so he could become an officer in the military.

Like I said he is growing up into quite the young man and think if he stays on this path he is going to make some lady very happy.

Thanks for letting me brag about him. He is such a good kid and I love to share all of his good news and accomplishments.

[gemsab]

He sounds like an awesome son! I wish him the best in life! You should be very proud!

Emily

[uLearnAsUgo]

100792,

It's great that you're so proud of your son! Some parents aren't involved enough with their children. Many are surprised when they see the quarterly report cards,that their children aren't doing well in school. Knowing that he is doing well this early on is a sign that you are an involved parent!

My daughter always got good grades. It isn't that I passed along a "smart gene" when I gave birth. I was lacking in that particular gene myself. But when she had school work that she didn't understand, she always went to the teacher and scheduled a time to go for extra help. She was placed in advanced classes in high school because she worked so hard. It didn't come easily.
I was so proud of her when she was inducted to the National Honor Society.

Behind a successful child, you usually see a parent who is actively involved in their lives.
Parents are supposed to brag a little. We're also allowed to pat ourselves on the back every now and then!

[Kathy]

To me, there is no greater joy than knowing our children well and knowing they are healthy and happy. Its always good to hear good reports!

[100792]

Today DS was a volunteer at a craft show helping the vendors bring in their items and set up their tables.

I dropped him off at 7am and went back after they opened to view the show. As DS was walking around with me, several of the vendors told me what a great job he did bringing in their items.

It was nice to walk around with my coworker and son and hear all the great reports about him.

[VetTech]

I have 3 children (one is my stepson who doesn't live with us anymore,he is 19)

Right now I want to brag about my 17 yr son. He is a senior this year and is working very hard in all his classes,he takes advanced classes.All he talks about right now is college.My son is also very goodlooking and has a great sense of humor! BUT.....last week he was involved in a senior prank along with 15 other seniors and has been kicked out of school for 5 days!(they all were) My dh and I were very disappointed.But he has never gotten in trouble before.He still got grounded! My son is in the "in crowd" at school. Even through he did the senior prank, I am still very pround of him. He loves baseball and is very good at it.

Oaky, I think I bragged enough LOL!!!

[lilorphann]

After reading all these posts I have decided to do a little bragging of my own; I was 18 when I gave birth to my first child who is now a Soph. in college majoring in Chemical Engineering and remaining on the Dean's List! He graduated High School Valedictorian and have grown into an amazing man; wow it's hard to say he's a man, but he is going on 20! Moving him 4 hours away to college was the hardest thing I have ever done; I cried for about 3 months straight after that. His father and I have been together for over 20 years now and I am proof that statistics are sometimes wrong. We also have another son who is a 5th grader who is gifted and has had perfect attendance for all 5 of those years!

Parent involvement is most certainly the key. I still check the grades, attendance, etc. of my college student and usually talk to him daily. I am no super mom but I stay actively involved in the lives of my children and communication is vital.

Sorry about the long post but I never miss an opportunity to say how proud I am of both my boys!

[100792]

It is so nice to hear that there are parents still involved with their kids.

I see so many both family and non-family that are not involved with their kids. It just makes me want to take those kids and show them how things can be.

To all of us who are involved in our kids lives, keep up the good work, they are the future of our country/world.

[100792]

I have posted many times what a great child I have.

The past couple of weeks he has exceeded more than usual and just shows me how much he is turning into a young adult.

He is currently in drivers ed and is such a responsible driver. He was involved in a wrestling club for 10 years and now has gone back to coach as JR coach.

It is hard to believe that I only have him home for a few more years and then he is off to the service.

[inthegarden]

It's awesome to hear how our children are succeeding and growing up. My 2 oldest, 22 and 24 are now 'raised'. I feel it's my job though to be a good listening ear and their greatest cheerleader. It's hard at this point that they don't need as much time with me as previous, but I'm one of the first to be called when they're excited, need a recipe or are lonely.
Those of you who have children that are challenged physically, mentally or emotionally please know that I want to celebrate your child's success - whether it's a lovely smile or a job at home they've completed. Your kids are successful and important too!Take a moment to brag! :cool:

Bev

[lclcar]

Dear100792,
It sounds like you have a very good DS.You have the right to be Happy about that and tell his he is someone to be proud of each day. Keep up the good work! Have a good day,LOVE Lisa

[celtictigeress]

Reading these reports on good kids/good parents has brought me joy. I never had kids, but I've been so involved in our neighbor kids' lives for the past 5 years that I feel like I have, and I see some of the achievements mentioned here in these 3 boys. If I have as much pride in their successes and accomplishments as I do with children who aren't mine, I can only imagine how proud the parents of the kids mentioned here are! Good work, everybody.

As a college tutor/teacher I see so many kids who never got the attention and help they needed. That was particularly true when I was a probation officer. I can think of 3 "bad seeds" when I was working in the juvenile division, those kids who were destined for trouble no matter what their parents did. The rest -- I was there for 6 years -- were either good kids who did some silly prank and would never do anything else, or good kids whose parents were so caught up in their own lives and needs that the children acted out to deal with the neglect. If a child can't get a parent's attention by being good then he/she will get it by being bad; that's an eternal truth. I can't count the times that the only interaction children had with their parents for months was when the parents (reluctantly, of course) had to sacrifice their time to come to court. Believe me, I let those parents know where the problem really was -- and it wasn't with the kids who were arrested.

Hats off to the great parents here! :thankyou: