Tatyanah

Seriously there are some moments in life that take my breath away and today it is Tatyanah! She is 14 and a spit fire, she is full of laughter and life, she is so happy and once in a while, so bitchy. But she is becoming a lady, no more a small child but she is changing.

I look at her in awe.

I remember when she was born like it just happened and her silly little antics, she is still always playing somehow. She makes every day of my life sparkle with happiness.

She is strong in her beliefs and values. She stands up for things that I could not at her age and she does so with great poise. She is smart and goofy. She is everything I would ever hope a girl to be.

She is always taking pictures of herself and has developed a sense of how she wants the world to see her, she is fantastic and I am so proud to be her mom! She is a perfect Tatyanah!

HELP

I need advise..

My son is 16 and decided last year he wanted his high school diploma. He was unschooled until that point. Last year in grade 10 he was with Argyll online and received credits for English 10-1, Science 10, PE 10 and a few CTS courses in foods, tourism,etc. Getting him to follow through was a struggle and I knew in math I would not be able to help him, so we registered him in Outreach. Basically he works as his own pace but there is tutors there at any time to offer help. He could go in one day a week or 5 days. He earned a whopping 76 credits his grade 10 year. He even took the final 6 weeks off to go work in PEI for 2 months.

Next year...now...he is slacking at everything. Math is a major struggle for him. He did math 10C last year and had 2 modules left before PEI which we thought he would complete. So he said he would finish them this term, alas he did Social 20-1, Art 30 and PE 30. We allowed him the opportunity to make his own path, we asked only that he complete his math. He is struggling and we feel VERY strongly that a classroom teaching in a regular high school would help, he is a very very visual learner. But he does NOT want not want to go to "regular" school.

He is 16. he is capable of so much more, he has become video game obsessed. He does not hang out with friends unless they call on him. He has become excessively lazy.

The question is...do we allow him to continue on and allow him to learn as he goes? Or do we say enough is enough? What is fair? What is right? As a parent I believe in learning through consequences, however this is getting crazy. I am drained with the constant issues over education. He IS going to post secondary, and that was his choice, he just needs to learn to prioritize a lot more. He is a super great amazing kid.

Any thoughts?

Kathy

Planning a Commitment Celebration

Who do you invite?

Where to start? What is acceptable? How do you do what you want without offending anyone??

So many questions yet I think we have it pretty much figured out, but if you have any great ideas, please feel free to share.

We are having a garden party.

We are hanging beautiful lights in the trees, and mason jars, we are using beautiful wild flowers all around and having an old frame hanging in a tree with moustaches and such for great memory pictures.

We are having a fun casual evening with family and friends.

We are writing our own vows...that will be hard.

We are creating a keepsake journal for our friends to sign and putting their pics from the frame in beside their names.

We are excited and wanting to keep it simple but elegant.

An update is in order.....

Whoa I am way behind in updating my blogger...

where to start....

I had a job, for three months, working with teen girls ages 10-16, in a treatment centre....

I am getting super involved with LGBT kids and families and it is an exciting adventure......

Amanda and I are having a "Celebration of Us" July 21, although marriage for gay people is legal here in Canada, we have decided that we want our lives to be committed by heart and not by paper and I would be more for marriage if it was fair for all.

Kids are in school and doing amazing, shockingly amazing, so proud of them.

We went to Cuba for 9 days, it was so much fun! I learned that one should not hold babies in Havana as mothers only want money. Sad society but brilliant culture.

Book Club is amazing and I love it! I picked the book this month, The Virgin Cure.... I love it and I will do an update after our meeting tonight, Book/Wine club!

Christmas was magical and exciting, I think next year I would like to hide in our house! But we had a great time with family and the kids loved their Visas.

Life is fabulous, busy and alive.