Yesterday I posted about nearly fainting after opening a $20,000 hospital bill. Funtimes. But, had I known that my return would be nearly $20,000 of awesome later, I wouldn’t have been half as hysterical. Or at least not hysterical in the “Mom are you okay?” sense.
Gracie had some pretty kickass news when I picked her up last night. She met me at the door of her classroom and the way her face – her entire body – was lit up, I guessed (in my head) what she was going to say: she had been accepted into “the smart people program” at school next year. Those are Gracie’s words. I love the real name even better: The Gifted and Talented Program, for we can call it the G&T for short. Who doesn’t need more G & Ts? Exactly.
It’s very incredibly rare that I see Gracie that excited. If she’s Very Excited about something, she’ll chatter. Well, she’ll chatter more than usual. She’ll wake up early, full of excitement. She’ll be nicer than usual to her sister and her mama. She might even say, “Yay!” from time to time. Last night she was lit up, visibly bouncing on her toes, and I’m pretty sure she actually shrieked with excitement when I did a little happy dance right there in the hallway. I am over the moon proud of that kid. That moment is one of the ones I’ll remember for her entire life. I love when you can appreciate those unexpected moments as they’re happening.
I know there will be times over the course of the year when Little Miss I Know What 12×12 Is wonders what she’s gotten herself into. There will be a ton of homework, I’m sure, and while my daughter is clever and brilliant, she is also rather l-a-z-y. I can just hear myself threatening to send her back to “regular” 2nd grade if she can’t be bothered to put in the time and effort. But I think the stretching and the testing of her patience will be good for her. It will be good for her to learn that she can’t coast her way through her education. I think 2nd grade is a much safer time to learn that than when she’s thrown in with all the other super-smart kids in college and hasn’t learned how to study. Not that her mama knows anything about that. Ahem.
Yes, there was much celebrating at Casa de Katie last night. Gracie has been rewarded with iPod privileges at bedtime every night instead of having to read her chapters to earn iPod time. We’re going out to dinner on Friday to celebrate. And there just might be a little monetary reward. Hey – I have absolutely no problem teaching my children that doing well in school and busting your butt equals a monetary payoff. How do you think the real world works, with scholarships, school placement, job placement, bonuses and paychecks?
The bit about being awesome and wicked smart? That’s just the icing on the cake.
Tags: gifted programs, school
May 18, 2011 at 8:34 am |
Woot Woot! So proud of Gracie and you too Mama she couldn’t have done it without you.
May 18, 2011 at 8:39 am |
Congratulations, Gracie!!! And to her mom, too! I love the different ways you’re celebrating her achievement and showing her how proud you are!
May 18, 2011 at 10:37 am |
Yaaaaay! Hopefully Bee is excited she gets to go to kindergarten without a big sister at the same school. Not many 2nds kids get to do that =0]
May 18, 2011 at 4:03 pm |
Yay!
May 18, 2011 at 5:10 pm |
I wouldn’t call it lazy. I would call it laid back.