My son has found a direction in life!!!

Subject: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:06 PM

After 19.5 long years, most of which my son was desperately unhappy because he was (is) learning disabled and did not do well in school .... MY SON APPEARS TO HAVE FOUND A DIRECTION..! He graduated HS (more power to him -- it was not easy) and left school and had a trip to Europe (willingly funded by us who wanted him to be somewhere where they treated him like an adult)- he has now been making sandwiches at two different places for 60 hours a week being paid $8 an hour......he independently set up a meeting with the local community college and asked my husband (his father -- I KNOW this is unusual) to go with him --- and lo and behold he tested out of two remedial courses and is signed up for a two year Associates degree in electricity (electronics - -I am not sure -- I am just so darned proud)..

My son is going to make it -- yahoooooooooooo!

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:08 PM

OOps - should be in BS - sorry, don't know how to change it.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: maeve
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:10 PM

Yippee for you all! I liked him when I met him and I'm delighted that he has found the open door. Thank you to the two you for believing in him.

Onward and upward!

maeve

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:12 PM

Thank you Maeve -- I feel slightly hysterical and very very relieved....I have pointed out to him that he has to actually do some work- BUT I think he is prepared for that.....

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: maeve
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:15 PM

I'm sure he is. Great work and rewards are ahead for him.

And the kind folks who tidy things here will place it down below for you!

Now go get some rest. Smile while you're sleeping!

maeve

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Bert
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:18 PM

Wonderful!!!

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Big Mick
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:25 PM

From the days I taught in Job Corps, I have always felt that the real task of educators is not to figure out who can be taught, but how do we find the way to teach each kid. I know that this is not possible for the majority of the hard working teaching professionals out there, through no fault of their own. Too many students, not enough funding, teachers buying their own supplies....all of this add up to too many kids, like your son, who have drive and desire but need someone to find the way to help them. Your story, my friend, makes me happy for you. But in the pondering, it makes me sad for all those kids out there who don't have what you gave your son. You are to be congratulated, and the love and pride just shines through. You really must be excellent and supportive parents, because you raised a kid who didn't give up and found the way. I am sad, and wish that there were folks like you for all the kids that need help.

Ramble off,

and all the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 10:33 PM

Good on him -- and doncha let nobody put him down!

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 12:09 AM

I tended to be rather lioness like in his defence == he is an awesome kid just struggling with direction -- no one puts him down lightly in my presence...........

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Slag
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 12:30 AM

My sincere congratulations. One of the most difficult hurdles there is. I dare say some of us have never found that one thing.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 12:45 AM

Good for you all! At 19.5 I'd be surprised if any kid really found much of their "real" direction, but it sure feels good when they figure out at least the foreseeable future!

My kids kind of fussed around and went from one thing to another for a lot of their early twenties, but, finally, at 30,35, and 38 they seem to have all figured it out. Well...I don't think the 35 year old has found her true vocation, but she's working and raising kids of her own, so...who knows?**bg**

Kudos to you and your husband AND to your son. It IS a major and GREAT deal!!

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 01:44 AM

well done - student, mother, father & Community College!


sandra

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: gnu
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 04:15 AM

That's just grand! Brings tears to my eyes. Happy ones. Congrats to him, and to youse.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: GUEST,Crystal
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 05:08 AM

Good for him! Congrats to you all. I hope he enjoys his degree as much as I enjoyed mine.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: ranger1
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 09:09 AM

Great! I liked Nick when I met him. It's an Electrician's Certification course, and I'm looking at the same program, by the way.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 09:13 AM

Great news Deb and well done Nick.

Again, I like the lad - he's polite and helpful to his parents' friends and he does seem to have matured a lot in the last couple of years.

Good luck for the future to him.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 09:29 AM

I'm so glad for him, for you, for his friends-- and for all the parents we tell similarly reassuring possibilities for THEIR "trouble-kids" (who never seem to believe us during the trouble times)-- because this is not only great news in one individual's life, but a great sign of hope for others.

~Susan

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 11:47 AM

Congratulations, Nick! And mom and Dad.
Well done.
Auntie SINS

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: number 6
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 12:03 PM

Great news!

Congrats to you guys and thank you for sharing this with us.

sincerely
biLL

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Morticia
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 12:34 PM

Happy for you and him, well done to all

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 12:45 PM

Great to hear. Any chance he could lend my son the map??

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 08:19 PM

I LOVE Mudcat --- lovely warm comments from people you haven't met but kinda/sorta feel you know because you have read so many posts of theirs. I am very happy and relieved..........

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 08:33 PM

And also lovely warm comments from people you have met and are happy to know....thanks jacqui, Mary, Tami, Maeve......Tami - it would be so cool if you were in the same course -- we could host study hours......!

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Bert
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 08:35 PM

...I LOVE Mudcat...

I was thinking just the same thing. All the people I love coming in with positive comments.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Janie
Date: 07 Mar 08 - 08:47 PM

Good news, Deborah. I wish him well.

Janie

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Mr Red
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 03:09 AM

Electronics is a fast changing genre. It is so ubiquitous these days specialisms are numerous.

But welcome him to the club.

Mr Red CEng. MIEE

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: fat B****rd
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 05:05 AM

Absolutely excellent news. Much credit to all concerned and ATB for the future.
Charlie(Mature Student)Stenger

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Micca
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 05:21 AM

Congratulations, to Nick (and to his proud parents)I have worked in education all my life and agree with Big Micks comment about finding and helping individuals to find there way through the system to achieve the pest they can and I am sure Nick will manage this, Debs, I have to see I love your kids, a more variagated bunch of confident interesting eloquent goood communicators you couldnt ask for ( and it is not just 'cos of getting to play with the snakes)
Tami, ACCEPT!! Study hours at Truebrits with Tom doing the snacks!!!!! MMMMMmmmmmmm,
and Debs I am NOT in Maine!! I could not and would not go to Portland without visiting you guys!!

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 05:38 AM

Brilliant! Good man himself.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: momnopp
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 10:26 AM

Many, much congrats in order all around. Your ongoing support of your son is to be commended and applauded. Even when you are supported in your efforts, it's gigantically tough to keep on believing that there's light at the end of the tunnel.

I have to say the title of the thread made me feel hopeful. My 18.5 year old continues to struggle with beginning to find his way. I am pretty sure we're making inroads, but the pace is glacial. He just got his GED in Dec. '07 after quitting high school in Oct. '06. I used to think quitting high school was a horrible thing - and then I found out how many ultimately-successful people did just that.

I have confidence that movement forward will happen, but I am impatient that it begin.

And Mick - you are so right. As an educator, I believe my job is to help folks (I teach young and not-so-young) find their own strengths and wisdom. I'm a guide, an encourager, an accomplice, perhaps. I provide information, but the goal is to help them learn how to do 'it' themselves. Of course this, like anything, is a whole lot easier with someone who is not one's own son...

But enough about me :-)

Mazel Tov and keep up the good work, TRUBRIT!

Peace,

JudyO / momnopp

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Alice
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 01:05 PM

Congratulations! Being a family of just me and my son, I know the worry we put into how they will find their way in the world. My son will finish his degree in film making next year. He is not the type to fit into southern CA, but I see him moving possibly to Seattle, still far away from me. Giving them wings is hard, but it is our job.
Alice

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Barry Finn
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 01:28 PM

Hi Deb
That's great news, you sound so pleased & proud, you ought to be, he's a nice kid & deserves a decent shake, as you & Tom do too.
It's a shame the education system is so focused on teaching to the tests rather than teaching to the child (fuck Bush & his "no child left behind" act, it was just an act). Some kids can't flourish in the present system, they're the ones that everyone needs to go the extra mile for.
Isn't it a horror that some kids have it so hard while others seem to breeeze past it all. I've one of each & the one with the hardships makes it by on a wing & a prayer & we can't do it for him, we give as much as we can & have to watch as he does the rest or whatever he can. I'm so happy for you that Nick's got a direction finally, you ought to give him a compass as a present, well, depending on his sense of humor. Keep him focused & good luck.

Barry

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 02:30 PM

Congrats all 'round!

Wouldn't it be lovely if the educational system would finally twig to the fact that not all students learn in the same way? (And I agree completely with Barry about Bush's "No Child's Behind Left" program.)

Linn

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 08 Mar 08 - 09:09 PM

My daughter is an educator -- you should hear her on the subject of No Child Left Behind -- she makes Barry's comments seem courteous.....

I just reread Big Mick's comments and it is so true.......if Nick didn't have us fighting tooth and nail for him every step of the way, I shudder to think where he would be -- and not all kids have the luxury of having parents who can drop everything when there is a crisis and race down to the school to insist on hearing his side of things before hearing (and believing) the school's position.

I remember one classic situation. My son's school forbids the kids to wear earphones in school -- and he was walking round with ear phones in (of course) - on his way between classes.A teacher who didn't even know him stopped him and told him to take them out which he did -- teacher went round the corner, ear plugs went back in. Teacher came back -- following Nick into the classroom and asked for the IPod. Nick say fuck you, or words to that effect and the teacher said go and see the principle. Nick said, I know the way........teacher is a big tall man, Nick is a big tall lad -- teacher standing in the door way as Nick goes through -- claims Nick gave him the elbow. We get a hysterical AP on the phone screaming (almost literally )at us. I said-- we are on the way. We get to the school and the AP wants to tell his side -- we say, no we want to talk to Nick first. So we ask him -- did you give the teacher the elbow. He says, Mum, I'm not stupid -- I nudged him but what the hell was he doing standing in the doorway anyway? And then (AND THIS IS THE POINT OF THIS LONG DRAWN OUT PIECE) -- I said to the AP -- Nick says he didn't do it. The AP says -- why would the teacher lie? I said, why would my son lie? Yes, you have guessed the outcome-- Nick was suspended for a week for assault on a teacher.

Subject: RE: My son has found a direction in life!!!
From: skipy
Date: 09 Mar 08 - 07:28 PM

magic! So pleased to share the joy
Skipy