Encouraging Your Child

I guess you could call me a mom who can put on some pressure?!?

I have strongly encouraged my darling teenage son to step up to some challenges. I thought this year academically would be too easy for my son, but it has surprisingly turned out to be pretty intense. He is now practicing his alto sax about 1 to 2 hours per day in preparation for the All Region Band tryouts Dec 3. In addition to that he is active with the NHS and their activities re: the National Election. Plus he is working on his homework about 1 to 3 hours per day depending on the course.

I have been speaking with him trying to see if he might be interested in attending a prestigious christian college in Illinois? (NO) possibly applying for a military academy, you know the tuition would be free and they are the top ranked universities in the country for science and engineering majors? (NO) applying for Harvard, Yale, etc. (NO) So as you can see I am narrowing down the field of choices or directions to investigate based on my extensive questioning...

So I just had to find another opportunity for him in the field of science/engineering/math, possbily an experience that might be of benefit and allow him to narrow down his possible career/major choices and something prestigious to apply for...

This time he didn't exactly say no!!! Whoo Hoo!!! The Texas Aerospace Scholars program!!! He just said he is filling overwhelmed with keeping up with all of his coursework, classes, practices, etc and didn't see how he could add in another set of deadlines, so he was willing to try but just didn't see how...

So I asked him if he would would be willing to try if I acted as secretary. He agreed so I filled out as much of the paperwork as I could, higlighted where he needed to sign, made sure he accomplished the deadlines as outlined, got copies made, itemized his responsibilities of work to complete and broke down the steps so he didn't feel overwhelmed, one letter here, another there(letter to State senator requesting nomination, letter to Principal requesting nomination, etc.) and mailed it off. And he completed everything within the timeframe, and didn't complain, now just the waiting...

It looks like an interesting program, so check it out. Texas Aerospace Scholars Program If selected he will hear by Dec 19th, he will be assigned online work every two weeks to be completed during the year and then he will hear if he is chosen to participate in a 1 week internship at Johnson Space Center this summer, all expenses paid. The other great thing, is that if he is nominated to participate and chooses to continue with this program, there is a possibility for being an intern at Johnson Space Center during his college career!!!

Okay, I will back off and try to calm down. I am just thrilled he agreed to apply!!! I think it would be a tremendous opportunity for him and hope that he is selected, I also think it would help him to understand whether or not, he is interested in being a possible science/egineering major.

It was also interesting to my DS to see how the staff at the high school was jumping through hoops and scrambling to get his transcripts and his letter from the principal just right...An opportunity for a local high school student to be offered a position in this program, would be of importance to the entire community, just one of the items of interest in living in a small town. So he was kinda' surprised about their extreme willingness to help once they knew what it was for...a source of community pride.

The other thing my DS has said is 'no way am I going to be an astronaut and fly in space, mom!'.

I guess we will see, as far as I am concerned 'the sky is not the limit for my DS!'.