On a personal Note...

Butterfly's and nerves.  My eldest son went today to take his Co-op/Tach Test.  For those of you who have no idea what this is, it is a high school entrance test.  In order to attend a private Catholic school here is Queens, NY - it is a requirement.  There are many weeks, if not years that go into preparing your child for this test.  Well, today he is taking his test and I am a nervous wreck.

He is a nervous wreck, but not for the same reasons that I am.  He wants a scholarship.  This is his focus.  I did not put it there, he did all on his own.  He knows that he will make the school(s) of his choice, but he has in his heart that he wants a scholarship.  Now, keep in mind that there are very few scholarships that are given each year.   So a student who achieves this will have to maintain an average over 93% all through his school years.  The student will also have to score very very high on this Tachs test.  Each student is looked at and only so many scholarships are given to the elite. 

I asked him why he wants this scholarship so much and his quick response had me choking back tears, I have done good in raising my son.  If I have ever done anything so good in my life it was raising him.  He is quite a young man right now and he impress me everyday.  I am proud to be his mother and I want everyone to know this. 

His reply to me was, "Mom, if I get the Scholarship, I know for the rest of my life, I can do anything".  Now some might think that this is alot of stress on him.  I actually agree.  Without the scholarship, I KNOW he can do anything in his life that he puts his mind to.  But he is 13, and this is his own test that he is giving himself.  Scary!   

As he gets older, there are less and less things that I can help him with.  I can't be with him every minute of the day, nor would he allow me to do so.   So this is something that he is shooting for on his own and I am quite proud.  I did not promise him a new car if he gets this scholarship, I did not offer him money if he gets the scholarship, the only thing that I offered to him was that even without this scholarship WE, mother and father will pay for this school and we will always be proud and we will stand behind him in anything that he ever chooses to do.  He is growing into a man and I am over flowing with pride. 

Comments

[Broker Bryant]

Christine your pride and love for your son is bursting forth from this post as I read it. What an awesome young man. When I was 13.......well we won't go there. Let's just say I survived and succeeded in spite of myself. Please come back and post your tears of joy after he aces his test today.

[jf.sellsius]

As the proud dad of a once 13 year old son (he's 20 now & away at college), I know exactly how you feel. It is during times like these that we realize what's really important in life--our family. I wish your son success on his test. His desire to do well is proof that no matter what happens on this one day of his life, he will make you proud every day. I think I'll call my son now. Thanks Christine.

[Christine]

BB - He came out of the test very relaxed. My son said that the test was not as hard as the instructors made it out to be. We won't know the results, if he got in, got a scholarship or not until mid January. So, until then I will continue to bite my nails (and going to get them done). But, we are confident.

J. Sellsius - You said it. My family is my drive, they (I am surrounded by men btw, two boys and a hubby. Watching both my boys excel when I had nothing to do with it is such an incredible feeling. I normally do not get personal on my blog - but I had to voice it today (he googled my name one night and read my blog, so he reads it... I think). But, THEY make me proud. I am happy that you called your son today - that was very touching!

[Carol]

We need more children like your son who wants to do well in this crazy world of ours. He has quite an outlook for such a young man. No matter what happens he is a credit to his generation..and to his parents...

[Kris Berg]

Good luck to your son, and congratulations to you for raising such a fabulous person. My daughter, the HS Junior, just took her SAT's. The stress these kids are under is unbelievable, and my heart goes out to them. We, like you, have always been laid back and never pressured our girls. They put enough pressure on themselves. When I took the SAT's, we just showed up with a #2 pencil. Now, the tests are preceded by months of prep classes and practice exams. To her credit, she scored 2270 out of 2400. To her discredit, she actually is considering taking it again to "do better". Our job is to give them balance. Let us know how he did!

[Christine]

Carol - You are a nut! Thank you. See you later. :>

Kris - 2270 - that is fantastic!! But, I agree with you - when I took the Sat's it was a no big deal - we barely knew what it even was - and it was not a question of what college you were going to go to, like it is now - but more like ARE you going to college?

[Maureen Francis]

Christine,

I just got a little teary eyed thinking about you and your son. I am a mother too, after all. I certainly hope he gets his scholarship, but even if he doesn't he is a great kid with loving parents and lots of support.

Getting a scholarship to college was very important to me, just like the high school scholarship is important to your son. So I can completely understand him. He is self motivated. That trait will help him through life.

[Christine]

Thank you Maureen - He really is a great kid. I like being around him and I think without him admitting it - he likes being with us. (Sometimes, when there is no parties, no movies or no plans with his friends - LOL)

He will always do great in life - I just see it in him - he will not settle for anything else. He has a drive to succeed that amazes me.