The kids are alright!

We had a great surprise Wednesday.

That was the day the big blizzard was rolling in…it was also the day of the middle school parent-teacher conferences. Of the two, the conferences had caused Doc-wife and I more anxiety.

You see, it’s always an adventure to talk to son-and-heir’s teachers. The teachers want him in therapy, want him on drugs, wonder if he’s on drugs, think he’s brilliant, are sure he’s a serial killer in training and uniformly demand that he be tested to prove he’s human and not some interstellar whack job masquerading as a middle schooler. We’ve never gone into the classroom and had the teacher have to stir her memory to remember son-and-heir…when we say we’re his parents, they usually start backing away and looking for the exits.

This time, it was different. It was like being in some weird-but-too-good-to-be-true other dimension.

This time, we got glowing reviews about our all-As (Huh? Son-and-heir with all As?) offspring. He’s doing his homework, turning it in, getting all As on tests (not unusual) and generally behaving like the gifted child we know. His math teacher raved about him, saying she’s really looking forward to the advanced assessments the class will take…she said he is an advanced and creative thinker and could have some interesting solutions on the more advanced math. Ditto science: “I use (son-and-heir) as a reference in class sometimes.” Social studies: “I love him…I think he’s got like 120 percent…he knows so much about culture and history.”

Language arts was a little different, though he still has a good grade there. Son-and-heir has mentioned this teacher to us before…she’s a far-left ideologue whose political leanings often spill into class. From our brief interlude, she also came across as a grade A BITCH whose interest is in collective action rather than individual achievement. Of course, it doesn’t help that son-and-heir is a loner and individualist who despises writing and quit reading the grade-level books she assigns when he was in third grade.

Our message to him: There are petty, vindictive people like this everywhere…do the work, ignore her philosophical bludgeoning and get a good grade – success is the best revenge.

The blog-daughter had a (nearly) equally good report. The book on her: All As on tests, failure to complete homework is dragging her down a little, though we received her honor roll notification letter in the mail yesterday. All of her teachers thought she was terrific.

Of course, they all described her differently…in some classes she was reserved, in some helpful, in others joyous and bubbly. Doc-wife observed that she’s the ultimate livery stable horse – her interpersonal performance is tailored to each person with whom she comes in contact.

After completing the rounds, Doc-wife and I just looked at each other, waiting for the “but…”

It never came. I hope this wasn’t an anomaly, but a trend. We’ve been handed a little candle of hope…maybe our kids won’t end up like Unabomber Ted Kaczinski and Imelda Marcos, respectively…maybe we’re not complete and utter failures as parents.

Life is (temporarily, anyway) good. The kids are alright!

*****

And just because I can, here's the video!