Most Valuable Player.......

It's been a while since I've actually sat down and looked at this blog that we have started, and honestly...I've come to conclusion that we are busier than what we think or even lead on to be. We haven't had the extra time to stop and jot something down. But I feel had a moment with Paul this weekend and I wanted to share how proud I am of him. These last couple of weeks I've had the suspicion that Paul might be entering his "preteen years." "But he's only ten!" is the excuse that I kept coming up with in my mind when I would see him act out because HE wasn't getting what he wanted, when he wanted or even how he wanted it. His actions weren't those of one who might of just woke up on the wrong side of bed that morning. This was starting to be a daily routine for him. And Jason and I were even more puzzled when his actions turned into physical actions as slamming doors, throwing the first thing that he could get his hands on to throw.....the anger and frustration that was coming out of this child who would have tears just pouring down his face as he yelled out the normal "I hate you's! And one that I used quite often during my "preteen years..."You guys just don't care about me!" The normal behavior a preteen boy who thinks he knows it all and really isn't listening to anything anyone is saying to him, unless it's something HE WANTS to hear or HE WANTS to participate in. Then "the day" came......the day his teacher gave him his progress report to take home. I knew it was "the day" as soon as my sister called to let me know that he was very nervous about coming home. She felt so sorry for him. You could hear his fear in her voice. She knew. She knew that he was getting into trouble and that his behavior at the time, sucked.
Now I love the way his teacher laid out the progress report. For each subject it listed out each assignment, test and homework that was given followed by a grade and comments for the given grade. This caught Jason's attention and he asked Paul to read them a loud. He started reading them aloud and his assignments and tests that were given IN school were average, average enough to stay out of trouble, but I did make a mental note that we were going to discuss average and improvement, but it got worse. Worse...meaning, all I heard was the letter "F' followed by "Didn't return homework." I was floored. Immediately I turned around to the backseat of the car and looked at him. I looked at him and let him know right then that I was finished. He knew he was done! I know exactly what he was thinking at that moment as my eyes were staring him down. And sure enough he did it. The next mouthful out of his mouth is the point where I turned around in my seat and looked over at Jason and not surprisingly, he almost had the same look I did, but somewhere inside of him he was grinning. I'm sure of it, because without any hesitation he started asking questions. And Paul just couldn't keep up with the questions that he was being asked. Paul instantly blamed football practice. Now everyone that is involved in our family's daily routine knows that Paul Robert has plenty of time for homework. Before and after practice. He is asked everyday if he has homework and not only is he asked, his book bag is checked by his aunt and myself everyday. This is not something that is new to Paul. Nothing has changed in the 7 years he has been going to school. He knew there was consequences and definitely no Halo 3. Now if anyone knows anything about Halo 3 knows that the release of the game was a huge deal. Paul has been waiting a long 3 years for Halo 3 to be released and here was the day. The same day his teacher handed him that piece of paper had now ended that long wait. He gave up at the moment when we answered the question that he didn't even dare ask but was dying to know. "There will be no Halo 3 Paul." I felt bad for him until he lost it and flipped because he knew he screwed up. He refused to go to football practice that evening as he was being dropped off and decided to throw that preteen fit because he couldn't just go down to his room and slam his door. He was not going to convince Jason or I that football was to blame. Jason brought to my attention that he needs to get organized. Life is starting to change for him. He has started the 5th grade and the juggle of life is starting to begin for him. I realized what Jason was saying. My little munckin is heading into manhood and he doesn't need his mama on his back all the time. Jason sat Paul down that night and organized a binder with Paul. Now this binder. I love it! The binder consists of several tabs, one for his homework and if I remember correctly that breaks down into sections by the grade that was given, past progress reports, upcoming projects. The front pocket inside the binder is where he is to place all papers that are required to go back to school (now if you know Jason, you know these are labeled as well) and the back pocket is for all papers that are to go home. So it's all in one place broke down to where he knows where everything is to be placed and to be returned home every day. Jason and him sit down every night after dinner and go through the papers that he brought home that day and place the ones that stay in the binder to show where he might need help and to show him his own improvement. I was proud of Jason at that moment. I am proud of him because as a parent he made the right decision. For a moment he stepped into Paul's shoes and realized that Paul is growing up and just needed a little steering to get him back on the right track. We all need it every once in a while. I realized by Jason doing this that I also needed to do the same with Paul. I had to face one of the many milestones that most parents have to face and sometimes its easier said then done and that is that my little munchkin is growing up and is entering a time in his life that is going to be confusing and very challenging. So I decided that I was going to be just as persistent as he was about finishing out the football season. I explained to him that, he has to finish what he started. He made a commitment to his team, coaches and his family with signing up for Football this year. I don't think he took me too seriously at first because he was still persistent about not going. It took two practices after our "team player" talk and he was hooked again. I think he even appreciates the team and coaches even more, by some of the comments he has made since his comeback.
And so this brings me to the title of this entry. Saturday Paul had a football game in Kingman and even though his team lost, Paul kicked butt! He was definitely on fire at that game and he knows he played damn well. I also know that he realized that if you are truly committed....it WILL pay off in the end. And he proved that to himself on Saturday. After that game the team walked off the field, many of them with their heads to the ground. I could almost feel the battle wounds they accumulated in an hour and half but they knew what was coming next as they kneed to the ground. And it didn't take long for one of the coaches to say something. He asked them to raise their hand if they felt they played their best on that field. Not one hand went into the air. But I know Paul felt good and giddy inside even though he was injured himself. You could see the smile he had when we were walking back to the car. He knew he accomplished something on that field and he was proud of himself. And he should because I sure am. :0)