It's amazing what changes a year (or seven or eight) will bring.....

As I sit here and type this I am in shock.

Literally.

I am remembering way, way, way back when my little guy (still only 4!) started kindergarten (he barely made the cut off date.  We only sent him because we felt he was "ready" and figured we could always hold him back if it turned out he wasn't.  I mean, seriously, it's kindergarten).

Turns out this child of mine takes after his mom; because he EXCELLED in school.  Truly.  The only issues we ever had was his "exuberance" and his penchant for SHOUTING out the answers (although that, obviously came from his father.  Because I never did those things!).

Seriously.  These were the only issues the teachers ever brought up in our meetings.

Then came 5th grade.  What happened, I don't know.  (I still blame his father)  But all of a sudden, this "super-star" became an "okay" student.

Don't get me wrong.  He passed everything.  But never put in any effort.  Ever.

As in he wouldn't turn in his homework.  He'd DO the homework; but never turn it in.  He'd do a project - but it would always be at the last minute and it would be the most slapdash thing you'd ever seen (even with me giving direction at midnight - I admit, some of these projects I was ashamed to say I had a hand in.  And I must point out, had I known about these projects previously we sure as hell wouldn't have been doing them at midnight!); but somehow would pull an okay grade (this really made me crazy!).

Drove me INSANE!

We talked about it.  We punished.  We begged.  We were at a loss.  We had no idea of what it would take to get through to this kid.  How to impress upon him the importance of doing well in school.

Nothing changed.

We knew he could do better if he'd just "apply" himself.  But he wouldn't.

Now, we aren't the type of parents that insist on all A's every single time - OR ELSE.  All we ever asked was for him to do his best.  And clearly, he wasn't.

I despaired (and blamed his father - because surely this had something to do with HIS genetic makeup).

But then Man-Child hit high school.  And life, clearly, wasn't the same anymore.

We struggled through his freshman year.  But the struggle wasn't as strenuous.

His sophomore year - a bit better.  A little better planning, homework was getting turned in - eventually.

His junior year MUCH better.  Awesome planning.  All homework turned in.  Albeit, some of it still done at the last minute; or late - but the frequency of this was much less than the previous year.

But so far this year (knock wood)?  His senior year - is off to a stellar start.  Especially considering he just made me sit down and listen (for the better part of an hour) to his "plan" for his first project.  Including all the supplies he would need to complete said project.

The project that still has some time to go before it is finished.

All is right with the world again.  Because CLEARLY (despite the slight deviation) he takes after ME.

I always knew it.