I've been thinking about it for two years now, and I've finally decided. We have a couple different charter schools in our area, and one focuses on learning through the arts. All kinds of arts. At first I wasn't sure if this would be a good idea, especially for Annie. I wasn't sure how much structure there would be at the school. Annie, having FAE, needs structure! She needs a routine, she needs to know what to expect. My fear has been that she wouldn't get that at the charter school.
So I'd made up my mind that they wouldn't go. Then this school year started, and Annie and Cindy started off by getting detention for throwing rocks on their way to school. They've had a few mishaps since, and so I changed my mind, I was switching their school next year. Plus, Cindy will be in 6th grade next year, which is Middle School for the regular public schools. Cindy is tiny, she has maturity issues, and I've been in fear for her to be going to middle school already. At the charter school 6th graders are still with the elementary, and I think she needs one more year of elementary. That did it, I was switching them.
Then Annie had her birthday party. Seeing her with all her friends...I couldn't do it. How could I take her from them. Thinking about it broke my heart. So that was it. I wasn't going to do it.
Then Angel, my best friend, came along. In our conversation she sounded more like me talking to her. If they go to the charter school:
- They don't have to switch schools to go to middle and high school.
- It won't matter where we buy our next home, they can stay at the charter school.
- It would be better to switch Annie while she's this young than decide to do it later.
- Annie makes friends easily, she'll be fine.
- Cindy will benefit more from the charter school than the gang ridden middle school.
- Both girls are artistic, and love to sing and dance.
- Their soccer club is not through the school, their swimming, and gymnastics are not through the school, and their cheer leading program is not through the school, so sports will not be affected.
- If you don't move them these problems arise: jealousy because Cindy will start riding the bus and Annie won't, jealousy because Cindy will leave earlier than Annie, jealousy because Cindy will get home and be done with homework hour before Annie gets home
For those of you saying big deal to the jealousy thing...you've never seen an FAE rage!! It's worth changing schools for the jealousy issues alone. So now I've decided to switch them. I talked to them about it to see what they thought. They were both so excited I thought they were going to pee!! I got the applications and filled them out and sent them in. Now we just have to wait until April when they have the lottery, and hope the girls get in to the school. Of course, if they don't get in, now that they're so excited about it, I get to deal with that rage anyway.
There was something else that made me decide to go ahead and try the charter school. I have a few friends whose kids go there. These friends are people who have kids with the same afflictions mine have. They have told me that the structure there is actually better than what they were getting in regular public school, and behavior problems have declined. All these other kiddos are doing great, and they love going there. It was actually this testimony that clinched it for me.
And bonus, school clothes shopping will be a breeze, they have a uniform of sorts. Only solid color Polo's and sweaters, and only khaki bottoms, no cargo pants. YIPPEE!!
Tune in again to read tales about the adventures from the Angel Retreat.
Donations to fund the needs and activities for the angels who live with us are always welcome.
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