The joy of a good report card!

I have 4 kids (now grown) but for a time, especially in middle and high school, I would anticipate the regular onslaught of report cards.  Not all were stellar---in fact some were downright terrible.  I was ecstatic when graduation time came. Gone were the self doubts, the anger at the teachers, and the attempts at bribing or tutoring the kids to get them to do the right thing (in my eyes).  In all fairness, my twins' grades were good. The boys----well, I'll let that go.  They grew up and are fine.  I  let go of report cards.

Now, I'm a mentor, and my mentee is at middle school---the same middle school, in fact, from where my boys brought home some pretty ridiculous grades. One of the main reasons that the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate program exists is to close the achievement gap between the different ethnic groups and to help the kids graduate and go to higher education....so grades are important!  I feel the pressure, again!  To be perfectly clear here, I am NOT a tutor.  I do talk about school with my mentee, help out with things like supplying a home computer, take her to the library, and assist on special projects.  I talk to her teachers, attend school functions, go to study skill workshops with my mentee, and talk with her parents. It's a pretty cool program, in case you all want to be a mentor!

However........today was the report card day.  My husband handed me the envelope with the report card in it (the schools send the report cards to the mentor---it's very important!).  I couldn't open it right away.  It sat on the counter.

 Finally, after some self pep-talk, I opened it--the moment of truth.  ("Am I really the best mentor ever? or should I just start volunteering for litter pickup?")    My mentee's report card was great!  Maybe not straight As, but practically all As and Bs!    A wonderful first report card from middle school.  I immediately called her home and congratulated everyone!  

Thanks Alana for being such a great student! Keep on trying!