I hit the floor running again today. I did the same yesterday, accomplishing a great deal, 
but I didn’t want to come across as a braggart, so I deleted the post when I couldn’t think of a 5th for the day.
I went to the clinic first, after dropping Girl-child off, to look for my weekly planner. Nothing. Considering my whole work life is in that book, this is not good.
Headed to the hall, where I’m working extra hours today to make up for Friday, when I won’t be there as long. No planner in the hall, either. Second “not 
good”.
Back to the clinic where, lawdy jaysis, there was my damn planner…RIGHT where I’d looked earlier. Me thinks something is afoot. While here, and working on my notes, I received a call from a teacher from my Boy-child. And here we go:
What was said in the conversation isn’t that important. I’ve been a teacher and know full well the dynamics that take place in a 
class room. I listened, validated what was said and told the teacher I stood behind her, which I do. Later, when I talked with my son, things changed a bit. I still believe everything that was said, but I also believe him. For YEARS I have been working with my son to help him learn to advocate for himself, because there isn’t always someone in your corner. Ethan has recently started to do so, yet has gone from zero (by way of doing nothing), to 100, which catches people who do not know him off guard. He “shuts down”: his eyes becoming dead and his face showing little emotion. He has a very flat affect, as anyone who has had an angry interaction with him can easily see, and teachers who may not understand 
that this is merely his defense mechanism tend to react differently. He isn’t “acting out” at all and is unable to understand why there is such a response. Or, maybe this is the way all teenage boy act, who knows…. There is, in life, a petri dish. Sometimes you are caught under the microscope, and my son, for whatever reason, is often under that microscope. This evening, as tears streamed down his face, I explained the end goal is getting through high school. Yes, there are SO many unfair things in life, and they will continue, it doesn’t end when you graduate high school The trick is learning to advocate for yourself in a respectful manner and not always being ready to fight a battle when communication and understanding is all that is needed.
Pics: All I managed today were these shots of Mags at volleyball.
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