Roosevelt 5th Grade Class of 2013 - Congratulations!

Milestones - When attempting to find out if we were good parents to our kindergarteners, our pediatricians gave us "milestones". Milestones were given for height and weight and physical development. We rated and measured and changed something, anything to make sure not only that our kids hit the "average" but excelled.

Here today my son hit another "milestone".  He is graduating from 5th grade. As he went to his last day of school from Roosevelt today, all he could think about is how good it will be to get out of school and begin "summer". Enjoying days on end of "not having to work" at school and do what he wants during the summer.

As I dropped him off today, I found myself reminiscing about that first day of school that my wife and I dropped him off (teary-eyed, both us and him) at kindergarten.  As the teacher told him and he obeyingly took the nearest student’s hand, he was obviously reticent on meeting new people and new work and new building and new friends and new everything.  It is hard for a 5 year old child to be thrown into that situation.  (Almost as difficult as it was for us parents to allow it.)  That first day he was crying, leaving behind what he knew to learn what he didn't.  The unknown is always scary. (not just for kids)

Along the way since then, he has found new friends, lost some and then gained some back.  He has learned, grown in stature (has he ever) and grown in strength.  He has met aggression (both of himself and of others), conflict and problems head on, faced them and helped think and solve and resolve them. He has taken more and more responsibility in his own learning and knowledge and also he has taken more responsibility at home.  He is taking on more responsibility in his scout troop and his church. He is becoming a teen. As he sprints toward adult-hood he is gaining his own boundaries, building the knowledge of who he is and who he wants to be. As parents we sometimes find ourselves seemingly “left out” of this process as our teens “find themselves”.  But we have to remember to be there, for these and other future “milestones”. 

The Bible states that “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth.” (Ps 127:4).  We can draw the parallel.  We fashion and hone and prepare the “arrow” of our child. Many hours and skill it takes to prepare.  Then in an instant, they are put in a bow and gone. Prepare your arrows for shooting straight and true and honest. Aim carefully because as my grandfather stated “If you aim at nothing, you hit it every time.”

Congratulations Roosevelt Class of 2013, You are truly the best!

Rick Parker