[The following is a very opinionated rant (and a bit rambling and disjointed)...]

A.R. is what is called Accelerated Reader. You can read about it at the AR website or the Wikipedia Page.

Does the schools of any of your kids use this program? What do you think about it. I mean what do you REALLY think about it?

My personal opinion is that it is a wonderful tool for the young kids. Earning points and prizes are great motivators for most young kids. Then, suddenly any fun that was there gets sucked away from it and it becomes the worst chore ever.

Alex went through this at the school system here. She started with second grade when we moved here and they did it clear through sixth grade. It was more exciting to be out of sixth grade and be done forever with AR than for any other reason. Period. Seriously.

Now, Alex has always been a ferocious reader. She devours books in fact. The problem that she started to have with the whole program is that the books she was reading weren’t usually included in the AR structure. At third grade, she was reading at a 9-10th grade reading level and most of the books were geared to a 6-7th grade level, but usually lower than that. She HATED AR with a passion that she doesn’t show often. (She still does, but is thankful that it is no longer forced down her throat on a daily basis.)

I was talking with some other Moms about it this week and it seems that my opinion is not singular. It was at that moment that I realized that I have to go through it all over again with Phoebe, but starting with Kindergarten rather then second grade

I noticed on the website for the company that sells it that one of their highlights is that it will “build a lifelong love of reading and learning.” I have news for you AR people, I have met a lot of students which it did the opposite for. And, these are good, high achieving students that would rather stick nails under their fingernails than to read for pleasure all thanks to AR. I so dread that this might be a possibility for Phoebe. Alex at least still reads.

Oh, how I wish they would stop using it so intently. It really feels as if their entire reading curriculum is based completely on this program. Why? I don’t know. But, I really wonder. Maybe it needs better tailoring or implementation. I personally believe it should be used as a tool, not a focus of the curriculum.

Which makes me curious of what people in other districts, states, countries might think about it.

So, do your schools use it? Do you think they use it well?

I often wonder how the mood of my daughter can go form nice and sweet all the way to crass, loud, and witchy in the blink of an eye.

I know, I know. Combine it all with the age, the hormones, the school “stuff,” the friend “stuff,” the level of sleep obtained each night and we have a recipe for a tornado effect on moods.

Still.

For instance (like an example is really necessary), this morning, I went in and woke Alex up. She sat up and turned on the light. She said she was awake and getting up…she said this sweetly even. So, I went and did some things downstairs. I noticed the time and went up to let her know she only had 5-10 minutes left before she had to leave. To this, I got “FINE!” and “WHATEVER!” and “SO?!?!?!!!!” I said, “excuse me?” and she then said, “I’m not talking to you!” To which I replied that I hoped she makes it in time then. Then, the stair door was slammed shut.

She stomped around, mumbling about not having anything to wear and having no nice shoes. Finally, she went outside and it sounded like she tried to slam the outside door but it didn’t work out the way she expected (or wanted).

She wasn’t up really late. However, I have found out that she did not do her homework last night, instead she played games and talked on the phone. THAT is going to stop now. She’s usually really good about all of this, but this year, I don’t know. I don’t know if something has happened that she won’t talk about or if its just the timing of everything.

All I know is that I am done with it and I will have to make her realize that I do the things I do for her because I want to, not because I have to. Not by any means. Time to be “bad cop” apparently which is okay, because I’m not the favorite. Ray is. Always has been. For her.

Reminders that nearly everything is a privilege not a birth given right are going to ensue.

Sigh. Its going to be such a fun week, n’est pas?

Right before going to basketball practice is when Alex decides to try on her new shoes with her orthotic inserts. They do not fit. Plus, the insole that is inside the shoes is non-removable with ZERO arch support.

Great. As I suspected though.

So, she went to practice in her current shoes.

After practice, we went to the store that we got them from WITH the inserts hoping to either exchange the sizes or find a pair that will work with them (though I was not hopeful).

On the way, we saw a sign and realized that there was one last sports store that we did not go to. We stopped there first, and…she found a pair she liked! I thought it was never going to happen. AND, she was able to try them with the inserts.

Phew! Done!

Mostly. I still need to go to the one store and return the mediocre, not fitting shoes.

I cannot wait to do it all over again. Oh, wait, yes,  I can wait!

Don’t you just love the weather that comes when the seasons are a-changing? Going from consistently hot and muggy to freezing and snow?

Last weekend started out warm and rainy and finished out cold and rainy.

Last night at Phoebe’s soccer practice it was quite chilly. Those winds can really whip up across several soccer fields..and they were COLD winds!

Today it was 77°F and sunny. I got a mild sunburn while mowing the lawn today (and it isn’t even finished!).

Tomorrow is supposed to dip a bit while a cold front from Canada comes through and rebound just in time for near 80°F on Saturday (should be a beautiful day!). Then again, a butterfly in Asia may flap its wings oddly and it will all change.

I wish it were just a gradual decrease in the temps (or increase) rather than these wild swings up and down and back and forth.

It’s also really irritating to have to bundle all up to wait for the school bus in the morning and then roast all day in class because the morning was too cold for shorts or capris.

So, it’s autumn. The days are nice, the nights are cold. The garden harvest is coming in (though ours failed miserably this year). The leaves will start to change soon, and soon the lawnmower can be stored for the winter. Followed (too) soon enough by getting the snowplow all attached to the ATV. Fun times ahead.

Even more fun when its all icy and snowy and Alex has to walk down to the neighbors house to catch the bus. With no place to walk, other than in the road, on a 55 mph rural road that people regularly go faster and get really impatient with school buses. (No shoulder really to speak of, definitely no sidewalk either.) Yeah, those will be some fun times. I envision sitting in the car at the end of the driveway and turning out just as the bus is coming then stopping in front of where the bus stops for her to get out. Fun stuff. But, that’s a whole other issue.

So, how many days left until next spring?

Today started off well enough. The plan was to take the girls to the library and then head to the park to meet up with some friends for lunch and to play.

First, we started out later (about an hour) than planned. Next, Phoebe wanted to play video games on the computer there and was upset when I made her stop after 20 minutes (it was supposed to be a quick trip today) and began a small meltdown. I decided (while still at the library, after nearly an hour of being there at that point) that we’d hit the video store and head home instead.

On the way to the video store, Phoebe wanted ice cream. Um, no. She didn’t meltdown exactly, but went into a little huff about it. At the video store, we (as always) were greeted by the candy display (I so hate that!). Phoebe wanted candy. I will give her props for asking sweetly for some, but once greeted with the “No, not today” answer, she melted down. Severely. I told her if she didn’t stop then she wouldn’t get to choose the movie. She didn’t. So, I chose it instead (Avatar the Last Air Bender: Book 3 Volume 3). She was in hysterics then entire way home. It was close to the longest 20 minute car ride ever.

Once at home, she calmed down, and I held her and rocked her a little. We had our lunch and did some quiet activities. Out of nowhere another meltdown occurred. Smaller than the last one (thank goodness), but annoying all the same. She said her head hurt. Hmmm. Duh. She got vaccines yesterday. The kind that can cause low grade fevers and extra moodiness in young kids. Gave her some Motrin and she’s been a happy, active camper since.

On the upside of the day? I scaled Mt. Laundry…and won. This round anyhow. I finished cutting the lawn (except for a small area that the groundhogs have claimed, and I wasn’t sure if I saw a skunk or not!).

We returned the mail videos to the store and exchanged them for store rentals.

We got items from the library to keep us entertained on our many car trips out and about.

I dug out things from the attic that we’ll be needing this weekend.

And, my teenager was a happy, pleasant girl today! (I’m thankful to the aliens that returned my happy child and took the moody, crab back!)

In the end, it was a good day, although I really would have liked to have visited with my friends today too.