Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Brian, his name, and school

Don't worry, I'm not going to change his blog name. I am just going to whine.

Brian is taking Spanish. As is not uncommon, he is using the Spanish version of his name which is easily shortened to a nick-name that is not normally associated with the English version of his name. Got that? He wants us to remember to call him by that name. Since I am going to try to illustrate with his blog name, it is as though he decided we should all remember to call him "Ron." There is a connection, but golly it is difficult to remember.

Sadly, the times I remember to use it is when I get a call from school saying he is behind on his work. Hearing me say, "Heh...Ron!" is becoming the prelude to something like, "your drama teacher says you have a D because you haven't been turning in your journals!"

I'm trying to remember that he wants to be called by that other name, but it is difficult.

Oh...and his school performance tanked right around the time Andrew left for college. He has been forgetting to turn in about half of his work. I suspect that Andrew leaving is part of it, but it also follows his pattern of doing well for a month or so and then dropping off. It was disappointing because I really was hoping he was finally more organized. I'm torn between my desire to have him do well and therefore to start trying to stay on top of things for him, and keeping it his responsibility and risking him doing poorly, never go to college, and never move out of the house.

Yeah, I have issues too.

2 comments:

  1. Too funny about the spanish name. I speak spanish pretty fluently, we homeschool and most of my kiddos have their name with a spanish version as well or a spanish nickname.

    OTOH my eldest is on the autistic spectrum and when he was 14 he decided he wanted to be called Chet. This in no way is anywhere close to his given name of Gregory. I spent years learning to call him Chet as i feel how we wish to identify ourselves is very important. And in many cultures changing names at different points in life is common. OK, on his 18th birthday I offer him a name change. If he wants to legally change his name he can. He jumps at the chance. We sit down to fill out the paper work. Under name being changed to he writes his new name. . . Gregory Johnson and our last name. Why are you changing your middle name I ask. Well i have always hated my middle name he says. Why aren't you changing your name to Chet? Well that is my nickname he says. Gregory is my legal name! ROFL And so it came to pass that on his 18th birthday he changed his middle name from the dreaded James

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  2. Lee that is just TOO funny.

    Roland teaches autistic kids and I will have to tell him!

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