Kade's graduation

Kade had his 5th grade graduation this last Friday.  It's not that big of a deal but it's still nice to watch the whole grade together, singing and sharing some things.  There are a lot of great kids that I have gotten to know a little bit over the years since Kade was with a different group of kids every year and it is fun to watch them grow.

It is a bit sad to see them get older and move onto the Middle school though.  Kade is somewhat excited because he is friends with a few boys that are a year older and he'll get to see them.  I think he's also a bit worried about the mean kids because just recently his 2 friends at the Middle school got beaten up.  That stuff worries me too but then when I was talking to a friend who recently moved here from a big city and works at the Middle school she told me what we think are rough kids is nothing in comparison to some big schools out there.

It is very obvious to us we have a tween in our house, too. :)  All of a sudden, Kade's life is all about his friends.  If he has to be home with just us one afternoon he thinks he's being punished and there's not a Saturday or Sunday that he's not asking for a friend to come over or to go to someone's house.  I know it's part of growing up but it makes me sad that he's so ready to leave us.  We are really trying to work on his behavior towards Kason now because he can be very mean to him.  It is so hard to know what is the right thing to do.  Poor Kason loves Kade and wants to be just like him (other than the sports :)) but Kade pushes him away.  So we've been trying to work on them spending time together.  Some days are better than others. :) And then there's the teenage attitude and constant negotiation.  Just a few years back Kade was the most obedient compliant little boy and it's hard to see when he gives me attitude or tries to get out of everything I tell him to do.  But I know it's part of growing up.  He's learning too about breaking the rules and just now he's being grounded from all electronics for a month and going to anyone's house which was a great lesson for him.  It is a lot about finding the right currency and for him the most important thing are his friends right now.

We are also starting to think more and more about homeschooling just during the Middle school years.  There's just so much crap going on at the school and the good students suffer a lot because of the kids that don't care about school.  My main thing would be to get better education for Kade because there's a lot of slacking at the Middle school.  One of his best friends that is a year older is home schooled and it's great to see how much more ahead he gets at home.  What Kade really likes is that his day would be over by lunch time.  So even he's been talking about it some.  I told him I'd like him to try it for a year and then he can choose.  From being at the Highschool a lot this year, I really like what I've seen there.  It is a lot like college the way the classes and instructions are and they have so many college level classes you can take for free that it's really great.  But Middle school I am not as impressed with.  I see them dealing with a lot of behavioral issues and then the other students suffer.  So it's been on my mind a lot and I pray that God will show us if it's the right thing for us to do.