Tomorrow

Tomorrow, my daughter just announced, she is getting up at five thirty. She will wash her hair, put on makeup, put on jewelry, and dress carefully. Three of the four, easily, are things that she does not routinely do. Tomorrow, she says, she wants to make a good impression, right off the bat.

I suspect that she's focusing on this so intently because we've been so intent (perhaps a bit too much) on the importance of getting decent grades from the get-go. She probably realizes by now that we heard her tell someone that she slacks off for a few weeks, then does damage control. We've told her that isn't acceptable, and her continued attendance at color guard and karate depend on seeing acceptable grades. (I've read that withholding socialization activities, such as CG, from a teen is not good. Perhaps so. Getting lousy grades is worse, in my opinion.) Additionally, going to an anime con in November also depends on those grades.

We're going to be leaning on her. Gently, but consistently. I've already warned her that there will likely be times when she feels pressured. We'll certainly be asking her to do things that, for the first year, we didn't. Homework every night at home -- if done already, or none that day, then a review, with me or my wife. Core topic review every week, with us or a friend. Showing us the notes she's taken in class for those courses, and doing a spot quiz from them. Oh, yeah, she'll feel pressure. And so will we.

Tomorrow, it begins.