Better things on the Horizon

It has been a tough start to 2010 for my eldest son. Sometimes I forgot how really hard it can be to be 12. He has been acting up at school - nothing serious: not finishing his homework, goofing around in the class. Things like that.

Last week, he and 15 of his closest friends decided it would be funny to laugh at a teacher as she walked away from them. Nothing was said. It was simply laughter. It was enough to trigger her sending the pack of boys to the office and the principal handing them an 'in school suspension'. I had never heard of the concept but, essentially, it means that you sit in the principal's office for the day and do your work.

We had no choice but to react. Hard. He was prevented from travelling to his hockey tournament and had to hear from me (as the manager) about how the team was doing. He lost all home privileges as well.

This week, you have turned things around and I am really proud of him. He has been getting excellent feedback from the teachers. Homework has been getting done. He has been respectful and kind - even to his brothers and that is sometimes hard for the eldest of three.

I am completely confident that we can turn this around with some TLC.

Maybe it is true what they say: sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can climb your way back up to the top.