RoseFlorida's Journal, 20 August 2015

I work with many adolescents in my practice (psychologist) and they ALL are over scheduled, and often anxious and overwhelmed. I tell parents, less is more! 

If he hadn't begged to get into the program I would have said no. He applied and got into the IB program (other school) and two programs at Blake, he got into all of them. He accepted creative writing and not guitar but he wanted to take the elective guitar class. They had told us there was no way he would get into the guitar major class (effectively a double major) and I was shocked tonight when he did. He wants to go to MIT and attend the writing program there but he's not in college yet and his schedule is worse than mine in college was. Plus he is taking college credit as a freshman. INSANE! I told him I would work with him and try to relieve stress as much as I could. Tonight after open house he will no longer have home chores during the school year, except for some dog walking and he won't have to earn t.v. time if he keeps his grades above a b. I need to find things he likes to do that will relax him. He turns 14 Saturday, no kid needs that much stress at his age. 

When I read your journal, I pictured him as 16 or 17. But 14! No, he won't be able to do all that. The guitar alone will need at least 2 to 3 hours a day, and if music is not his main interest, he won't be able to do that. I think he will soon realise that he has taken too much on. 

OMG!! I went to Blake in the 7th grade!! The worst was climbing to the third floor not to mention having to walk (I promise) 1 mile just to get to the exercise field from the gym! 14 is young but I think it's good you let him make his choice and the worst thing that can happen is he will switch his elective course and the world won't even end if he does! I will keep both of you in my prayers. 

When it is all over and he has his IB, you will say that it was worth it all. Believe me, it is. I am so proud to see that you let him make the choice; good for you, mom. He will be a better man for this. You are truly one of the good ones! WTG! 

Not the IB program, his choice was creative writing at Blake. He most likely will have an associates degree when he graduates but only because they encourage it.  

Do you mean MIT as in Massachusetts MIT? Or is that a local acronym for you?...MIT in Boston is known for engineering and technical careers - I grew up there and went to college in Boston at New England Conservatory of Music...dated a couple MIT geeks....LOL 

MIT is very well known for engineering but they also have 1 of the 5 best writing programs in the US.  

Just found this on USA Today. 4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Massachusetts): Most people wouldn’t immediately think of MIT as a great writing school given its enormous reputation for engineering, computer science, and technology. However, MIT offers an extensive and unique writing program that not only produces great writers but prepares them to be competitive in the harsh job market of English graduates. One thing that sets MIT apart from other universities is the fact that, rather than having one English department that covers both writing and literature, they split the traditional English department into two entirely separate programs. Their writing program not only instructs creative writing but also science writing and digital media 

Wow, how proud you must be of him and what a good job you have done. My granddaughter is going to do the same thing (take college courses in her freshman year in high school) buts on a much smaller scale. She will be attending a community college and we are very proud of her. School is her main focus. She is a knockout but when I asked her if the boys were after her. She responded that she had no time and that her education and studying came first. 

Wow - that is cool to know about MIT - your son would love it there - Boston is such a college town and student focused.