Tonight was part two of our acclimatization process for high school.  Open House.  Can’t screw up walking around on your own, right? … um, right.  Mostly.

Much like step one of the process, I didn’t know what to expect tonight, and given it wasn’t loaded with presentations on the importance of family dinners and monitoring our kids’ use of social media, I was bound to be happy.

Having driven past penguins and polar bears on the way to the school, I was dreading the walk from the parking lot into the building in sub-zero wind chills more than anything related to the evening and I wasn’t disappointed.  A minute into his warm up chat, the Principal of the school asked for a show of hands from everyone who was frozen by the walk into the building… how you raise your hand if you are, in fact, frozen is a mystery, but let’s not be technical…

Having heard a fifteen minute schtick, mostly explaining that they were going to set us loose on the building in groups (not a particularly complex concept, but who’s counting), we were on our way.

My goal for tonight was rather simple: help Christina get one more step comfortable with what will be her new school.  Given the girls arrived several minutes late, it was immediately evident that everyone was in a bit of a funk to get started.  All going in different directions, no one even remotely present in the moment.  It’s odd how we have the ability to gear shift as people.  I had an awful day and might as well have been physically grinding an axe walking into the building. Somehow, seeing them all in a different place got me focused on the situation.  I took Christina around and we spoke to a number of people, between teachers, counselors, some people there to discuss clubs, etc.  By the time we were done, we found out some useful information to help her register for classes, but more importantly, she seemed to be having fun and a lot more relaxed.  The downside was that she really only has two elective slots to fill in her schedule and she’d like to sign up for probably 10 things… I don’t know what I expected there, but I wish I saw it coming so I could’ve helped guide her through it better… (add one to the lesson learned list for Anna in three years).

In any event, the night came and went pretty quick.  Anna was incredibly bored, until the point where I pointed out that she’ll be the person walking around asking questions in three years.  I don’t think the concept of middle school has fully settled in yet, let alone high school… the reaction was worth it. 🙂

We’re one step further down the road… likely Christina will leave her recommended honors classes alone and put Spanish and Chorus in there for good measure.  We have a week to make sure all that is in the system, but tonight seemed to get the picture a lot more clear… including the bit where she won’t be able to squeeze Drivers Ed anywhere into her schedule and have it fit… oh well, I guess we’ll have to take the outside school option.

Disorientation step two… complete.  Can’t wait to see what comes next…

-CJG 01/21/2014