Boys and (dis)Organization

I'm so proud of my middle school son! He handed me his mid-term report today and he's doing SUPER well. That was not the case eight weeks ago. What changed?

Kent has always had a hard time with organization. It's not necessarily a skill people are born with. It can be taught, though.

When it became clear he was having a hard time keeping track of his completed assignments - which meant they might have been completed, but not handed in - I put together a 3-ring binder for him. In the binder, I included pocket folders corresponding to each class. When he finishes an assignment, he puts it in the folder. The binder goes with him to every class.

Last quarter he was practically failing his classes. Now, he has all As and Bs, and NO missing assignments! It worked and I'm proud of him, but more importantly he is feeling better about himself and enjoying school again.

Spring in Minnesota

My husband and two youngest boys went hiking at the nearby State Park yesterday evening. They had a great time, but both boys came home with a tick attached. My 7 year old was actually bitten, the 12 year old had one burrowed into his sock.

The two ticks that are commonly found in Minnesota are the Blacklegged Tick (formerly known as the Deer Tick) and the American Dog Tick. There are 13 kinds of ticks, but these are the two that feed on humans.

The Blacklegged Tick carries Lyme Disease. According to the CDC - "Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system."

For a list of ways to avoid being bitten, click here.