Thursday, May 19, 2011

Straight A Student

These are my kids, last All Hallow's Eve.

Madison is on the left, and Kylie is on the right. I love them both more than words can articulate, and I am very proud to be their father.

But today is about Kylie. My daughter, who is 15, and a freshman at a high school that shall remain undisclosed (sorry internet pedos, you don't want to mess with this dad) is officially a straight A student for the year this year.

She's effing brilliant. Yes, she goes to public school in Georgia, and no, she did not take any AP or honors classes this year (she's always been in honors, but was scared about the transition into HS, and wanted to wait until sophomore year to pick them up again).

She got the announcement today that she is now exempt from the rest of the school year. She only has to go to class if she wants to.

So I just want to shout it to the world: YOU ROCK, KID! Oh, and I love you, shhh. I know, shut up dad.

I was an absolute moron at her age. I mean I was always a good student, but I never studied, never did my homework, and just aced the tests to end the year with a low B average. Plus I was into other really stupid shit. I am so happy to have children that are far better people than I ever was.

What is your proudest accomplishment, like, EVAR?

50 comments:

Laura M. Campbell said...

Tell Kylie she ROCKS! Straight A's is an amazing accomplishment. I'm so envious!

Like you, I didn't take my high school career seriously, and I work everyday to make up for it.

One of my proudest accomplishments was making Dean's List at Penn State one year. I busted my butt studying, acing tests and writing good papers.

My second to date is pursuing my dream to write. It's been scary, but my persistence and voracity for learning lead me to a published article, the first draft of a novel (granted I'm rewriting it now) and many unforeseen things in the future. I'm happier than I've been in a long time.

Jessica Bell said...

Wow! Go Kylie! That is so weird that she doesn't have to attend school for the rest of the year! So so weird. How does that work? LOL

Yeah, I was a bit nuts as a teen too. I could get the As if I wanted to but most of the time I just didn't want to!

Proudest accomplishment ... um .. what do you think? :o)

Unknown said...

WOW!!! Kylie is brilliant. Straight A's rocks it out of the park. Congratulations. I love reading and hearing about bright, smart women.

My proudest moment was finally getting my first novel published last year.

Steve MC said...

She only has to go to class if she wants to.

If they'd only told me that, I would've been straight-A, too. :-)

Way to go, Kylie! And proud Papa, too.

Loralie Hall said...

Congratulations to her ^_^ She sounds brilliant and amazing.

And you're pretty awesome too for being so encouraging :-D

Ted Cross said...

That must be such a wonderful feeling! I am afraid of what will happen when my kids hit the US school system, since all they've ever known has been overseas schools. I mean, they have never had a letter grade before! How will they adjust to the US way of screwing things, oops, I meant doing things?

I'm proud of too many things to list.

Stephanie Lorée said...

Your kids are cool! Those fake contacts alone make Kylie awesome in my book.

My proudest accomplishment was buying my own home. I was only 24. My mother cried. It was a big deal. I still love my little house, except now I've learned that home ownership is a ton of work. I'm considering renting again someday, and I now understand the appeal of condos. :)

Jeff Beesler said...

My proudest moment was when I made the choice to take a simple writing test online for free, just to get an assessment. What started as just a matter of curiosity has now exploded into the best thing to ever happen to me. I never would've opened so many doors if it hadn't been for that moment, nor would I have met so many awesome writers out there. Finding the courage to be myself at last...definitely my proudest moment.

ShaunaKelleyWrites said...

The news all over Baltimore this week has been about an epidemic of high school drop outs. This is good news in comparison.

Your daughter is awesome! Seriously, she is already opening doors for herself, and that is a wonderful place to be at a young age.

Jess said...

That's awesome! Kylie rocks! What a fantastic start to high school for her :)

And you know where she got some of those smart genes, right?

Accomplishments...hmmm. My two-year-old has been taught to shake hands with people and say, "Good to know ya!" That's pretty cute and might serve her well in life :)

Natalie Aguirre said...

That's so awesome Matt! Maybe you can share advice sometime about high school. My daughter starts next year. She's 14 and is taking advanced math and keeping all A's while swimming 2 1/2 hours a day 4 days a week. I'm really proud of how she handles all the work & stress. So far teenage years are going fine. I hope she doesn't have the painful high school years I did.

A Daft Scots Lass said...

You're a soopa star, Kylie! Great job, Dad.

vic caswell said...

WOW!!!! congrats to kylie!!!!
study on young one!
(out of curiosity, is she going to go back to school, or take the days off???)

Josin L. McQuein said...

I think the fact that your kidlet knew enough about herself to know she needed to back off the Honors for a year to get settled is at least as impressive as the fact that she's a straight-A student. High schools focus a lot on peer pressure, but few realize the other pressures put on kids from faculty and counselors and even parents who think forcing a kid down a path they may not be ready to walk will help them in the long run. So your daughter is ahead of the game on that front.

And, I love that she's got fangs in that pic, but went with the werewolf shirt -- atta girl. Who says you need to pick ;-P

The younger kidlet looks a lot like Volturi-Dakota Fanning in this pic, too, so thumbs up for whoever did the make-up.

storyqueen said...

You have every right to be the proud dad!

And getting out of school early is the best incentive EVAR to get A's...just sayin'. (I wonder what we teachers would have to do to get out of school early?)

My daughters, too, are the best thing I have given to the world.

Kelly Polark said...

Hurray for your girls! (and their dad) You should be a proud dad. Straight A's are AMAZING! Tell Kylie that I think she rocks too!
My 6th grade son has gotten straight A's for years til this year and got a B in honors math. I told him I'd take him to see Avenged Sevenfold if he brought it up. He did! But now the concert is over and he's at 85% again! Stinker! (But I'm still proud)

Heather M. Gardner said...

That is just fantastic. Good job to you and your daughter!

I was a horrible student and it makes me proud everyday when I see my son learning and absorbing so much at school.

Michael G-G said...

Congrats to Kylie. I marvel at people who get straight As. (Math was always my downfall. My parents threw a party when I got a C.)

Kylie sounds like an awesome young woman who has got her head on straight. Like Josin above, I think her choice to dial back from the honors courses shows someone who knows herself and can make good decisions.

You are one lucky Papa!

LTM said...

that is very cool. And of course she's brilliant! :o) But it's really neat that she's into living up to her potential. I was talking to my friend Dara (frmrly, Rush) about how the seniors in our lives are so focused on "the right things" and not goofing off like we were... LOL!

Yay, Kylie~ ((hugs))

Laura Pauling said...

When our children meet milestones or perform well - nothing beats that. Congrats proud dad!

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

Go Kylie! And raising kids that are better than you...I only wish the whole world would strive for that. Congrats, Dad!

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

What a proud Dad moment, Matt!! Congratulations to you for raising such wonderful kids. And mega congrats to Kylie for Acing the year!

Genevieve Jack said...

That rocks for sure! I have two girls myself who, thankfully, are smarter than me. I consider it my gift to evolution.

Emily White said...

That's amazing!! I can imagine how proud you must be! Isn't it great when you see your kids not just succeeding in something, but excelling?

Luanne G. Smith said...

Aw, proud dad. Beautiful girls, by the way. And smart, too. You done good. :)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Dad! You may have done some "really stupid shit" back then, but you have clearly done quite a bit right as an adult!

Ishta Mercurio said...

Congrats to Kylie! Great job, young lady!

She's exempt from the rest of the school year? Wow. My high school never did anything like that.

Anita said...

Like you, my kids are everything...for sure my proudest accomplishment...Husband and I don't do everything right, but we made some good kids. Congrats to yours! God, I remember those last days of school...what a great freakin feeling.

Anonymous said...

Great post, Matt. You have a LOT to be proud of. One needs only watch the news to know that our kids face difficult prospects these days. Kudos to yours, and you for helping them.

Chris Phillips said...

High-five! I wasn't an honor student at all in hs, and I wuz purdy smart. I guess graduating from KSU would be my proud accomplishment and finishing my first manuscript.

Nicole Zoltack said...

Wow, that's awesome! Go, Kylie!

Marsha Sigman said...

That's awesome.

I think my boys are hoping being cute takes them a long way.

I have this recurring nightmare that they are still living with me at 30 and working at Taco Bell.

Old Kitty said...

Wow!! So in the USA, you get to NOT go to school if you do ever so well?!?!? WOW!!

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww your beautiful Kylie is just fabulous!!! Brains and beauty!! Yay!!

And Madison is just as gorgeous!! Take care
x

Bryan Russell said...

Simply awesome.

Parenthood is sort of mind-blowing, isn't it?

I think my daughter's smarter than me. She's six. I could be in trouble.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Congratulations, Matthew!!! That is awesome.
And greatest accomplishment? You mean besides finding a woman who'd say?

Angie said...

Yeah for her! How cool to be able to skip the rest of the year. I would have to say my kids are my greatest achievement. My oldest is graduating with high honors next week. =) Actually, I don't think I can take much credit. He's just an awesome kid.

Talli Roland said...

Wow! That's so fantastic! It's a great accomplishment - no wonder your'e so proud; you should be! I hope she's proud of herself, too.

Rachel Searles said...

That's awesome! Congrats to your daughter and congrats to you for raising such a good kid! :)

Elana Johnson said...

Yay for Kylie! That's a big deal! Congrats.

Sarah Ahiers said...

wait... that's an option in GA? Do so well in school that you can be exempt for the rest of the year? Man, i would think that would encourage a lot of kids to study.
Also - Kickass Kylie!

Jared Larson said...

Kylie rules! That's an incredible accomplishment. More than I ever accomplished at that age. But eh, it looks like she might be a vampire, Matt. You might want to look into that.

Unknown said...

That is awesome. Way to go Kylie.

Slamdunk said...

Congrats to your smart daughter Matthew--that will certainly have you smiling for many weeks.

dolorah said...

Cute kids; and I'm glad that Kylie decided to wait a little before resuming the AP classes. I've heard stories (my own kid in CA) that there reaches a point where there is nothing new to be learned.

And then the kids get so focused on academics and the future they forget to live for today.

I'm sure you teach her lots of lessons about balancing life.

As hokey as it sounds, I guess my proudest accomplishment evar is that my kids still talk to me; and hug me.

My two youngests are 12 and 20, and they never miss an opportunity to give me a hug, even when they want nothing. I avoided my parents to the point of being rude.

And they all talk to me about their lives. Issues involving growing up, their friends, their own mistakes - some they haven't been caught at yet :)

Even when they know I'll have a fit initially (I have 5 kids, BTW), they just continue on like I'm not being a mom. Then I say "OK, say that again" and they do and we talk.

Kinda silly, I know; but you'd have to have lived with my foster parents . .

.........dhole

Sommer Leigh said...

You're such a lucky dad! And she sounds like a rockstar! I hope she's really proud of herself. My husband is a high school teacher and he'd kill for students this cool.

Liza said...

Wonderful post Dad. Frame it and put it on Kylie's wall! My daughter won an award last night for being an Outstanding Band Member. In a nutshell, she got credit for every time she left early to set up for a performance, knocked down chairs at the end, did errands for the teacher, and believe it or not, calmed the teacher down when she was stressed over the last four years. When a teacher says to you, "I don't know how I'll survive next year without her..." you know your kid has done good! Congratulations to your accomplished daughter.

Kelly Lyman said...

Way to go Kylie! That's awesome! And, isn't it SO fun to brag about our kids?!?

Joe Lunievicz said...

I loved the entry. Great picture of your kids.

Proudest accomplishment ever? Raising my son with my wife. Nothing compares to being a Dad. Nothing.

Congratulations, Kylie!

Wendy@FabNouveau said...

Oh wow that is the biggest blessing you can ever get. Having awesome kids like that. well done Kylie and great pic there.

Dawn Simon said...

Yay, Kylie! What a great girl!

What I'm most proud of in my life? My kids. They're incredible human beings whom I love, respect, and enjoy hanging with.