The ungraduation graduate, graduates

Well it looks like there are miracles in this world still today; I received a call from the school counselor that my son will be able to graduate. He actually did all the work he was supposing to and took advantage of as much extra credit as he could. In the last few weeks of school I saw him doing homework (imagine my surprise). He even reminded his sister to bring her note cards to math class so she could get her full credits. What does this mean to me; well it showed that when my son is under the gun he can do the work. What did my son learn that waiting to the last minute makes more work for you in the long run? Yes, he will walk across the stage this evening and yes I will be super proud. When I wrote my earlier post about him not graduation a large weight was sitting on my chest and I really felt like my kid was the only kid in the world not to put on the cap and gown. I know now that many kids have issues and don't graduate for some reason or the other, and that some have to find their own path to graduation. My son watched several of his friends have to change schools near the end of the year and go to an alternative school because they had no other choice, he also watched a few friends just give up and decide to go another route to graduation. I love that he made the choice to fight for graduation, that he got to go on his grad night trip to Disney Land and that he is looking forward to putting on his gown later today. In a few weeks he is scheduled to leave for college in Fresno and I am excited and scared for him. I see this as a new an important chapter in his life and I also know from our experience this last few months that he has to do things on his own, I cannot force him to do anything. As he goes into each new phase of his life, my role is changing from the hands on parent to the listening and giving advice parent. It’s not an easy transition to make and I admit I had serious guilt about my choices as they days grew closer to graduation. I stuck to my guns and allowed him to grown and learn and it worked out for the best, for him. In the next few hours I will start thinking of the child I walked to preschool, kindergarten and elementary school and the young man who wouldn't allow me to walk him to middle school. It has been a very long, interesting and complicated journey with my son and I look forward to the rest of the journey and all the surprises that it holds for both of us.