Turning a Life Around

Having a granddaughter living with us certainly has livened up our lives and has given us a purpose!

When our granddaughter came she was in sore need of guidance; cutting school, not bothering with homework, seeming not to care about grades, sullen. We did give her the choice of staying with us and doing what she needed to do or to go back to her old life. What we needed was help in finding a way to motivate her. What she needed to do was: go to school every day, do her homework and regain her self esteem.

We went to the therapist and got some ideas on how to approach our granddaughter but probably the best help came from a good friend. She had some extra hours at the “Tutoring Club” and she gave us some. We took our granddaughter who wasn’t happy but since the hours were a gift and quite expensive she went along. Oh she was so mad at us!!

She was having the most trouble in Geometry so that was the immediate focus. The head of the Tutoring Club had seen all of this before and not amused, she gave firm guidelines on what had to be done including attending 4 afternoons a week. What our granddaughter found was that the tutor helped her to understand that day’s issue, and she got her homework done. So instead of not turning anything in because she didn’t understand, she started on a daily routine with her math.

Once she understood her subject the grades went up and with that, she started taking pride in not only her math but her other subjects. Now the grades have gone up from D’s and F’s to A’s and B’s with a smugness when she has made the highest grade in the class.

When our granddaughter was younger she would talk about going to college and was interested in being a Veterinarian. When she came to live with us she did not want to go to college, she was a lost soul who didn’t know what she wanted to do. Now we are talking college and although she has to make up lost time she has started to make goals.

Today we have headed north and plan to tour Stanford and U.C. Berkeley. I told her that she should look at a broad range of schools, apply to the ones she wants then see which one(s) accept her with the best offers. This is a far cry from where we were just a few months ago.

And just a note, on Mother’s day she made me a simple card telling me how she appreciates all I do and all the encouragement I give her. I cried; it was so great to know that we’ve made a difference in her life.

Never give up on a kid! And for today, this minute, life is good!