A good beginning

So this week was an interesting one for Dave and I as parents. Palmer's teacher informed us that he's a very intense and emotional kid, and that she thinks he needs some at-school counseling.

Of course I guess a parent hopes to hear nothing but perfection and praise about their child, and constant perfect model behavior. But this news about Palmer having some difficulties has actually, ironically, made me rather happy. It has made me feel like I have a mission, something I need to focus on, something I can actually contribute to improving. Usually one goes around with this sort of helpless, directionless feeling of wondering what it is they are really supposed to be doing. And so well now I know. Now I know that I can stop worrying about teaching him Icelandic or shoving lots of high-calorie food in him. Those artificially and self-prescribed goals have been replaced by something tangible, something immediate, something that definitely needs to get done.

I am excited by the prospect of working together with Palmer, his teacher, his counselor, his friends, Dave, my mom, and my friends to start making things better.

It is, by my count, a very good start to the school year.

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