BFA, Week 1

I have to admit. I was really nervous this morning. I mean, it's been 14 years since I've been in a high school classroom. And I've spent the last 10 years with little people students who force me to issue commands like, "Sit still and keep your hands to yourself!" and "Please don't pick your nose; use a Kleenex!" and "You're holding yourself; do you need to go potty?"

So, yes, I was nervous as we glided down the carpool lane of the interstate on our way to Way-Faraway-Other-Side-of-Atlanta listening to Bank's Indian in the Cupboard on CD. But the moment I stepped into the Bright Futures house, I felt completely at ease. Some of the middle school and high school kids greeted me warmly, and I enjoyed mingling with them while they ate their breakfast. (Btw, Gail, who runs BF with her husband, amazingly puts out 3 healthy meals a day for these kids!)

After breakfast and a devotional, the middle and high schoolers separated, and I went upstairs with my 4: 1 Freshman, 1 Sophomore, and 2 Seniors. What a fun, honest, genuine, great group of teenagers! One activity I did was a brainstorming questionnaire on which they listed 3 possible answers to 18 questions or prompts, prompts like "People who have influenced you" and "Places you want to visit" and "Mistakes you've made and the lesson you learned." They were all very open about sharing these, and we had a great time listening to each other's thoughts in this way. I had an hour and a half with them, which this morning I had worried would drag on, but it flashed right by, and I soon found myself waving good-bye until next week.

As for my own children, I wish I could say they were little angels. Not quite on the angelic level, but fairly well-behaved all the same. There was a bit of a problem with completing their schoolwork. And the problem was not on my part. They had ample time to complete it and a perfect space in which to work. But left unattended...well, it is something we will work on!