Well we are in the final weeks of the Autumn sports frenzy. There are only two football games left, and it's doubtful Abate will be allowed to play in either of the two. The coaches are not about to let him risk an injury as we head into the final cross country meets. Fantu on the otherhand is toughing it out with an injured hamstring and is still cheering, but hasn't raced in weeks. This week is the District meet. High school races on Wednesday morning, Jr. High that afternoon. For Jr. high it is the final race, but for High school the top 10 individual runners and the top 2 teams will race at regionals in Houston on Nov. 5th. From there the top 2 teams and top 10 individuals will race at the state meet on Nov. 12 in Round Rock. We are hopeful that the Varsity team will qualify for State, the last time Gatesville sent a team was in 1993. Dare we hope to dream that this will be the year?
I'm sure everyone that follows these posts wonder if Abate and Fantu actually study or even take any academic classes since I seem to only mention sports. Fantu is an average student. SHe is very clever and if she asserted herself in her studies she could do very well, but Fantu being Fantu is thrilled to just not have failed any of her classes. Woo hoo Mom look no F's! Abate used to try to make all A's, then he became happy with a B or two. Now as long as nothing is lower than a B he is content. High School it seems holds too many distractions for A's to be so all important. So how do we motivate them to do better? How do we get them interested in putting forth that extra effort to improve. Now I've never been one of those parents that award good grades with money. Paying children to do something that doing well should be enough of a reward. I just never felt it was the right thing to do. But I never had kids like Abate and Fantu, they love doing things well to get some extra money to spend. So Alan and I re-thought it and came up with the following plan. We have their first report cards of the year and are 3 weeks into the 2nd 6 week grading period. In their academic subjects for each point the raise their grade they make a dollar, for each A they get a $5 bonus. Should their grades drop where they would owe us money, they have to work it off by doing the other's chores for a week. This makes it a bit competitive, and a bit fun. Where it stands right now at the 3 week mark - Fantu has a $4 credit. Abate is in the hole - Fantu is hopeful she will get Abate to do her chores, I feel sorry for him if things don't change. I wouldn't want to clean her room, She picks up her clothes on Saturday morning - and never again until the following Saturday. It's a mess by friday evening. Fantu also has to clean the living room and of course shares the dishwashing with Abate. He would have to do all that if his grades don't improve. Is Abate worried... no. He is always at this point halfway through the grading period, by the time it ends, his grades have all come up. If he could only do what he does the final 3 weeks for the entire 6 weeks, he'd make straight A's. I will have to remember to post an update after the reports come out to let everyone know if this worked or not. They do seem a bit more inspired to do better.
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