Just venting, again...

[Moose]

I'm so sorry, Jules. I know how awful that can be. My brother is a couple years older than me, and so we went through high school, middle school, and elementary school together. Elementary school was no big deal, man...those were the days. Anyway, middle school came along and things weren't too awful...but at the time, my parents thought I could have done much better...after all, my brother did well.

Lucky me, high school wasn't much better. Let's just say I did okay, but I could have done quite a bit better. My brother was always on the high honor roll, he was the quarterback on the football team and a varsity basketball starter. Me? I got by with B's and occasionally a couple A's, I played a few sports...but I wasn't a team "star" by any means.

Naturally, my parents ragged on me all the time..."Your brother did this...your brother did that." They never really seemed to understand how much it bothered me and how awful it made me feel...and not to mention, how different my brother and I were. It took me until junior year to confront them about it. After talking to them though, they stopped. Granted, it might not really be that easy...but hey, it worked.

Maybe you could try talking to them.

If push comes to shove, tell your aunt to shove it up her...you know where I'm going with that one.

...and just remember, no one here would ever compare you to anyone. We are all always here to talk and offer shoulders to cry on. And hey, you've always got Daisy and Molly too.

[Logan]

I think grades, especially the ones that are lower than expected, are a personal thing, between the kid and their parents. I can't imagine sharing "bad" news with a relative and having them contact my daughter directly about it! I'm the mother of a 13 year old 7th grader. She does beautifully in school, but even when she does bring that unusual bad grade home, we work through it here, without bringing outsiders into it!

Julie, you can do exactly what is expected, without all the interference from outsiders. You are a smart girl, and I just know it from reading all that you have to say right here! Take your time to concentrate on your school work, ignore outside comments, and prove to yourself that you can do it!!! I know you can!!!!

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by Logan
I think grades, especially the ones that are lower than expected, are a personal thing, between the kid and their parents. I can't imagine sharing "bad" news with a relative and having them contact my daughter directly about it!

I *so* agree with that! Our grades/report cards/etc. never went beyond the walls of our house.........whether they were good, ok, or bad.....they were always ONLY between us and our parents.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Thanks for all the responses, guys. I appreciate it.
I probably made my grades seem worse than they actually are. I did not fail any classes. If I did....then I deserve all the punishment/ragging I get, esspecially since I know I can do better.
My parents aren't the ones that keep ragging me about it. Of course they were pissed in the beginning, and after a two hour lecture they stopped. I understand that grades are important, but IMO they don't determine everything.
Lol, over here if I do anything that causes my parents to become upset, the word gets out. My MOM esspecially. My dad doesn't think it's anyone else's business what I'm doing, but knowing the blabbermouth my mom is, word gets out fast. So....I have to be extra careful what I do, if my mom's around. I also just hate it, because then if she mentions to one of my friends/family members, it makes me out to be the bad guy.
I've tried talking to my aunt about it, but I'm one of those people who hates to have people angry at her. My aunt just says "It's never too early to know what you want to be." True, but does that mean I have to decide this instant?!? NO. I love animals, but that doesn't mean I have, or want to become a vet. I've considered it before, but I'm learning about the other options you can take besides a vet.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

I hear ya! I feel you, too! I know how you feel, Julie! It sucks, doesn't it? If you ever need to talk, I'm there! By the way, cute siggy!

[catnapper]

Oh, I forgot to mention: you don't have to know what you want to be. Most people don't until their senior year (many even into college.)

I myself had the dream of being an interior designer since 8th grade. I worked my butt off in school and in a job so that I could afford to go to the college I wanted. So I graduated with this dream diploma, worked nearly ten years as an interior designer. You know what? I HATE it. No amount of money will ever convince me to go back to it. I'll help out friends and family - and love that... because its the "fun" part of being a designer. I refuse to work full time at it for Mr & Mrs don't-know-what-they-want-but-it-better-be-cheap.

The moral of my story is, no matter how early or late you decide what you want to do doesn't matter because eventually you'll end up doing what you love. Most peole I know start out in one major or career and then change mid-stream. My husband was an accountant and is now a history teacher. My kids will announce that they want to be a teacher, then its an X-ray tech, then its a park ranger. Thing is that you can imagine yourself in all of these jobs without commiting yourself to them at all. Thats the fun part of being young.

[K9soul]

I second that catnapper! I had a lot of changes in ideas of what I wanted to do, even when I started college. I contemplated changing majors and experimented with different classes and so on. I actually ended up doing something that I never planned on, but I do enjoy it, because it fits my lifestyle best.

My Mom switched careers in her 40s to something she never thought she'd do too. It all just depends on what your life is like at the time, and what happens to fit your lifestyle. Sometimes something can seem really fun looking from the outside, but turn out to be really stressful or not what it seemed when you get into it.

Julie, I remember being constantly told I should be a vet too because I loved animals. For some reason that is the first profession that comes to a lot of people's minds that involves animals, but there are sure a lot more out there. I knew I was way too sensitive to take that road, I could not deal with seeing and dealing with all a vet has to deal with.