REPEATING 7TH GRADE!

 Since the boys are switching to a new school next year and since its a charter school, we are able to repeat a grade if we would like. We wanted the boys to repeat kinder, but their teacher worked so hard with them and got them caught up, they couldn't. They struggled till about 3rd grade and did fine ever since. But I have never loved the idea of them graduating at 17, turning 18 3 weeks later and then taking off for a mission. They seem to young, to immature, they are so little still, it just never sat right with me. And now CUSD is wanting to add a bunch of stuff to the school curriculum which I don't want my kids being taught so we asked the boys if they would repeat 7th grade and then we told them they would get to be with all their friends. At first, they said yes. Then they thought about it and said they didn't want to do all the work over again and it was a hard no. So we let it be. It was their decision. Sadly, it the decision wasn't sitting well with me. I couldn't really explain why. I talked to Jared and we thought about it for a few days and then came to the conclusion, they needed to repeat 7th grade. We sat them down and talked to them about it and presented some valid points on our behalf. Tyler just looked at us and said he didn't care. Tyson was a hard no. We told him we really needed to do this and asked him what we could do to make it better for him. His response was, "fine! For $100!" I said, "ok!" He said, "$110!" I said, "ok!" He then came back and said, "$125!" I said, "ok, but that's it and next time learn to negotiate better!" The next day I made Jared come with me to ALA and talk to the office about switching them. I was preparing for a fight if need be and I needed Jared to be there to be my calm and my reason. We went in and bodda boom bodda bing, they switched them easy peasy and even gave them a shirt! We got in the car and both felt so good about this. It was so easy. We knew we were doing the right thing. I went to the bank and pulled out their cash and we left it for them to find after school. They were very excited aobut their money and pretty much thought they were rich! Eli was jealous and thought it wasn't fair, ha ha! We also found out that all the 7th graders eat lunch together so they can eat with Nash and Mikey every day and they are most excited about it and couldn't wait to tell their friends they were going to be repeating 7th grade and got paid for it! Love them!