Are You Kidding Me?

Teen Shaming

Parents often talk about the younger generation as if they didn't have anything to do with it. ~ Haim Ginott

Parenting is challenging. As your children grow so do the parenting challenges. Sure we still worry about small problems like minding manners and personal hygiene but more complex and dangerous issues are heading right for us, drinking, drugs, dating, and other issues too numerous to name. It’s always been my belief that the groundwork laid earlier in childhood will come to bear at this time. I hope I’m right because we are moving into dangerous territory, high school. When the kids were younger we tried to treat them with respect while establishing boundaries of acceptable behavior. I’ll admit we were lucky that neither of the kids had any sustained behavioral issues and, for the most part, never gave us any real challenge to our parental…

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Letters To the Editor

LETTER: Mother of Silver Lake Student Thanks Plymouth Students for Generosity

The mother of a Silver Lake junior is overwhelmed by the generosity of their athletic rivals.

I am a mother of a Junior at Silver Lake. I was overwhelmed at what Plymouth Schools and the student's were doing to help the Silver Lake kid's that were involved in that horrific crash. It is overwhelming to see so much community support and love for these students. They put aside their rivalries to be proactive. Thank You all from all of us at Silver Lake!! Keep your thoughts and prayers coming. Michelle Sampson

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In the Schools: End of Days and End of the Line

A regular feature highlighting the news and events of the upcoming week in Plymouth schools.

The End of Days Although the last school day was supposed to be June 15, students will remain in school through Monday, June 20, thanks to the three snow days declared earlier this year (January 12 and 27 and February 2).  Sacred Heart’s last day of school will be June 15 (11:35 a.m. dismissal), with early dismissals (12:35 p.m.) on Monday, June 13, and Tuesday, June 14 (last day for grade six).  End of the Line Federal Furnace will be holding a Grade 5 Festival on Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., with graduation later that day (at 6 p.m.).  Manomet will be celebrating Fifth Grade Night on Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Nathaniel Morton will be holding an End of the Year Assembly on Tuesday, June 14, at 2 p.m.  They will also recognize …

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Get Out Weekend Planner May 28 - 29

Our Get Out Weekend Planner column consists of five events to help you prepare for those long-awaited days off! Please be sure to add your own suggestions to our comment box.

Memorial Day Observation The Association of Naval Aviation Patriot Squadron will sponsor a Memorial Day celebration on Saturday, May 28th, from 9:00am to 3:00pm, at the former NAS South Weymouth (now South Field Development).  The Shea Field Naval Historical Museum will be open free of charge all day and the Afghan/Iraq Moving Memorial Wall (sponsored by the Yarmouth Moose Lodge #2270)  and the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club (sponsored by the Braintree Moose Lodge #413) will make an appearance. For more information please see http://www.anapatriotsquadron.org. Amber Crowley Band Playing at the Pilgrim Sands   Don't miss the Amber Crowley Band playing at sunset Saturday at the Sands. The soulful acoustic folk rock and scenic waterfront …

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In the Schools: MCAS, Music, and Mother's Day Continued

A regular feature on the upcoming week in Plymouth schools.

MCAS and Mid-Term MCAS testing will begin on Tuesday, May 10, for grades three through five. The mid-term date is Friday, May 13. Announcements, Announcements, Announcements Mr. Paladino visits the fifth graders at Nathaniel Morton and West Elementary Monday, May 9. Nathaniel Morton will also be hosting a 100th birthday planning meeting Monday, May 9, in the library, and a PTA meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the library. Kindergarten information sessions will be held at South Elementary Wednesday, May 11, at 6 p.m. and at West Elementary Thursday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday is also early dismissal day at Sacred Heart Elementary at 12:35 p.m. and Rising Tide Charter School at noon. Rising Tide will also be hosting New Family Orientation …

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Parents Talk Q&A: Dating

How do you handle your child's entry into the dating scene?

You’ve been noticing a shift for a while – instead of acting disgusted with any mention of boys, your daughter now seems to talk non-stop about them. Now, she’s asking you if she can go on a date! “Everyone else is allowed to date now,” she argues. How old do you think your child has to be to start dating? Do you need to meet the date?  What parameters do you set on initial dates? What advice do you offer parents of girls, and boys, about dating? Is there anything more nerve-wracking than thinking about once your child enters the world of dating? But, rather than setting a specific age to determine when that rite of passage should start, it’s better to consider his or her maturity and overall levels of responsibility and trustworthiness. …

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Are You Kidding Me?

Minor Issues

I'd like to be the ideal mother, but I'm too busy raising my kids. – Anonymous

I remember when I was a teen. It was hard. Really hard. I thought life was unfair and parents were lame and teachers were, well, teachers; strange beings that never left school grounds and whose only purpose in life was to suck the joy and fun from ours. Funny, I don’t think that way any longer. I like to think I’m a good parent. I don’t try to be cool or trendy; I’m just me. As the Divine Miss M says, “You’re so weird, but it’s a good weird not a creepy weird.” I’ve decided it’s a compliment. So, yeah me! Anyway, back to my point. As a teenager the one thing I did think I could do was make mistakes. Lots of them. They were part of life. Hell, they were expected. I could say something stupid. I could stay out too late. I could even get …

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The Art of Teaching

The Plymouth Center for the Arts offers many classes for students of all ages.

Plymouth Center for the Arts bills itself as “Not Just Your Parents’ Art Gallery,” suggesting a warm welcome to local children and teens into the world of art and art instruction. In fact, the center offers a number of art classes and workshops for this age group, through the Plymouth Guild, ranging from lessons in drawing, illustration and cartooning to those in painting and clay. The Center has been running these courses for as long as it has been open, which is about four years, according to Deborah Calvert, a volunteer there. Children as young as 5 and teens up to 18 may participate in classes tailored to specific ages. They are held after school, at nights and on Saturdays. With titles such as “Painting with Monkeys!,” “Psycho-…

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