Seventeen

I returned to writing in this wee space after a pause as I love to write a post around the time of each of my children's birthdays.   When I noticed that the last post was for Cameron's birthday a year ago  I knew it was time to return.  Each of these posts are words that are dedicated and about them, I love to read them back as a reminder of each year of their life.

Although your seventeenth time around of the sun was now completed over a month ago, I write these words for you Cameron, better late than never.

You had a very quiet birthday this year, we were so lucky to have you at home with us to share it with you.  It was a very wet and cold day so we were not able to do what you had wanted, to visit a local place for you to be able to take photographs, you new found love.  You never want to have a party so you spent some of the day online playing and chatting with the friends you have made online, that live all over the world.  You were deeply touched by all the online messages you received wishing you a happy birthday.

You have continued to grow taller this year, at a much slower rate than in previous years just adding an inch, so you now stand at six foot, being as slim as you are you look so much taller.  I have no idea where all the food you eat goes, you remain so thin, you love your food and it is a pleasure to cook for you, you eat so healthily and are never ill another year has passed without you needing to attend a doctors appointment. 

It has been a big year of change for you this year which you have taken in your stride, you were ready for those changes.   The first step in this change was to attend an open day, just after your sixteenth birthday, at the college you now attend, you were really nervous but were determined to go on your own, I was so proud of you.  You needed a little remote help from me to step over the threshold but we got there and you impressed all the staff once you were inside the building.  Exams were out of our reach as a home educating family, with Covid changing them to tutor assessments they had become prohibitively expensive, but that was no problem, your visit to the college, an interview and your portfolio of creative arts that you put together yourself gained you a place.  In September you started.  I cried that first day you went off, confident and looking forward to being a college student.  You had been at home learning with me all your life and you left a big gaping hole in those early days when you were a college.  I love the time you are at home with us.  You are a dedicated and hard working, I love that you share what you are doing, so proud to show people what you have created.  You have loved the graphic design elements of your course and are now considering applying to do the next level course in that subject.

Despite knowing early on this year that we would not need to do exams to get you a place at college you continue to work through the workbooks in English and Maths to ensure that when you started college (and do the exams in these two subjects next year later through them) you would not find it hard in those lessons.  Your hard work has paid off, you are now finding pleasure in both those subjects and are confident, whereas in the past you felt you would never reach the skill level needed, to sit the exam.  The commitment you have made will be a useful skill as you move through life.

I knew that you were ready for college when you hosted an online tutorial for a small group of children, it was not possible for you to do this face to face due to restrictions at the time.  You spent an hour hosting a tutorial on how to draw a car, there were eight children ranging in age from 7 to 15.  You were really well prepared and all the children loved it particularly the younger members who learnt so much.  The standard of drawings was amazing and it was all down to how you explained and structured your tutorial, you gave them complete freedom to draw any style of car they wanted to with explanations about scale and perspective and why you were doing things in the order that you were.   This was the last element of your arts award which you worked so hard on during lockdown, we have now handed your portfolio in for assessment and are waiting to hear the outcome.

I love that you have made so many friends online this year, they live all over the world and you chat with them most days.  You have been talking about wanting to visit Norway for about the last seven or eight years and are delighted that you have made a lovely connection with someone from that country.  I feel sure that your dream to go and visit Norway will happen now and even better you have a friend who can share his country with you.

You still get up early every morning to deliver papers to houses in our village.  You continue to be a valued employee you help deliver papers to the whole village on a Saturday when a local weekly newspaper considerably increases the volume of papers that need delivering.  On Sundays you are trusted to go and pick up the papers which are left in a secure place for you as the shop is shut for the day.  You continue to spend your money wisely and have added over £1000 to your savings account this year, you now have a considerable sum saved for your future.

You were saving your money to buy yourself a car.  You have been looking forward to learning to drive (you have to be 17 to learn in the UK) for the past two or three years but now that this time has arrived you are not so bothered.  I was somewhat surprised, but talking it through with you have discovered that you are worried about the costs of owning your own car, as a teenager the insurance is prohibitive here.  You are going to learn to drive but not buy a car just yet, we just need to find someone to give you lessons, all the instructors are so busy with a backlog caused by Covid restrictions.

I wrote last year about your wit and humour which still keeps me entertained, I miss that at mealtimes on your college days.  I love how your relationship with your sister has not altered by you being out at college, how I can wander upstairs and find you both deep in conversation.  Your sister loves this and I know she would love to do it more, she treasures those moments.  I also continue to love your taste in music, you are still introducing me to music that I love and you have started to do that with your sister too.

I am so grateful for your patience and understanding when I get it wrong as a parent.  As my oldest I am always finding my feet with being the best parent I can be.  I am proud to be your mum.

I hope you had a lovely birthday, my love.