Master James

Ah, Jimmy! Who now is known as James to his friends in Spokane, but whatever, I'm still calling him Jimmy, because even when I was mad at him when he was a little kid, I rarely, if ever, yelled out for James Warner Evans! because that was his dad's name too, and I was never mad at the both of them at the same time.

Jimmy, who had difficulties in elementary school. Was he ever going to learn to read? Would he settle down and learn how to take turns? Would he ever stop dawdling and almost missing the bus? Would he ever stop being wacky and goofy? Yes to all except maybe the last one.

Now he's almost done with his MASTER'S degree. He went through the graduation ceremony last weekend to appease his parents who NEEDED to see Jimmy attain academic heights such as this.

If I could go back in time and tell my young mother with a sort of difficult second child and whisper some encouragement, this is what I would tell her:

Don't worry to much about if he'll do ok in the future. Concentrate on making the now worthwhile.

He'll be just fine. Just keep doing what you think is important and he'll get with the program eventually.

It's even sweeter when he finally gets with the program because you've had the difficulties to compare it to.

He won't have had the basic Jimmy-ness medicated out of him when you do put him on Ritalin, then Adderall. He'll come out fine.

Don't put your limits on him, don't put your fears on him. He has his own, and he'll do fine without wondering if he's meeting your expectations, and battling with your obstacles.

Let him figure stuff out. It's ok.

He is a happy kid and will remain that way into adulthood.

Be a happy mom.

That hood thing is difficult to get right. Fortunately during the graduation ceremony, they had a guy lined up specifically to fix it so everyone wore it the same way.