One daughter in college and the other in 8th grade. 8th grade now is WAY different now then it was then, you know, when I was in 8th grade. I barely remember it. I don’t remember a single teacher. Her 8th grade is the top grade in Middle School. My 8th grade was the top grade in Junior High. We didn’t have any organized school sports in Junior High, but Charlotte’s Middle School has a load of school sports.
I coached her Middle School Track team in the Spring of 2022. Phew……. There’s a lot there….
I was speaking with Charlotte recently about how different things are now, then they were when I was in 8th grade.
At 13, Charlotte has electronics and communication that I didn’t have. She has a flat screen TV in her room, a tablet, a phone and an apple watch.
I had a stereo. Do you remember those?
In discussing it with Charlotte – I asked her a few questions and then I tried to remember me in 8th grade and tried my best to answer those same questions.
1)Your Favorite sport to play
Charlotte – flag football
Me – Soccer. Track became my passion later, but I never got to run until 9th grade. But I played soccer – and loved it
2)Your favorite sport to watch on TV
Charlottte – none (I feel as if I’ve failed as a parent)
Me – Football. Back then I was more of a Baltimore Colts fan before becoming a Washington Redskins fan
3)Your favorite TV show
Charlotte – South Park – Okay , I can dig that. While not my favorite, I watched it in my 30s. She was shocked when I asked her about “Mr. Hankey – The Christmas Poo” – she didn’t know her dad was cool
Me – Happy Days. Before they had VCR’s if you missed Happy Days on Tuesday night, you didn’t get to sit at the cool kids table at lunch on Wednesday morning.
4)Your favorite band
Charlotte – Nirvana – okay – something to be said for proper parenting. That answer shocked me. I first heard them when everyone else did – 1991
Me – I want to say R.E.M. – but I remember getting their first album in 12th grade – so I’d have to say Foreigner.
5)Your favorite song
Charlotte – Forbidden Fruit by the Hallway Swimmers. Stumped. Might have to listen to it. I like that it’s a bit something a bit obscure.
Me – I don’t recall exactly. It might The Chain by Fleetwood Mac would be my guess
6)Saturday morning – you get up at what time?
Charlotte – Noon. Yup – she’s not lying. She’s the lone late sleeper in a house of early risers. Not sure how she does it to be honest.
Me – 7:00am. I either had playing to do outside with friends or cartoons to watch. Saturday morning cartoons were not to be messed with. Seriously.
7)School night, what time do you go to bed?
Charlotte – 10:30-11:00. Yup – again, she’s not lying. I often say “Good Night” to her on my way to bed before she goes to bed
Me – not sure, but I’m thinking 9:00-9:30. I don’t recall having a bedtime, but didn’t stay up too late. Remember, it was before TV and available entertainment
8)Your all time favorite restaurant.
Charlotte – Chikfila. In asking her this, I had to ask her several times. I reminded her, she’s been all over the country, from NYC to Florida to the Bahamas. And she still says….. Chikfila
Me – I don’t remember the name. But we used to go to this little restaurant in Hebron, MD on Friday nights. So in 8th grade, that might have been my favorite restaurant.
9)Favorite flavor Poptart
Charlotte – none – ARE YOU KIDDING ME? With all those flavors they have now? Jeez….. I know she’s had them – how does she not have a favorite one?
Me – Strawberry – The Classic
10)Favorite snack food
Charlotte – cheese curls
Me – Doritoes. I don’t really care for them now, but back then – they were “it”
11)Favorite Disney Ride
Charlotte – Test Track
Me – Ugh….. didn’t get to Disney until I was 47 and Charlotte was 2
12) Favorite movie
Charlotte – Carrie (I seriously question her upbringing)
Me – The Warriors. I still watch it when it’s on. It was cool back then.
13)Colorful older relative – why?
Charlotte – cousin Becky Wardwell – ‘cause it’s Becky
Me – Uncle Dick Whitney – because he used to curse in front of us kids – and it was hilarious (or at least it was to me)
14)Favorite game
Charlotte – RoBlox (I have no idea what that is). I was so afraid she’d say ‘Cards Against Humanity’
Me – I think it was Risk. Not sure. Or was it Monopoly? ….. so hard to remember
15) Favorite subject in school
Charlotte – science
Me – I want to say Gym. But is that’s not a subject, I’d say History
16) Beach or pool ?
Charlotte – pool
Me – beach – I LOVED LOVED LOVED the beach
17) What did you want to be when you grew up?
Charlotte – Therapist (okay okay…. I’m on board with that)
Me – I have no idea.
*Side Note 1 – I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up – stay tuned
18) Favorite pizza topping
Charlotte – extra cheese
Me – While I want to say pepperoni, It might have been mushrooms. Not sure. I’m gonna go with mushrooms.
19) Least favorite food
Charlotte – Fish. Okay I hear you.
Me – Liver – OH MY GOD!!! I remember my mom making it for her and my brother and making my dad and I a steak
20) What’s the one think you’re parents made you watch that you don’t like –
Charlotte – the movie RV – Robin Williams movie. ARE YOU KIDDING ME – THAT MOVIE IS HILARIOUS !!!!
Me – my dad watching The Weather Channel for hours – YES – HOURS!!!
*Side Note 2 – this is WAY before kids had entertainment options and we only had the 1 TV
21)Favorite cartoon
Charlotte – Bluey (I have no idea what that is)
Me – that’s a tough one…. Might be Speed Racer or is might have been The Justice League. I think it was The Justice League.
Maybe things aren’t as different now as they were then. Or, maybe Charlotte and I have similar traits. We both like music that’s a bit off the mainstream. We both like movies that were a bit beyond our age-appropriateness.
On her questionable answers – I can only blame Lisa.
As an 8th grader -she’s doing okay. She’s a free spirit and marches to the beat of her own drum. My hair is a bit greyer with her than it might be without her. I also might have a bit less hair than I might, but I can also say my heart is bigger with her than I would be without her.
I call Charlotte my partner in crime. Sometimes, most likely by default, Charlotte is on my team and Kate is on Lisa’s team. It’s rare that I go out (when she’s not in school) without her, and she’s mostly happy to go along for the ride.
I have no idea who she’s going to grow up to be. It’s a different world. The pressures and stresses she’s under are way different than what I faced.
I guess I’ll keep ‘er.
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