Family Update: Jacey

Constant.

That’s a pretty good word to describe Jacey.  She is constant and consistent.  Her personality that formed at a very young age is still her personality today.  Certain aspects change as she grows – her sense of humor, for instance, grows more mature as she does.  But the core of her personality is constant. 

She is aware and perceptive.  Mature.  Thoughtful – both in the sense that she is mindful of others, and also that she just thinks a lot.  She asks questions that make me pause and consider.  We have good discussions.  Here’s a recent example:  I voiced my opinion that there is one song in Frozen that I don’t  like because it says “people don’t really change” and I don’t believe that’s true.  She thought on that and asked questions and we talked about it and had a really good discussion about what it means to change and if it’s possible and how the atonement works in all of it. 

She is silly and goofy.  She gets hyper sometimes and the goofiness really comes out.  I think that’s just part of being nine. 

There are times when she’s emotional.  She was struggling with one of her piano pieces this week and that brought it out.  Sometimes she’s hard on herself.  She beats herself up over lower-than-normal test scores.  She expects a lot of herself.  I think she’s a lot like her dad that way. 

She recently got contacts.  She’d been begging and I told her that we could ask the Dr at her next eye appointment.  I fully expected him to say that generally they wait until kids are a little older to put them in contacts.  Instead he said “There’s really no reason why she can’t.  It’s totally up to her and you.”  I didn’t really have a good reason for not wanting her to try them, so I said she could.  Mostly I think it’s just making me feel old.  :(

She’s been serving on the Student Council at school this year.  She’s done things like wrapping presents for the Christmas toy drive, read the morning announcements over the intercom, worked at the book fair each term, and shown new students around the school.  I think she’s really enjoyed it.  She’s not sure if they let students do Student Council in consecutive years, since there’s only one boy and one girl from each class, but she would really love to do it again next year.

She is still a reader.  Man, this girl reads.  We were at the library yesterday and she asked me “Mom, do you know of any books you read at my age that I might like?” and I said to her “Jacey, you’ve read more books than even existed when I was your age.”  And it’s not far from the truth!  I am having a hard time finding books that are at her reading level while still being content-appropriate for an almost 10-year-old.  If you have any suggestions, do share!

A few months ago she asked for a later bedtime.  After bugging us for a while, Will told her that if she really wanted a later bedtime she could write a 2-page persuasive essay that she would present to us and we would consider it.  Well darned if she didn’t do just that.  And she had some pretty valid arguments in her essay.  So we agreed to a trial period and it’s gone just fine.  Will says a essay-writing is going to be his new discipline strategy.

She does more than her share around here, usually.  Maybe that’s part of being the oldest.  She does a lot of Oakley-watching, particularly during dinner prep.  Like, nearly every night.  “Shared” chores are usually only done because Jacey picks up somebody else’s slack.  It’s really not fair.  But gosh I appreciate it. 

Ahh Jacey.  Love this girl.  What a bright spot in my life she is.