Amidst her busy season of competition cheer, Kaitlynn was still keeping up with her regular schedule of school cheer for her 8th grade team. During the winter season, the squad performed at many basketball games and pep rallies. I tried to take lots of photos because the year was winding down, and I was starting to feel a bit nostalgic at the thought of ending this chapter in Kaitlynn's life. Unfortunately, the 8th grade cheer experience had turned out to be much worse for her than even her 7th grade year - which had been miserable. What is it about a group of girls - supposedly friends - that can somehow, sometimes, backfire and turn what's supposed to be a fun experience into something of a nightmare. Ha! With every cheer practice and event, her attitude toward school cheer kept slipping further and further into the gutter. One on one, she enjoyed her friendships with the girls, but the dynamic of the group just became so toxic that she wanted to quit cheer on a daily basis. Jeff and I encouraged Kaitlynn to stick it out and try to find enjoyment in this experience wherever she could. She pasted a fake smile on her face and performed her cheer duties as best she could, but the countdown was on for the moment she could retire those pom poms for good. Ha!
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