Something happened and now my photos aren't doing their automatic upload thingamajig. *sigh*
Can't wait to tell you about the 4-day weekend we just had with Casey, IL and Gma and Gpa Evans and Alice's Haunted House Party.
Can't wait to hash out my feelings about Alice and middle school. She's my first. I'm going to overthink EVERYTHING. But it's all part of the process, y'know?
One party after another this week, but I'm feeling up to it. Not one of them is a Halloween party, either.
Busy. Happy. Balanced. Learning. Working. Sharing.
Just want to show you pictures about it while I talk about it!
Monday, October 30, 2017
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Parent-Teacher Conferences
It was Parent-Teacher Conference day for ALL three of my schooly kids!
James
Preschool parent-teacher conferences are kinda funny. He's doing well "academically" with shape, letter, number recognition and counting and writing. His teacher tells me he's happier this year and playing better with other kids. But. The last week has been an exception to that. Defiance. Outright refusal to clean up a block tower. The teacher was stunned to see James act this way. I told her things have been a little crazy at home with him this week, too. I felt impressed to ask if his friend had slighted him recently. It's not like James and this girl were inseparable in class, but she's really easy to play with and both my little boys LOVE playing with her (she goes to church with us, too). The teacher said this girl had recently been playing more with another classmate.
Ah, well, James is super, super, super, super, SUPER sensitive to social rejection. At home, if a kid tells him "no" or "stop" or "you can't play", he immediately lashes out in "bad guy" ways to get their attention. Or mine. He steals part of their game, sings loudly so other kids can't hear each other, or destroys something nearby. All without words. So, I think that's kinda what might be happening this week with James. My goal over the next few weeks is to help him develop a few new coping strategies for when that grouchy frustration starts eating him up. Gotta get that kid a few new tools in that emotional tool belt of his!
Robert
His teacher is new. She has 30 kids in her class. She can only meet with Robert's reading group twice a week instead of daily (more typical for this grade). This is a problem. Robert is doing fine academically, and I'm not worried there, but I'm worried about his teacher. I'm worried Robert is missing opportunities to stretch and grow. My goal for Robert over the next few weeks is to let the principal know that I'm concerned about 30 kids in his classroom with only one teacher.
Alice
Here's one thing about Alice's teacher: when he told me about Alice, he told me about WHO she was, not just how she was doing in school. Does that make sense? Other teachers haven't worried about her. They probably had bigger concerns than a kid who follows the rules and completes the assignments on time. And I'm pretty sure this teacher does, too, but he still knows and understands Alice better than her other teachers have to date. He tells me she is the most voracious reader he's seen in 5th grade over the last 5 years. He totally understands her timed-test anxiety. He knows she's sensitive about certain books and movies that other kids don't even notice. She reminded him of this when she learned they would be studying "Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry together as a class. He asked if maybe she would need a different historical fiction to study instead. We talked about it and decided that the open structure and class discussion format might help her work through it better than if she were reading it on her own. He also warned me that they will be studying "Where the Red Fern Grows" next semester. Oh man. I don't remember anything about the book, but I sure do remember the end. Better buckle in! So, my goal for Alice in the next few weeks is to support her through "Number the Stars." Fingers crossed for no nightmares or sleepless nights. And Alice only has 24 kids in her class. Her teacher tells me that's less than he's used to and it's a pretty good group that works well together. Yay!
James
Preschool parent-teacher conferences are kinda funny. He's doing well "academically" with shape, letter, number recognition and counting and writing. His teacher tells me he's happier this year and playing better with other kids. But. The last week has been an exception to that. Defiance. Outright refusal to clean up a block tower. The teacher was stunned to see James act this way. I told her things have been a little crazy at home with him this week, too. I felt impressed to ask if his friend had slighted him recently. It's not like James and this girl were inseparable in class, but she's really easy to play with and both my little boys LOVE playing with her (she goes to church with us, too). The teacher said this girl had recently been playing more with another classmate.
Ah, well, James is super, super, super, super, SUPER sensitive to social rejection. At home, if a kid tells him "no" or "stop" or "you can't play", he immediately lashes out in "bad guy" ways to get their attention. Or mine. He steals part of their game, sings loudly so other kids can't hear each other, or destroys something nearby. All without words. So, I think that's kinda what might be happening this week with James. My goal over the next few weeks is to help him develop a few new coping strategies for when that grouchy frustration starts eating him up. Gotta get that kid a few new tools in that emotional tool belt of his!
Robert
His teacher is new. She has 30 kids in her class. She can only meet with Robert's reading group twice a week instead of daily (more typical for this grade). This is a problem. Robert is doing fine academically, and I'm not worried there, but I'm worried about his teacher. I'm worried Robert is missing opportunities to stretch and grow. My goal for Robert over the next few weeks is to let the principal know that I'm concerned about 30 kids in his classroom with only one teacher.
Alice
Here's one thing about Alice's teacher: when he told me about Alice, he told me about WHO she was, not just how she was doing in school. Does that make sense? Other teachers haven't worried about her. They probably had bigger concerns than a kid who follows the rules and completes the assignments on time. And I'm pretty sure this teacher does, too, but he still knows and understands Alice better than her other teachers have to date. He tells me she is the most voracious reader he's seen in 5th grade over the last 5 years. He totally understands her timed-test anxiety. He knows she's sensitive about certain books and movies that other kids don't even notice. She reminded him of this when she learned they would be studying "Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry together as a class. He asked if maybe she would need a different historical fiction to study instead. We talked about it and decided that the open structure and class discussion format might help her work through it better than if she were reading it on her own. He also warned me that they will be studying "Where the Red Fern Grows" next semester. Oh man. I don't remember anything about the book, but I sure do remember the end. Better buckle in! So, my goal for Alice in the next few weeks is to support her through "Number the Stars." Fingers crossed for no nightmares or sleepless nights. And Alice only has 24 kids in her class. Her teacher tells me that's less than he's used to and it's a pretty good group that works well together. Yay!
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
*head in hands*
Yesterday during quiet time, James smeared a jar of petroleum jelly all over Matthew's room. He immediately experienced a lot of solo time while I calmed down to mostly-rational. Had to consult via text with my advisors (Bobby and Rachel), too. We settled on James thoroughly cleaning up the mess and paying for a new jar of petroleum.
Today during quiet time, James broke a slat off of Matthew's bed, climbed up on Matthew's dresser, and scraped some ceiling texture off.
What the HECK?!
What. the. heck.
Two days in a row.
Is James broken?
Am I neglecting some important piece of his moral education?
Is it a lack of self-control...or a blatant willingness to suffer the consequences? Or something else? Does he need more positive attention from me? Or is he just creative with his boredom?
Gotta have a chat with this boy...tomorrow...after I've calmed down to mostly-rational. Need some time to work out a logical consequence for this...he's lost my trust, drained my energy...he's gotta replace that energy drain and work back that trust. But how? Think, think, think. Maybe he'll have some ideas when we chat tomorrow.
Should probably fix the bed first thing.
Today during quiet time, James broke a slat off of Matthew's bed, climbed up on Matthew's dresser, and scraped some ceiling texture off.
What the HECK?!
What. the. heck.
Two days in a row.
Is James broken?
Am I neglecting some important piece of his moral education?
Is it a lack of self-control...or a blatant willingness to suffer the consequences? Or something else? Does he need more positive attention from me? Or is he just creative with his boredom?
Gotta have a chat with this boy...tomorrow...after I've calmed down to mostly-rational. Need some time to work out a logical consequence for this...he's lost my trust, drained my energy...he's gotta replace that energy drain and work back that trust. But how? Think, think, think. Maybe he'll have some ideas when we chat tomorrow.
Should probably fix the bed first thing.
Sunday, October 22, 2017
He did it!
The kids' annual Primary Program at church happened today. It's the one Sunday a year where all the young kids (3-11 years old) speak and sing the "sermon" for the day. I was truly impressed with how smoothly it went down. The Primary leaders and teachers put a lot of time and thought into this program and it shows! They practiced it with the kids again and again. So much so, even, that when I asked James if he was nervous about having to speak into the microphone, he kinda shrugged and "pbbbshd" it off saying, "I've already done it TWICE."
Says the kid who, for the last 2 years, has not spoken a word in front of the Primary. No prayer, no scripture, no talk assignment could entice him to utter a single syllable in front of that group of friendly, happy kids.
I seriously questioned whether he would even sit up in the choir seats today.
He did.
And he sang all the words he knew.
And he spoke his part into the microphone.
He used his baby voice, which was completely unintelligible, but he did it!
In front of the entire adult congregation.
Amazing! This kid has met some serious milestones this year.
Robert and Alice did really well, too. Alice took it very seriously, singing and speaking in all earnestness. Robert, well, stood up and sat down with everyone but I didn't see much singing. I could tell from the expression on his face that he didn't feel his speaking part was worth the effort, but he did his duty anyway :)
Nice work, guys!
Says the kid who, for the last 2 years, has not spoken a word in front of the Primary. No prayer, no scripture, no talk assignment could entice him to utter a single syllable in front of that group of friendly, happy kids.
I seriously questioned whether he would even sit up in the choir seats today.
He did.
And he sang all the words he knew.
And he spoke his part into the microphone.
He used his baby voice, which was completely unintelligible, but he did it!
In front of the entire adult congregation.
Amazing! This kid has met some serious milestones this year.
Robert and Alice did really well, too. Alice took it very seriously, singing and speaking in all earnestness. Robert, well, stood up and sat down with everyone but I didn't see much singing. I could tell from the expression on his face that he didn't feel his speaking part was worth the effort, but he did his duty anyway :)
Nice work, guys!
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Huge Dog
James, Matthew, and I were walking to pick up Alice and Robert from school the other day. I looked across the street a block ahead and saw a couple people walking an enormous dog. I pointed it out to James and Matthew, but it was a block away, so they weren't that impressed. I continued, "That dog comes up to my hip! He's as tall as Matthew! If that dog walked up to Matthew, he would breathe his stinky hot breath right into his face."
James asks, "How do you know the dog is as tall as Matthew?"
"Oh, well, I see that the dog is as tall as his owner's hips, so that's about how tall he'd be on me, and Matthew is about that tall."
*brief pause*
James asks, "But what if those people are a lot shorter than you?"
"Huh. You're right. I don't actually know how tall those people are." I could have debated my point further, of course, but I was so stinkin' pleased with James' logical curiosity that I let it go. I don't know how he came to ask that question, but somehow he perceived a weakness in my measurement method and could see other possible explanations for what I had experienced. Very, very interesting!
James asks, "How do you know the dog is as tall as Matthew?"
"Oh, well, I see that the dog is as tall as his owner's hips, so that's about how tall he'd be on me, and Matthew is about that tall."
*brief pause*
James asks, "But what if those people are a lot shorter than you?"
"Huh. You're right. I don't actually know how tall those people are." I could have debated my point further, of course, but I was so stinkin' pleased with James' logical curiosity that I let it go. I don't know how he came to ask that question, but somehow he perceived a weakness in my measurement method and could see other possible explanations for what I had experienced. Very, very interesting!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
