Tag: teacher

gratitude, kids, kindergarten, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting, self-discovery

It’s Time

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Full Speed on kindergarten screening day. Where did the time go?

We all have the ability to stop what we are doing and allow ourselves to be awakened to the present moment.  For me, it happens in the most random situations.  I was helping Full Speed’s home room Mom decorate his teacher’s door for teacher appreciation week.  Then it hit me.  Full Speed is almost done with kindergarten.  I let this thought settle over me.  It made me feel a pit of resistance in my stomach.  This year has gone by too fast.  He is getting older.  Every day he needs me a little bit less.  Every day I want to hold on to him tighter.  Instead, I have to let him go more freely.

I snapped out if it.  I returned to the task at hand.  The door was appropriately decorated and it was time to go.  Still some sadness over watching my boy grow up clung to me.

Full Speed had not felt well over the weekend.  He was tucked into bed early that evening to help combat whatever virus he was fighting.  After he was resting, Mad Dog and I heard an indistinguishable yelp from his room.  Mad Dog ran to investigate.  There was blood and Full Speed was visibly shaken.  Mom was called in for back-up.  The initial thought was Full Speed’s virus was now becoming more serious causing him to spew blood. 

Nope.  It was only a loose tooth that needed to come out.

I was so relieved.  And then I wasn’t.

The loss of a first tooth means baby teeth are making way for the grown up ones. 

I don’t like it.  I don’t like it at all.

Thankfully the tooth fairy is better adjusted to the growth of children than I am and left Full Speed a generous gift of money. 

Too bad she can’t give us back the gift of time while she’s at it.

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children, humor, kindergarten, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Good Manners vs. Bad Behavior

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I was volunteering in Full Speed’s class, which when given a chance to interact with the kids, I thoroughly enjoy.  It’s a lot more entertaining than if I get sent off to make copies or cut paper.  I love to watch Full Speed in the classroom setting.  He’s impatient, antsy, full of answers even to questions that aren’t being asked and rather comical.  A lot of the kids like to share with me that Full Speed is ‘silly’ or ‘funny’.  I interpret this to mean ‘ the teacher has her hands full keeping him in line’.  So when his teacher pulls me aside to discuss a morning incident concerning Full Speed, I am not surprised.

Apparently there was a scuffle of sorts with a fellow classmate in which Full Speed hit the other child with his lunch box.  When the teacher asked him point-blank why he did it he said, ‘I don’t know, ma’am’.  When pressed further about his intentions he kept politely replying, ‘I don’t know, ma’am’.

The bad news is that Full Speed can be a little hotheaded; the good news is his manners will be impeccable when questioned in a court of law.

I’m so relieved.

children, gratitude, happiness, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

You & Me

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This is why it is good to be a Mommy of a five year old boy.  They have yet to develop a searing need to be completely independent of you.  They miraculously even think you’re pretty cool, too.  And for a woman whose age scale has begun its inevitable tip toward the middle, any accolade of cool is much appreciated.

I took my sort of cool self to Full Speed’s class to volunteer.  It was a perfect way to meet his new teacher, she’s very nice by the way, and see what’s what.  It was an early dismissal day and there was pizza.  I helped with the food, the clean-up and with whatever odds and ends she threw at me.  Full Speed’s classmates were extremely adorable and I had a great time meeting them.

When I asked Full Speed what his favorite part of the morning was he said, “When you came in to visit me.”

And that’s when my ego grew three times its normal size.

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children, humor, kids, kindergarten, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Kindergarten: Take Two

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Full Speed is embracing his change of class.  I hope it continues to go smoothly for him.

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I’m trying to let this transition unfold naturally even though my Mommy instinct is screaming for me to micromanage the heck out of it.  As soon as I caught wind of his move I wanted to personally escort him to his new class, meet his new teacher (interviewing her at great length of course), set up a detailed and daily email dialogue with her and the principal of the school and actually attend kindergarten with Full Speed at least for the first week (or two)in his new classroom.

Instead, I am taking deep breaths, pretending I am a rational human being and letting the staff of the school handle this change as they see fit.

All I can do is ask Full Speed where his new classroom is (okay, so I asked him like twenty times!) and since he repeatedly gave the same answer and seems to know where he is going, drop the kid off like every other kindergarten morning before us, wave goodbye and say, “Have a great day, Full Speed!”

Now, if only I could somehow manage to jury rig a video surveillance apparatus to his backpack…

children, kids, kindergarten, life in pictures, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Changes

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I understand there are laws that govern classroom size.

I understand that moving kids three weeks after school starts to a new teacher and classroom is ultimately in the best interest of the school.

But, really, did it have to be my kid?

Does this look like a kid who is happy to be moving to a new room?

I believe that eventually many wonderful things will happen with this transition.  Full Speed will learn valuable skills about handling change, he will meet new friends and he will love his new class as much as his old.  Maybe even more if we are lucky.

However, when life is teaching us lessons, it would be helpful if there was a nanny on stand-by to intervene at the inevitable angry outbursts of a five-year-old when change is upon us.

Any volunteers?