School Life

Both kids are off to a rip-roaring start at school this year. We have reached Fall Break with the 3rd grade boy making A's and B's, though I could conduct the parent-teacher conference on autopilot at this point. "Great student, helpful, sweet, bright... but the daydreaming..." At which point I say, "We keep working on it. As long as he continues to make good grades we feel it is unnecessary to consider any type of medical intervention." Which is fine with his teachers. If I have to repeat the put on yours shoes/brush your teeth/comb your hair cycle 36 times everyday of every week for the foreseeable future, I might need medication myself.

The preschool darling is learning to read. That's right! I said, learning to read!! It helps that she has a Fall birthday and is one of the older kids in her class. With the exception of naptime, she adores school and her little schoolmates. Our afternoons are a litany of letter sounds as she works on this newfound reading talent. "M-m-mouse! B-b-book!"

There is a little girl in her class with some developmental challenges. I have struggled to explain what this means and to encourage my child to offer friendship and caring, but five is an age of little gray area. Trying to increase understanding of why the little girl still wears pull-ups, even though she is a "big girl" and why her favorite word is "NO!" and she is "mean" and not friendly has been a big challenge.

So it is Fall Break and the kids have the entire week out of school. We had planned to do the annual Fair bit tomorrow night, but there is a 100% chance of rain, so Fair night has been bumped back to Thursday. The grown-ups have hatched a plan to get there early, see the animals and craft exhibits, do a run-through of the rides and escape with our wallets and sanity somewhat intact before the larger crowd arrives. Fingers crossed.

P.S. Our Camera, our eighteen month old camera, has cracked under the pressure of use by clumsy me and even clumsier children. Oops. So no fair pictures this year. Unless I can figure out how to work the camera feature on my new, in-law purchased, phone. The one they included on their plan. Ask their SON if he got a free phone...

Mwaa ha ha!