Archive for the ‘school’ Tag
May 10 2012
It has been many years since I’ve been on a school bus.
Many years.
Yesterday, however, for the first time in many years, I boarded a school bus with my son and his 2nd grade class for a field trip to a zoo. Once we got there, the small class was broken into smaller groups. I was responsible for keeping track of my son and two of his friends. Which wasn’t as easy as it sounds since they were excited and liked to run from one exhibit to the next. But, to win them over, I bought them all rainbow sno-cones.
We had a really great time.
March 09 2012
“I forgot tell you, there was a bully at school today”, he said right before dinner. “He grabbed my coat by the hood at recess today and swung me around until I fell on the cement basketball court.” His bottom lip quivered as he relayed this scene to me.
And that’s when my heart began to hurt.
“Why did he do this?”, I asked, internally raging at this elementary-aged punk. But I had even more questions. “Was it just because he thought he could? Has he done this before? Did the teacher see?”
He looked at me before replying, his long lashes I’ve admired since his infancy still protecting his eyes. “Yeah, I guess he just thought he could”, he only answered. “But luckily the hood on my coat cushioned my head from hitting the cement.”
And that’s when my heart began to break.
I went on to tell him just how amazing he truly is. How, when a kid is that great, other kids will try to knock them down. And he shouldn’t let them. Don’t ever let anyone make you feel like you’re less, I told him. Because you’re so much more than that.
Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. – Elizabeth Stone
And that is what makes parenting so incredibly hard.
March 07 2012
Recently, Jedi had a homework assignment on capacity. Which is how much an object can hold. He brought home a small cup and was supposed to guess how many of those cups of liquid filled each item, then measure.
First, he filled a medium sized mixing bowl. He guessed that 8 cups of water would fill it, and of course it had to be to the very brim. It really took 18.
Then, he did the same with a 2 quart saucepan. His guesstimate fell around 15 cups of water. It took 23. And a half. I was impressed with how little mess Jedi caused with this project, but then I spilled water everywhere trying to empty it back in the sink.
The kids, however, were enthralled.
It’s like this little house. It would be hard to guess how much it would take to fill. But we are brimming at capacity with the four of us, sometimes spilling over. And I am eternally enthralled.
January 09 2012
The first day at Buzz’s new school went shockingly well. I’ve said the boy has a way of surprising me, and he did yet again. The second day, however, started with a bit of a hitch.
Buzz’s new school begins half an hour earlier than where he went before, and where Jedi still goes, so I gave us an extra 20 minutes in the morning. There’s a new routine to learn, and it could have a few kinks to work out. As such, I woke Buzz first and set his bowl of Lucky Charms in front of him while I went about dragging everyone else out of bed.
His bus would be at the end of our driveway by 8:10, they told me.
Constantly aware of the clock, I did my best to make sure we made good time. His teeth were brushed, his hair was combed, the pen he marked on his hand washed off. Pleased with myself for adhering to schedule, I bundled him up in his coat with his backpack on his shoulders and opened the front door, hurrying up to wait.
And there we stood, staring out the screen door. Waiting.
And waiting.
Hmmm… the bus should be here by now.
When some more minutes passed as if in slow motion, still hopefully and pathetically waiting like an anxious teenager being stood up at prom, I knew the time had come to accept that the bus should have definitely been there already.
I made a few calls and the bus finally arrived, eventually. He bounded aboard, glad to be on his way. But the second day at his new school and I already feel like stuffing myself with donuts to suppress this feeling like we’ve been dumped.
January 04 2012
Dearest Buzz,
You start a new school today. Because no one wanted to listen to me.
It’s not my choice. I would have preferred you stay at the school you’ve known, with your brother by your side, at least until the end of this, your first, school year. Your progress there has been amazing, surpassing my expectations. They taught you how to write your name, and beginning words. You know your letters and can count to 100, though you skip a lot along the way. It’s the little things that most your age have known how to do for awhile but you’ve struggled with. And now you’re learning. Not just learning, but loving.
In switching schools after you’ve just begun to feel comfortable, I’m afraid that will change.
I also know, however, how you’ve surprised me in the past. You manage to work in mysterious ways. You’ve taken actions in stride after I’ve already braced against the aftermath. You rise and you fight, even when your fear is palpable. I left you crying mercilessly on the very first day of school, I’m terrified I’m going to leave you the same again. It breaks my heart to do this to you twice.
But you are strong. And you are bright. And you’re going to do wonderful. I know change is hard to understand, but I’m trying to do what’s best for you, even when it’s not my favorite choice.
Although if you want to raise hell just for the first few days, you have my support. I’d kind of like to say I told you so.
With so much love,
Your Mom
I'm Crystal. A 30-something mom to 3 young kids living in the Midwest USA. When I'm not chasing my children, I'm a freelance writer and web designer. I like to tell stories from our days and share what we enjoy...
