Tales from School

So far, it's been a great year.  The boys love kindergarten and their "enrichment" program that they attend 3 afternoons a week.  Eric said that they are learning to play chess!  I also signed them up for an art class where they have learned about cubism, pointilism, and possibly dada-ism.

Benjamin seems to have gravitated toward making friends who are girls.  In addition, he told us he has a "girlfriend"!  Her name is Lexie, and he cries on the days I pick him up at lunch time because he won't get to play with her at Explorers (their enrichment program).  He has asked that I not put any nut products in his lunch because Lexie is allergic and he wants to eat with her.  So sweet.

I, in a moment of delusional optimism, signed up to be a homeroom parent in Asher's room.  I am now responsible, along with another mom, for planning the Halloween party 2 weeks from now. Why did I take on another responsibility?  Now the pressure is on to plan an amazing party. Thank goodness for Pinterest.

Asher has taken to dressing himself very stylishly- he wears a lot of button-down shirts and chino-type pants. He looks quite handsome in his grown up clothes, and I swear he has grown so much.

Both boys have started to notice classmates with differences- not cultural or ethnic differences, but behavioral and size differences.  Benjamin told me one of his classmates was "fat," which I HATE that word (having had it applied to me many times in elementary and middle school in addition to just not liking any derogatory language like that), and that there were other strange aspects to his appearance.  Asher told me about a classmate who has a special behavior chart and possibly an aide with him- and that this boy often chooses to roll on the carpet rather than participate in the activity the rest of the class is doing.  I have tried to treat these conversations with empathy- I told Benjamin that it must be hard for his classmate to look so different from everyone else; and I told Asher that it was great his friend had someone to help him make good choices.  But who really knows what I'm supposed to say or what is really going on there.

Charlotte also loves school and cries when her brothers go and she doesn't (she is only in school 3 days a week).  For some reason she seems to have a block against her head teacher's name and calls her teachers "Miss Jen and the other one. What's her name?" She comes home with all kind of interesting tidbits and they will come out at random times- like, "stop drop and roll!" for fire safety month.

She's also enjoying her dance class, which Meema takes her to on Wednesdays while I work.  Meema reports that she participates and follows instructions.  She also runs around the house yelling, "sauté! Plié! Point your toe!"  I have always dreaded watching the videos people post of their kids in dance recital, but I can't wait to see my girl in hers at the end of the year.