Our first week of school consisted of new student orientation activities, in addition to the usual Welcome Back fanfare. It was an exciting week for both the children. Our son started third grade, and our daughter started Kindergarten. The “first day” was just new students, and they got personalized tours of the schools again, and got to meet the teachers and each other without the added distraction of all the other students. They brought the piles of school supplies into school that day, which was better than bringing them in the next day. On the official first day of school, everyone was back. Both children made new friends, although neither of them has been good about remembering names. And they both had fun, busy days, although neither of them can remember what they did.
Husband picking up Son from school: What did you do today?
Son: I don’t know
Son’s classmate overhearing conversation: Why do parents always ask that?
Husband: ‘Cause we want to know how you spent your day
Husband’s inner monologue: We want to know if we’re getting what we are paying for
Son’s classmate: Oh
Luckily, both children’s teachers send home a weekly report of what they did each day, so yesterday, we rattled through the lists, and were able to elicit more detailed stories of their daily activities.
Me: Did you play Bacon and Eggs yesterday?
Daughter: Oh yes! And when I was the bacon I was wiggling around (wiggles her hip from side to side), and when I was the eggs, I curled up like this (curls into a fetal position), and when I was in Kansas I played this game with my friends, and when Anika was the bacon she wiggled like this (raises her arms up and flails them wildly), and I miss Anika, and I have to write her a letter, and we practiced writing at school today, and I used my new pencils, and I have a pencil sharpener, and it is not safe to put your finger into a pencil sharpener ‘cause then you’ll get an owie, and I almost got an owie at school when I climbed to the top of the big, blue swirly, climby thing, and I had my hands on the next part like this (stretches her arms high above her head), but then there was nothing under my feet, but then Brother saw me, and he called the teacher, and she helped me get down, then I went up again, and didn’t get an owie, then I . . .
Yes, details. We are very happy with the school so far, although it is a twenty minute drive through some crazy traffic. The school itself is very organized, and so far, each of the teachers that we have are, too. Each grade has two classes, and each class has 12- 14 students. The atmosphere is very friendly, yet professional, and all the teachers and administrators seem to know each of the students by name. Most importantly, our children like it there.
My husband started classes this week, too. A lot more students signed up for his class than he was originally told, so that was a nice surprise. They, too, had some sort of orientation stuff, so he has been busy.
Work for me this week was a mix up s*ck-a** cases and smooth as silk cases. My problem is that I take the s*ck-a** cases so very personally. But it's the weekend. I am happy.
What I like about the kids' new school: the ethnic diversity of the students and faculty
What I miss about our old schools: proximity to our house
