Kindergarten Woes

Ok - so when I was in kindergarten (back in the olden days) we had half-day kindergarten.  You either went in the morning or in the afternoon.  Afternoon in my case as my mother didn't like getting up so early to meet the 8am start (no wonder I'm not a morning person...hmm...)

So we went for like 3 hours top, we played in centers and listened to stories, had naps and snacks and then were picked up. And for the most part I think those my age did great - most graduated, went to college have good jobs, etc.  And I haven't ever had someone marvel about how I managed to make something of myself having only attended half-day kindergarten - egad!

Fast forward 2030-something years...kindergarten is now all day. Not just all day, but all day with no snacks and no naps.  Let me repeat myself - 5-year olds, 8am to 3pm, no snacks (not counting lunch) and no naps. They have a very structured day planned out every day. Saxon math, Saxon reading, writing, PE, music, computers, art and squeeze in a 20 minute recess after lunch. By the end of the school year they have to know basic reading skills, be able to count to 100, basic addition, and pass various other 'goals'.

WOW!  I remember each week we got to go search for one of The Letter People hiding somewhere in the school on Monday and that was the letter we learned all week!  Remember Miss A who sneezed a lot? A-A-Choo!

Now, I understand that the requirements for schools have gotten outrageous with all the tests (I'm in Texas so TAKS testing is front & center), but man...can't we bring back The Letter People?

Just a bit frustrated...my strong-willed, high-spririted, 5-year old son, T-Man started kindergarten this year.  We knew he would have an adjustment...and even his pediatrician said at his 5-yr visit that he thought he would do great "as long as he gets a patient teacher"...hmmm...

So we are on our 11th day of school today.  To date, T-Man has received 1 stamp for good behavior all day. His folder has been blank on 2 occasions, and he has gotten marks for conduct (sometimes multiple marks) on the remaining days.  And as a coup de gras, today, the 11th day of school - he was sent to the Principal's office. (Although he argued vehemently that technically, since the Principal was in the cafeteria, he never actually got sent to the office!)

His main infractions are interrupting, talking when he is not supposed to and (my personal favorite) 'Failure to allow others to learn". Apparently today he got in trouble 3 times (the magic number) and when the teacher told him to put his head on the desk he told her no and was promptly trotted off to talk to the Principal.

Most of the traits that are keeping him in trouble are traits that I want him to have when he's in his teens and older.  He is opinionated, he can argue with a tree (let's just call that stubborn), he's also very curious and always wants to know why and how.  That includes when he is told to do something - why? is his first question - and because I said so just doesn't work!

So tomorrow dear hubby is going to stop in and talk to the teacher in the morning and I'm going to give the guidance counselor a call...I really want him to succeed and learn to love school...

At the moment he is hating every minute of it and an experience like this could be a detriment to his eventual love for education...

Anybody have any words of wisdom?  I'm currently reading James Dobson's "The Strong-Willed Child", are there any other must-reads?
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Known Unknown? Unknown Known?

"As we know, there are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know." - Donald Rumsfeld

I'm currently working through a known unknown known (I think) - that is to say I know something, but do not know everything about what I know.

I know just enough to be dangerous for me and others! And just enough that, if I let it, will eat a hole in my stomach until I really know what I know I don't wanna know!

I think I am going to take a sharpie and write Jeremiah 29:11 on my hand so it's a constant reminder:

"I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)

Or maybe a tattoo?

No worries...right?

Meow: Out with the Cats!

I just signed on for Facebook a few months ago. My sister was on and really liked it and several co-workers so I decided to see what the fuss was all about.  I had abandoned my myspace page months before - just tired of the 'fluff'.

When I signed on I requested several people that were very close to be friends and over the next few weeks, received lots of 'friend' requests from acquiantences - people I know through my kids, or who were in another grade at school, etc. Not 'friends' per se, but I accepted the requests in an effort to stay up on what was going on and how everyone was doing.

Facebook has been a great place to stay in closer contact with family members and close High School friends and a great way to forge a deeper bond with co-workers.

But it has also highlighted the reasons why I was not close 'friends' with some people in the first place. The apps people take (and then post to their wall) that I immediately Hide (I don't care what your stripper name should be, thank you). The pictures people post (do they realize that pics loaded to facebook become the property of facebook to use as they wish?)

But the thing that jumps out most are the status updates. I'm not talking about most of them - I love reading what everyone is up to, comment a lot on other's updates - especially back and forth talking kids and work and mutually favorite TV shows or websites. I'm talking about the updates that say things like: "The guy in front of me in line right now looks like he stepped out of the 80s. Someone tell him highwaters were never cool!", or maybe one like this: "If I ever get a roll of fat around my middle, someone, please just put me out of my misery!"

cat·ty

adj. cat·ti·er, cat·ti·est
1. Subtly cruel or malicious; spiteful: a catty remark.
2. Catlike; stealthy.

Thesaurus:
Adj. 1. catty - marked by or arising from malice; "a catty remark"

bitchy, cattish, malicious - having the nature of or resulting from malice; "malicious gossip"; "took malicious pleasure in...watching me wince"- Rudyard Kipling

I usually just ignore the posts and move on, but have decided recently that I just need to remove this kind of crap from my life. None of the posts are from anyone I'm close to, which goes to show that there was a reason they aren't a real friend.
 
So I've made the decision to unfriend.
 
I know - rude of me. I should be witnessing, right? Nope - can't do it. They don't really care and probably won't even notice that I've unfriended them. I'm surrounding myself with those who will left me up, rather than tear me (and everyone else) down.
 
Meow!

Twitter, Baby Gates & Conspiracy Theories

Don't know if you heard.

Twitter went down yesterday, some sort of hacker attack.

They say it's back up - liars.


Also don't know if you heard.

Baby gates are implements of torture.

I tripped over one this morning in a sleepy stupor, fell on my face.

On the bright side, I mangled the gate so badly it will never practice torture in our home again!

Lastly - don't know if you heard.

When they ask you to fill out a detailed job profile for your role, don't panic!

They have to fill those empty cubes in Dallas at some point and this way they know what to look for when interviewing.

Not paranoid - merely acknowledging the conspiracy theory is most likely the truth.

Isn't that the way it usually is? Just saying.

Change of Seasons

How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? – Dr. Suess

It’s two-and-a-half weeks until the kids start school. Beans starts 3rd grade (she’s already stressed over her first TAKS test this year), T-Man starts kindergarten (already praying for his teacher) and Lumpy starts 2-year preschool (and pacifier intervention).

The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. ~Robert Maynard Hutchins

We’re busy gearing up – trying to get supply lists organized and get sleep schedules back on track. We still don’t know what teacher’s Beans and T-Man will have. Hopefully by next week we’ll find out – and get a chance to meet up with T-Man’s to warn him/her a bit!

Beans is not excited about her brother joining her at school. Monday when we were discussing it she threw her head back and exclaimed, “My nightmare has begun!” (Can we say drama-queen?) T-Man, on the other hand, is thrilled with the prospect – he loves hanging out with his big sis!

I’m excited because with T-Man starting big school his daycare costs are cut in half! YAY! When all 3 kids are in daycare in the summer our daycare costs are more than our house payment – that’s just crazy!

I’m trying to get Beans out of her shell a bit. Her friends have told me that she’s the ‘funny one’ who cracks all the jokes and makes them laugh, but she is also pretty shy – she does not like being in front of people she doesn’t know. I think she would love doing theater or something, so we’ll have to see what’s available.

T-Man doesn’t have a shell – he thrives on attention…like when he and 10 other kids are on-stage at preschool graduation towards the end and he shouted ‘It’s party time!’ and did a little dance. I know the other parents were probably warning their children about THAT boy! (I was secretly pleased that he was the one with the spunk – I mean, him momma was the school mascot so it’s not like he didn’t come by it naturally!)

Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed. ~Robert Gallagher

Anyway – I’m looking forward to getting the kids back into a school routine, seeing how T-Man fits in, watching Bailey blossom as a young lady and hopefully get Lumpy thinking about potty training. The fall brings with it a world of new opportunities and changes.

”I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NCV)