Curriculum night
No signs - just follow all the other parents to the Media Center. Wow. I have not felt this way in a LONG TIME. Where do I sit? Not up front - too eager and I really need to figure home out before I can help at school and the back would seem like I don't care and am just showing up to earn . . . what?
Oh, good - someone I know. Safe.
Why don't I understand what they are talking about???
It is nice to know that every new thing you start in life is a kind of jump into the deep end experience. There is no wading in life. Well, maybe kindergarten but even then, Mom and Dad leave you at the door and you have to walk to your seat all by yourself. I digress. There is no wading in life - you are in or you are out.
Remember syllabus shock in college? That panic you used to get when you went to the first day of class and opened the syllabus for the semester and thought, "how am I ever going to do all this?" It comes back when your kid goes to school. Only now, you think, I am going to fail as a parent and I will be shunned for my inability to create a productive member of society because my child will never learn to read, rite or do rithmatic and will either go live in a shack on a mountain or become a member of a cult. This is a LIFE! THAT YOU CREATED! All of a sudden, failing at the game of life is much bigger than a board game.
AHHHHHH! Run screaming from the school, snatch your kid up and head for the mountains so maybe they can learn to be the best hillbilly they can be.
And take a deep breath.
1. Every kid develops at his/her own rate. If they don't get it this year, they will next (or the one after).
2. Your child excels at something. Picking their nose, perhaps? Hold on to that something for dear life.
3. As hard as it is, when So & So who is the same age as your dear little one gets jumped, just remember that it is ok to be average. Some talents/gifts come later. And some talents/gifts burn out.
4. And make that worrisome child of yours hug or kiss you. Because when those little arms connect around your neck and you have a gooey kiss on your cheek, does it really matter if she goes from 29 to 100? Nah, she will figure it out before she goes to college.
On a mountain.
In a shack.
Breeeeathe! And remember, they are way smarter than we are. You can tell me something 47 times and it still won't stick, but you tell a kid the same thing twice and they can spit it right back out at you, no problem.
ReplyDeleteShe's a sponge. She'll soak it up and before you know it, she'll ask you questions and suddenly you'll have the uncontrollable urge to go to the bathroom (and look up the answer on your phone) because she doesn't realize yet that we DON'T know everything - because we're supposed to! And that's when your worries will cease. About her, at least. Then you'll start worrying about your brain cells :D
Hugs!!!
I kind of like mountain shacks, think she would take me in?
ReplyDeleteNo just kidding ;) Try having two the same age, same teacher and one is more advanced, how did that happen, did I fail one, did I spend more time with the other? Nope, it's just that they are different people, and people are different, even at this young of an age. Some are good at some things, some are great at others, and sometimes it's okay to just be average.
They will make their mark somewhere, it's our job to support them and nurture those gifts. Even if it is nose picking...somebody has to keep the circus going!
Love you, this really made me laugh, just wait till you get to 1st grade homework, it took me over an hour today...just completing using their 10 spelling words to make silly sentences. I totally need more hours in a day, and a lot more coffee! Did I mention I left for a meeting and Michael do the math part with them?
Donna- I will have to bring the guide with me so you can see it (sometime). They are using Saxon reading. . . or phonics.
DeleteThanks Susan. It is hard not to compare my kids to others - I can only imagine comparing them to each other! Wait, don't want to!
Here we go!