Yesterday M had a bad day. The worst day ever according to her. She had a bad day at school (including having an allergic reaction to her flu shot), a bad day at Dad's house (even yelled at him), was late for soccer (which was embarrassing) and ran out of time so she did not get dessert.
But this morning M woke up in a great mood. As I was getting ready M said "Mom, today will be a better day." She was so happy and cooperative, that we decided to go out to breakfast before school. A real treat! M got dressed, made her lunch , packed her bag and fed the dog all in record time.
Off we went. To Friendly's. Or so we thought. Who knew Friendly's did not open until 8:30am during the week for breakfast????? So M chose to go to Atkins (a local farm-stand marketplace cafe). We split a cinnamon bun, some wonderful fresh fruit and fresh hot apple cider. The whole time we ate, M kept coming up with ideas to make sure that today was a better day.
We drove to school and M sang Bad Romance at the top of her lungs while staring off into space out the window. I love listening to her sing her little heart out. As we pulled in the parking lot M said:
"Thanks Mom. I really needed that. Today will be a better day. I can just tell. I love you."
Some days it is hard to be a Mom. Other days it is easy. This morning was wonderful!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Catching Up
There were so many conversations that happened in the car on the way to school last year, that I wanted to get a few of them here to remember for the future:
The hardest conversation in the car last year was just about a year ago when M broke down into tears saying she did not want to go to school. She loves school, so I was confused by her breakdown. I pulled over to the side of the road, held her hand and told her that she could tell me anything and if something bad was happening at school, I would do my very best to fix it if I could. Through her tears I came to find out that a few of the 2nd grade boys were calling her Dummy because her Chinese name sort of sounded like that (it really did not... but to one 2nd grade boy it did).
We got to school and I went and spoke to M's English teachers. They instantly brought it to the attention of her Chinese teachers and to the principal. By the time I picked M up, there was a plan in place to deal with the situation. It took about a week for the problem to completely go away, and I am happy to say that it has not been a issue since.
On of my favorite conversations was the day M confessed her love for another boy in her class. She was getting all dreamy like in her voice talking about S and saying how nice he was to her. He pushed her on the swing and sat next to her at lunch. He held the door for her to the gym and pushed the button on the water fountain for her.
Quote of the day:
"Mommy, if S and I get married, can we live with you with all our kids and dogs and horses. We won't get any cats or rabbits since you are allergic."
Sometimes I think that sitting in the backseat makes it easier for M to talk to me about what is going on in her life. The car is a safe and contained place for M to talk about her feelings and what is going on in her life.
I hope it is always this way.....
The hardest conversation in the car last year was just about a year ago when M broke down into tears saying she did not want to go to school. She loves school, so I was confused by her breakdown. I pulled over to the side of the road, held her hand and told her that she could tell me anything and if something bad was happening at school, I would do my very best to fix it if I could. Through her tears I came to find out that a few of the 2nd grade boys were calling her Dummy because her Chinese name sort of sounded like that (it really did not... but to one 2nd grade boy it did).
We got to school and I went and spoke to M's English teachers. They instantly brought it to the attention of her Chinese teachers and to the principal. By the time I picked M up, there was a plan in place to deal with the situation. It took about a week for the problem to completely go away, and I am happy to say that it has not been a issue since.
On of my favorite conversations was the day M confessed her love for another boy in her class. She was getting all dreamy like in her voice talking about S and saying how nice he was to her. He pushed her on the swing and sat next to her at lunch. He held the door for her to the gym and pushed the button on the water fountain for her.
Quote of the day:
"Mommy, if S and I get married, can we live with you with all our kids and dogs and horses. We won't get any cats or rabbits since you are allergic."
Sometimes I think that sitting in the backseat makes it easier for M to talk to me about what is going on in her life. The car is a safe and contained place for M to talk about her feelings and what is going on in her life.
I hope it is always this way.....
House or home? Cowgirls or horsegirls?
Today M is wearing a new outfit to school that she picked out.... green & purple leggings with horses on them and a purple shirt that says I Heart Horses. She loves this outfit and was so excited to wear it.
When we got in the car, the conversation started about the difference between a house and a home. They are learning the concept in school and her homework last night was to draw a house and a home. M was intrigued by the idea that they are different, because up until yesterday she believed that they were interchangeable. Her 6 year old version of an explanation between the two went like this:"A house is a structure. A building."
"A home is your family and all the things inside your house that make you happy and warm and fuzzy feeling inside."
Though, the quote of the morning from M happened as we were walking towards her building:
"Why are they called cowgirls when they ride horses? Shouldn't they be called Horse girls? I think I'll be a horse girl."
And so is the mind of a six year old girl....
The beginning....
When we decided to enroll M in a charter school, the only concern I had was the drive to get there each morning. On average it takes about 25 minutes to drive her to school each day. We drive through 4 towns, past an Air Reserve Base, a college, a few farms, numerous cows and a strip mall to get there. But after a year of driving her for 180 days, I realized that I relish that time we have together in the morning and the conversations we have.
It is during this drive that I have learned about her first kindergarten crush (and the many that followed), who her best friend was (for that week), how to play "Gilligan's Island" in gym class, and countless other tidbits I never would have learned. Some days we talk the whole way to school. Some days we sign the soundtrack from GLEE at the top of our lungs. But every day I cherish this time we have together to start our days.
It is during this drive that I have learned about her first kindergarten crush (and the many that followed), who her best friend was (for that week), how to play "Gilligan's Island" in gym class, and countless other tidbits I never would have learned. Some days we talk the whole way to school. Some days we sign the soundtrack from GLEE at the top of our lungs. But every day I cherish this time we have together to start our days.
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