Okay, here’s a series of updates. It was going to be very general, because there hasn’t really been anything of substance in almost two weeks, but I’ve broken them up into themed posts.
First up: The boy!
Kindergarten is going swimmingly for the boy. He’s settled in so well with his teacher, classroom, school bus, and new friends (because remember, everyone he meets is a new friend) that we’re a bit at a loss, because we were bracing to deal with at least one tricky bit somewhere. I forgot to put dessert in his lunch on Friday (worst mum of the year award goes to… me!) and stopped by the school on my way to do groceries with a homemade cookie. I’d intended to just drop it off but the office called him right down, and he showed up in a tumble of fun with his bestest new friend, colourful hall passes around both their necks. He looked at me oddly and said, “Um, Mama? What are you doing here?†as if he couldn’t process the fact that I was in a place where I usually wasn’t. Didn’t even get a kiss or a hug after I passed him his care package; he ran off again with his friend back to class after an “Okay, bye Mama!†Yeah, he’s fine.
Two weeks in kindergarten and he’s sounding words out on his own. I know a lot of this comes from the incredible amount of prep we did with him about sounding words out while reading, but all it took was Someone Not Mum or Dad to really get it going. I’m thrilled at how wholeheartedly he’s throwing himself into school. We didn’t doubt, but we did secretly worry; what if he didn’t like his teacher? What if kids on the bus were mean? What if, well, anything? But all is well.
All is so well, in fact, that HRH went and joined the parental governing board. You see, the parent welcoming meeting and class curriculum meetings after it were scheduled on the same night as my first orchestra rehearsal, so HRH went to the school meeting. “I promise not to join too many committees, ha ha ha,†he said on the way out. I figured it would be sensible to wait a year to get a feel for the school, and he thought the same. Except, he said apologetically when I got back, there was one position left open on the board, and no one was volunteering for it, so…
We have been reading the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series of books before the boy’s bedtime at night, and we’re loving it. We are very excited about the movie coming out next weekend. The boy has already been asking for the music, and I have had to tell him that we can’t buy it until the Tuesday before the film comes out. He told me that it wasn’t fair that I had two owls and he had none, so he tried to wheedle me into buying a dreadful one at the grocery store, but I said I knew of a much better one. We went to the bookstore that afternoon and he bought his very own lovely silky stuffed owl, whom he has, of course, named Soren, even though it is a Barred Owl and not a Barn Owl. And also on the book front, he brought home his first Scholastic book order form, and I was terribly excited until I opened it. It’s all… so young. We don’t read many 3-5 year old books any more. There is a book on the planets, and a Scaredy Squirrel book we don’t own; we may order those. But I was pretty disappointed in 99% of the flyer.
If Liam is reading at a higher level then the scholastic order forms for his class, you can ask his teacher for the next level up. :D
I’m glad to hear that Liam is loving kindergarten, though not a bit surprised.
We’ve never ordered anything from scholastic, partly for the reason you listed, but mainly because filling out an order form is just not as fun as going to the bookstore or library!
xox
Paze: I am in complete agreement re. libraries and bookshops being more fun, but I know the Scholastic program is one way teachers fundraise to get books for the classroom. It was also one of my favourite treats as a child; I loved being able to order books and receive them in class, at a fraction of what I’d pay in a store.
Jess: He’s not exactly reading higher, it’s just the story content isn’t as engaging at the pre-K/K level as it is in the higher level books that he prefers. I’ll send a note in and ask if we can get the next level up.
Hi, regarding the scholastic forms, the teachers have access to all forms of all age groupings. Just ask your teacher if they can pass you some of the older ones. By the standard, the K teachers give out 3-5 range K scholastic forms because most kids in K are only at that (if that). Liam can do way better and the next two age groups up have way more fun things… even for us big kids.
Every teacher has access to all levels? Awesome! Thanks, Scarlet. I was concerned that I might be asking his teacher to go out of her way to give us the K-1 or even the next level flyer.
You can also order direct from the scholastic website. However, be nice to the teachers and order through them. They earn points toward classroom book supplies that they can buy from Scholastic from a special teachers catalog.
Actually, I miss ordering books through the Scholastic flyers we used to get from Lu. (It’s kinder on my budget, but I miss it.)
Well, y’know, Ceri, you have a BABY now, and are totally justified in going through my Scholastic flyers as I get them. Yes, indeed.
You are a horrible person to tempt me so. And a dear, dear friend.