Ready, set, SCHOOL

As for the start of school, we had mixed reviews.

KP was really nervous and did not want to go.  Until he got on the bus and saw his buddies, then he seemed to breath a bit easier.

PJ was the first kid up, did her chores and even made her own lunch with 30 minutes to spare, standing by the back door with her backpack on.

CT eased into the morning and was fully ready to embrace 5th grade.  I think it helps that his best friend Sam is in his class this year AND he got the teacher he wanted. I call that winning the 5th grade lottery.

Here is to the beginning of a GREAT school year!

Slightly Misty

Today was KP’s last day of school. He hopped right on that bus ready to get the day moving and be done with school and ready for summer.

As he stood there, I couldn’t believe my littlest one was now done with Kindergarten.

He has gotten so big and learned so much.

How he made it through Chinese Kindergarten is beyond me…but he did, and he did well.

And he even enjoyed it, just the littlest bit.

Way to go buddy!

Just in case we were questioning our choice

Last week, I went with PJ’s class to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to look at the eight pieces of art that they had studied in class.  The docent was so intrigued about the fact that our little group spoke Chinese, that she wanted to kick off the tour by dropping by the Chinese art exhibit.

She brought the kids to see this very old tapestry, that is hanging behind her, and asked if anyone recognized any of the characters.

A few kids started raising their hands, and then a few started saying random things here and there, and then the rest picked up on it and the entire group stood there chanting aloud the story that was woven so many years ago on an ancient Chinese tapestry.

As I stood with my eyes wide and my mouth agape, the docent turned to me and the other mom and said, “did either of you get that on video?”

Homework

Any guesses on what PJ is doing on that sheet of paper?

Multiplication tables (1-9)!  It was two pages long when it was all said and done.

Practice makes perfect.

Life Lessons

Really it was only a matter of time until a teacher or counselor or bus driver talked to me about something KP did at school.  Oh don’t get me wrong, he’s a wonderful child, but he does have a lot of exuberance AND doesn’t always think before he does.

So when he was dropped off from school on Tuesday the bus driver yelled out, “MISS MARY, MISS MARY”, all the while curling his big thick finger up and down showing me I was wanted on the bus for a little talkie.

He proceeded to say, “KP has something to tell you and then you can call me tonight.”

SWEET!  Being a parent is awesome!  What the hell?  What on earth did you do?

Once we got inside he told me the whole story, he didn’t even try to hide it.   Then around 9:00 pm I got to call the bus driver at home (that’s weird…am I right on that one?) and get his side of the story.

Then KP got to write him a little note of apology.

It says:

Dear Mr. Chuck,

I am sorry for poking holes in your bus seat with my pencil.

KP

Then he had to hand it to him the next morning, THAT was the hardest part of the whole deal.

PJ’s homework

This came home from school in PJ’s folder.

Only in Chinese school do you get a star with a frown in it when you get ONE wrong.

She is just not living up to their standards.

Looking sick, isn’t he?

He woke up with a temperature of 100.2 and a cough. 100 degrees is the point where the school suggests to keep them home due to spread of germs.

He was so excited to stay home.

As the bus pulled up yesterday morning he was yelling at the top of his lungs, “I’MMMMM SICK! I’M SICK, I’M STAYING HOOOOOOMMMMME!!!!!!!!!”

Yup, the rule girl in me just had to keep him home.

Do you follow the school guide line rules?

Look who doesn’t want to go to school

I did not expect this.

I did not expect this child to be the one who does not want to go to school.

This is Tuesday.  He just wanted to lay his head down in his cereal and when he was done doing that, he wanted to go back to bed.

He clung to my leg at the bus stop, gave me the big fat “I’m going to cry” lip as he got on the bus and then I wept.

Wednesday he upped the ante.

Right after I took this photo I wrapped my arms around his waist and pried his fingers off the edge of the bed, then pulled. We got to the stairs where his little hands grabbed onto the hand rail as I tried to get him to the first floor and out the door to the bus.

Today, he was a little bit better.

He was happy and excited for picture day.  He got to choose WHATEVER he wanted to wear.  Then it came time to get on the bus and this is where I found him…lumped over by the back door, wanting to go back to bed.

First week

KP has been handling the adjustment to all day Chinese Kindergarten with a tremendous amount of grace.  Granted, he must go to sleep around 7:00 pm and if you push his buttons it is OVER, for everyone!

That all said, the cutest thing happened yesterday.

KP came running off the bus and ran into my arms for a big hug.  He turned his head and whispered in my ear, “Mom, I cried at school today.”

Me:  Oh noooo, what happened?

KP:  I wanted YOU!

And then I welled up.

Off to school

This was yesterday.

CT had just rolled out of bed and wasn’t ready yet.

PJ is set and ready to roll.  In fact, she ran onto the bus so fast that I had to go on after her to kiss her goodbye.

KP was all ready but had to wait another day for school to begin, but got to visit for an hour and hang out with his new class mates.

All in all, the day went pretty smoothly.

And today…KP headed off to his first day of ALL DAY Chinese Immersion Kindergarten (didn’t even want to stop for a photo-can you tell by the blur?).

With his big brother giving him ample instructions before leaving the door, his big sister taking his hand as they stepped onto the bus together and his wide anxious eyes waiting for all the new adventures to begin, I am sure this day too will be great.

Unless he goes insane because he has no idea what the teacher is talking about.

I’ll let you know if that happens.