The first week and a half of summer vacation has been called "the worst summer ever" by nearly every kid in the house. Not sure when I became Julie McCoy...
If you ask me, the summer is going just fine. In the past week we have visited the library, started journals, played miniature golf, went to the pool, visited 4 different walking paths for our morning outings/exercise, played family kickball, went to the playground, hosted 43 of our friends here for the rosary, slept late, finished up baseball season, ate ice cream and popsicles, each made dinner, cuddled a LOT, and watched movies.
Isn't it funny how they only see the time in between all of these things and claim they're bored.
**On a different note, Billy got his stitches removed and his nose looks pretty good. I'm very grateful for that.
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| Love when he smiles! |
**Mary Kate made the Silks, meaning she will be in Band Front next year as one of the flag carriers/twirlers. All year I was rejoicing that she was only in Orchestra because Band seemed to be more of a commitment with parades and such. Wouldn't you know she wanted to try out for Silks and made it. Way to be ambitious Mare; you are your father's daughter, for sure!
**Still on the fence about Matthew and Kindergarten. He is a July birthday and his preschool teachers think he would benefit with a second year of preschool. Long story short, he can be insecure and shy, but I'm not sure that will ever go away. (I was/am like that) and his fine motor skills are lacking. On the flip side, he knows a lot of sight words, is interested in math, and says he'd be bored in preschool. Advice? Anyone? Bueller?
**It took me 13 years....
.....but don't you just love mud?
Love Julie and the Love Boat! Every Saturday night, remember? Your summer sounds great to me so far! Congrats to your daughter on the band front! That is an honor...and yes also a time commitment! : )
ReplyDeleteAs for preschool vs. Kindergarten...I am for keeping him home with you one more year...these years fly by and when he is only a junior in high school, you will be glad you have him one more year. : )
I got a giggle out of reading that the children are bored after what to me sounds like a really packed-full week. How wonderfully typical!
ReplyDeleteHi Kathleen - Your summer sounds a lot like ours! We also started something called FaRT -- Family Reading Time -- it was my way of getting Trevor to read more -- thought the funny wording would make him laugh. Makes me laugh every time. Ha ha! I don't know if the benefit of my experience with Trevor will help you at all. But here are my thoughts for K vs. Pre-k. They are a bit of a ramble so here goes... Trevor is a July bday and I chose not to hold him back. He struggles with his reading and he works VERY had on all his academics. Part of the issue is that it is so common for parents to have kept their children back -- so many more kids are technically one year older -- more mature -- and doing well. In comparison, it's so unfair. Being tall for his age, I cannot imagine him being a 3rd grader right now. I've been told by many of his teachers -- his reading specialist, Mr. Morrow, etc. -- that he will mature in the next couple of years and things will be much easier... that in middle school, things tend to even out. I do believe the shyness is inherent and nothing is going to change that. Also, I know it sounds tempting to have your children home with you one year longer when they are in HS -- and I know I will regret these words one day -- but it's our job to prepare our kids to leave us. I know my words put me on the fence rather than having helped you with your decision. But if you mix them with some of your thoughts, maybe some point will have helped you. Good luck. I know it's a hard decision. On another note, sorry I haven't called to see how Billy was doing. We've been having our own brand of stress with my in-laws. Argh!!! Miss you!
ReplyDeleteLoved this!! It is so funny how we are excited and count down the day to summer then summer comes and we "kind of" wish for school again...After much fighting yesterday I sent the kids outside to pick weeds and trim bushes boy they were not happy with me. Today had been much better.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your posts! They make me miss all of you even more than I already do!
ReplyDeleteAs for Matthew - tough one! I would be able to give you more insight if I had a chance to work with him at the piano too! ;) Grant has a 6/26 birthday and Ellie has a 7/5 birthday. Both of our kids are young for their grade. I have a 8/17 birthday and I was very young in my class. Tom has an October birthday and was older for his grade. I think it really does even out. I do have to agree with Kim - I think that what makes this so hard is that soooooo many other people hold their kids back and it made the gap so much bigger when we were in PA. Up here, people do not hold their kids back. (3 of Ellie's best friends up here all have birthdays after her. 2 of Grant's best friends have birthdays after him.) One thing I have often thought about, especially with Grant, is that if we would have held him back - he would have been so bored in school. He was consistently in the top 2 of his class in PA.
Regardless of what you do - don't look back and feel guilty about the opposite decision. You know your child best and you will do what is right for him at the time the decision needs to be made.
Hugs to all of you!
Hiya Babe'
ReplyDeleteSo much I want to say to you that I may actually have to pick up the phone and call. Matthew-if you know he is ready academically, socially and emotionally-send him. You will never be ready to send him (this is my opinion from my own experience). You know him best. Use the data you have and make an informed decision. You have done well so far :)
We also make our summer lists and I also have high expectations as to how they will look. I like to give the girls a week to have no schedule or rules (sort of) and then we get into it starting tomorrow. As of today, my house is messy and I haven't complained to the kids for not doing there part but I just keep reminding them Saturday is coming....(hear the scary music?). One thing I have learned this year (silly actually after teaching for 19 years) is that it is ok to let kids struggle. Let them figure it out. Instead of trying to point out all they could be doing, have them generate a list of things they can do when they are bored. I like to remind the girls that I like a clean house and I can offer them suggestions that involve a bucket and rags (I wish you could see my clever smile). I would personnally love to spend the summer at your house. It sounds wonderful to me-except the cooking part. I really don't want to cook :)
Love ya girl!
It is great that Billy's nose looks so good. Congratulations to Mary Kate - what a wonderful achievement opportunity!
ReplyDeleteAs for "bored," whenever one of mine used that word, they got a job. Usually it just took one job - like weeding, washing windows, or cleaning the basement - for that particular child never to mention "bored" to me again! I like the "list" idea above that each child makes for him/herself to solve the "boredom."
Matthew? The comments above are all full of wise observations. As a teacher, often children who seem so bright at the beginning of the school experience are actually only older, not brighter. As the years go by, the younger boys who are bright usually catch the older ones by fourth or fifth grade. The trick is to keep the younger ones confident. It is athletic opportunities that can be noticeably influenced by age. The older boys often have an advantage. I would tend to listen to Matthew. If he thinks that he would be bored, that is a concern. Nothing turns kids off from school faster than being bored.
Another thought is to try a private kindergarten, so he won't be bored, and then do the regular kindergarten in public school if the private kindergarten suggests holding him. If the private kindergarten thinks he is fine, he can go to public first grade. Keep in mind that it is only kindergarten, and he has plenty of time to continue to mature before first grade. Good luck! xo