Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Too much to blog...

Bullets 'cause there is too much floatin' around in my brain for a coherent post.

  1. Co-op was something I have been fretting over since it ended last. So many things about co-op freak me out, yet I need it and love it. It has been really good for me. The built-in accountability has pulled me up in a way I can't explain. However, this year, I have two classes of all boys. I was sweating bullets because I know girls and have no boys. I loved it. Those boys were great. I think I may have to say boys are easier. They fidget more. They want to see who can talk the loudest more-but they respect one another and me. I didn't have to lay down the law or be their best buddy. I had it at hello. WOW. Girls are not easy. Girls are mean and you have to prove yourself and sometimes they really think they know more than you. A room full of girls? Conflict times ten and I only had 5 last year in the classes I taught. There was disrespect and pecking order all over the place.****(EDIT-my girls were right smack in the middle of the disrespect and pecking order-didn't want anyone thinking it was just other peoples kids-it is all girls in my experience!!)**** I think I would like to teach K-1 or all boys from now on.
  2. We stalked our kids at camp this afternoon and actually got to see one of them. It was Erika and she has earned three badges and I am so proud. She also caught a fish. I know she is having lots of fun. We were screaming across a lake-but I could hear how much she is loving it. Unfortunately, she is not the one I am worried about. Erika makes friends easily and is kind of like teflon in the conflict department. She can hang with a group of girls and not get lost in the aforementioned crap. Kayla is a very loyal black/white girl. Rules are rules and you follow them. She does much better with a group of guys. She loves fashion, clothes, and all things girl except most other girls. She has very few girls she wants to be friends with. She has maintained the friends she has though since birth. Not quite, but friends are for life in her world. I hope she is having fun. She is at a learning camp though and I am sure she has 5 or 6 new counselor friends.
  3. Lilly today, walking to the playground at a Marina we boated to. "This is the best day of my life. I love this playground." She gets to the playground and one piece of equipment she loved is gone. Strike one. She is scared to slide down the pole and Mom and Dad won't help her. Strike two. She goes over to the climbing thing and there is a cicada. Strike three. (Even though I walked over and swatted it away with my shoe-after we discussed how they are different this year from last, why that is, and how even though it looks big and scary, it pretty much reproduces and dies-nothing to fear. Teachable moments, you gotta seize them.) She comes over and sits between us. "I don't like this playground...blahblahblah.....what else can we do I don't want to stay here.........complaincomplainblahblah. A golf cart pulls up with a little boy in it. Big smile. "Someone's here!" She then goes over makes friends, slides down the pole after him, tells him all about the bug and then they play pirates. In addition to drama queen, I am pretty sure she is a people person.
  4. I am way too tired to be blogging. Goodnight.

2 comments:

Ami said...

Oh yes on the teachable moments!

Had a long discussion with Kid #1 about that very thing yesterday. He was under the impression that we didn't really 'do' much while homeschooling. (And doesn't that sound good and responsible!)

When I explained some of the lessons I'd taught him while he wasn't looking... 'Well how do you think that toy got all the way here from Sweden>?' 'Is is less expensive to buy two small cartons of sour cream or this large one?' 'Why do you think the candy is right next to the checkoutlane?'
he said, "Oh my gosh, I never knew you were teaching me then!"

We don't have Cicadas here. I'm really really glad.

Julie Anne said...

hey, I saw in the paper where Erik's playing in BG Saturday!! You need to come along and see us!