Words have power. How could one word, a seemingly harmless word, mean such different things? The word “breakfast” elicits a range of responses from my intense and quirky son. “Breakfast” can be an experience that is a precursor to something that he dreads or somewhere completely overwhelming. That very same word “Breakfast” can also provide … Continue reading
Filed under school issues with gifted children …
The Best One
Last week, my son was asked to reflect about his own strengths and weaknesses. I shared his thoughts, and my feelings about his thoughts, in a post called A Smarter Kind of Me. The whole idea of knowing yourself and knowing your child continued with another lesson. During Curriculum Night, the teacher left a questionnaire … Continue reading
A Smarter Kind of Me
I start this post out with a large SIGH everyone. I am trying to figure my way through the new expectations of third grade and my son isn’t helping very much! When I wasn’t working full-time, I was far more aware of the expectations and procedures and this year…well, I’m not. As I was looking … Continue reading
The Tater Report and The Chief
If you have been a loyal reader, you know the concern that weighs on my mind about starting a new school year. In first grade, my TBP was not comfortable with school until almost February. He sabotaged himself almost daily, so that he could escape the classroom and draw pictures or read books in the … Continue reading
The Adaptation of My Tater
Like many families, we are still adjusting to the back-to-school routine and procedures. In our house, we do not have a steady climb of comfort and acceptance about school. Instead, we experience a forward four steps, backwards three steps type of transition. As part of this September reality, my son was asking a lot of … Continue reading
Green-Eyed Jealousy
I have to admit…I am experiencing a bit of the green-eyed monster. What is it that has me out of sorts? All the happy kids that LOVE going to school. Don’t get me wrong…I love happy kids. Being a first grade teacher for twenty plus years, nothing is more satisfying about my job then seeing … Continue reading
Reflection of Worries and Cautious Optimism
Today, begins the first weekend of the school year. The sun is taking a backseat to the usual clouds and rain and actually, I’m okay with that. With rest and recovery in mind, we have very few plans for this time. Tomorrow, we have a birthday celebration for my mom so today, my family will … Continue reading
One of Many
I had another bad parenting moment. I wanted my son to stop playing Mine Craft and to do something else…anything else! We had started a daily schedule that included lunch at the same time of day, academics, chores, and free time scattered throughout the day. My son was pushing back, especially when I told him that … Continue reading
Two Weeks
My son struggled to get the bottle of Talking Rain out of the refrigerator when the calendar caught his attention. Instantly, his demeanor changed. He stood in front of the fridge, ignoring the family photos and magnets, and counted the dwindling number of untouched boxes. I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he analyzed this … Continue reading
From Twitter
Yesterday, I spent the morning preparing my classroom for the 20+ students that will begin school after Labor Day. As I unpacked boxes and moved furniture, I thought about the tweet that I started sending out about six months ago: What do you want your child’s teacher to understand about your child? At first, I … Continue reading
My Twice Baked Potato 