Homework

Now that we are into the 4th week of school, Thing 1 is starting to come home with homework.  Really, the homework started last week.  He had homework in preschool so I was expecting this but I wasn't expecting quite this much.  In preschool he would come home once a week with a paper where he had to write the upper and lowercase letter 10 times each.  Toward the end of preschool, he would also be writing words 3 times each.  He had 2 days to do this homework before it was due.  I didn't feel much pressure as we would do it the first night that he brought it home unless there was some extenuating circumstance.

So last week on Monday, Thing 1 brought home his composition book and a poetry book.  There were also multiple notes attached letting the parents know what the children had to do throughout the week.  Let me start by saying part of the homework was exactly what he did in preschool - he would write each letter, upper and lowercase, 3 times (instead of 10).  That part did not overwhelm me.  What overwhelmed me is the fact that he not only wrote the letters but then drew a picture that started with the letter (he has 2-3 letters each week to write and 2-3 pictures to draw), has a short story where he has to highlight all of the letters in that story that he just wrote, has 2 poems to read throughout the week out of he poetry book, and has 8 sight words that he needs to know by the end of the week for his quiz.  To me, this sounds like a lot of work for a 5 year old.  Granted, he has all week to do all of this work but he has to practice his sight words and his poems every night in order to do well on his quiz on Fridays.  I'm not sure how long each evening a 5 year old should be doing homework as he is in school for 6 1/2 hours during the day as it is.  I'm thinking that he is still a kid and that he should have time to relax and do things he enjoys.  I also don't like the idea that kindergarten is the new first grade!

I think my biggest problem with the whole thing is that I feel that this is really a reflection on my parenting.  If my child does not get all of his sight words correct on Friday, I am afraid that may say that I am not working hard enough to help my child learn how to read.  I don't really think I can handle going into a parent-teacher conference where I am told that I need to work harder to teach my child how to read.  I think there is a lot of pressure on kids and this is the pressure I feel as a parent.  I work over 40 hours per week to direct 2 programs and when I come home in the evening I would like to spend time with my kids relaxing and having fun, not doing homework.  I didn't become a teacher for a reason - I'm no good at it and I get frustrated easily.  I'm not sure what the kindergarten curriculum is, but I thought that teaching a child to read was something that would be done in school and not something where I would have to quiz my child for at least 30 minutes every night.  Read a book with a my child, I will totally do.  Quizzing my kid on sight words is frustrating for me, so I know he is not enjoying it.  Am I the only one who feels this way about 5 year olds and homework?

Week One

The first week of Kindergarten is now over.  Thing 1 did very well.  He enjoyed spending time with other children his own age and was happy to go to school each day.  The biggest problem I had is that at the end of the school day, around dinner time, he became very cranky!  He would refuse to do things that were asked of him and was just being rude.  I blame this on getting used to the routine and I am sure that within the next couple of weeks we won't have this issue so much anymore.  I also found that today, he is perfectly content sitting around relaxing.  I'm sure that is due to his exhaustion from his first week of school.  At least he has a three day weekend to recuperate before going back to school!  Although, based on our Labor Day plans, he may be tired!  We have big plans to attend the Renaissance Faire on Monday.  Pictures to come.  Huzzah!

1st Day of Kindergarten

No tears were shed by Thing 1 or The Mr.  I, however, did have tears in my eyes.  It's not for the reasons you may think.  Thing 2 was very upset to see Thing 1 leave the car to go into school.  He cried as soon as Thing 1 got out of the car and began calling his name.  The tears in my eyes were due to watching my youngest as he was upset to see his big brother and best friend go off for his first day of Kindergarten.

Thing 1 had a great first day and is excited to go back tomorrow.

Yet Another First

Tomorrow marks another first in the life of Thing 1.  He will start his first day of Kindergarten.  I have been stressed and worried about this day for weeks.  However, after the parent-teacher conference on Tuesday this past week, I have calmed down a lot.  Before my concerns were about my little 5 year old being in a school with big 5th graders, getting on a bus with a bunch of kids he doesn't know and a bus driver he doesn't know, and just all of the things I know can go on in a school.  On Tuesday evening, we decided that Thing 1 would not ride the bus.  We had multiple reasons for our decision but the biggest one for me was the time that the bus would drop him off in the afternoon.  He would be the last child dropped off and based on our work schedules that time could be a problem.  We drive by the school everyday to get pretty much anywhere we want to go so it is not an inconvenience to take him and pick him up.  Plus, Thing 1 said that he wanted Daddy to drive him to and from school so that just sealed the decision for me. 

Thing 1 is getting more and more excited about this new adventure in his life.  He keeps saying that he wants to sit by other 5 year olds and not next to a 2 year old anymore (poor Thing 2!).  He has been to his school twice in the past two weeks where he saw his classroom, met his teacher, turned in school supplies, and found his locker.  (Yes, my kindergartner has a locker!  Who knew?!)  Friday, we took him to dinner as that was the last time The Mr. would be around for a meal with us due to his work schedule and we took him to the bookstore to buy a new book since that is what he wanted to do.  Yesterday, I took him to buy a new outfit for his first day, take him for lunch and got him ice cream for dessert.  Today, our plan is to play games, read books, and bake cookies before dinner.  This evening we will start into our routine that we will have for the school year - bath, make lunch, and double check that all supplies are in his bookbag.  I have become very calm about him starting school.  He seems really happy and anxious to make friends and be around other kids his age.

Thing 2, on the other hand, is who I have become concerned about.  He has been around his big brother since the day he was born.  Thing 1 is the first one Thing 2 looks for in the morning when waking up and after taking a nap.  He follows his big brother around and idolizes him so much.  I'm just not sure what type of a day The Mr. will have tomorrow after taking Thing 1 to school.  I'm sure Thing 2 will be looking for his big brother throughout the day and may even feel a little lost.  I am just glad I will be at work and not have to see my baby sad while he is without his best friend for the day.

Mini Golf

We took the boys miniature golfing yesterday as The Mr. had the day off and I am winding down on my vacation.  Thing 1 was starting to get the concept down as we played mini golf while we were visiting my family last week.  Thing 2,  however, would hit the ball around for awhile and then just got bored with the whole thing!  Anyway, here are some pictures from our outing.

Look at that technique!

It was quite bright and sunny and by this point we were about halfway through.  They were getting tired!

Of course, we had to get a snowcone before we went home.  Thing 1 was sharing with Thing 2.  Such a great big brother!

Vacation

Last week the boys and I traveled to visit family for about 5 days.  The Mr. had to work so I took the boys on an airplane by myself.  When I booked the trip, I was trying to determine if I was brave or stupid for traveling by plane with a 2 year old and a 5 year old by myself!  I decided to wait until I returned home to make that decision.  Well, lucky for me the boys did very well on the plane rides both to their grandparents and back home.  They even slept the entire plane ride home!  Anyway, here are some pictures of our trip.

First stop - the zoo!

Next - the park.

Of course we had to ride the tractor with Grandpa!

I couldn't leave the post without adding a picture of my parents' papillion - Dew.  Isn't he cute?

We really had a great time.  I also took the boys to play miniature golf with friends and I had an afternoon child-free to spend with a great friend of mine just catching up.  The vacation was relaxing and I don't have to go back to work until Monday!  How wonderful!  Once Monday comes, it will be back to directing two programs, starting back-to-school clothes shopping for my kindergartner, and the first day of school!  I will enjoy these last few days of relaxation, that's for sure!

Little Manipulator

This evening I put my children to bed as I do every night.  We did the typical bath, teeth brushing, book reading.  There are also many nights that I spend getting up every couple minutes to tell the boys to stop playing, jumping, yelling, or whatever else they may be doing that is not sleeping.  Today, I put the kids to bed and had to go back into their bedroom right after I had just sat down.  (Which I hate, by the way.  They can't have the decency to let me sit for like 10 minutes before starting mischief?)  I had already told both boys what would happen if I had to go back into the room.  So away I went to find Thing 2 in the top bunk with Thing 1.  I then put Thing 2 back in his bed and took away his stuffed dog.  He cried!  He loves that stuffed dog.  As I left the room I thought about how I was a horrible mother for taking away my youngest's most favorite toy in the world.  I then sat down.  Almost immediately the crying stopped and the ruckus started.  It's like they can hear my butt hit the sofa!  I got my butt off of the nice soft couch and walked back into the bedroom to find Thing 2 on the ladder attempting to get into Thing 1's bed.  As soon as he saw me, he climbed down, ran over to me, hugged my legs, and said "I love you."  Now, would someone tell me what am I supposed to do with that?