(no subject)
Winter is almost over now. If you can't feel the joy in that sentence, let me put it another way. It is almost time for life to begin again! Actually, there is a winter-weather advisory tonight, but I will ignore it. You know it's time for spring when children aren't even happy about snow.
Anyway, nothing is really new. Been trying to find a me. Since I haven't worked and quit even babysitting, it has been hard to feel like an individual with a life of her own. It all caught up with me around mid-December. Since then, I have been doing some things that I like to do, by myself, and it has been a little better. There are missing elements, still, but it's ok.
I don't have a job yet, either. Wow, I feel like a lazy bum about that. Considering the fact that all I want is a part-time job of a simple sort, it shouldn't have been this hard! My crushing indecisiveness has played a part in this, but it's mostly been a very bad day-time sleeping habit. Now I don't know if I shouldn't wait another month, since I am planning a vacation the first week of April. I guess I'll do some more pondering.
The biggest news is probably this thing about Amy. Yesterday Ian and I met with her teacher. I was sure I knew what it was about beforehand, and I was right. They think she may need to repeat first grade. It's all behavioral and nothing to do with academics, though. She is actually doing very well in all of her subjects, particularly reading and spelling. No surprise there!
Socially, she doesn't click with kids her age, because she just isn't on the same maturity level. She plays and interacts much differently. I've noticed this whenever I've been to school with her at functions and when I go to eat lunch with her. The other kids all seem to like her, but it's more in a little sister way than a friendly way.
The main issue that will affect her if she moves on, though, is self control and focus. She misses recess because she can't finish her work on time and when she does finish it, it's not well-done. I know she can color and write neatly, but on her school work she alway scribbles.
I feel so divided about this, because I don't really want her to have to do this, but I do think it would be the best thing. Another year for her to grow and catch up, it almost makes me breathe a sigh of relief, so why don't I want it? I guess it's wanting her to, you know, measure up and fit the mold. I actually think she'd be happy to have the same teacher in the same classroom for another year. For her, that kind of continuity might be ultimately nurturing. And she's the youngest student in her class already, and the second smallest, so not a problem there, either. She'll be fine, so I need to be, too.\\
One last thing, too. Amy and I are reading the Little House books now. We finished the first one and are almost through Little House on the Prairie. Wow, I didn't know this book would have me discussing racism with her.
me- "Do you think it's right what Ma said about the Indians?"
Amy- "Well, they took Pa's tobacco."
me- "Did Pa take anything of theirs?"
I only ever read "Big Woods" when I was younger, but I'm sure I wouldn't have remembered this stuff had I read it anyway. Pa's eating and smoking with the tall indian and taking Mary and Laura to see the indian camp make me able to get beyond Ma's horrible way of thinking.
Anyway, nothing is really new. Been trying to find a me. Since I haven't worked and quit even babysitting, it has been hard to feel like an individual with a life of her own. It all caught up with me around mid-December. Since then, I have been doing some things that I like to do, by myself, and it has been a little better. There are missing elements, still, but it's ok.
I don't have a job yet, either. Wow, I feel like a lazy bum about that. Considering the fact that all I want is a part-time job of a simple sort, it shouldn't have been this hard! My crushing indecisiveness has played a part in this, but it's mostly been a very bad day-time sleeping habit. Now I don't know if I shouldn't wait another month, since I am planning a vacation the first week of April. I guess I'll do some more pondering.
The biggest news is probably this thing about Amy. Yesterday Ian and I met with her teacher. I was sure I knew what it was about beforehand, and I was right. They think she may need to repeat first grade. It's all behavioral and nothing to do with academics, though. She is actually doing very well in all of her subjects, particularly reading and spelling. No surprise there!
Socially, she doesn't click with kids her age, because she just isn't on the same maturity level. She plays and interacts much differently. I've noticed this whenever I've been to school with her at functions and when I go to eat lunch with her. The other kids all seem to like her, but it's more in a little sister way than a friendly way.
The main issue that will affect her if she moves on, though, is self control and focus. She misses recess because she can't finish her work on time and when she does finish it, it's not well-done. I know she can color and write neatly, but on her school work she alway scribbles.
I feel so divided about this, because I don't really want her to have to do this, but I do think it would be the best thing. Another year for her to grow and catch up, it almost makes me breathe a sigh of relief, so why don't I want it? I guess it's wanting her to, you know, measure up and fit the mold. I actually think she'd be happy to have the same teacher in the same classroom for another year. For her, that kind of continuity might be ultimately nurturing. And she's the youngest student in her class already, and the second smallest, so not a problem there, either. She'll be fine, so I need to be, too.\\
One last thing, too. Amy and I are reading the Little House books now. We finished the first one and are almost through Little House on the Prairie. Wow, I didn't know this book would have me discussing racism with her.
me- "Do you think it's right what Ma said about the Indians?"
Amy- "Well, they took Pa's tobacco."
me- "Did Pa take anything of theirs?"
I only ever read "Big Woods" when I was younger, but I'm sure I wouldn't have remembered this stuff had I read it anyway. Pa's eating and smoking with the tall indian and taking Mary and Laura to see the indian camp make me able to get beyond Ma's horrible way of thinking.