The Three "Arghhhs..."

We survived the first full week of First Grade. (I will have to write more later about our first day... but will concentrate on a positive story first.)

Jack loves his teacher, Mrs. Balido, and seems to be a fan of First Grade. We gather this via his randomly-timed funny tidbits about the events of the day. His favorite thing about Mrs. Balido is that she allows them to have water bottles on their desks. The biggest difference between Kinder and First grade is that First Grade has TWO slides. The coolest thing about his class is that "it goes me, then McKayla, then Aidan, then some other girl, then Angel in my row." He really wants four pickles in his lunch, but Daddy keeps packing three. I am thankful for the moments he shares and don't press for more, even though I would hang on every word if he'd provide me some dadgum detail.

He and I have discovered, well, REdiscovered a special activity this past week: Me reading chapter books to him. Since he's learned to read on his own, I have been having him read books to me, read books to Davis, or more often these days, he just listens along while I read baby books to Davis.

Every night this week after Davis has gone to bed, I have read one chapter, (or, "pleease pleeeease, can we do TWO chapters tonight?") to him out of a chapter book about pirates. I had forgotten what a sweet time it is and don't really remember when we got away from it.

Mrs. Balido reminded me that reading TO them is just as important as having them read. It's not just reading skills we're working on... she said this year's focus is to develop a LOVE of reading. I thought back over my childhood and remember my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Davis, reading aloud to us and how I loved it. She read "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and I remember her getting to the third chapter or so before realizing she had been calling the girl "Imagine" instead of "EYE-ma-gene." We all laughed. I remember Mrs. Zymke reading "Indian in the Cupboard" and remember another teacher reading "James and the Giant Peach" aloud. But, my favorite was when Mom read "The Princess and the Dragon" and "The Secret Garden."

Every night when we start to read, he says, "Who do you want to be this time? I'm Cap'n Bones. You can be Annie, or Stinky, or the parrot." Tonight, I was Annie.

It takes time, it takes concentration and intention, but it has reconnected us in a special way this week. I am not sure who looks forward to it more.

It has also given me a chance to brush up on my pirate voice and talking parrot impersonation, which will help me in ALL aspects of my life.