Back to School

The big boys finished their first full week of school last Friday. What a week!

Gabriel was pretty reserved about his feelings on repeating 1st grade. I decided to sit back and let it play out and see how he did. I'm happy to report that he reported his day as "good" at pick up. (Pick up is a logistic nightmare!!) I can't even begin to describe the improvement in his work so far. He was clamoring to keep up from day 1 last year. His handwriting and ability to complete ANYTHING suffered greatly. He and his teacher were both frustrated because if she questioned him orally he know it all, but try and express any knowledge on paper and he looked like he hadn't learned anything. Heartbreaking all the way around. He's SO much less stressed this year. I can read what he writes and he's been COMPLETING his assignments.

Over the summer he worked with a friend on lots of reading activities and we read and read at home. We were also able to get him back in with his old speech therapist that identified some obscure areas as an underlying issue. She said he was the 3rd kid that had been seen for initial language delay that was now having reading difficulties in early elementary school. Those dang delays rear their ugly head...AGAIN. The extra year to mature has benefited him too. He's become a really good little helper at home and with the little kids. It, also, seems to be helping him socially. He's talking about a variety of kids he's playing with and lots of different activities. I am having to put a stop to him pulling Garrett off the Kindergarten playground to join in with other 1st graders.

I was apprehensive about starting school when we did, then I was apprehensive about passing him the first time, I am no longer unsure about our decision to give 1st another try. He will fully succeed this time. I still feel badly that I didn't/couldn't find the tools we needed in time to prevent it, but considering the year we had, we did the best we could. Now, if we can prevent the current year of crap effecting his schooling, life will be good. He's happy, we're happy, and that will foster success. He asked if we could hold him back till he and Garrett were in the same grade. HA! No way.


Garrett finally got to go to school too. He's been anxiously waiting for two years now. We got him all ready and he was off and running...er wandering. The first few days we dropped him off at the classroom. The second day he went in then I came in right after to give the teacher the classroom supplies. He was no where to be seen. I talked to her for a couple minutes and, still, no where. She went looking for him and found him wandering in the common area between several classrooms. Yeah, kids aren't supposed to be there.

I'd pick him up and ask, "What did you learn about today?" "I don't know!" (incredulously) I'd pry with a few more open ended questions and get information on maybe two activities. Funny boy. He thought the "snake that squeezes it's prey to death AND then eats it" was pretty cool. The librarian has lots of cool critters for the kids to look at and learn about. I can always tell when he's just finished PE because that poor head of his is SO sweaty.

The first day he came home with a paper that was supposed to have his name on it. Scribbles was all he wrote. I questioned him about it and he said, "Well, I'm not good and circles." Nice try bud. I explained that when we don't do our work right we do it again at home. Gabriel is very experienced in this and chimed in with a "YEAH". He's been writing his name for over a year, so we fixed it and he's continued writing it.

His first behavior report came home and he'd gotten a yellow light for excessive talking and a RED light for wrestling in the classroom. Seriously!?! Wrestling!?! I told him he has to have red light consequences for it. Gabriel was, also, able to explain those well when Garrett asked him about it. ;-)

I checked in with the teacher to see if he was listening in class. She said not at all, but the time it took him to tune in was getting shorter. Nice. She also mentioned that despite that he was learning and catching the things he needed.

He can't seem to get his lunch box in the basket waiting for it at the end of the table...grrr. As I hunted for his lunch box that last time time I ran into her again. She asked if I needed anything. I explained what I was doing and that I hoped he'd tuned into the world at large soon. She smiled and said, "he is quite the wanderer." He's the one she loses from the line when they go anywhere. He's a smart kid, he'll get it eventually, but in the meantime...


He did a good job of playing with other kindergarteners when I told him he needs to play with kids in his grade more. I don't want him to band into a little trouble making duo with his brother.

He hasn't started getting homework packets yet, but is super excited to start when they do come.


Pick up has been tough. Not only does Lincoln fall asleep on the way and ruin his nap EVERY day, but the boys have to be picked up on opposite sides of the school at the same time. Garrett is supposed to get out 5 minutes earlier, but they never make it out first. Gabriel's teacher is incredibly prompt at getting her class out. I didn't know what to do. Gabriel's teacher knew I had a conflict and tried to come up with ideas to help me out, but they didn't work out either. I have a friend from college with a first grader in a different class. She picks up Gabriel and holds onto him till I get Garrett and can get to the other side of the school. Crazy! I guess as long as we all make it home with the right number and right kids all will be well. ;-D