A just finished his second full week of first grade. Around here it's the norm to have some freakout when things are new, before settling into a routine. That's how school has been. Really it's been a surprisingly smooth transition. The first few days were hard, on A and on D and on me, but by the end of the first week we were beginning to settle. We all had our reactions and reacted to each other and experimented with each other's reactions and now, by the end of the second week, it feels like school is something we know how to do.
A is doing very well. He's listening to his teacher and mostly understanding her, and he's able to do the work. The lessons I did with him in August really helped. He started riding the school bus on Day 3 and he LOVES it. He is exhausted by the end of the day, but ready and excited to go back the next morning. Every day when he gets home he needs some down time. We figured out that the best thing for me to do is to not talk to him
(he's been listening to English all day, he needs a break) and just be
available with food. When he's ready, I help him with his homework, and then we all go to the park. I've switched to making dinner right after lunch so that in the afternoon I can just focus on A.
D is also doing great. It only took about a week for him to adjust to the new routine of being home without his brother. The surprise delivery of a ginormous box of Legos on the first full day definitely helped. He asks a lot about what A is doing, and he's formulated a plan for his own future: next year kindergarten, then first grade, then high school, university and ultimately a job designing cruise ships. His ship will have 15 restaurants, 3 of which will only sell tacos, an 18-foot slide that you ride down on your bicycle, and a zoo. Also you can push a button and the ship turns into a motorcycle. The people who were on the cruise end up in the ocean, which he admits is a design flaw. We've talked about this A LOT.
I know I've said this before, but I'm so impressed with our kids. They make it seem easy. Like D says, their hearts are strong.
It really takes such courage to venture off to school when everything is still so new. Glad you are all finding your feet so soon after such a big transition. (And I think Yosi would love to be a passenger on that cruise ship. I think he'd love splashing into the ocean almost as much as riding his bike down a slide... a topic that has been discussed here in depth.)
ReplyDeleteI am so glad the transition has gone smooth. These kids constantly amaze me. I will admit I'm a bit envious that A is tired out...Aberash wants to come home and ride bikes and swing for another 2 hours..I'm exhausted :)
ReplyDeleteWeek 3 now, and he's bouncing back faster and then off to the park / running around with neighborhood kids. Making dinner before he gets home has been a very good solution.
DeleteWow...what I would give for a little down time after school. Instead, we have a wild tornado who has had to sit still too much and needs to pop wide open. Glad that A is doing well. And tell D that I'll buy a ticket on the maiden voyage of the taco boat, if he promises not to turn it into a motorcycle on that first trip.
ReplyDeleteI told D that you wanted to go on his ship... his eyes got big, he sat up straight, and he said, "I'm proud!!!"
DeleteThis really sounds like you're all adjusting well to the school routine. I love that you figured out that he doesn't need to hear you talk after being in school all day - it really must be exhausting for his little mind. And I love D's grand plan. :)
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