Back-To-School

[PrincessFiona]

How is it going for everyone?

Andrew and Alex started two weeks ago. Aidan had his open house on Wed. and Zoe had her first hour of Montessori KINDERGARTEN....WHAT????.... yesterday! Amanda, Aidan and Zoe start on Tuesday of this next week.

We have all finally settled into the routine of getting the boys out to their school each morning. They aren't thrilled to be the only kids that they know ended their summer breaks early. I've ironed out most of Amanda's curriculum for this next year and am ready to start. I picked out all classics for her language arts class and she was a little depressed when I showed her The Iliad, The Odyssey, etc! Oh well ... suck it up girl! Aidan got a teacher who taught 4th grade for many years before sliding down to 2nd grade. We have been told that her expectations are very high and she pushes the kids hard. I don't know how I feel about that for my 7 year old, but ... she did seem nice enough. Maybe he'll rise to the occasion. I hear most of the kids do. Zoe started KINDERGARTEN yesterday with the 1 hour slide-back-in. She'll be in the afternoon class this year, but I'll take her in at 10 so that she has some play time/lunch with friends ... this will ensure that I have undisturbed time with Amanda.

Holy crap. Where did the years go? Where? This is the first time ever that I have a child in Kindergarten and don't have a baby or toddler (or both) at home. I can't believe that part of my life is over. NO more babies to cuddle up with ... it's done.

Wow!

Kris

[diggitydot]

^
That's me celebrating all three stooges being back in school and my house being quiet for a few hours each day.

DD1 is so glad to be hanging out with her band geek buddies again. She was thrilled when band camp finally arrived and is currently smack-talking like crazy to DH. Their respective high school football teams are playing each other tonight and they're both having a great time ribbing each other. She's been frighteningly pleasant for a teen.

DD2 wasn't thrilled with her teacher on the first day, but seems to be coming around. She's also decided that she needs to be on the Lego robotics team this year, so we'll see how that goes. Their school usually has two teams, but this year there are so many kids interested that they're looking into whether they can add a couple more teams.

DS is totally loving his teacher. She's extremely nice, but very firm and has a really structured classroom management style which the little dude digs. We'll see how the year goes and see how long it takes this teacher to try to convince me that he's autistic. Last year's teacher was his first one who didn't keep pushing us about this. The other teachers continued harping on this even after seeing the dude's diagnosis info from the developmental pediatrician. We're not idiots. Quit arguing with the people who are actually qualified to diagnose these conditions. Yes, you're a teacher and are trained to spot "flags", but you aren't educated and trained to be able to differentiate between the myriad conditions that those flags could indicate, so STFU already.

[Deebs]

I've been trying to find time to update you all. We are a week into full-day Kindergarten, and it's great (although I miss her a TON). Sam is actually upset because we're picking her up from school to go back to the Illinois house this weekend, and she won't get to ride the bus home. She has come home every day with a huge smile on her face. It did take a few days for her to figure out that if she didn't eat at lunch time, she was going to be starving after school, and it took me a few days to figure out why she was starving after school. Unfortunately, one cup of blueberries or grapes intended to go along with a sandwich or other main course don't really get you through the day.

I did volunteer to be room mom, and signed up to work a few other events throughout the year. Thank you all for encouraging me. I guess I always want to volunteer, but get nervous about what to do with the younger kids while I'm at school. Everything is really coming together. One of my neighbors has a degree in early childhood ed and runs a "Mom's Time" program from her house two days a week. I'm going to coordinate sending Josie (the almost two year old) when Alex is at preschool, and get up to the elementary school then. DH assures me that he'll make time to watch the other kids while I'm obligated for Kindergarten, and my reply to him was, "that's cute. I'll figure it out." I just know I can't rely on him for that kind of thing.

We went to Alex's preschool meet the teacher yesterday, and it was great. The school is "green," and I was a little intimidated pulling into the parking lot in my SUV, but I think it's a great fit for Alex and our family. It was funny though. Both DH and I are really concerned that Alex be challenged. He's 3 1/2 and literally rearranged the apps on my neighbor's iPhone so they would be organized in folders, gets his 5 1/2 year old sister in trouble when he turns on the computer and we think it was her, can turn on any piece of A/V equipment in my cabinet and change the settings as needed. He can read, and is generally really bright. I know that everyone thinks they're kid is smart, but I have two other kids, and I've worked with children extensively. After explaining to the director our concerns over the phone, we arrived yesterday and he was a completely typical 3 year old. All over the place, a little crazy, wouldn't listen to any direction, and made me feel like a big liar! I wonder what the teachers said when we left...

[Pollyanna]

So far the school year plus activities is crazy busy. We've missed every single open house/curriculum night which is okay since mostly dh and I go to those to sit in the back and make snarky comments. Anyway here is how things are looking per kid:

DD17: Senior year (holy crap)! She is so busy, pom practice at 5am three days a week plus one afternoon practice, prep for being a Kairos leader in a few weeks, college application craziness, cotillion stuff,band, and then she also has a full load of AP/honor courses. The dance team is not dancing with the band with year at football games so her director is making her march. Funny thing is that she does her pom stuff on the sidelines and then grabs her trombone and runs out with the band during halftime. The band is in all black and she is wearing her maroon and gold pom uniform so she totally stands out. Who says you can't be a danciner and a rockin' trombone player? By November she will have all of her college application items complete since she is applying ED at Sewanee and cotillion will be over the Friday after Thanksgiving. She has had Sewanee on her radar for over a year and then completely feel in love with it during her two weeks there this summer. It's also a huge bonus that it is only 90 minutes from Nashville . When she first started her college hunt she wanted fancy pants U with no less than 8K undergrads, turns out what she really wants is less than 2K students in the middle of nowhere TN

DS15 began his freshman year and is loving high school. He is playing football so he has practice 6 days a week and is pretty much spent after that. And of course all sports teams practice on school holidays so they really never get much of a vacation. Football allows 4 missed practices for the entire year so you pretty much need to be on your death bed to skip practice (I think this is stupid but its part of the deal with high school sports). He also has a heavy course load and is in the band as well. Both he and his older sister are like the old people of the family because they are both in bed by 9pm

DS11 began middle school this year. He is our child that is beyond easy going so the transition was really easy for him (at least that is what he tells us). He is still playing the baritone, dancing, and fall ball is just getting started this week. He is also going to play on some of the middle school teams starting next quarter. He is just a dear child and is the family protector because he will seriously take on anyone that hurts his siblings.

DD9 is in the 4th grade this year. She is also pretty easy going which is great because the kids in her class pretty much suck. The girls and snotty and gossipy and the boys are just kind of odd, it is seriously a weird class of kids. She has latched on to two new girls who seem really kind so I am happy for her. She is doing better with her reading, it took a long time for her to gain confidence in this area. She is our only child that is trepidation about the move so we are trying to do lots of talking. She stays busy with dance and is starting synchronized swimming and if we can get it together she wants to play the bassoon (the older kids that all play low brass are VERY unhappy about her choice of instruments).

DD2 will continue to stay home with mom. She could start a toddler program but I am just not up for preschool germs this year . She is a fun girl but very opinionated and can tantrum longer than any of our other kiddos. The poor thing is probably just exhausted from being dragged all over town taking her siblings from place to place.

Anyway, that's what's happening in our house so far this school year

[oceanchild]

if we can get it together she wants to play the bassoon (the older kids that all play low brass are VERY unhappy about her choice of instruments).

I just think it is so cool that you have a family full of low-register lovers. That is all.