Congratulations Ollie!
Dear Ollie,
You just graduated from Kindergarten and turned 6 years old. We are both so very proud of you! While you're still holding on to some younger you things, like calling Storm Troopers Storm Troopulars, getting chocolate every-which-where when eating ice cream, or asking me not to be disgust[ed], you learned some wonderful things this year, babe.
You learned how to read! You moved to level 9 in your teacher's reading scale and came home with so much more confidence. You love that you can read, but don't always want to read. You're more interested in us reading to you - I think because you like the closeness and the fact that you don't have to think. I know Mamas tend to think their children are the smartest of the smart, but it is so fascinating to listen to you read - you know so many of the "rules"! You've told me about the "mean r" and the "silent e," how "ough" can sound differently and that "ea" doesn't always sound like "eee." We are having fun reading together some smaller chapter books, right? Like The Adventures of Dog Man, the BFG, Ralph the Mouse and Captain Underpants.
You learned how to write! You get a little frustrated with spelling (which is normal), so we ask you to use your "Kindergarten spelling" which means to just write as the word sounds. You like to use the white board to list the chores we ask you to do, and are really getting good at putting spaces between words - you learned that by putting your finger in between the last letter of the first word and the first letter of the next word! You now are in charge of writing thank-you cards to people, and you have written the last three without any help from me.
You learned math and science. You are using a new method for addition and subtraction that I didn't use in school, but it's working for you. (I'm sorry - it's not called "subtraction" yet, it's "take away.") This morning you explained to me how the pupil works and when I added some information, you were surprised that I knew anything about it.
You learned some Espanol. You're not in love with that subject, but I'm proud of how quickly you've taken to it.
There are other life lessons that you've mastered this year, Ollie. You've learned to pump your legs at swinging - you love to jump from really high which makes your hospital social worker father very anxious. Your drawing and coloring have really reached the next level; you have a very keen eye for detail and the memory of an elephant. Your dance moves (from gym and afterschool YMCA, I suppose) are ON POINT - you love to freak out to hard rock. Sometimes I have come home from work and the garage door is nearly throbbing from the loud music your dad puts on to get your wiggles out. You also are able to help around the house more: you can fold your laundry and put it away, clean windows and doors and help to take out the trash.
We're really proud of your positive progress, darling, but there are some things we have to work on - things that come with having new friends. You've learned the new tricks of dealing with parents - you triangulate with the best of them and know how to rev us up. You are a showman (I wonder where you get it?) and show off in front of your friends - with disrespect, ugly words and mischievous actions. When you don't get your way, you huff and puff and scream and lash out. While that's not new, it's becoming more of a concern as it makes its way into the classroom when you feel more comfortable with your surroundings. If you hear other kids saying certain words, you like trying them out; at first for the shock factor, and then they get lodged in your routine despite our teachings and warnings. So it'll be back to basics for you this summer, O.
With two working parents, you will continue having a routine. Day camp is scheduled for you every day, which will be a lot of playing with some continued learning to keep you on task. We have three weeks of campy-camp scheduled for you where you'll swim and boat, ride horses, climb trees and shoot some arrows. New this summer, however, you will have some added chores and responsibilities (i.e., reading books for TV time and Brain Quest workbook for video game time).
You've knocked it out of the park this year, bud, and we couldn't be happier. Let's keep it on the upswing this summer and have a great time!
Love, Mama
You just graduated from Kindergarten and turned 6 years old. We are both so very proud of you! While you're still holding on to some younger you things, like calling Storm Troopers Storm Troopulars, getting chocolate every-which-where when eating ice cream, or asking me not to be disgust[ed], you learned some wonderful things this year, babe.
You learned how to read! You moved to level 9 in your teacher's reading scale and came home with so much more confidence. You love that you can read, but don't always want to read. You're more interested in us reading to you - I think because you like the closeness and the fact that you don't have to think. I know Mamas tend to think their children are the smartest of the smart, but it is so fascinating to listen to you read - you know so many of the "rules"! You've told me about the "mean r" and the "silent e," how "ough" can sound differently and that "ea" doesn't always sound like "eee." We are having fun reading together some smaller chapter books, right? Like The Adventures of Dog Man, the BFG, Ralph the Mouse and Captain Underpants.
You learned how to write! You get a little frustrated with spelling (which is normal), so we ask you to use your "Kindergarten spelling" which means to just write as the word sounds. You like to use the white board to list the chores we ask you to do, and are really getting good at putting spaces between words - you learned that by putting your finger in between the last letter of the first word and the first letter of the next word! You now are in charge of writing thank-you cards to people, and you have written the last three without any help from me.
You learned math and science. You are using a new method for addition and subtraction that I didn't use in school, but it's working for you. (I'm sorry - it's not called "subtraction" yet, it's "take away.") This morning you explained to me how the pupil works and when I added some information, you were surprised that I knew anything about it.
You learned some Espanol. You're not in love with that subject, but I'm proud of how quickly you've taken to it.
There are other life lessons that you've mastered this year, Ollie. You've learned to pump your legs at swinging - you love to jump from really high which makes your hospital social worker father very anxious. Your drawing and coloring have really reached the next level; you have a very keen eye for detail and the memory of an elephant. Your dance moves (from gym and afterschool YMCA, I suppose) are ON POINT - you love to freak out to hard rock. Sometimes I have come home from work and the garage door is nearly throbbing from the loud music your dad puts on to get your wiggles out. You also are able to help around the house more: you can fold your laundry and put it away, clean windows and doors and help to take out the trash.
We're really proud of your positive progress, darling, but there are some things we have to work on - things that come with having new friends. You've learned the new tricks of dealing with parents - you triangulate with the best of them and know how to rev us up. You are a showman (I wonder where you get it?) and show off in front of your friends - with disrespect, ugly words and mischievous actions. When you don't get your way, you huff and puff and scream and lash out. While that's not new, it's becoming more of a concern as it makes its way into the classroom when you feel more comfortable with your surroundings. If you hear other kids saying certain words, you like trying them out; at first for the shock factor, and then they get lodged in your routine despite our teachings and warnings. So it'll be back to basics for you this summer, O.
With two working parents, you will continue having a routine. Day camp is scheduled for you every day, which will be a lot of playing with some continued learning to keep you on task. We have three weeks of campy-camp scheduled for you where you'll swim and boat, ride horses, climb trees and shoot some arrows. New this summer, however, you will have some added chores and responsibilities (i.e., reading books for TV time and Brain Quest workbook for video game time).
You've knocked it out of the park this year, bud, and we couldn't be happier. Let's keep it on the upswing this summer and have a great time!
Love, Mama
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