So.... what did we end up doing about Stone?? I finally caught Erik up on everything that has been going on, and within minutes on the computer he had the names of a dozen teachers who are currently out of work and looking for tutoring opportunities. This seemed like a Win-Win-Win (one-on-one, happy learning for Stone for a couple of hours at home; I could still get out by myself in the mornings; we could employ someone who needs work)... but when he woke up on Thursday morning Stone got himself dressed, happily skipped into the kitchen for breakfast and didn't complain one bit about going to school. He was excited to see the friends he had played with at the park the day before... so we sent him. I promised to pick him up at the beginning of recess (so he would be at school from 9:00-11:00), and he came out of class really happy! Same story today.
I don't know what we'll end up doing with him. My friend here is the most staunchly, irrepressibly charitable person I think I've ever met - she can can always find some way to give the benefit of the doubt. So she wondered if his teacher's manner is purposely harsh because she wants to toughen him up. I appreciate this perspective but I think it gives her too much credit. She is not a bad person - I look at her and I know she is doing the best she can - but this is not a person who is choosing Tough Love because she wants the best for Stone. This is a person who is annoyed that he is making her job harder. Once I calmed down after my rant last time I was able to clearly see her compassionately again, and I do see that Stone (and I) can learn from the experience of staying in her classroom. On the other hand, you can also learn from being dragged behind a horse, but that doest't mean you leave your foot in the stirrup if you can easily pull it out! It may be that Stone has pulled himself back up on the horse and is sitting in the saddle again, so I am WARILY allowing him to continue to go. Today he came home and said he had fun, and the teacher was quite warm to me. Only 8 weeks to go, and I guess I'm deciding as I write this that if he has found his groove, I'll let him keep going; if he falls out and starts getting dragged again, I'll pull him out of the school, knowing we really gave it our best shot, and no hard feelings, but it wasn't the right fit for us.
I've been getting around town on my bike for the past few days! I have to be really alert and focused in this big, busy city, but it is really fun! And everywhere we go people stare at the trailer and its adorable contents - especially when Sophie and Stone are both packed in there. People here have never seen a bike trailer before.
Also I've been wanting to record my feelings on exercise because I am in a really unusual place in that area of my life!! I have been running consistently since I was 18 years old - even in Israel and in Chile, and as long as I could in and out of pregnancy. For the past couple of years my running partner and I had been doing 8-12 miles/day, 3-4 times/week... and now she is at home training for a marathon (GO, CHRISTIE!!!)... and I will put in my 26.2 miles over the course of the entire 4 months. :) It's weird - I think maybe I am focusing so much on other parts of my development I just can't muster the energy to get up early and go by myself - especially through dark, cobblestoned dog doo minefields. There is a huge, gorgeous park nearby where I've run a couple of times and I always throw on yoga pants and a sports bra in the morning "just in case," but usually I just walk/bike all through the day and wear exercise clothes in the hopes that they will signal to my metabolism that I'm still a runner in my heart and I should continue burning calories accordingly. :)
I'm writing in the middle of the afternoon today - it's now 5:18 and kids are post-siesta stir-crazy. Time for our first family bike ride! Lindsay and Lucy have been too nervous to ride to school in traffic so I told them we would do a practice run today. The Clarkes are arriving from Amsterdam tonight and we're driving to Granada for the weekend! I've wanted to see the Alhambra since I first read about it in college, and Sophie and Stone have been dying to see Queen Isabel's crown and King Fernando's sword. So excited!!
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ReplyDeleteOoooo swords and crowns! So cool! :)
ReplyDeleteFirst - the exercise. I was just thinking that same thing of myself. I did a triathlon last month, and this month I have run one mile so far. For some reason, exercise has fallen completely off my radar. I don't even feel guilty about it. I just don't exercise right now. Anyway, I hope you are embracing the break as well.
Second, about stone. Isn't it remarkable how powerful friends are for young children? well, I guess they're powerful for all people, but I have seen Hunter just flourish with his new school because of having friends. I mean, there's so much to be said for understanding the language and for having warm, compassionate people surrounding you too - but when I read that he had met those buddies at the park and that he then felt more positively about school, it seemed just like Hunter. The more play dates we have (and informal play times with friends at the park) the better he does with going to school.
Anyway, you already know that, but I just marvel at how much influence good buddies can have on a person.
I love you! I miss you! I need to email you because these comment boxes are probably not meant for this length of reply. :)
p.s. I'm all about looking for the best in people and giving the benefit of the doubt, but I also think there are people out there that are mean and rude and they need to be pummeled. Por ejemplo, Stone's teacher. :) the end.
Just to put this awesome experience Of yours into perspective, my Jennie at the dinner table sang "uno, dos, tres, taco, cinco, seis" then said, "mom, what language is that?" my reply of course was, "what do you think it is?" she confidently says "China talk". Yeah, you guys are wonderful parents providing an experience like none other for your family. Hard for sure, but worth it.
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