Here are my Reasons 2B Cheerful for this week. I'm joining the linky at Becky's Lakes Single Mum as usual.
1
To School Alone
I had actually started letting DD go to school completely on her own at the beginning of this school year as we live opposite. It took me a long time to be ready to let her cross the road by herself. I'd stand watching her from the balcony so that she knew I was watching and she'd look carefully and cross sensibly. Then it got even better as they started crossing guards on the very zebra crossing she uses. The 6th Grade do it in many schools. It's an Israeli thing.
It's been a process. In 1st grade I had to take her into her classroom, put her bag under her desk and wait with her till the bell. In 2nd grade I left her at the school gates. In 3rd grade I crossed her over the road and she walked down the street herself. Now I don't even have to go downstairs.
During the week, that extra 10 minutes to get myself together before leaving for work makes an amazing difference to leaving the house calmly and not forgetting things that get forgotten when I'm trying to get two of us out at the same time. And on Friday mornings I don't even have to be dressed. I feel like I've got my full weekend back instead of just the one day that the kids, unfairly imo, get.
I usually collect DD from the afternoon programme on my way home from work between 4 and 4.30. However, two days a week she has the Learning Lab which finishes at 5. On those days she comes home on her own too. Such a small thing but to be able to do something without one eye on the clock and not having to pop out even for 15 minutes makes a difference. And I know I'm going to love it when the winter comes and hopefully the rains.
2
Life Lessons
DD came to me this evening with a letter about Girls' Football Club. She gave it to me tentatively and I noticed that in her other hand she was clutching a 100nis note.
Me: "Where is that money from? "
DD: "It's from my pocket money." (My mother had given it to her when she left last December.) "The football club costs money and I know you've spent a lot of money on my activities this year so I'll pay for it." My heart broke a little bit and I told her that I would pay for it if she really wanted to go. It was 300 shekels for the year so she didn't have enough anyway. Hey, it's sport so that's healthy.
In the end footy is twice a week on the exact days and times that she already has other activities that are already paid for. There were tears but we had a good discussion about how you can't do everything, everyone only has 7 days in a week, and life is full of choices and tradeoffs.
We've been watching episodes of the property renovation programme 'Love It or List It' and DD totally got it.
DD: "Like if you want to renovate the en suite and you want to knock down walls for an open concept living space but then they find that your foundations are cracked or your walls are full of asbestos, you have to let something go. You can't do everything so you have to choose."
Me: "Right. Only that's because of a limited budget. This is because of limited time."
DD: "Right, But you still have to decide what you want more."
Me: "Right."
DD: "Right."
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| The First day of 4th grade photo taken from an awkward angle by #rubbishphotographer |
To School Alone
I had actually started letting DD go to school completely on her own at the beginning of this school year as we live opposite. It took me a long time to be ready to let her cross the road by herself. I'd stand watching her from the balcony so that she knew I was watching and she'd look carefully and cross sensibly. Then it got even better as they started crossing guards on the very zebra crossing she uses. The 6th Grade do it in many schools. It's an Israeli thing.
It's been a process. In 1st grade I had to take her into her classroom, put her bag under her desk and wait with her till the bell. In 2nd grade I left her at the school gates. In 3rd grade I crossed her over the road and she walked down the street herself. Now I don't even have to go downstairs.
During the week, that extra 10 minutes to get myself together before leaving for work makes an amazing difference to leaving the house calmly and not forgetting things that get forgotten when I'm trying to get two of us out at the same time. And on Friday mornings I don't even have to be dressed. I feel like I've got my full weekend back instead of just the one day that the kids, unfairly imo, get.
I usually collect DD from the afternoon programme on my way home from work between 4 and 4.30. However, two days a week she has the Learning Lab which finishes at 5. On those days she comes home on her own too. Such a small thing but to be able to do something without one eye on the clock and not having to pop out even for 15 minutes makes a difference. And I know I'm going to love it when the winter comes and hopefully the rains.
2
Life Lessons
DD came to me this evening with a letter about Girls' Football Club. She gave it to me tentatively and I noticed that in her other hand she was clutching a 100nis note.
Me: "Where is that money from? "
DD: "It's from my pocket money." (My mother had given it to her when she left last December.) "The football club costs money and I know you've spent a lot of money on my activities this year so I'll pay for it." My heart broke a little bit and I told her that I would pay for it if she really wanted to go. It was 300 shekels for the year so she didn't have enough anyway. Hey, it's sport so that's healthy.
In the end footy is twice a week on the exact days and times that she already has other activities that are already paid for. There were tears but we had a good discussion about how you can't do everything, everyone only has 7 days in a week, and life is full of choices and tradeoffs.
We've been watching episodes of the property renovation programme 'Love It or List It' and DD totally got it.
DD: "Like if you want to renovate the en suite and you want to knock down walls for an open concept living space but then they find that your foundations are cracked or your walls are full of asbestos, you have to let something go. You can't do everything so you have to choose."
Me: "Right. Only that's because of a limited budget. This is because of limited time."
DD: "Right, But you still have to decide what you want more."
Me: "Right."
DD: "Right."
She's really learning!
ReplyDeleteI know. It's fascinating to watch. And funny. As soon as hey mention the age of the house she'll say, "uh oh, it's and old house. They're going to find all sort of problems in those walls." Or if she sees mildew in the bathroom she'll say, "Uh oh, that could mean mold all the way back to the dry wall."
DeleteI love that your parenting is similar to mine in many ways with lots of emphasis on independence (even when it's scary) and choices, and your DD has such a wise head on her young shoulders xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Candi, that's praise indeed as I rate your parenting very highly. xxx
DeleteShe is growing up so fast!
ReplyDeleteNot sure why I pressed publish and don't think I had finished my comment! She is growing up so nicely. My son has a 1.5 mile walk to school so he would be jealous!
ReplyDeleteThank you and yes, I love it that I can watch her entering the school gates from my balcony. In theory, if I had time to stand and watch instead of running out to work myself.
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