Some changes have been going on in our larger family. Mom and Dad sold their house and we moved them out of 4408 this past weekend. Until they move into their new home, they are staying with my sister Jolene. But that's for a different post.
Since Cate has been in school, she has had mixed up weeks of where she goes when school is over. Three days she goes to the after-school program; one day she is picked up by Grandpa Ken and Tuesdays have been bus days. Until this week. Today is the first day Mom came over to our house to watch the kids. And Cate couldn't be more excited.
We've been building up to this moment for a long time. Today is the first day Cate is getting to and from school by herself. Ever since Grandma and Papa sold their house, we figured there would be some transition time and the possibility of Grandma watching the kids at our house was a high probability. As soon as we told Cate she wouldn't be taking the bus on Tuesdays, she asked if she could walk home from school. We said we'd think about it.
So last night we agreed she could do it. Then she upped the ante and asked if she could use her scooter to transport herself. I agreed thinking that she would get to and from school that much quicker.
This morning, she was up when her alarm went off and did everything she was supposed to do in order to get an early start. I wrote the note to her teacher informing her that Cate was going home to her Grandma--by herself. I remembered to include the home number just in case.
As we made our final preparations--scooter-check! helmet-check! lock-check! key for lock-check! Oreos-check!--I gave her one final pep talk:
Me: Okay Cate, remember...come straight home when school's out.
Cate: I know, Mom.
Me: And if your friends invite to play at the playground, politely say no.
Cate: I know, Mom.
Me: And come down the street you said you would because that's where we told Grandma you would be coming from.
Cate: I know, MOM!
Me: Okay. Be good and be safe. I love you!
Cate: Uh-huh. Bye!
And away she went, scootering down the street. A straight shot to school. Only two blocks. Watching her confidently go took my breath away. I don't know who grew up more this morning--her or me.
Showing posts with label first grade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label first grade. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Sunday, September 20, 2009
First Grade Homework
Cate is settling into the school schedule. A good deal of her closer friends are in the same classroom. She goes to school happy and she comes home happy, but with not much more commentary other than, "good." when asked how her day was. Her teacher seems to be a woman who isn't going to take any crap and intends to run a tight ship. She's the right teacher for Cate, spunky as she is. Cate's after-school schedule is mixed-up, just like last year. Depending on the day she is in the after-school program, taking the bus to Grandma and Papa's house or being picked up by Grandpa and Grandma.
New this year is homework. From the first couple of weeks, it appears at least in the early months, the homework will be to practice spelling words. I sat with her for the first time last Sunday working on her five spelling words: at, cat, bat, sat, mat. Pretty simple instructions: write each word three times, then write a total of five sentences using one word per sentence. An example was also sent home so parents could review and correct the child's work as necessary. One would think that since the child was given very clear instructions, it would be a relatively simple project. Uhm, no. Almost an hour and several temper tantrums later, she finished the project. I vowed never to wait until Sunday evening again to have Cate complete her homework.
Unfortunately, with our packed weekend, she didn't sit down until Sunday evening again, but the same exercise with five new words took about half the time.
I am impressed with some of the more complex sentences she wants to construct and / or the sentences she can write by herself. Last week, she could've written, "I have a hat." Rather, she wanted to write, "My hat is green and red and purple." This evening she wrote two complete sentences without any help from me, which I thought was pretty cool.
It does concern me that, in first grade, she already doesn't like doing homework. I don't think I started to dislike doing homework until fifth grade.
This is going to be a long year.
New this year is homework. From the first couple of weeks, it appears at least in the early months, the homework will be to practice spelling words. I sat with her for the first time last Sunday working on her five spelling words: at, cat, bat, sat, mat. Pretty simple instructions: write each word three times, then write a total of five sentences using one word per sentence. An example was also sent home so parents could review and correct the child's work as necessary. One would think that since the child was given very clear instructions, it would be a relatively simple project. Uhm, no. Almost an hour and several temper tantrums later, she finished the project. I vowed never to wait until Sunday evening again to have Cate complete her homework.
Unfortunately, with our packed weekend, she didn't sit down until Sunday evening again, but the same exercise with five new words took about half the time.
I am impressed with some of the more complex sentences she wants to construct and / or the sentences she can write by herself. Last week, she could've written, "I have a hat." Rather, she wanted to write, "My hat is green and red and purple." This evening she wrote two complete sentences without any help from me, which I thought was pretty cool.It does concern me that, in first grade, she already doesn't like doing homework. I don't think I started to dislike doing homework until fifth grade.This is going to be a long year.
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