It’s been a busy last few weeks and I’m sincerely ready for a lengthy break. Sure I’ve taken a day off here or a day there but it never quite gives me the respite I need. I’m hopeful,though,that I can make it until August when the hubs and I will be going to Vegas sans kids.
Let me say that again. Vegas. Without kids.
Frankly, I’m not sure Vegas is ready. I plan to fully relive my early twenties and do things that, well, things that definitely need to stay in Vegas. But as that is several months away, I guess I'm forced to play the cards I’ve been dealt and survive the madness somehow.
That said, some questions have arisen out of the chaos that's been my life of late. I've taken the liberty of sharing them with you below:
I registered the twins for kindergarten this week . Tuesday evening hubby and I went to what's called the kindergarten “round-up” . The school staff introduced themselves and gave us a preview of what to expect in the fall and throughout the year.
Will someone please tell me why they are preparing my kids to go straight to college after kindergarten ? I remember kindergarten being much like preschool in that there was a lot of play, some reading, some other activities but not nearly as academic as it is today. My 5 year olds will have spelling tests, learn to write stories,learn to draw pictures to match the stories they've written, learn punctuation, learn to count to 115 , learn to count by 5’s and 10’s, learn to tell time, learn to count money, have computer lab...oh and there may be a 15 minute recess squeezed in there somewhere.
Sure I believe B & J are capable but damn…say goodbye to childhood y’all
Why did this month's surge of hormones produce a Mt. Vesuvius sized, painful zit just under my 35 year old nose. You know the one. The one that everybody can’t help but look at when they are speaking to you making you want to say “yeah I know its there, for freaks sake, get to the point”
Why in early April are we still having weather like this ? I just happened to be unloading groceries when these monstrosities started to fall. I was continually pelted and wouldn’t be surprised if they caused internal injuries.
Why is my son all of a sudden turning in to “that kid”? You know the one that’s hitting and kicking and being defiant just because. The one that other moms shriek in horror about when he walks in to a room.
WTF does it mean to “Wang Chung tonight" and why oh why was this number 2 on the billboard charts ?
And the number one burning Friday question:
Why oh why can’t it be Saturday ?
Now then, feel free to ponder these questions, or if you are so inclined maybe even answer one or two. But please,oh please, whatever you do don’t let them keep you up at night as they have me.
WM out.
p.s. Smooches!
15 comments:
"Will someone please tell me why they are preparing my kids to go straight to college after kindergarten"
I KNOW right?!! Why does a 5 year old have to have HOMEWORK. EVERY. DAY. What happened to graham crackers and nap time in kindergarten?! This whole thing is getting out of hand.
Your blog is cute. I'm looking forward to reading your "get to know me" suggestions.
xoxo
Melain
I don't know how to "Wang Chung", but they also tell me to "have fun tonight" in that song.
I think I'll take their advice, and I think you should do the same, my dear.
Relax, have a glass of chardonnay, and have sweet little Vegas daydreams for a while.
Vegas. No kids? *sigh* You'd best go nuts!!!....that's what Vegas is for! Drunken, wild, crazyness that you don't have to feel badly about. You get to getaway and come back to work, motherhood and responsibility. You guys are going to have a blast!!! I'm still trying to talk Matt into hitting Vegas for our anniversary this year, but getting the dude back on a plane that soon after our Chicago trip ain't going to be easy!
My little guy is in a wild phase, too. He's taken to chasing a girl around daycare pulling her pigtails and he's got this little crazy person screech that he's pefected. hehe. joy.
Happy Happy Weekend!!
I am so insanely jealous of Vegas. We've been tossing honeymoon ideas around but I think we're just going to do Duluth. I'm okay with it, really, but I have HUGE pangs of jealousy when I hear of other people's trips.
Sigh.
Why are they preparing kids to go straight to college?? I'm a kindergarten teacher who believes that, yes children should be learning in school, but the BEST way for young children to learn is through 'play'. There are LOTS of definitions of play, but I think kindergarten students need to be able to choose what and how they play, and they need enough time (not ten minutes!) and space (how can you build with blocks in a 3x4 foot area??)
Teachers are under scrutiny and pressure from administrators (the great NCLB monster) so we call play time 'centers' or 'activity time' and hope no one notices that we are letting our students play. We are also pressured by parents who tell us we are not challenging their child.
Many of us continue to study child development, continue to reflect on the research of Piaget, Vygotsky, Dewey, Montessori and Erikson, and are excitedly learning all we can from the burgeoning field of brain research.
I think it's safe to say a happy, balanced childhood is the best preparation for college and a lifetime of learning.
Someone I know told me that her son is doing his first internet research report. He's in kindergarten!
Just curious....are you sending the twins to separate classes, and will it be the first time they're apart?
Amazing isn't it?
The crazy phenomenon we now call kindegarten?
Hope your zit clears up.
Oh, yes, I hear you on the Kindergarten. My son had homework every night, and tests, and learned how to add, subtract, and read. He's in first grade now, and he does "literature extensions" (book reports, basically, with a project, like a diorama) every month, along with the nightly homework. I hear you on the zit, too; mine was early last week. As for the weather, we had a relatively mild winter this year, and we're paying for it right now, since it's cold and rainy and feels like December outside.
I would've never passed kindergarten. I probably still couldn't pass kindergarten. Hang in there - summer's coming soon.
I had a hard time reading past the part about you going to Vegas with your husband without the kids. Surely I understand that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but please...for those of us who live vicariously through others, please blog a little about it. Please.
Signed, waiting patiently in Indiana,
Jennifer.
We are becoming early education zealots, aren't we? It's ridiculous.
But I'm of the mind that kindergarten should still be half day, so what do I know!
If you get a good teacher, she'll be able to keep it light and fun. And a lot of the things on that list may be things they learn at the end of the year and will carry over to first grade. Meaning they don't expect the kids to grasp it in K5. at least that's been my experience so far.
That's nothing. You should see what the Ubergoober does in preschool... I got his report card the other day. Seriously. A preschool report card.
And... on that same vein... we got two inches of snow here last night. Snow! I trade you hail any day.
Anon - you make some excellent points. The primary reason I selected the preschool I did is because of their belief in learning through play. As you mentioned I believe in learning but I have to wonder if this highly academic preschool isn't too much too soon. There is plenty of time for them to do math and physics and such. They'll have 12 more years!
Southern Fried Mom - The twins will be in the same class. I wanted to be sure that was the case. I imagine the new environment will be scary so I like the thought of them being together for that extra bit of comfort.
Oops...meant to say "highly academic kindergarten" not preschool
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