Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Just keeps on coming back...

Just when I think this divorce stuff is over....

Yesterday I went to the kids' parent teacher conference. X went on his own - for the evening session - since I had the day off & it was too difficult to negotiate the evening with Hebrew School, dinner, babysitter interviews, etc, etc, etc.

So.

Max is doing very well academically and socially. His behavior... well... he's easily distracted & just likes to get the work done.... doesn't really focus. I'm not so upset about it, though. This is who he is. He's doing well. He's not disrupting the class. (True he annoys the teacher.. but this is her 2nd year with him, she should know him by now!) So fine.

But.

I'm going through his folder of his written work. Stories. And there's one that goes something like this: "One day, when I was three years old, my mom and dad had a big fight. They went into a room and when they came out my mom told me that my dad would be moving out. I was very sad, My mom said it wasn't my fault and that I would still see my dad."

Uh huh.

And, X told me (the teacher told him) that Max read this to the class.

I guess I'm glad that he's able to get it out, to talk about it, and that he's not ashamed. Although that's not exactly how it happened.. we didn't really fight... but it's how he sees it.

Nathan is also doing very well, but his teacher tells me he's still really nervous. That sometimes he even shakes! He is SO worried he is going to get into trouble! And he's not like Max. He's much more controlled. So we've been talking about that. His teacher is great, though, talks to him, is communicative with me, and is even going to move one of his friends to his table! It's so comforting that he has a teacher that cares.

And ALSO - when I mentioned to her that sometimes it's difficult to find the time, in the evenings, to practice his writing - she understood! She's young, but she said "I know, it must be difficult working all day, single mom..." And it was so nice to not feel like I'm ...... lacking. That she recognizes it and doesn't think I'm not involved. (Ok, so that's my projection/guilt!)

Both kids need help with their penmanship. Any of you who have ever seen my handwriting will understand that this apple is NOT falling far from my tree. My handwriting's awful. Max actually makes me re-write notes I send to his teacher - and sometimes I just type them.

I figure we'll just set up nightly penmanship classes. For all of us.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did your teachers make you do hours of homework each night? I think my teachers must have been the best on Earth. We did our work in school. We practiced our penmanship at school. We did our math at school. We actually had recess, which is on the way out in the Great State of Oklahoma.
Now every kid must endure a full day of school and a full night of homework.
It sounds like your kids are doing great. You should be proud. I noticed that you didn't have any trouble communicating with X. What, no smart remarks about your parenting? And what about the baby sitter? Did you find one? I can't sleep at night not knowing these things!
~Waldo

Gwen said...

You do have terrible writing. Are you sure you should be the primary teacher on that one? ;)

(I like women with ugly handwriting, btw, since it seems like the perfect rebellion).

KateGladstone said...

For some help with those handwriting classes, visit the Handwriting Repair web-site at http://www.learn.to/handwrite .