FIRST THINGS (5 YRS OLD)

When S arrives to class there are several things she has to do:
(1) Put away her lunch box, snack bag, and water
(2) Read the white board
(3) Mark her attendance

Today the white board had several instructions. They were
(1) Attendance
(2) Sharpen a pencil
(3) Write why you love AHB
(4) Look in the microscope

For #3, she wrote the following: "I love AHB bc I get too I get to go outside."

SCHOOL INFLUENCE(5 YRS OLD)

School has had a great influence on S. Before school started, she was adding simple numbers and counting. Actually, counting incessantly. Now, S is now obsessed with math. She likes to ask herself various math questions, especially the multiple grouping of numbers. For example, she often says: 3+3+3 =9, or 2+2+2+2 = 8. She likes to talk about numbers and patterns -- pointing out which number is odd and which one is even. This is great because momma loved math and daddy's known as the "human calculator."

Besides math, S is starting to sound out words and write more. She could read simple words beforehand, but was reluctant to try to sound them out to spell. Today, S said, "Ms. Eliza moved me to the red books. They are the beginner reader books." S seems so proud when she said it. Long words are daunting to her and she often guesses at the word, using the story context. When encouraged to sound it out, she gets it! Momma heard her say the other day, "reading is easy."

One of the many things her class does is make their own books. Over the weekend, she wrote a book about colors. She stapled a bunch of paper together and colored each page a different color and then labeled it accordingly, "PRPL" (purple), RED, BLK (black), YLLOW, (yellow), BRWN (brown), PNK (pink) and GREEN. It's wonderful to see her excitement about putting the words and sounds together.

Despite all of this, momma must admit, doing math and reading homework isn't always fun. S complains how tedious it is, but is often proud of her finished product.

PIANO (5 YRS OLD)

After nagging and nagging to do piano practice, bribing with videos and bubble gum, and threatening her, momma was on the verge of giving up... when...momma just offered to pay S to play the piano. If she plays the piano without being asked then she gets 20 cents. If she has to be asked, then nothing. S has earned over $2.00 and has played piano almost every day without being asked.

S's goal is to buy the book "Where is Strawberry Moshi?" for $7. S has asked momma to take her shopping in another week, so hopefully she's reached her goal.

WORKING MOMS (5 YRS OLD)

Momma got a glimpse into what the other half lives-- the working mom world. Momma ended up in the daisy troop with the working moms since S and she couldn't meet at 2:45 pm, after school at Mills, with the other Daisy troop.

When talking about the October field trip, one working mom's comment was -- I've always wanted to take my girls to the pumpkin patch, but our weekend are busy with grocery shopping, errands, and chores. The other moms nodded in agreement and empathy.

Momma can't remember a year (except S's first year) where she hasn't been to the pumpkin patch, in fact often more than once. Weekends are often family time, with a fun event or birthday party or just hanging out time. Very little chores get done -- perhaps grocery shopping occasionally by daddy.

Momma ended up volunteering as troop leader since no one really had the time. All the (working) moms wanted to help, but no one felt they could commit the time. (Momma wondering if she should have gone ahead and entered into Dawn's Daisy troop -- down the street.)

HEALTHY EATING (5 YRS OLD)

Momma spends so much of her time stressing healthy eating. She doesn't remember her mother or grandmother having to do it. Momma just ate what was in front of her -- vegetable, fruits, meat, and of course, sweets (just very rarely)!

Speaking of healthy eating, this week in school, the teachers are talking about healthy eating. The teachers brought in a smorgasbord of vegetables and fruits. S came home and said, "Mom, I tried broccoli 24 times and I like it." "Yeah," momma responded.

Inside momma's head, she was thinking. S-- you eat broccoli all the time! It's the one consistent vegetable that you do eat. Now, if she came home and said something like, "Mom, I like to eat tomatoes (besides spaghetti sauce) and red bell peppers!" That would be a shocker!

P.S. At school this week, a speaker came in and showed the kids some brains (in a jar). S came home and explained to momma that humans have the biggest brains and monkeys come in second. Then momma and S talked about how big Stripey's brain must be.

MOMMA & DADDY ROLE (5 YRS OLD)

S was disgruntled that momma couldn't play with S. She explained to momma that she had to wait for daddy to come home so she would have someone to play with because momma is busying cooking. Momma was sad to hear S explain this to her, but had to admit it was true. The older S gets, the more momma expects her to play more by herself so momma can take care of the house more.

Later in the week, S said, momma is busy except on home school days. That's when she gets to play with momma. This makes momma want to make home school day more fun and meaningful for the two of them.

FITTING IN (5 YRS OLD)

S has been drippy nose all weekend thanks to a summer cold that she caught at school. So, since today was a school day again (after a long weekend), momma wanted her to carry a small package of tissues with her. S refused! Momma suggested putting the package in one of her purses/necklaces and wearing it. She wanted to stick it in her pants pocket but it wouldn't fit. Finally, momma asked why she didn't want to carry tissues with her. The answer was she wanted to look like everyone else. So momma relented.

When momma and S arrived at school, there was another mom who was trying to convince an Alpha boy to take tissues with him. Momma asked, "Did you guys have a runny nose through the weekend?" She said, "Yes" and momma responded, "We did too. It must be going around the school," and the other mom agreed. After having S watch the other mom stuff a couple of tissues in the boy's pocket, momma was able to convince S that it was okay to carry a couple of tissues too.

Momma realizes even at 5, you just want to fit in.

FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL (5 YRS OLD)

Both S and momma survived her first week of school. S spent much of the week getting to know her new Alpha peers. S walked into the classroom very hesitantly on Tuesday, probably because of all the new faces. Her Penta-Alpha friends were in a different room. By Thursday, S bounced back. She was happy to hug her teachers good bye and had alot to say about AHB -- like how you learn to read: first by looking at the pictures, then by reading just the words, and third by doing both together.

Momma tried her best to take Mondays and Fridays seriously as home school days. There was several science experiments during the week (mostly on Monday) and on Friday, there was a couple of craft projects.

S also came home with homework. She picked out two books to read, had a book log, and had to pick out patterns that she saw at home to take back to school. She ended up taking several photos of different patterns with momma's iPhone around the house. She put together a book of patterns, with very little help from momma (besides printing the pictures and gathering the material - like glue and paper - for her).

One more thing- she had to pick out three topics to write a book about. She picked out "Her Visit to the Circus, Stripey the Hamster, and Lollipops." Momma tried to talk her out of the lollipop topic but then finally gave in.