Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Civil Disobedience

I forgot about this little tidbit from Margot's day yesterday until late last night when I was talking to Brodie.

On our walk yesterday evening, Margot did mention that during circle time her teacher taught the class a new song. At the appointed time, the pre-kindergarteners were supposed to sing/shout "Hooray for school."

Margot looked at me sideways when she told me this anecdote and said, "But I didn't say it. I wanted to be at my old school."

I suppressed a smile. My little Gandhi-in-the-making.

Monday, August 24, 2009

First Day of Pre-K

August 24 finally arrived. We've been preparing Margot for this day, for her first day at a new school. A big girl school. A school that has kids all the way up to the 5th grade.

Once again, Margot has gone from being the big fish in a small pond to a very tiny fish in an ocean. (And yes, I felt like I was in an ocean this morning with hundreds of kids reporting for the first day of school, including the mayor's sons.) She began the morning with smiles; hence, the happy photo below taken before we drove the short distance to school. But, once there, she had a minor meltdown at the prospect of not having her old napmat (this new school requires vinyl nap mats, not the cushy sleeping-bag-like one she used to use).

Margot brought Clover the bear with her for comfort. Unfortunately, she's also not allowed to bring stuffed animals to school with her. Sigh. This is going to be a tough transition.

She was clearly overtired and overwhelmed when I arrived to pick her up, and shed some tears on the way home. We came home and she watched Caillou and ate Ritz crackers while I finished up work. That seemed to perk her up some, and so then we took a long walk to the park with Portia. I tried asking about school to get the details, but Margot wasn't interested in talking. Hmmm...wonder where she gets that from! (Seems to be both a Daileader trait and a Ruland trait!)

I know that she will adjust eventually, and that she'll also succeed. But it's just so tough seeing her through the hard times! It makes me sad that she was truly loved at her old school, whereas here she's more of a student. Hopefully, we will find a balance.


Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Underwater Unicorns

This week, NPR has been feature reporting on an animal I'd never heard of: the narwhal. A narwhal is a whale with a large horn on its forehead.

Brodie and I both listen to NPR in the mornings on the way to Margot's school. Beginning yesterday, Margot has become enthralled with narwhals. This is because the NPR reporter likened the whales to "underwater unicorns."

"Can we go see them?" Margot begged this morning. Sure, I responded half-heartedly. Even though they are in Greenland and are fairly elusive. Maybe someday, I said.

I tried to tell Min this morning that the narwhal is actually a whale and not a unicorn, but she didn't want to hear it. I let it drop. I love that, in her mind, there is a white unicorn with a golden horn swimming underwater somewhere far away. Why would I ruin that with the truth?

If you'd like to learn more about narwhals, you can listed to this morning's story here.