imagine that : Lists with Friends

A list and a story...

Seven Minutes on any Given Weekday Morning:

1. Passenger (second grader)

2. Driver (forty-two year old mama)

3. Music (her choice - I'll turn on the Dan Patrick radio show after I drop her off)

4. Foggy Morning

5. That Traffic Light (that will make you or break you)

6. Buddies (who wait for you every morning)

7. Crossing Guard (someone's grandpa)

8. Bags (and more bags, and always blue Gatorade)

Delaney loves school, she loves all the kids, all the teachers, EVERYONE! She's really friendly and outgoing and she always stops to chat or wave. The school is a really great one, it is an Arts magnet school, they have K-5 piano, music, and art each twice a week and all the subjects/lessons are taught with art sprinkled in. Perfect for Delaney!

She has been spoiled with great teachers. This year's teacher though, is just not quite gelling with Delaney like the others have. There have been hurt feelings, days she has cried her way into class. Really though more often than not she is perfectly fine each morning. It's been good hard lesson in: "life isn't always perfect and we have to learn to get along with all kinds of people." We have been talking a lot about not letting this person get us down and we have made it a point to "kill her with kindness." Delaney is a very generous person by nature. If the teacher is out of bleach wipes, Delaney will want to go to the store RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL and buy the biggest containers of bleach wipes to take the next day. And we do. They have a "Big Friday Cleanup" that Delaney looks forward to each week and a big part of that is bleach-wiping the classroom down! The kids love it - one Friday they were out of bleach wipes - Delaney reported that "Big Friday Clean Up just isn't the same without bleach wipes, Mom."

So Wednesday after school Delaney got in the car and wanted to go to Target. She said the classroom pencil sharpener had broken (one of the boys in class broke it the week before) and the teacher didn't have enough money to replace it right away. AND Delaney's job of the week is pencil sharpener. Also the teacher is out of gum (which she gives the kids for rewards). SO Delaney wanted to use her OWN MONEY to buy these things for her class. A little self serving no doubt because she had the coveted job of pencil sharpener.

So we went to Target, got the gum and the nicest, biggest pencil sharpener they had. The next day, Delaney was SO excited to surprise the teacher with it. After school I asked if her teacher was excited and she said she was BUT had instituted a new rule with the new sharpener: this would be for ADULT USE ONLY. So Delaney's job of pencil sharpener was eliminated. *Sigh* *Double Sigh*

This story is the perfect example of how second grade has gone with this teacher.

We will continue to do our best and look forward to third grade and maybe a teacher who jives with us a little more.

This post is part of a list-making project called Lists With Friends 2014. You know you love a good list!

Comments

A good lesson but tough-- those kinds of things loom so large in the eyes and hearts of little ones. I hope Delaney will keep up her cheerful and outgoing spirits!

Posted by: Missy K | January 17, 2014 at 11:20 AM

Oh bless her sweet heart... in all my kids years in school we've been blessed to have only one year like that... my oldest sons' fifth grade teacher just didn't really ever 'click' with him. It was tough. But he got through it... it definitely builds character and it sounds like your Delaney is a real sweetheart. {HUGS}

Posted by: Cathy | January 17, 2014 at 05:16 PM

Laurel has a very similar sounding teacher this fall, after having one who was truly stellar last year. I find my diplomacy will also grow through this particular circumstance...

Posted by: Jill | January 17, 2014 at 07:13 PM

What a great heart Delaney has... Keep up the great work Delaney! Way to do as you should, just beacuse it is the right thing to do!

Posted by: Katy | January 17, 2014 at 08:22 PM

Oh, this is such a sweet post. I am so sorry about the pencil sharpener. I think sometimes adults forget how much joy kids take in simple things. I always remember the Ramona books when Ramona was SO excited to clap erasers outside. That was the best. :)

Delaney sounds precious.

Posted by: suzanne b. | January 17, 2014 at 08:35 PM