Friday, February 24, 2012
My little social retard...
Dylan's parent teacher conference a few weeks ago went great. His teacher said that he is doing very well all-round. He is average in some areas of his education and development, and VERY advanced in others. But, as always, their one area of concern was his social development.
Basically, my son prefers the company of his teachers to the company of the other children at school. He doesn't really have any close friends and, as I understand it, doesn't really play with anybody in his class.
Dylan loves going to school. He's not unhappy there, and I'm wondering if I should just leave well enough alone. Does he need an intervention?
Of course, worrying about our son has raised the question of my own childhood. Mostly, did my mom have these same worries about me? Because seriously, as soon as I could read I spent about 90% of my waking hours with my nose buried in a book. Laura Ingalls Wilder was my best friend in first, second and third grade. The Sweet Valley twins were my best mates until I was about 13. Then it was Stephen King and pretty much any trashy romance novel I could get my hands on. My tastes grew more sophisticated in college, when I developed a love of Margaret Atwood. Then, at the tender age of 20, Ernest Hemingway and I developed a wonderful relationship that was destined to last a lifetime.
Dylan having these issues at school has made me realize that he probably gets it from me. My poor mother must have had these same worries. All of a sudden, I am re-thinking all the play dates and friends that I had as a child and pre-teen. Were they all a desperate attempt to get me to socialize with kids my own age? Did my mother force my two older sisters to play with me in a (vain) attempt to get my nose out of a book and my backside into the yard to play?
Of course, once I found my fellow outcasts at about 15 I became more social. Sadly, not with people my parents approved of. But that's a WHOLE different blog post, and it was actually part of the appeal of my new "friends."
I am worried about Dylan, but I guess we'll just keep encouraging him to play with other kids and see where this heads. In the mean time, I will just enjoy knowing that my son is every bit as intelligent as I always suspected. Seriously bright boy!
And Sheldon seems to do ok.
Basically, my son prefers the company of his teachers to the company of the other children at school. He doesn't really have any close friends and, as I understand it, doesn't really play with anybody in his class.
Dylan loves going to school. He's not unhappy there, and I'm wondering if I should just leave well enough alone. Does he need an intervention?
Of course, worrying about our son has raised the question of my own childhood. Mostly, did my mom have these same worries about me? Because seriously, as soon as I could read I spent about 90% of my waking hours with my nose buried in a book. Laura Ingalls Wilder was my best friend in first, second and third grade. The Sweet Valley twins were my best mates until I was about 13. Then it was Stephen King and pretty much any trashy romance novel I could get my hands on. My tastes grew more sophisticated in college, when I developed a love of Margaret Atwood. Then, at the tender age of 20, Ernest Hemingway and I developed a wonderful relationship that was destined to last a lifetime.
Dylan having these issues at school has made me realize that he probably gets it from me. My poor mother must have had these same worries. All of a sudden, I am re-thinking all the play dates and friends that I had as a child and pre-teen. Were they all a desperate attempt to get me to socialize with kids my own age? Did my mother force my two older sisters to play with me in a (vain) attempt to get my nose out of a book and my backside into the yard to play?
Of course, once I found my fellow outcasts at about 15 I became more social. Sadly, not with people my parents approved of. But that's a WHOLE different blog post, and it was actually part of the appeal of my new "friends."
I am worried about Dylan, but I guess we'll just keep encouraging him to play with other kids and see where this heads. In the mean time, I will just enjoy knowing that my son is every bit as intelligent as I always suspected. Seriously bright boy!
And Sheldon seems to do ok.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
A Comfort...
Every once in a while I really enjoy seeing evidence that I am not, in fact, married to Dorian Gray.
That was all.
That was all.
Monday, February 06, 2012
What I really think, but what Martin won't allow me to put on Facebook...
I'm dying to get something off my chest, and Martin talked me out of putting it on the Facebook thread it belongs with. He reminded me that the person who wrote the statement below is easily offended and would probably just get mad at me for disagreeing. And that Facebook is evil (he's totally right, by the way). There is a reason I have blocked her. But I REALLY want to express my feelings.
Church was cancelled on Sunday because we got a fairly significant amount of snow--for England, anyway. Emma posted something about how she was looking forward to a Sunday with no church, and a light-hearted discussion ensued. Until this comment:
"Dont want to cause a row but if going to church is such a chore, why go? You cant change how you feel inside and dont need to prove anything to anyone by visiting a building once a week cos you are lovely anyway x Unless you look forward with enthusiasm to things, life really is too short to do anything other than what you have to (work to pay the bills, shopping to buy the food etc etc) but the rest should be pure joy x ♥ x"
Although I can see the point, I really have to disagree with the sentiment. I feel that some of the most valuable things we will ever do in this life are the ones that we don't actually want to do. Things like taking care of a sick child in the middle of the night. Things like caring for your spouse, who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's. Things like looking after your ageing parents who can no longer care for themselves. It's doing the things that you would give anything to NOT do that defines your character, lifts you above the average, and makes you a person of great worth.
Going to church every Sunday IS a chore right now--there's no doubt about it. But I am willing to make that sacrifice, even if it isn't "pure joy," because I know that I only have a few precious years when my children are young and teachable. I need to show them NOW that there is more to life than the here and now. I need to teach them, by my own example, that some sacrifices are worth making. I know the worth of my religion. I know the limits that it places on my life, but I know the boundless rewards as well. I want those rewards for my children, because I love them. So I will continue to attend to this weekly "chore," in the hopes that it will ennoble me and bless the lives of future generations.
And I will continue to do a happy dance when I learn that we have a week off and can spend the day with just our family instead.
(this post has been Martin-approved)
Church was cancelled on Sunday because we got a fairly significant amount of snow--for England, anyway. Emma posted something about how she was looking forward to a Sunday with no church, and a light-hearted discussion ensued. Until this comment:
"Dont want to cause a row but if going to church is such a chore, why go? You cant change how you feel inside and dont need to prove anything to anyone by visiting a building once a week cos you are lovely anyway x Unless you look forward with enthusiasm to things, life really is too short to do anything other than what you have to (work to pay the bills, shopping to buy the food etc etc) but the rest should be pure joy x ♥ x"
Although I can see the point, I really have to disagree with the sentiment. I feel that some of the most valuable things we will ever do in this life are the ones that we don't actually want to do. Things like taking care of a sick child in the middle of the night. Things like caring for your spouse, who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's. Things like looking after your ageing parents who can no longer care for themselves. It's doing the things that you would give anything to NOT do that defines your character, lifts you above the average, and makes you a person of great worth.
Going to church every Sunday IS a chore right now--there's no doubt about it. But I am willing to make that sacrifice, even if it isn't "pure joy," because I know that I only have a few precious years when my children are young and teachable. I need to show them NOW that there is more to life than the here and now. I need to teach them, by my own example, that some sacrifices are worth making. I know the worth of my religion. I know the limits that it places on my life, but I know the boundless rewards as well. I want those rewards for my children, because I love them. So I will continue to attend to this weekly "chore," in the hopes that it will ennoble me and bless the lives of future generations.
And I will continue to do a happy dance when I learn that we have a week off and can spend the day with just our family instead.
(this post has been Martin-approved)
Friday, February 03, 2012
You know that fake English accent?
The one that everybody (including the Brits) does to say "Home, James, and don't spare the horses"? Well, Dylan says "home" just like that.
It makes me giggle every single time. I have no idea where he picked it up, but I love it so!
Remember when I was just a few months pregnant with Dylan and I had an emotional breakdown in a charity shop in York because I didn't want to have English babies? Yeah, I so don't feel that way now. I think Dylan's English accent is adorable. Edith still sounds a bit American, but that will end when she starts going to play school in a few months' time. It's great!
Not so great that my family have a hard time understanding him. And they don't stand a chance with Edith, as she still speaks like a toddler AND has a slight English accent.
The kids and I made no-bake cookies this evening. I've been trying to do something fun with them every evening, which is sometimes difficult. I'm so focused on cleaning up after dinner that I ignore the children for the sake of the house. That's something I really need to work on. But anyway, the no-bake cookies were a big success. Fast, fun, and easy to make. And even more fun and easy to eat.
Looking forward to bedtime tonight. Lots of effort has gone into this night, even though it was fish fingers, chips and peas for dinner.
Soon to come:
Pictures of my latest craft projects! You know, the ones I've been neglecting everything else to work on :)
It makes me giggle every single time. I have no idea where he picked it up, but I love it so!
Remember when I was just a few months pregnant with Dylan and I had an emotional breakdown in a charity shop in York because I didn't want to have English babies? Yeah, I so don't feel that way now. I think Dylan's English accent is adorable. Edith still sounds a bit American, but that will end when she starts going to play school in a few months' time. It's great!
Not so great that my family have a hard time understanding him. And they don't stand a chance with Edith, as she still speaks like a toddler AND has a slight English accent.
The kids and I made no-bake cookies this evening. I've been trying to do something fun with them every evening, which is sometimes difficult. I'm so focused on cleaning up after dinner that I ignore the children for the sake of the house. That's something I really need to work on. But anyway, the no-bake cookies were a big success. Fast, fun, and easy to make. And even more fun and easy to eat.
Looking forward to bedtime tonight. Lots of effort has gone into this night, even though it was fish fingers, chips and peas for dinner.
Soon to come:
Pictures of my latest craft projects! You know, the ones I've been neglecting everything else to work on :)
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