A RealFamilies RealFun Blog

Jun 11 2009

A mama's perception

Category: Kids & Growing Up

Recently I met with several school officials to determine Nathan's need for speech therapy services for his stuttering. After evaluating him, the school psychologist, told me he's planning to call Nathan up in 15 years and ask for stock tips. He felt Nathan had the intelligence, personality, and drive to be a successful business person. In fact, Nathan tested so highly that he would recommend him for a gifted and talented program if his school had one. (It doesn't. Instead the kids are ability grouped so that they're always challenged.)

Nathan's teacher replied that she felt Nathan should be a judge due to his strong sense of justice and that he always points out when classmates are not following the rules. Nathan's principal thought he'd be the next Tiger Woods after having seen Nathan play at the school's charity golf tournament. We all had a good laugh at the predictions.

I'm somewhat taken aback by how others perceive Nathan compared to the way I do. They spot a business person or a judge and I see a smart-ass and a tattle-tale. He's evaluated as gifted and talented, yet I think he's just a regular kid with age-appropriate skills. They mention Tiger Woods, and I believe him to be a good player with a lovely swing. I'm concerned at my lack of perception. Maybe it's because I don't want to be one of those annoying, competitive parents who think their child is smarter, more talented, and better looking than everyone else when they truly aren't?

Paul always tells me that I don't appreciate what a great kid we have. Maybe it's because as a mama I'm too close. All I see is the boy who fights with his sister, doesn't listen to his mother, and regularly knocks food onto the floor. Since I believe there's room for improvement, I push Nathan to do better. I see the potential in him to strive forward, to become smarter, kinder, and improve his behavior. After all, he's only six. There's so much more growing and learning to do -- for both of us. Maybe my mama's perception is right on after all.

 

May 19 2009

The ultimate

Category: Kids & Growing Up

Yesterday, I nearly fell out of the car laughing when I saw Nathan's girlfriend hug him goodbye. (Yes, he calls her his girlfriend, but to Nathan that means she's his best female friend.)

Nearly a year older, several inches taller, and about 10 pounds heavier, Maddie gave Nathan a big bear hug and lifted his skinny body off the ground. Wondering about the school's "no public displays of affection" policy, I figured it was OK to lift up your boyfriend and give him a hug in the school's pick up lane. (Get it? Pick up lane? Never mind...)

I'm amused at Nathan's choice of girlfriends. Like his old man, he's attracted to tall blonds and intelligent, older women. True to form, Nathan also has a major crush on Mae, his 12-year-old babysitter who's blond, taller than me, and one of the smartest kids at his school.

Unlike his dad, who somehow ended up marrying a short, fairly smart, older woman who hasn't seen her natural hair color since high school, Nathan's already found his ultimate woman. The kid learns fast.

 

May 11 2009

Hot, hot, hot

Category: Kids & Growing Up

As part of fire safety week, one of the local fire departments visited Nathan's and Lucie's school. You could tell how excited the kids were when the huge red fire truck pulled up in the front parking lot. The preschool boys were practically jumping up and down and had a hard time leaving the front lobby to go to their classroom.

All the students, including the preschoolers, had a video presentation. They received a bag of safety information and plastic fire hats. The children also were taught safety tips like crawling on the floor and having a family meeting place.

Since then, Nathan and Lucie continue to don their hats and play fire fighter. Nathan likes to quiz Lucie on fire safety. This is when I add my two cents about staying away from the stove (Nathan has a really bad habit of getting too close to it to smell the food) and not pressing the buttons on the microwave (Lucie's new naughty behavior).

The fire department sure made an impression on my kids -- and on some of the parents, too. There seemed to be a lot of moms hanging around at school and joining their kids for lunch that day.

I wonder if it's a job requirement for firemen to be good looking because these guys certainly were. If I didn't have an appointment after preschool got out, I would have stayed, too.