Fast times and wild living with (the former) Baby Whozit…
Posted in Friends, Jessica, Kindergartener on Apr 14th, 2013
When I first heard that kindergarteners are taught to write—not their ABCs, but actual thoughts and original ideas—I was skeptical of the entire enterprise. Kindergarteners writing? Was that really possible? I am no longer skeptical. In fact, I’m pretty blown away at how five- and six-year-olds can not only be so adept at penning their […]
Posted in Family, Jessica, Kindergartener on Apr 8th, 2013
When Matt and I went to name Simon, we ended up with the name we did after several failed attempts to name after our grandparents. Finding no consensus in that direction, we landed on “Simon” for the simple reason that we liked it and thought it sounded good with “Whitworth”. In doing so, we inadvertently […]
Posted in Jessica, Kindergartener, Simon says... on Apr 4th, 2013
We’ve been waiting for a reading explosion for some time now. Off and on for nearly two years, Simon would sound out a word or two, maybe even string together an entire sentence or simple book, and Matt and I would say to each other, “It’s coming. He’s about to take off with his reading.” […]
Posted in Jessica, Kindergartener, Simon says... on Mar 28th, 2013
Behold a crude mapping of what I have sussed out as the brain organization of one Simon W. Whitworth. So far as I can tell, his brain features four major lobes: The Baby Kitten Lobe: This part of the brain is responsible for Simon’s alter ego since I can’t remember how long ago, Baby Kitten. […]
Posted in Jessica, Kindergartener on Mar 25th, 2013
Good grief was Saturday’s soccer game ugly. Our outdoor season with Highland Youth Recreation League got off to a smashing start the Saturday before last. Our team had five really solid players, one player who is new to the formal game but has some definite moves, one player who is afraid of the ball and […]
Posted in Jessica, Kindergartener on Mar 17th, 2013
A week or so ago, Simon really surprised me by displaying a rock-solid sense of self I didn’t know he had. It all started with a friendship heading south. Early in the year, Simon befriended two boys, X and Y. X and Y were quick to become friends with each other, and Simon had to […]
Posted in Jessica, Kindergartener on Mar 9th, 2013
Obviously, the answer is because his parents are mean. Or crazy. Or both. At least, I suspect it looks a bit like this. The real reason is that we think Simon wants to quit for the wrong reasons, and we’re not going to let him until or unless we’re all miserable for another month or […]
Posted in Jessica, Kindergartener, Simon says... on Mar 4th, 2013
Friday was parent-teacher conference day at school, my first at Brandeis. Since Simon isn’t having any academic or behavioral problems, the conference was much for free-flowing than I expected. In fact, Mr. Sowder’s opening gambit was “Do you have any questions or concerns you want to discuss with me first?” To which my response was, […]
Posted in Friends, Jessica, Kindergartener on Feb 20th, 2013
Last Sunday, one of Simon’s school friends had a birthday party at a trampoline gym. At times, the party looked like this: That’s Simon tossing a ball over to friends J, R, and M. That part was all good. I also could have chosen a picture of S, A, or J, three girls in his […]
Posted in Jessica, Kindergartener, Simon says... on Feb 14th, 2013
As I’ve mentioned, our family has spent the past year watching A LOT of football. And when I say “football”, what I really mean is soccer. That other football, the one Simon is never allowed to play owing to the alarming rate of brain injuries sustained by its players, is known as “American football” in […]