4-6-2004 - Peace reigns

We went shopping tonight.

Actually we went to Sylvan to visit with the director. After report cards came out last time, the GirlChild had me make several copies. She's not done much with them but recently told the Husband and me, at different times, that she wanted to go back to Sylvan this summer. Since she begged and pleaded and made deals to NOT go to Sylvan, I kind of quizzed her about it.

Me: How come?
GC: Because.
Me: Because why? It seems like a lot of our conversations start this way
GC: Cause I want to tell Miss Mary the Director at Sylvan how much better I'm doing.
Me: What do you mean?
GC: Well, school's not as hard. Pause. Homework doesn't take as long as it use to. Long pause. I do most of it on my own now. Long pause.
Me: Well I'm sure Miss Mary would be glad to hear from you and know how well you are doing even if you don't go back to Sylvan this summer.
GC: Really?
Me: Yes. I'll call and see when would be a good time for us to stop by to see her for a few minutes.

I finally remembered to call Miss Mary this week and we talked about it and picked tonight for us to come by.

I don't know what they talked about. The GirlChild went into her office, "no Dad, you don't need to come with me." After abotu 15 minutes, she left with a cute big beanie baby bear, "it cost 125 tokens, Mom." Tokens are Sylvan motivation currency, the GirlChild could get about 10-15 an evening when she was there for her work. She also got a nice little "you did good sign!"

When we left the GirlChild wanted to buy an Easter dress. Since this was something that had been on my agenda but I couldn't get the GirlChild excited about, I seized her good mood and we did. It's a pretty little yellow linen like dress with tulle over it and ribbon at the bottom.

We got the BoyChild a pair of navy blue shorts, a yellow tee shirt with aligator on the front and blue hawaiian flower shirt with a matching hat. He is so cute!

The GirlChild and I got matching sandles. Hers are white to go with her dress. Mine are black because white just wasn't me. They are comfy little shoes though I was a little disturbed hers were almost as expensive as mine.

I think she may actually be over some hump. She doesn't require as much help with her homework as she use to. She doesn't seem to have as much (I think because she's getting it done in a timely fashion at school) to do at night. She's been making her own flash cards to study for her science and social studies with little or no input from us. She's finally figured out that the little assignments they do in class are what needs to be on the flash cards and saves the sheets so she doesn't have to look the information up again.

One of our goals was to have her doing her own flash cards by Spring Break and I think we met that. Every once in awhile now, she'll ask me to help her, but I think that's more seeking companionship than anything else; if I say "no" she can do it herself.

I sent my copies of her books back to school before Spring Break. That was ahead our schedule. I went ahead and sent them back to school because she'd gotten lazy about bringing her own books home. When they gave them to us, and the teacher and principal expressed concern that she learn to figure out what she needs to bring home and actually get home with it and not rely on having books home.

She seems to be doing well in math. The BestFriend was with us last weekend and she doesn't know her multiplication as well as the GirlChild. I pulled her aside and reminded her that the BestFriend had been really good about helping her with her reading when she needed it and she needed to help the BestFriend with her multiplication because she needs it now. The GirlChild was taking way too much pleasure in the BestFriend's inability to multiply.

A measure of peace has come to our home at last.

Man the time change is kicking my butt. I'm ready for bed at 10:00 p.m.

Peace,

M&Co.
#72