Championship Victory

 

August 19 thru 31st

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am going back to CT for two weeks. I have been dealing with my fear of flying and I am getting on the plane at 5:30a.m.

I've been emotionally spent these past two weeks; please keep me in your thoughts.

See you in two weeks.

What Makes Mom Mad?

As the children came together for Circle Time, the children started discussing amongst themselves the they did to make their Mothers mad! I quickly jumped in on the tail end of their conversation and suggested we go around the circle with each telling on themselves. I left the comments anonymous. Here goes:

Things I do that make my Mother mad:

Sometimes, I hit her.
Sometimes, I don't listen.
Sometimes, I yell at my Mom.
Sometimes, when I cry and she says she doesn't want to hear about it.
Sometimes, when I say, I kinda hate or be mad at people, it makes my Mom kinda
sad and mad.
Sometimes, when I cry and throw a tantrum.
Sometimes, I don't pick up my mess when she asks me to.
Sometimes, when my sister and I wrestle.

Number one answer that was repeated more than once was the "not listening."

Aaaaaaaaaaah, do you think the children know how to push the buttons?

Fishing Or Shaving Cream Anyone?

I have commented before how easy it is to bring hapiness to the young ones, the little people! To be able, during the summer months, to extend our classroom to the outdoors is next to heaven in my book. The children have the choice to play in the classroom or play outdoors.

Fishing is a favorite, just look at the concentration. When I first put the fish out the children see who can catch the most with their magnetic poles. Later in the season, I will put "letters" on the fish and as they catch the fish, they name the letter. I do the same thing with numbers.

Finger painting with shaving cream is also a very popular activity. Rinsing off at the hose, adds to the enjoyment I'm sure.

Keeping the children busy with a variety of activities aids their sanity and mine. We have a workable routine; it helps the children know what to expect and gives them a sense of order to their day. They will gleefully remind me of things I may have forgotten.

Unadultrated Fun

There is something about water and kids, that, when combined, brings forth pure joy. Joy in almost a tangible form shoots out through the pores of their bodies. Squeals and shrieks of laughter bombard the neighborhood. Literally, their bodies ripple in anticipation of the water hitting them. Such simple pleasures bring such happiness.

Oh Happy Evening!

After complaining how I couldn't get the hang of posting a picture, it turn's out to be so easy!!

Dress-up day; Nick, the chihuahua is fashion enthusiast!

I can happily go to bed; I have learned alot today and the powers that be took mercy on me.

Good night.

Learning Lollipops PreSchool

June 05, 2006

Oh My Gosh,
I quite by accident found my draft! All is not lost. Thank-You to the Powers That Be! Let me try to fill you in on this unique experience of "blogging" I am having.

I would not be lying to you, to tell you that it took over an hour of different combinations to even enter my "blog." When Learning Lollipops first opened up it was not on my "familiar" looking page with the template I chose etc. The page had no "preview" button nor "insert picture" icon; not that I know how to insert a picture. My first feeble attempts sent my heart into erratic rhythms of anticipation when I saw the pulsating circle and the window telling me my picture was up loading! Yes! Oh, Nooooooooo. New window, says something like "no can do"....."are you sure, what path is ...." What do you mean, path?

This is the second attempt at writing this. The first time I finished; I clicked on spell check. A window came up saying, well, my interpretation of what it said, was that my "pop up blocker" was not allowing the "spell check" to do it's job. I unblocked it, another window came up saying "????" I clicked to unblock and my whole "blog" disappeared. At this point I could have thrown my laptop on the floor and crushed it gleefully by jumping up and down on it! I cannot tell you how many times I have attempted to "blog" and with elevated blood pressure walked away.

I'm new to "blogging" and this has truly been an exercise in patience and long-suffering. I read with pride, pleasure, and envy the "blog" essays written by fellow comrades who seemingly write with ease, insert pictures, spell check and post without mishap.

I am sending this as is; I want it gone.



A saved draft written probably two weeks before the above.


It was the end of a day at the preschool and parents were coming in to pick up their children. I have a little dog; a black and white Shi Shu named Scruffy; my daughter has a black and white chihuahua named Nick. The children and the dogs delight in each others company. Truthfully, they wear each other out in play. At nap time dogs and children crash.

One of my regular Mother's came to pick up her child. She bought a friend with her, who had two children, a boy about 10 years old and a girl about seven years old. The moment the boy spied the dogs he started screaming. His screams came from deep within his depth. His screaming set the two dogs too barking. The preschool children were silent, frozen in the moment watching with huge round eyes mixed with fear and confusion. Later, some of the children said they had never heard Scruffy bark in the preschool.

The mother of the boy wanted to have her boy pet the dogs; he went into a frantic frenzy to stay away from the dogs even though his Mother was holding onto his arm, trying to lower his hand down to pet the dogs. He jumped on top of the preschool table and was struggling to run on the table to stay away from the dogs. Sharply, I told the mothers, they must leave NOW; I wanted to get the terrified child out the door and try to calm him down. His mother was nervously laughing.

Outside I quickly put my dog in my car; he was quiet, hoping we were going for a ride. I went over to the child and gently touched his shoulder as we walked to their car. I told him I was so sorry that something had happened, to make him so afraid of dogs. My dogs would never bite or hurt you, I tried to assure him. At least, he had stopped crying and when I opened up the car door for him to get in, he quietly climbed inside. From the safety of his car seat he looked at me with eyes so big, round and brown. A sage. His eyes spoke volumes. I placed my hand on his chest gently and told him again how sorry I was that he had been so scared. I closed his door and waved "Good-bye."

When will we learn to really listen?

When will we learn to really see?

When will we really know we hold the holy seed in our hand?

Learning Lollipops PreSchool

Greetings!
This is the first blog I have written; I never even heard of the word "blog" until I took a class "Writing Life with Jennifer Lauck" this past weekend and learned about the "blog."

A little bit about myself. I have worked with children all my life...some forty-five years. People ask me, "don't you get bored?"
"How can you get bored?" I answer, "everyday is different." There are days that are a gentle breeze and a random thought runs through your mind saying, "aah, I should be paying the parents for giving me the gift of their children today!" Then, a reality check kicks a "hello?" "What are you thinking?"

Then, there are those days that leave you with the impression you are in training for a marathon race over mountains. They are brutal.

More than chaos and confusion, the children unconsciously elicit spontaneous laughter from my assistants and myself. I going to post a few of the children's quips
for your enjoyment. Enjoy.

It is circle time in the preschool. The children are waiting for me to lead in singing. Amongst themselves they are talking about Mothers and babies.
Emma,"When my Mom has a baby girl we will name her Maya."
Leeah, "If it's a boy what will you name it?"
Emma, "We don't have a name for a boy yet."
Zackary, "Does your Mom have a baby in her tummy?"
Emma, "No, we don't know yet." "We have to wait to see if she has her period."
Raeya Sunshine, Oh, my Mummy has a baby in her tummy.

Saved from the question, "What is a period?" by Raeya Sunshine. YES!

Later in the morning I am putting sunscreen on the children before they go out to play on the water slide. As I am putting sunscreen on Gage he tells me:
"My Dada doesn't get sunburned because he has lots of fur on him!"
I laughed so hard tears were running down my checks.