The Chasing Thing

I've always walked Ryan to school and stayed there until the bell rang and watched him walk into the building. This year started out no differently. He's been in school just a little bit over a month now, and at one point, some of the girls started chasing him on the playground. Then one girl in particular was chasing him. That wasn't that big of a deal. She was chasing both Ryan & Zane, and they seemed to be having fun. They were faster than her, and she had trouble catching them. But after a while, some of the boys started getting involved. These boys were bigger than Ryan. And they don't seem to have a parent at the playground in the morning with them. There are actually a lot of kids that get dropped off without parents.

So, last week, the boys started getting a little more aggressive. On Thursday, they were pulling on Ryan's back pack and kind of pulling Ryan back. I don't remember him being pushed or pulled to the ground, but I did notice that they were being a bit rough, and at one point, the look on his face made me feel like he was a little bit afraid. Also, Zane would get in there and try to karate chop people to keep them off of Ryan. I didn't want him to do that, because he could get in trouble for it. So, I ended up calling the boys over, and I had Zane stay by me so that he wouldn't karate chop. I ended up telling this one boy (Anthony) not to hold onto Ryan. I told him that if he wanted to play, that he had to release him right away. He couldn't keep on holding onto him. And he was pretty respectful. But then some more kids were holding onto him. I ended up calling Ryan over and telling him that I didn't want them to play that anymore. I also told him not to run, because they are chasing him because he runs away from them. I told him that when I am there, I can keep an eye on him, and if he feels uncomfortable to come to me and I will tell the kids to leave him alone.

But then when were were talking about it and I told him that I was going to talk to the teacher, he said that at recess, they were pushing him on the ground and not letting him get up. I told him that he needed to tell a teacher, then, and he said they wouldn't let him up to tell the teacher. So, I told him to tell the teachers before he went out there so they could keep a watch. Ryan said that sometimes they squeeze him a little and it hurts, and he gets mad and gets a little tear in his eye. I don't want him to get so upset that he turns around and defends himself and gets in trouble for that.

On Friday, we went to the school and I reminded Ryan not to run from people, and that if they were rough with him to tell them that he didn't want him to do that and then come by me. I tried to keep a good eye on them, but they did say that one of the boys grabbed them and held them for a moment, but it must not have been that long, because they were only out of my sight for brief moments (just other kids being in front of them).

I was thinking about talking to the teacher, but because things were going well that day, I decided to hold off. I asked Ryan how school went when I went to pick him up, and he told me that some of the kids chased him and pushed him down and wouldn't let him up, but only for a little bit, because two of the kids got into a fight and then the teacher blew the whistle and recess was over. He said that the two kids might have gotten suspended (second grade!!!) I told him that I was going to have a talk with his teacher. I was going to in the morning, but decided not to, because it seemed like things were going well.

I talked to a friend of mine at church on Friday night about the situation with Ryan and the kids chasing him at school. She recommended I go straight to the principal about it, because the teacher isn't always out there, and everyone needs to be more aware of what's going on. She said they don't even have kids playing on the playground in the morning because of issues like this. I don't want to be the overprotective or overbearing mom, but at the same time, someone has to say something. So, I emailed the principal that same night and briefly explained what was going on and asked if we could have a meeting to discuss it and see if we can come up with a resolution.

So, on Monday morning, on my way back from the school, the principal emailed me already. She said that she would be available on Monday to meet with me. I was really impressed with the quick response.

When I had taken Ryan to school in the morning, one of the kids that has been chasing him (his name is Paul) was coming up to the boys with a look in his eyes like he was going to chase them. I did my finger in a motion for him to come over, and he did, and I told him that I didn't want him to be chasing Ryan. I told him that I was going to be having a meeting with the principal, and that I wasn't going to be getting anyone in trouble right now, but if Ryan continues to be chased, that kids might get in trouble. So, then Zane started talking to him and showing him his Halloween temporary tattoos and they just talked about Halloween costumes, etc. They were having a very nice conversation, and that was what I like to see.

Then when they kids were starting to walk in the school, I saw the kid Anthony that has also been chasing Ryan, and I said to him, "No chasing Ryan!" and he said, "I know". So, hopefully he'll leave Ryan alone.

So, after I dropped Zane off at afternoon Kindergarten, I stopped in to talk with the principal for about 20 minutes. She was so sweet. We got in there (I brought Delaney with me) and she gave Delaney a little toy to play with. I also brought a little coloring book and crayons for Delaney to keep her busy. We started talking

Two of the kids that have been chasing Ryan are on their "watch" list. She didn't name names, but was able to confirm names when I mentioned them. The other one was the kid I talked to on Monday that talked to Zane (Paul).

They've already become aware that the chasing and rought play is a problem. I already mentioned that on Friday, two of the kids got suspended for fighting. What's sad is that one of the kids that was supsended for fighting has a mom that is very involved. She takes him to school every day and she doesn't let him play on the playground but walks him up to the side of the building where they lune up when the bell rings, and she stands there with him and walks him all the way to the door. We talk briefly most days or at least say hi to each other. This child was in Ryan's class in Kindergarten and she was one of the helpers that would come in and read to the kids and help them read. I guess her son is one of the ones that is on the "high" watch tier. I had no idea. He seemed like a really good kid, and his mom is really on top of things as much as she can be, but she can't be there the whole day. Maybe he's one of those kids, who when provoked, tends to stick up for himself a little too aggressively. At least in that situation, the other boy got suspended, too. But I feel bad for that boy. The other boy that got suspended is one that was in our little group of boys when Ryan had his fieldtrip to Blackberry Farm last spring. I knew this little boy sometimes caused problems, and a few times he got Ryan in trouble, because he was messing around. Ryan also said that he sometimes knocked Ryan on the ground on the playground, but it didn't happen all the time. He's not a big kid either. Just aggressive. I feel a little bad, because I remember when I used to listen to Ryan's class read last year, this bo8y had a few times that he had a h ard time with his books, and he would get really upset that he was having trouble with some of his books, and he would get really upset that he was having troublewith some of the words. I had once or twice that he started crying and I gave him a little bit of time to collect himself and then encouraged him to continue reading. I have a feeling that he might not be in the best home environment.

Anyway, the principal said that on Friday, they went over with the Second Grade classes what was appropriate tag playing, etc. They even showed examples on how to tag, and then what wasn't appropriate. The principal was involved in helping explain that to the kids. She also told me that they didn't have certain equipment like jump ropes and balls over in that area, and they are putting those out, and that they are working on teaching the kids fun activites that involve better cooperation, like kickball and soccer, and jump rope and hopscotch, and r ed rover, etc. So, there is alot of stuff they are doing to try to keep on top of things, and they are really working with the ones that are causing the m ost trouble. I think there are a few other boys that are in that category that aren't bothering Ryan, but they are probably bothering others. She said that if it comes to it, she can always cancel playground time in the morning, but that she doesn't want to see it come to that, because sometimes, this is the only kind of outdoor play that some of these kids get, because their parents don't feel it is safe for them to play outside in their neighborhoods. And I didn't want it to resort to that until the last resort anyway.

She also said that some of the kids get dropped off before 7:30, and she is trying to encourage those parents to have their kids go in for breakfast, because they don't have anyone supervising the playgrounds until 7:45. If they go in for breakfast, then they are monitored indoors and then they are all brought out together at 7:45. There are a lot of kids that are left unmonitored there. I am surprised at how many don't have their parents there with them.

So, I am feeling really good about the meeting. She wants me to let her know how kids are doing with Ryan. She said that when they are doing well, she wants to know as well, because they like to reward good behavior as well.

I asked Ryan how things went at recess Monday after school, and he said that he played Batman with Paul (the boy I talked to in the morning) and two other boys. I was so happy to hear that.

This morning when I took Ryan to school, the whole playground seemed to be playing much more quietly. The teachers did blow their whistles a couple of times, but I don't know if that was for rough play, or if they just were trying to keep kids safe because a lot of the equipment was wet.

So, that's the long version of what's been going on with Ryan and the chasing at school. We are keeping watch, and I am checking in with him every day, and I am going to keep in communication with the principal, and hopefully we will see a reduced amount of rough play.

The Pickup Fairy

So, I'm browsing through the August, 2009 copy of Parents magazine, and I come across an article titled The Pickup Fairy. The author of the article describes how she invented the Pickup Fairy. She comes after the kids have gone to bed and takes away all the toys that are left out. Now, according to the author, her intent was to let the toys be hidden for about a week in hopes that her child would pick up. However, the child asked a few questions about the Pickup Fairy and then started picking up his toys each night, so the hiding wasn't necessary.

So, I thought I'd give it a try.

I told the kids, "I was talking to a friend of mine, and she told me that she has a Pickup Fairy that comes and takes toys that are left out at night and she said that she could give the Pickup Fairy our address. So, the Pickup Fairy is going to come tonight unless things are picked up."

My kids asked me a few questions. I don't remember exactly what they asked, but even Zane - my Spirited child that needs much more direction and coaxing than my other children - began to pick up. They were done faster than I had ever seen them pick up before, and they weren't even speeding through it all. I was amazed! I think the Pickup Fairy is going to be a regular visitor (or a reminder that she will be visiting) until they learn that she is not real.

After picking up, we went upstairs and had a snack. Then the kids brushed their teeth, and now that we have our nice new bed frame, the kids want to be in our room a little more, so we went into our room. We have started reading the third Harry Potter book and tonight I read chapter 2. I brought in some notebooks and pencils and crayons so that the kids could write and color while they listened to me read. I only read one chapter. Ryan started writing numbers where he had left off last time, but he only wrote from 72 to 81. He was entranced in listening to what I was reading. I could tell that he couldn't concentrate on anything else. Instead, he came and snuggled next to me while I continued to read.

Then we pushed all the kids towards their rooms to get ready for bed. As soon as we got into Delaney's room, she got all worried and started crying that the Pickup Fairy was going to take away her toys if she didn't pick up. I told her that her stuff would be okay where it is, but she insisted that she had to pick it up or the Pickup Fairy would take it away. So, I turned on the light, and we took 2 minutes to pick up her dress up clothes she was playing with earlier that day.

I really like this Pickup Fairy. Let's hope she sticks around for a while!!!

Just Another Busy Day

I feel like updating some stuff for people, but I don't exactly know where to put it. So I think I'll just put it in my blog and maybe post it to Facebook.

Today was pretty busy. I was actually up around 7am. That's pretty early for me, although in 2 weeks I will have to be up earlier on a regular basis when the boys start school. I had plenty of time to make breakfast, so I played short-order cook (usually I will only make one thing and if the kids don't eat it, tough.) Ryan wanted oatmeal, but it was the instant kind, so that was easy. Delaney already had cereal. I asked Zane if he wanted cereal, oatmeal or scrambled eggs, and he said scrambled eggs. So, I made some breakfast sausage links, scrambled eggs, and a little bit of potatoes O'Brien for myself. Delaney decided that she wanted scrambled eggs, so I had to give her some as well. I like to make an egg skillet, where I will take my scrambled eggs and add them to the hashbrowns and I will cut up a couple of sausage links and add that, mix it all up and voila. Just like the ones you get in the grocery store, but better.

Anyway, after breakfast, my friend Lisa dropped off 3 of her kids, and I took all the kids to VBS. This is VBS #4 for my boys, by the way. They love it though. After I dropped them off, Delaney and I headed out to a free splash park. We stayed there from about 10-12. One of the little girls that was in our group collided with a little boy and she was walking to her mom crying, and she had blood gushing from her nose. Poor thing! But she seems to be okay, thank goodness. They also had a playground there, and Delaney didn't want to play in the water anymore, so she spent time on the playground. I had to go there with her though, and couldn't stay and talk with the other Mommies, so I was a little miffed. But oh well. After a little bit, a few of them ended up coming over and standing by me because their kids decided to take a break as well.

We left and had to stop for gas and I grabbed a couple bottles of water while I was waiting for the tank to fill. My friend Lisa had gone and picked up my boys from VBS with her kids, and so we went to her house to pick them up and we were invited to stay for lunch. We had a great time.

We went home, and I checked some email and facebook, and made some changes on my shipping options on my ebay auctions and Ryan wanted me to come outside and play with him. So, I went out, and he wanted to throw the football back and forth. Can I tell you, that kid has an arm? And he throws a beautiful spiral. Maybe tomorrow I will have Andy and Ryan throw the ball back and forth and take a video of him doing it. I was amazed at how well he did, and he has great aim!!! I was catching a majority of the balls he threw (and it was NOT my catching skills, although I have to say I was proud of myself for catching as many as I did. It helps to have a sort of soft ball.)

After that, I read a little, then made dinner, then dishes, then we had the kids clean up the downstairs, and I made a snack, switched some laundry, kids ate their snack, kids brushed their teeth, and then we all got in my bed and I read the first chapter of the third Harry Potter book (Prisoner of Azkaban) to the kids.

We got this amazing headboard and footboard off Craig's List last night. It is ginormous! I think the headboard is about 6 feet high!!! We had to rearrange some furniture last night when we put it together, because it was so big. It is super sturdy, and I really think we got a steal on it. It's so nice to have a headboard and footboard, because now the whole bed looks finished when I make it, instead of having some sloppy covers sticking out here and there, even when I have everything lined up just right. I am so happy with it! Anyway, with the new headboard, the kids want to be able to be in our bed. So, it was nice to have them with us while I read.

We got the kids to bed, and then we put the TV on in the room and I folded clothes. Andy was really tired because he had a busy day and he has to be to work early tomorrow, so he was falling asleep already, so I went to go into the living room and fix more of my auctions and I found that the boys were still awake. Zane was in Ryan's bed (top bunk) and they were reading through these little cards that they have that are called Brain Quest or something like that. Ryan was reading them to Zane and they were working out the answers. Ryan said that he read 3 books from each of his Diego book packs. I couldn't be angry at them. But it was late. I gave them 10 more minutes to finish reading and then it was time to turn out the flashlights. They listened. They have to get up early in the morning, so I know they won't have enough sleep. But it's nice to see they are doing something productive with their time. I have always been a big reader, and used to stay up all hours of the night reading when I was in school (not as young as they are, but still... I can understand the intrigue!!)

Anyway, now I am done with correcting my auctions, and I have read my FB updates and I have finished my blog. It's kind of lame. But that's my day. The boys are leaving on Sunday to spend a week with my parents. This is the first time they are going for a week without us. I'm kind of excited. I think they will have fun, but I am going to miss them. I'm already getting little knots in my stomach from knowing they are going to be away from me, and I won't be around to keep an eye on them. But they will have fun, and I might get a lot done. Maybe next year, Delaney can go with. Wow. I am not sure I can even fathom that right now. I should take it one step at a time though, right?

Hot Girl

So, the kids were watching a little bit of TV today and I overhear Zane, my 5 year old say to Ryan, "That girl is hot."

So, I asked him what he said. It took him a while to admit what he said. Then I asked him what it meant. He kept saying he didn't know. I told him that he wasn't going to get into trouble, but I wanted to know if he knew what it meant. I told him that I was going to make him be my shadow until he told me. So, all of a sudden he remembered.

He said, "Oh, I remember now. Heyden said it. He said it about Ashley." I asked him what it meant about Ashley. He said, "Beautiful".

So, at least he gets it. I told him though that he needs to be careful when he says that, and that he should never say it when parents are around, because the parents can be offended.

Then he asked me what offended meant. I just told him that it meant they might be upset.

Today

This morning I took Ryan to school. Zane and Delaney came with me. There were high school students there photographing the grade schoolers, because they are doing a project about a day in the life at McCleery school. The bell rang and the kids lined up and started going in. The high schoolers scrambled to take pictures of the first graders as they entered the school. Like usual, Delaney was on the merry go round while Zane was pushing it around.

The last person trickled into the school and all of a sudden I realized that all the high schoolers had turned around, found Delaney and Zane and were taking pictures of them. Then Delaney spotted them taking pictures, and what was just pure bliss from the wind on her face as she spun in a circle became a smile of recognition that she was in the spotlight. The smile was priceless. It was like she was the princess she knew she was, and she was smiling to all those in her court.

Today at the dinner table, Ryan told me that they practiced fire and tornado drills as well as soft lockdown and hard lockdown drills. I asked him what circumstances would warrant a hard or soft lockdown drill and he was able to explain them to me. I just started crying. We never had to think about anything like that when I was in school. :(

Delaney and Shoes

We are on our fourth pair of shoes right now. First, there were the generic Crocs, which she was wearing when she peed in her pants and got them all wet. So, those had to come off.

Then she decided to put on her Strawberry Shortcake tennis shoes. She wore those for a while, but they came off when she peed her pants again (Potty training is not going so well today).

Then she put on her Princess Sandals which I picked up for her recently. She was playing outside in the back with the boys, and oh, horrors! She got mud on them. Instead of trying to clean them off in the grass, she had to change them.

So, that brings us to her most recent pair of shoes. She came out with a pair of brown leather sandals. They were given to us at one point, so I have no clue if they are real leather or not, but they have butterflies stitched on them with some little rhinestones. She says to me, "Mommy! Look! I found some sandals with butterflies. These are the most beautifulest ever. They will keep my feet warm (like sandals will keep her feet warm...lol).

Well, at least she has nice warm feet in this 80 degree weather we are experiencing. Lets see how long it takes for her to come and change those.

And just now, Ryan came into the house telling me that he is doing the most dangerousest job. He is going to do the dangerousest job, and nobody else can do it. Gotta love how tough he wants to be.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I just went over to Zane and excitedly said, "Zane, do you remember when we had Chicken Enchilada Casserole when Grandma & Grandpa were here?" And he said, "Yuck. I don't like that stuff." I asked him why he didn't like it, and he said because there were onions in it.

I can't believe that he remembered that I made it with onions. I told him that this time I am making it without onions. I do not know why this child doesn't like onions. Hopefully one of these days he will. The rest of us like them.

On the way to school today, Zane was talking to me. He said, "Remember when Grandma & Grandpa were here?"

and I couldn't hear him very well, so I asked him to speak up, so the way only Zane does, he started from the beginning, but changed it....

"Remember when your mom & dad were here? And remember Ryan & I had to go to school? And remember I got a bloody nose."

The things he remembers - and the fact that he went from calling them Grandma and Grandpa to "your mom and dad". LOL! That kid has a brain that never stops!

I keep forgetting

I keep forgetting that this is my blog. I should start updating it regularly.

Andy recently built a shelf for my laptop so that I can get online and watch TV or movies while I am on the treadmill. Maybe one of these days I will figure out how to walk and type at the same time. LOL!

Anyway, the kids are being cute and annoying. Ryan just turned 7 and he got the Indiana Jones Lego game for the Wii and he loves it. Actually both boys love it. As long as they play nicely.

The other day, I asked Delaney if she was a monkey, and she started to tell me that she was Delaney, but instead, she said, "No, Mommy. I'm a princess!" Too cute!