Grateful Friday

 1) I went to the dentist, which I was dreading, and everything was fine with my tooth.  That tooth.  The one that has been a problem child.

2) The dentist appointment was at 5:00 for both Adam and me.  We came home to a dinner prepared by Emma.  She said, "I hope it's good."  

I said, "It will be because we didn't have to make it."

And it was good.  Grateful for my grown girl!

3) There's a second grader with a fairly new diabetes diagnosis.  I overheard his mom talking to an aide in the hall and the mom was in tears and really stressed out.  After they were done talking, I went up to her and told her that my son has type 1 diabetes.  Her reaction made me tear up a little.  She seemed so grateful to have someone who could relate.  And I can.  We chatted a minute about all the things.  We walked down the hall and when I got to my classroom, she said, "Wait.  You're a teacher?"

I said yes.  She said, "And you teach 3rd grade?" 

I said yes.  She said, "Oh!  Next year!"

And I felt grateful.  Every time something hard yields an opportunity to have empathy, it feels like a well spent trial.

4) One of my new students has struggled to behave.  He has been AWOL a few times, he fights, he does what he wants.  He doesn't speak English.  Yesterday we had a meeting with his mom.  The secretary was the interpreter and an administrator and I were there with the mom.  While we talked, her sons waited in the office.  Emily poked her head in the door and held up two granola bars and asked the mom, in Spanish, if she could give them to her sons.  

We explained the situation to the mom and she was tearful and grateful and apologetic.  We assured the mom that her son will be fine.  We told her we just needed to communicate so they knew the expectations.  She said that when they were in Mexico he didn't have school for a year and a half.  Where they were was VERY shut down with covid.  Sometimes I wonder how much covid is going to steal from these children.  It is clear that he is very smart.  It is also clear he doesn't remember how to be at school.

And we can work with that.

We talked about some plans and what they could do at home.  We want him to retain his Spanish.  I asked if they had a notebook at home he could write in, in Spanish.  She said, "No.  But I can get one."

I said, "I will give you one."

I went to my classroom and came back with 6 notebooks so he could choose his color.

He picked green and he grinned at me and said, "Thank you!" in his endearing English.

School has felt super hard lately and not nearly as joyful as usual.  Every once in a while though, I remember that I love that school and the way the adults in the building pull together to champion each child.  Every once in a while, I remember how much I love being around children and connecting with them.  And letting them pick their notebook.