School

The answer was finally made in regards to the upcoming school year and I don’t think for one minute, anyone was shocked. And to be honest, not only was the right decision I am just more frustrated that it took this long to come to the decision.

Starting the upcoming school year online isn’t ideal, but it has to be done. Telling the kids that they were starting, at least online, was met with both excitement and also reservation. But there was reservation on behalf of my wife and I.

The reality is, last years online school year was a disaster. There were so many issues with the technology and also the in ability to have the teachers actually teach to their classes. This year, that will be different.

This year, it seems like teachers will be able to provide instruction to the classes. And as we continue to the go through the COVID-19 pandemic, the early recommendations right now are only the first semester being at home. But my guess is that the entire school year will be completed online.

Yes, there are parents that are going to struggle with this due to work. But, there is a lot of value in being able to contain the kids and keep them safe. Right now, as long as an online option is available for second semester as well, we will be having the boys complete their school year online.

Ideal, no? But, our jobs have shifted online and have allowed us with the flexibility to both work and will be able to answer questions and assist the boys with their school work.

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Summer is coming to an end and it is back to school time! The boys are both excited and there is reservation too.

We went to school the other night for meet the teachers night and they were able to see all of their friends and meet their teachers. The summer has been great though and I hate to see it come to an end. But, it is going to be great to get the boys back on schedule too.

I have heard the boys talk about excitement and fear. One of the boys is already concerned about not having friends. I did find a cool video that we have been watching, which is on YouTube and has been helpful to watch at night. If you have a few moments, watch Howard B. Wigglebottom and enjoy.

As we get closer and closer to the school starting, the anxiety will get a little higher, but at the same time. Deep breaths are key parents. Lot of deep breaths.

Remember that going back to school can be more difficult on kids than on parents, because they are dealing with the unknown.

 

 

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I was a little more than shocked to get a letter on Saturday morning that my son, Boy B, got most improved for the first quarter of the school year! This is a kid that has struggled in school. Not academically, but he has had issues controlling his emotions and being able to sit still in class.

To say that we have had a struggle with him would be an understatement. The struggles are just as real for him as they are for my wife and I. But, with all of the therapy, both the OT and child psychology are really starting to pay off.

When I got the letter, I was able to make it through the first sentence reading it to him. I was in tears and I rarely cry. But I was just so proud of my son. He has really embraced all that we have asked of him and not once has he asked why? Not once has he asked why does he go to OT and see a psychologist. Not once has he asked why does he take medicine every morning to help him focus?

So as my wife read the letter to him, he just beamed from ear to ear. And his brother, who got an award last year at school, was right there giving him a high five and cheering him on. It was really a great family moment.

So, in a time where most improved would be considered a small accomplishment, I view it as a proud moment. To see that look of accomplishment in my son’s face and for him to see how proud we were of him, is just priceless.

ADHD is not something to be afraid of or ashamed of, but my son, as have we, embraced who is and will continue to get him the help that he needs to overcome his struggles. But today, we celebrate the moment and his ability to overcome something that once caused him to struggle.

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This past Friday, I took the day off from work to be a chaperone on my sons school field trip. Is this how I would normally want to spend a day off? Nope. But what a great day!

The boys and I walked over 5 miles that morning at the fair and visited every single exhibit with farm animals that they had. We laughed. We joked. And most importantly, we had a lot of fun.

At some point in time during our trip, one of the boys asked if my father ever went on a field trip. One thing that I have realized is that there are parts of my childhood that my kids do not need. Will it serve them any purpose in knowing that my father didn’t spend a lot of time with me? Do they need to know that he put work before me?

I just smiled and pointed out that a cow had just pooped and the boys went running and laughing. But it got me thinking while I was walking around the fair and looking at the other chaperones and I was one of the only Dads that was there. I understand it, it is hard to take off of work. I had to cancel 4 meetings in order to go on the field trip, but it was important for me to be there. My son’s need to know that they are my priority!

All Dad’s and future Dad’s, spend everyday as if it was your last. Give your children your undivided attention and it is not always easy to do, but try. Put the phone down and listen. Read at night to your children. TV can wait and so can responding to the emails that are sitting in your inbox.

As I watched my boys interact with their classmates and show their engagement with the animals and asking questions, I thought about the previous year and how much they had grown. I realized that I will never get today back. And in a few years, the boys will not want me to go on a field trip with them. So for today, right now, I will be glad to take off every chance that I can to spend time with my sons. I will be glad to be the only Dad going with their kids.

And more importantly, I want to make sure that my sons know that I have and will always make them a priority.

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This is strictly a homework rant about how first graders should not be doing homework.

Everything, I spend 10 – 15 minutes working with the boys on learning how to read and work on words that they might not know or missed during school today. And by this, I mean that the take turns, get in my lap and they read and I assist with words that they might not know.

Each and every night, minus Wednesday because on Wednesday we also do Math homework too. So the homework rant is this, why? Why are first graders reading at school and then coming home and doing more and reading more? Kids need to play. They need to be outside, running and getting dirty.

Instead, we take turns reading. The boys ask me questions. They relate the books that they are reading to their lives, like why they still have training wheels on their bikes? That lead to how bikes are balanced with training wheels and how  they have an expressed interest in taking the training wheels off.

Then they asked about pizza, because they each read a book tonight about making pizza.  As they read, they asked why certain topics were on some pizzas. Why some didn’t like bacon on their pizza and for that question, I just had no answer for them.

My point is this, as the boys grow older, they are going to be doing more and more homework. But today as I type out my homework rant, I am so grateful that they want to climb in my lap, put their heads on me and read to me.

Bring on homework, until they get into common core math, then I will have to pay a tutor.

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And just like that, the boys hopped on the bus and were off to their first day of school. No problems. No trying to reassure them of their day, nothing. But in reality, I was hoping that they were going to reassure me about their day.

The first is over, the boys have started first grade, so they know the teachers, were to go, etc. And as the bus pulled away from the stop, my wife and I looked at each other in amazement. Not that we had any doubt that the boys were not going to do great, but because they are growing up so fast.

So as my wife and I walked home and got ready to head over to a local restaurant for breakfast, we talked about the summer, we talked about the day for the boys and realized how much they are growing up.

The summer is officially over! School has started back and we are looking forward to seeing the boys grow up even more.

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The summer is almost over and it is going to be back to school next week. But first, we are going to have a blow out this weekend of fun!

Due to a heavy rain today, it will be a low key day inside today and today starts college football season.  And let’s be honest, football season is really important. But the kids are actually doing a little prep of food for their first week back and they are helping me plan their meals.

Last year, we let the boys buy their food the second half of the school year because let’s be honest, it was easier. But now because we have an official diagnosis of ADHD for my son, we really wanted to try and change up his diet a little.  There has been a overload of reading of diets and things that can help with ADHD, so why not give it a try? And besides, it will be cheaper for us long term in terms of buying food and I can ensure that he will be getting a good lunch.

As I have been told by numerous people, especially teachers, the jump from Kindergarten to First Grade is big in terms of reading more and doing more math, I wanted the boys to have a low key weekend. So, FUN is in on the agenda. We are watching UNC play today on tv and then doing a little grilling. Tomorrow we are going to the Zoo and then on Monday, maybe a movie in the morning and then grilling out again. A good nights sleep and then off to school on Monday.

Summer is almost over and the beginning of a new school year is coming up within just a few days. The boys have had a blast going to camps and learning how to swim. But now, it is time for fun to shift to learning.

 

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As a kid, I loved my school break, I mean, loved it! As a parent, I truly hate my kids school break. Selfishly of course, but it has totally messed their schedules up. And for their teachers, they need the break, so I get it.

I have noticed a big difference with Boy B, both before their break and now after and it has been a struggle getting him back on track. Now, that being said, there are other factors, but my point is that the 2 week break has set him back. It has been harder for him to focus and to adjust to the routine of going to school as well. We did keep them on the same bed time schedule while they were out of school as well.

We have had to do a lot of things to ensure that his schedule is on track and spending time, calming him down if his schedule changes.  These are all things that we have to be very in tone with him and what his needs are. Does this add a layer of stress or complexity to our lives? A little. But what it does, in my opinion, is make us better parents.

So today, even though there is no school, we are keeping his lunch schedule the exact same as it would be at school. And we are also breaking his day up into the same intervals that it would be if he were at school. It also helps me see the where the triggers are in his stress levels and helps me adjust his day as needed. I know that school break is important for both the teachers and the students, but does it have to be a 2 week period?

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Growing up in North Carolina, and granted, we are talking a long time ago, never did we practice a lock down drill in school? We practiced a lot of other drills, tornado drills and yes, even back when I was really young, we did practice for bombs. But not lock down drills.

I really hate that my kids will grow up in a society where they have to practice these things. They have to know where safe rooms are in their house or in their classes. I hate that they have to be on guard for others. And as I was talking about the lock down drill with my sons, they were telling me all the scenarios that could happen as to why they would need to go into hiding at school.

And it was at that moment, for the very first time, I thought about pulling my kids out and home schooling them. The idea of the boys having to hide because of a threat at the school is mind blowing. And no, I’m not going to even go down the road on gun violence, because it is such a polarizing discussion that it wouldn’t be beneficial. But it is scary as a parent to even think of those situations and yet, we all remember Sandy Hook.

I don’t know where in our society that we took a wrong turn? I don’t know what has happened, but as a parent, it is scary as hell! It is scary to think that my sons, the loves of my life, could be put in danger because they are in a school, which is supposed to be a safe environment.

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Homework in Kindergarten? Seriously? What about having fun? Playing? Learning from playing and doing? Heck, I even remember and yes, I’m dating myself, but I remember a nice nap after lunch.

But homework? Seems a little much for me, but who am I to judge?  But now that we are 4 weeks into school, it seems that we are slowly adjusting, even for the school work each night. And yes, I said that correctly, the boys have homework every night, minus Friday night.

It is sad that my boys are basically doing what I did in 1st grade and being forced to grow up even faster than any of us would like. But what are we to do?

So tonight, I’m making tater tots and chicken nuggets for dinner and letting the boys have a hour to relax. They played outside and played with a friend and after dinner, we’ll do homework and take baths.

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