Nothing Wrong with a Little Tradition

 

Benjamin started summer school this week, and my first impressions were pretty positive. We got to sleep in an extra half hour (the school starts a bit later and is much closer to our home),

 

Ben could wear shorts and a T-shirt every day (as opposed to a uniform),

 

and school was over by noon . . . allowing Ben to come home and spend the rest of the day doing whatever he liked--such as blowing bubbles in his pink milk

 

or playing at the water park.

 

The atmosphere at the school, and even the kids themselves, seemed a lot more laid back than what we were used to at the traditional school Ben normally attends.

I started to think maybe we should transfer Ben to a regular school.

That thought lasted about two days. On the third day I overheard a couple of conversations that changed my mind.

The first was between two boys, both Ben's age, but fortunately not in his particular class.

Boy #1: "I am going to come to school next time with dynamite in my pockets. When I get inside I'll light it and say, 'I never liked any of you anyway.'"

Boy #2: "I am going to put dynamite in my mouth, walk in and say, 'Hasta la vista baby.'"

Yikes!

The second conversation was between Ben's teacher and one of the parents, who had apparently sent his two sons to school on the city bus. The teacher was advising him to take the kids on the bus at least one time before sending them alone, just so they would know where to get off when they were making their way to school.

Wow.

The kids at Ben's traditional school are so different. Their moms and dads hold their hands on the way to and from their cars. They are so respectful and positive toward their school and teachers. Even when there is an after school activity, such as a book fair at the library, they won't so much as walk into the building without taking their outdoor shoes off.

Maybe some traditions are okay.

 

And speaking of traditions, I was happy to see what happened with my kids this morning. There is no summer school on Fridays, but as soon as Ben and Janae got up they got out the library bag and starting looking at books about owls (their current topic of interest).

 

It's reassuring to know that even though Ben struggles with reading on his own, he loves books, learning, and stories--and these things are a big part of his life, even when he gets to choose what to do.

Hopefully his reading will come along, too, with all the extra work he is doing.