T-Rex

Although inflatable, the new T-Rex has become Lord Protector of the bed. Each night Jacob places T-Rex next to the bed as a guard and a confidant for his bedtime musings. T-Rex also serves as the tool of choice for chasing down Muggins, as if the poor tortured animal needed another nemesis. But all in all, T-Rex manages to behave himself and lead a meaningful life in the family.

So far, here's what we know about the plastic dinosaur:

T-Rex doesn't live with his parents...they live in Indiana. T-Rex is going to college, and when asked which one, he replied, "Elementary School." Which is where, according to Jacob, he learns how to fool mommy into letting him stay up all night. So, that's what they learn in elementary school. T-Rex also has what Jacob calls, "insights," which are only revealed to Jacob and occasionally translated for the rest of the world.

We are keeping an eye on T-Rex and his plans for household domination.

Abern

Jacob has always been an adult-focused child--I like to think this is because he is so dang smart--but he's finally begun connecting with kids more. When I picked him up yesterday, it was like I was picking up a teenager who'd been hanging out with his buddies.

"Hey, Jacob. See you later! Bye!"

[casually, with an over the shoulder wave] "Bye Keiran. See you tomorrow."

In just a few years, it'll be, "Hey, Dude. See ya." "Yeah. Tomorrow, man." But that's the quality it had already. Like he's got these pals. Like they're a community. His teacher Laura told me that he was "beginning to see the value in the other children and to connect with them." He shut down these connections before. Now they are opening up.

When he attended his other preschool, Jacob's skills regressed; he had started reading before he went, but he stopped altogether after he'd been going to the evil co-op for a while. Now he's becoming intellectually adventurous in new ways: asking new questions, exploring new things. He makes up a new word every day ("Mommy, we're going to go abern up that hill." "What's 'abern'?" "Really fast.") He shows me pictures he's drawn with real excitement. "That's a leaf; can you see it?" He began writing his name by himself about two weeks ago.

While he was attending the evil co-op, his behavior was much worse on preschool days and in anticipation of preschool days. "Do I have to go to preschool tomorrow?" he'd say on Sunday, and he'd start fretting--and misbehaving. He was often angry when he came home. This time, he's becoming more independent and emotionally mature. The Montessori really encourages treating children with respect and challenging them to take responsibility. The lessons of respectful engagement with others are being underscored at Welsh Hills, and that's been a boon to his behavior at home too.

Notes

From last week.....

A few Jacob developments:

Jacob has been going through lots of changes lately: a new school, sleeping in his own bed, and now, going to sleep by himself.

Today marked another change in Jacob’s life, as he started attending a full day of school. The only bump in the road was a spilled carton of milk in his backpack, which managed to drench every single item, including the journal the teacher uses to write notes. Sabotage using milk—very crafty. Other than that, the day seemed to go along as any other day, and having his mom pick him up in the afternoon was probably a big bonus. He will rarely talk about school, as if he is a member of a secret society in which they conduct important, confidential, business.

He has made the transition to sleeping in his own bed incredibly well. It took a month to have him fall asleep with mommy in the room, and now, after story time, he goes to sleep by himself. After mom leaves the room, he starts singing and talking to himself until he finally falls into his usual deep sleep.

No Violence, Please

Although Jacob doesn't talk about school much (and much of what he describes comes straight from his imagination), it seems the Montessori way is reinforcing what he is learning at home.

At Wildwood today, a group of seven and eight-year-old kids were playing with toy weapons and attacking one another, a sight which Jacob watched with concerned dismay. He asked, "Why are they playing with violent toys?" So, I said, "Why don't you ask them?" Never one to be shy about such matters, he asked if he could play with them, and then immediately posed his question--then he asked again, and again, and again, with unrelenting rigor. The kids had no idea of how to respond, they just looked dumbfounded and could only say, "We have more in the car." Future Republicans, for sure. Then, they started using their weapons to hit a tree, and he said, "Hey, stop that, you are hurting the tree. What you are doing is inappropriate." Yes, he eloquently and forcefully used the word inappropriate. The oldest boy responded with confusion and frustration, "What is wrong with you?" Jacob replied with righteous indignation, "Nothing is wrong with me!" I stood back and smiled, allowing him to fend for himself and serve a bit of justice to the rowdies. Ten years from now they will still be talking about that kid that told them to stop playing with violent toys. Go Jacob.

Although a bit rowdy himself, he definitely has social justice in his genes. The first day of school went well, but when asked how he liked it, he said he didn't want to go back. Why, we wondered, when we knew it was a great day. The reason: someone pushed Rahul down. What a great kid...how bright the future is for such a great big heart and mind in a tiny little body.

Jacob has been feeling a bit sick the past two days. Not too much to stop him, but enough to slow him to about 85% capacity. Looks like a cold, which are sure to be plentiful in a building full of little ones.