Self advocacy

So AM came home before Thanksgiving break fuming about how the school had changed homework hour. Previously, all the children enrolled would work on homework in the library, and then be able to check out books from the school library to read. Apparently some of the fifth graders were not behaving and so the grade was moved to another classroom. AM spent the weekend complaining that he was now not going to have enough books to read. On Sunday I mentioned that he might be able to work something out with the school administration, but he needed to come to them with a plan of what he would like to change, that would solve his problem. I encouraged him to write it down so it could be presented as an idea of something to change rather than a complaint. Monday he came home all smiles! He had asked to be able to go to the library after he finished his homework, check out a book, and return to where the fifth graders were. It is so nice to see his maturity growing (and the school for being reasonable!)

counting sheep

I was putting ER to bed and as I turned to leave the room, he complained (not for the first time) me he has trouble falling asleep. I told him to count sheep like a friend of ours. 
The next night he repeated the problem and also told me that counting sheep didn't work because he couldn't count more than 30. (I suggested he start again from 1.) 

But you're a scientist!?!

I have been taking ice skating lessons at the rink next to my office after work on Monday nights. Presidents day I did not work, but I still had ice skating. I offered to ER to brush his teeth before I went to my fitness class. He wanted to know what it was. I told him I was learning how to become a beautiful ice skater. To which he replie, "But Mommy, you are a scientist."  I have some education to do that the two are not mutually exclusive!

Room sharing

PJ (age 11) was sick on Friday night. PJ and ER (age 4) usually share a room so we asked AM (age 8) if ER could share with him for the night instead. They were both excited about it. As expected, neither slept as well that night. Shabbos afternoon, walking home from a friends, AM expressed that he really did not want ER to share his room again. I expressed to  him how I appreciated that he was a kind sharing brother to have ER sleep in his room the previous night so he didn't have to share a room with PJ. By seudat shilishit, he was expressing that maybe one more night would be ok. By havdalah we parents had decided that PJ was recovered enough to move back but AM was begging for ER to sleep over one more night. It makes me happy when they want to help and share.

remote control plush verhicles?

AM (age 8) and ER (age 4) received plush vehicles from my husband, who had gone on a work trip to NY. They had also received fidget cubes. AM explained to me this morning that he was playing "remote control car" where he pushed the switch on the fidget cube to make the car move and then kicked the car so it moved. He has ER included in this game. The creativity warms my heart as does the chow of brotherly love and cooperation.
AM also noted that having a police car to sleep with helped his nightmares last night. Whatever works!

divers are whales

At the aquarium on chol hamoed, I was talking as we walked with ER (age 4) about how different animals moved, with a focus on whale tails (up-down) and fish tails (side-to-side). I asked him to tall me what dolphins are. He guessed fish until the dolphin show. Then as we headed to the shark exhibit I asked him about sharks. He though they were whales too until he saw them swim. After that we went to the main tank to see the divers feed the big turtle and the fish in that tank. He took a look and said, "Mommy, divers are whales!"

equally important

AM and ER have recently begun to play together much more nicely.  Shabbos morning I was in bed, not quite awake yet and I hear them negotiating roles in the game.  "I want to be captain." "Ok, then I will be the commander."  And off they went to play.

I don't know what it means

AM (age 7 today): I'm not going to say the "f" word... I don't know what it is.

Proud parenting moment?

Poppy seeds=Officer Chaim

I was talking with my DH on the phone today about what humantashen to order.  I asked forpoppy and I heard ER (age 2.5) asking if DH was talking to Officer Chaim.  Officer Chaim is a character my husband makes up stories for when they go on walks, usually on shabbos.  Apparently last week the story involved some crime regarding poppy seed, so ER concluded that DH was talking to Officer Chaim.

north Korea following South Korea?

I took PJ and AM to 1776 the musical last Sunday.  I wasn't sure how much AM got out of it, though I had the impression that by the intermission (about 2/3 of the way through the play) he had had enough and that much of it went over his head. There was an ongoing gag in 1776 at the continental congress that North Carolina kept deferring to the decision of South Carolina.

Later he was talking to DH, and somehow North Korea came up.  AM piped up and asked: "Oh, in the play they kept deferring to South Korea?"