figuring out kosher

We have been talking with PJ about keeping kosher, and that some kosher food is milk, other food is meat or parve. He goes to a Jewish preschool but not everyone there is Jewish or religious. We went to a birthday party for one of his classmates where we knew the birthday cake would be kosher, but we weren't sure about the rest of the food. I spoke to PJ in the car about needing to ask me before he ate anything to see if it was kosher and I was very proud that he listened even when I told him he couldn't eat the pizza or cheese curls. He must be thinking about it, because he asks whether meals we are having are milk or meat (to figure out if he can have a cup of milk with his dinner.) He was also telling me about a discussion he was having with one of his classmates to figure out if their house is kosher, but my suspicion is that any answer he got was more about the other students ignorance than what actually goes on at their house.

Parent teacher conferences

Yesterday we had parent teacher conferences for PJ. The teachers had filled out a detailed evaluation form, which had PJ checked off as developmentally proficient in all areas. It did not his tendency to demand and need to be reminded to handel his anger well, which we have been working on at home too.

The part of the conference where I shlepped nachas was when his teacher said he tells them elborate stories. When I asked for an example she told me that after he came to school from the dentist he stood up at circle time and gave a blow by blow description for the whole class. The teacher then siad this started a trend that every child tells of their experience of going to the dentist and it has become an eciting thing to share. One parent apparently told her that her child was not scared of the dentist because she heard all about it at school already. We had spent a lot of time prepping PJ before he went to the dentist as I describe here <dentist> I was very happy we have helped other children in PJ's class not be scared of going to the dentist!

shorts of PJ

short stories from PJ for last week:

I was drinking vanilla and chocolate soy milk for a while. My doctor allowed me to drink regular milk again recently. The other day while AM was nursing, PJ asked, "Mommy, is AM drinking chocolate or vanilla?"

PJ's teacher told me a cute story last week. In the afternoon at school, PJ was hungry and asked his teacher for a snack. She replied that she couldn't go to the kitchen to get one because she had to watch all the children. PJ's reply, "It's ok. I'll watch them for you." My 3 year old thinks he can be in charge...

Rabbi PJ

Over this past weekend, PJ decided he was going to be Rabbi PJ. He then designated the baby to be Rabbi baby AM and decared he was going to give a speech. He went out into the other room, to "shul". The speech we overheard went something like this, "um... ok... yeah!" He came back to tell us that there was no one in shul, which he then modified to be "only girls."

It is interesting to see what three year olds think people do for their jobs.

However, I can't say I am disappointed that he is playing "Rabbi."

My mommy likes your food!

This past weekend we were away staying at friends for Shabbos. After PJ finished lunch he asked to go play. He had eaten everything on his plate and so I told him he should go and tell our hostess, "I liked the food." Dutifully, he walked over the hostess and announced, "My mommy thinks your food is delicious."

We all were rolling on the floor laughing.