Tanner is a second grader in the after school program. Seems like a real good kid. Nice personality, good looking, athletic, generally respectful (or at least acknowledges when he isn't and changes his ways). I usually banter with him when I go to get Marin.
Over the last few weeks, Marin will casually work Tanner into the conversation on the car ride home. "Tanner was on my bus today. Tanner played football today. Tanner was up on kid zone hill today." etc. I didn't think too much of it because Marin always talks about other kids at school or after school.
Fast forward to this week. On her weekly library trip Marin borrowed a book about football and could not wait to show me when we got home. "Look Daddy. This book is about football."
Me: "Why did you choose a book about football?"
Marin: "Tanner plays football."
Me: "You borrowed this book because Tanner plays football?"
Marin: "Yes. Maybe his picture is in here with all these boys. Then I can see Tanner's picture all the time. I like Tanner."
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Gotta get the tooth, man
Last Friday, when flossing Marin's teeth, I noticed how loose her left upper front tooth was, and told her it would come out soon. Saturday............no tooth. Sunday.................no tooth.
Sunday night Marin was tossing and turning and working that tooth like there was no tomorrow. She would not go to sleep. Finally I asked her if she wanted me to pull the tooth. She said yes. I asked her why. She said she wants to show it to Mrs. Whynot (her kindergarten teacher). So I pulled it. Marin was thrilled and fell asleep in about 3 seconds.
Monday AM I take Marin to school. She rushes to Mrs. Whynot who makes a big to-do about the lost tooth. Then Mrs. Whynot says "Marin, this is the first lost tooth of the month, that means you win the big prize for May." Marin was beaming. I thought to myself "So this is what all that commotion was about last night."
Sunday night Marin was tossing and turning and working that tooth like there was no tomorrow. She would not go to sleep. Finally I asked her if she wanted me to pull the tooth. She said yes. I asked her why. She said she wants to show it to Mrs. Whynot (her kindergarten teacher). So I pulled it. Marin was thrilled and fell asleep in about 3 seconds.
Monday AM I take Marin to school. She rushes to Mrs. Whynot who makes a big to-do about the lost tooth. Then Mrs. Whynot says "Marin, this is the first lost tooth of the month, that means you win the big prize for May." Marin was beaming. I thought to myself "So this is what all that commotion was about last night."
Problem Solving Skills
We play this little game in which I hold three golf balls in my right hand and three golf balls in my left hand. Marin takes one hand and Emmy takes the other. Whoever can pry all three golf balls from my grip first wins. It's a great game because I can just lie on the floor on my back and get a rest while totally entertaining the kids. Talk about win/win.
The point of this story is how creative Emmy became after realizing there is no way she will win the game on strength. One night she turned my hand so it was palm up. Using both her hands, she peeled back my thumb and stood on it with one foot. Then, using both her hands again, she peeled back my pinkie and ring fingers and stood on them with her other foot. Then she used her hands to peel back and pin my remaining to fingers. Now all the balls were exposed, but she had no hands with which to pick them up. Emmy tried blowing on the balls to move them, then she tried rocking my hand without losing her grip. Finally, she turned to Marin and asked "Marin, will you please pick these balls up for me?" When Marin said "No", Emmy tried to get the cat to roll the balls off my hand. I gave her the win for ingenuity.
Next night, I changed my grip so Emmy's foot trick would not work. She took my hand, turning it and exploring it every which way like it was a Rubik's cube. Then she grabbed my wrist with both hands, looked at me sweetly, and bashed the back of my hand with all her strength against the edge of a table leg . Of course the golf balls went flying as I screamed in pain and surprise. Emmy, totally ignoring me, turned to Marin and said, matter of factly, "I beat you again."
The point of this story is how creative Emmy became after realizing there is no way she will win the game on strength. One night she turned my hand so it was palm up. Using both her hands, she peeled back my thumb and stood on it with one foot. Then, using both her hands again, she peeled back my pinkie and ring fingers and stood on them with her other foot. Then she used her hands to peel back and pin my remaining to fingers. Now all the balls were exposed, but she had no hands with which to pick them up. Emmy tried blowing on the balls to move them, then she tried rocking my hand without losing her grip. Finally, she turned to Marin and asked "Marin, will you please pick these balls up for me?" When Marin said "No", Emmy tried to get the cat to roll the balls off my hand. I gave her the win for ingenuity.
Next night, I changed my grip so Emmy's foot trick would not work. She took my hand, turning it and exploring it every which way like it was a Rubik's cube. Then she grabbed my wrist with both hands, looked at me sweetly, and bashed the back of my hand with all her strength against the edge of a table leg . Of course the golf balls went flying as I screamed in pain and surprise. Emmy, totally ignoring me, turned to Marin and said, matter of factly, "I beat you again."
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