I have been completely blindsided by the start of school. One moment we are combing the beaches in Maine for driftwood and sand dollars, the next minute first grade is in full swing. (And I do mean full. With Japanese after-school, swimming lessons, play-dates, and lego club, Uta is lucky if he gets dinner, much less the ten plus hours of sleep required to produce a well rested six year old). Suddenly my mind can think of nothing but lunch box fillers and runny nose remedies. Oh and of course the clock. The clock is no friend to childhood and it is clearly no friend of mine. Being pressed for time seems to transform me from a generally mild-mannered calm person into a sharp tongued, quick to anger, drill sergeant. The return to school for Uta is the return to patience training for me, and our daily commute at the crack of dawn is proving to be an extraordinary teacher. I am continually amazed and happy to report that smiling and kind encouragement gets us where we are going markedly faster than the converse approach. I have tried both.
No comments:
Post a Comment