Monday, September 30, 2013

Starting our Fall Fun

We started our Fall Fun Bucket List this past weekend. We visited one of our favorite Metro Parks and spent the better part of the day there. We started with parking near the nature center and having a fall picnic, then it was off the walk the nature trail. Jacob had wanted to take the shortest path and Jordan wanted to take the longest one, we compromised and walked the 1.25 mile trail. While on the trail we searched for item to use on our "Nature" picture that we plan on doing this weekend. Jordan keep picking on us for stopping every two feet to pick up a cool leaf or an acorn. I love when we slow down any enjoy the beauty of nature around us. We took many pictures of different things at different stages of changing colors. We found some critters along the way like a tiny wood frog that crossed our path, 2 chipmunks, and countless Daddy-long leg spiders. While near on open field we were surround by a dozen butterflies flying near us.

We stopped by the nature center to see what things have changed within the last month since we'd been to visit. We were able to  get a close up look at some baby snapping turtles which had recently hatched. From there we parked near the park and unloaded the bikes. We had started following the paved trail, but ended up taking an off road path instead. While on the paved path the boys saved a praying mantis from becoming road kill. I had tried shooing it into the grass with my bike tire, but that didn't work instead it climbed onto my tire and refused to let go and crawled its way us towards me; Jordan came to my rescue with the use of a stick. On our off road journey the boys stopped and attempted the fitness trail. After an interesting bike ride, we spent some time at the playground before heading home.


On a side note, yesterday my scouts had their first scouting event and attempted to get people to buy popcorn. Next time I think we're not going to take the earliest shift, they weren't able to sell much but not from lack of trying. This week they're going to get into their uniforms and start going door to door (under my watchful eye).

Last week they attended their first pack meeting and raced rockets they had constructed. Jacob's came in 2nd place for his race, Joey's came in first for his race. For the winner circle's race Joey came in 3rd. Jordan was even able to race his in the sibling race, he came in 3rd.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Here's Your Sign!!

Would you hand your friend a sign that states "I received a ticket for speeding" and post a picture to share with the world? Would you stand on a street corner holding a sign announcing any mistake you have made. Probably not, it's degrading and embarrassing; plus who wants their mistakes made public. Then why do people feel it is okay to do to a child?
abc quandria bryant jt 120429 wblog Disrespectful Teen Made to Carry Sign Along Busy Road
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/04/disrespectful-teen-made-to-carry-sign-along-busy-road/

I really try not to be judgmental or comment on how other people raise their children. BUT... I'm really having a hard time understanding why so many parents think it's okay to hand their child a sign stating their "crime" and posting a picture of it on social media or having them stand in public with it. I know there are as many parenting styles as there are parents and try to understand their approach even if I don't agree with it. This one really has me stumped though. I don't see how having a preteen/teenager holding a sign stating "I have a bad attitude and am disrespectful to my mother" is going to teach them not to back talk to a parent. I see it and think, she was disrespectful to her mother so her mother is being disrespectful to her; is that what I was suppose to take away from that? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that about the age when kids start voicing their independence.

I just don't see how this method will help teach the children to stop the unwanted behavior. There has to be a less demeaning way to teach your child not to throw food (or clean up after themselves). Most of these pictures have gone viral and will be out for the world to find for years to come. I'm sure these children don't want there mistakes splashed all over the internet.

I'm sure this method will stick with the children; not because they learned a lesson from the experience, but because they'll remember the embarrassment of standing on the street with a sign while the parents took a picture to show the world their bad choice.
http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/PHOTOS-The-New-Parenting-Technique-of-Kid-Shaming-Seems-to-be-Taking-Off-185590841.html?gallery=y&c=y&img=5











What are your views on the style of discipline? Would you publicly shame your child like this, if so what would be the result you hoped to reach?


Monday, September 23, 2013

WE HAVE A DIAGNOSIS!!!

Last week Jacob's GI called us back and we now have a diagnosis, he has Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) also known as functioning vomiting. I've been doing a lot of research on it and we are extremely lucky!!! Most kid start having episodes between ages 3-7, but don't get diagnosed for a couple years, they have to pretty much rule everything else out first. Also many have extreme vomiting that's close to nonstop for days and end up in the hospital from dehydration and are incapable of keeping any medications, food, or fluids down. Along with the vomiting they seem to get a lot of severe migraines and sensitivity to light. After having an episode the are exhausted and need a lot of rest. Jacob does get some stomach cramping before vomiting like the other whom also have CVS but his only lasts for minutes (or less) while others suffer sometimes for hours.

The many things that Jacob has that other suffers of CVS have is some stomach cramping, the vomiting and of course that it seems to happen in a cycle. CVS sufferers tend to have attacks at the same time of day everyday and for about the same amount of time. Along with some of the triggers that effect other like eating cheese, only his is when he has too much cheese or cheese too many days in a row. Anxiety and excitement are also triggers for him; which would explain why running with his friends during recess would lead to him having an attack. Some people are triggered by chocolate, but I haven't seen this in Jacob yet, we normally don't eat much chocolate.

Jacob has never had a migraine as far as I know. He usually only vomits once or twice when he has an attack. His attacks has never exhausted him, usually after getting sick he'll continue whatever activity he was doing almost without missing a beat. His episodes recently have been just before bedtime and last approximately 1 1/2 weeks then he's episode free for about 3-6 weeks. Now that we know cheese is a trigger for him, I watch his diet more closely to avoid over doing it (he's like a little mouse, he LOVES cheese). Trying to have him not get to overly excited while playing is going to be challenging; he is a 7 year old boy, it's kind of what they do. He is aware that it is a trigger for him and I've been trying to help him remind him when he needs to slow down.

The onset of Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome can be at any age and can effect males and females. It was considered a rare syndrome, but it sounds like it becoming more common. I'm still trying to learn more about it. I'm just thankful that we now have a name for what has been going on with him, and that we're not alone.

I think by keeping a food journal and journaling when his episodes occurred helped in getting him diagnosed so quickly. That even before his first GI appointment we had checked for sensitive's or allergies to food though elimination diets. Jacob did have a couple misdiagnosis that others with CVS also had like acid reflux, seasonal allergies (or drainage from seasonal allergies).

He now take an antihistamine 3 times a day along with ginger root extract to ease his symptoms. There's no "cure all" for Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. There are some research groups out there who are looking for answers and better ways to help those who have CVS.



Sunday, September 22, 2013

Fall Fun Bucket List!!!

This past summer our family had participated in a Summer Bucket List hosted by The Happy Family Movement. We had so much fun with it and made so many memories, that we decided to continue with a Fall Bucket List. Over the summer I was a bit ambitious and we had a list of over 100 activities, this season we're going to be really busy with school and other activities that our list will be considerably smaller. We would like to encourage you to start your own Fall Bucket List or Fall Fun List, and welcome you to share your adventures with us on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/learninglifewith3sons. Your activities don't have to be anything that would be a huge to-do just something that would be fun to do as a family. I had the boys help me come up with both our summer list and our fall list.

So here's our Fall Fun List

  1. Nature walk/ nature trail 9/28
  2. make popcorn balls 10/14
  3. make leaf people 11/17
  4. visit a cider mill 10/13
  5. family fall photo 11/29
  6. make caramel apples 10/6
  7. make an apple pie 10/18
  8. bake apples
  9. read a book as a family 11/17
  10. jump in a pile of leaves 11/9
  11. create nature pictures 10/5
  12. keep a thankful jar for 1 month 10/28-11/28
  13. make gingerbread monster cookies 10/26
  14. carve pumpkins 10/30
  15. flashlight walk 10/12
  16. Fall picnic 9/28
  17. walk a corn maze 10/13
  18. bonfire and s'mores 11/3
  19. pumpkin count walk 10/26
  20. bob for apples 10/18
  21. donate to our local food pantry 11/22
  22. bob for apples 10/18
  23. leaf art 11/17
  24. pick our own apples 10/13
  25. boys cook dinner (this one was a hit during the summer)
*Clicking on each activity after there is a date next to it will take you to the blog post explaining how this activity went for us.

We have a much shorter list this time, but our schedule is already very busy. This list will be a challenge for us to complete all 25, but we like a challenge.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Would Anyone Like to Buy Some Popcorn!!

Let the popcorn pushing sales begin!! I now have two cub scouts. I'm the proud mama of a wolf scout and a bear scout! Last week Joey and Jacob brought home information on a scout sign up night and very enthusiastically expressed their interest to join. We went to the meeting and signed them up. I figured I like the life skills the boy scouts offer and it would be a good way to make better acquaintances with their schoolmates. As it turns out Jacob's den leader is the father of one of his new buddies from school. Joey will also have his best friend from our old school in his den. Jordan not being one to be left out is going to be a den/pack helper for both of his little brothers, seems he has to tag along anyways and it looks good on college applications (I love that he's planning about his future).

Jordan was a scout for about 3 years before deciding it wasn't really his thing anymore. Last night he dug out his old uniform and books and started explaining to the younger  two how to earn the patches, belt loops, and beads. Being much like their mother, my boys jumped into scouting with both feet; being technically a scout for a whole hour they got to work memorizing the Cub Scout Promise and the Laws of the Pack towards earning their Bobcat badge. Jacob even took Jordan's old wolf book to school today to "study up" before tonight's den meeting. They are SO EXCITED! I believe Jacob's den is constructing rockets tonight for next weeks pack meeting. Poor Joey has to wait over a week before he'll get to meet with his group. He did receive a rocket kit last night to work on at home for the pack meeting.

They had their sign up night late, because the rest of the scouts have been meeting for about a month already which is why Jacob already has a meeting today. He's going to have to show up somewhat unprepared because between last night and today's meeting doesn't give me much time to get him his uniform and book. He's going to borrow Jordan's old one until I can get to the store to get all their gear they're going to need. Thankfully I have Jordan's old uniforms and can pass some of the things to the younger ones like the neckerchief, slide, and hat (I just have to remember where I stored them). Hopefully we'll get a chance this weekend to get them all scouting supplies.

Scouting has really filled up my schedule fast. Of course they meet on different days and in different locations and they meet every week, plus monthly pack meetings. Due to participating in scouting I have to switch their religious education classes, because they are the same days and times as scouts. Thankfully a good friend has helped get us connected with another church with class hours that will work for our new schedule. Things are going to get really interesting once Jordan's school sports start. (So much for finally getting an after school routine figured out)

Monday, September 16, 2013

Trying to Find Our Groove

We have naturally fallen into a nice school morning routine, everyone has their own time to wake up at their own pace and to get their morning needs taken care of without having to wait on each other. Mornings run pretty smoothly around here, you wouldn't be able to tell this was a new routine for us. After school is another story, in a word chaotic.  We don't get home until 4:30, so that puts us behind on when dinner can be started (I leave at 2:30 to pick up the first kid, so throwing something into the oven before leaving doesn't work). All 3 try to sit and do their homework, but with different study  habits they distract each other and spend more time complaining than getting homework done. Some of their assignments are on the computer, so after struggling to get through homework they argue over who gets to do the assignments on the computer first. I've tried splitting them up, having one on the computer hollering for help while the others are doing homework (and I'm attempting to throw together something for dinner). On top of what is sent home from school they have things to do for me, Easy-Peasy reading lesson, Khan Academy math lesson (or math flash cards with me), spelling/vocab word practice, and handwriting practice. Also I like to get them outside everyday for about an hour just to get some fresh air and run.

 The boys are awesome about getting both the school and mom work done, we just can't seem to  get the timing right this year. We have tried couple different routines, so far nothing has worked well enough to where we're not feeling rushed. So our goal for the week is to figure out an after school routine that will work for everyone.

As if Monday mornings aren't hard enough, I had the pleasure of starting my Monday at 3:36 a.m. (I went to bed at midnight). I just can't seem to catch a break, Jacob hasn't gotten sick at all over the weekend but now Joey's insomnia seems to be kicking in. He did let me doze off and on until about 6:30, when I finally started my day. Through the night when he'd wake me up, I'd work on some different rotations of our routine. I have a couple to try, but I think we may finally have a one that will work for us.

I rely on our routines as much as the boys do. I love for things to be organized and predictable (as organized and predictable as it can be with 3 boys). It's comforting to know that my kids know what needs to be done and have a set plan as how to go about accomplishing it, and to know that all things for that day will get attended to. They like knowing that after doing w, x, y, they can complete z without having to check with mom or have a brother underfoot. By having routine in place they are more independent and aren't following me around asking "when's dinner?" "Can we go outside?" "Who's turn on the computer?", and I can focus on the things I need to do like making the dinner and being available to help each kid one-on-one with any homework questions.

They help me come up with when things need to be done for two reasons 1) When your part of something its easier to claim it as yours. 2) They know what works for them better than anyone else. Example, Jacob likes to get everything done at once and not have to think about it again; whereas Joey needs to break things into smaller tasks and have mini breaks so things don't become overwhelming. (Jordan is fine with waiting to the last possible minute to do what needs to be done.) To help with getting use to the new routine everyone has their own (color-coded) list taped to the wall in the kitchen (I also love lists! I have them for everything!!!)

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Jacob's Trip to Children's Hospital

This morning Jacob and I got up early and headed down the Children's for a scope and biopsy, in hopes of getting some answers as to why he continues to have vomiting episodes. Things surprisingly went rather quickly. After driving around searching for a parking spot (for so early in the morning, the structure was pretty full), we found on finally on the 10th floor. We were running a few minutes late and I wasn't real sure as to where we needed to go. Luck for us, there was a nurse walking in at the same time and she walked us to admittance. The wait there was only maybe 5 minutes and soon we were on our way up to the waiting room. Again another short wait, we were able to play one electronic game of checkers before being called back. Once in our little room, we had a bunch of different people come introduce themselves and ask questions. Jacob got to change into some really unflattering pajamas, then we watched some cartoons for a bit. Jacob's doctors checked in with us and okayed for me to accompany Jacob to anesthesia. everyone was really good about making sure I knew what to expect and that Jacob know what was going on. Jacob was asked what smells he would like in his mask to help him get sleepy. He asked for pizza, then popcorn, and settled on strawberry because they didn't have his first two suggestions. At 9:00 they placed the strawberry scented mask on him and at 9:05 it was lights out. Thankfully it was very calm and Jacob didn't become agitated.  I went back to the waiting room and watched the monitor that updated parents on what stage their child was in. So I know that his surgery started at 9:18 and he was done and moved to recovery 1 at 9:30. I was called back to sit with him at 9:45. Jacob hadn't awoken gracefully. The poor little guy was so out of it and just wanted to wake up. He wasn't happy that he didn't have much control over his hand to bring the popsicle to him when he wanted. He became very aggressive when he insisted he had to use the restroom and we wouldn't give him privacy; he still was really wobbly on his feet. Around 10:15 Jacob finally fell back to sleep and slept until 11:30 when he woke as my sweet Jacob again.

 I was able to talk with his doctor. He didn't see any damage during the scope and also seen no evidence of celiac disease. We were given some picture that were taken, Jacob is looking forward to taking them to school tomorrow to show his friends. Jacob is to stay on the Prilosec and was given a script for another medication to take 3 times a day.

I suffered along side with Jacob and hadn't had anything to eat and only a couple sips of coffee, so we were both extremely hungry on the way home. We stopped for Mickey D's, probably not the best choice but it was close and it what Jacob wanted. I was a little worried about him eating something greasy so soon after the procedure, but he didn't react to it. He's suppose to take it easy today, so we'll be watching cartoons and movies and vegging out.
 He's been doing well, since we left the hospital. I stocked up on popsicles incase his throat was sore, but he says it isn't bothering him. He seems to have a rough wake up, but bounces back quickly.

We don't have another appointment with the GI for awhile, but they'll be calling to follow up in a couple days. As much as I hope there is nothing "wrong" with him, I hope we'll learn why this has been going on and the best way to end it or ease it somewhat.

Thank you everyone for the prayers and positive thoughts.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Tummy Trouble (rewritten)

Five days into the school year and my Jacob is home from school, he vomited at school. Knowing it's school policy that he needs to come home I brought him home. It will take this school a while before they realize not to send him home unless he has a fever or looks sick. The thing is Jacob has been going through this for about the last 3 years. He has no fever or other symptoms of being sick and randomly vomits and then continues his activities. There seems to be no rhythm or reason to his episodes.
Three years ago he started getting sick shortly after eating and I had no idea unless I found the evidence. It would happen once or twice a month, then wouldn't happen again for a few months. I assumed he was eating too quickly or playing hard shortly after eating and didn't really think too much of it.  Over the years it started happening more frequently. This past year he seems to have settled into a pattern. For a while it would happen everyday right after lunch for a week or two. One day he had multiple symptoms at once. After lunch he went to recess and vomited, but also had a tightening in his chest, he panicked and started to hyperventilate and turned blue around his mouth. Not thinking clearly I left work (thankfully I worked in the lunch room and could be reached quickly) and drove him to the hospital (if it happens again I'll be sure to call 911; not sure why the school didn't do that before bringing him to me). By the time we got to the hospital his color had returned and his pulse ox. was normal and they sent us home with a clean bill of health.  I started looking for food allergies. If he had peanuts on a day he was sick, I'd remove peanuts and foods made in factories that processed nuts. There was no change after eliminating different foods. I would eliminate them for a week or so before moving on to the next food. We have tried gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, nothing with tomatoes (tomatoes trigger my GERD, so I thought they might be giving him trouble too). Regardless of what he ate he'd still get sick. I started carrying Benadryl around just in cause he reacted to something and turned blue. Then he just stopped getting sick, for about two months he didn't have an episode. Then when it started up again, instead of getting sick right after eating he would be fine all day then get sick just before bed. This continued for about a week or two. It didn't matter how long between eating and heading to bed. Then it just stops again. From my past months Google research it sounds like Cyclic Vomiting.

A few weeks back we visited with cardio and the GI. I was not very excited when the GI suggested that the vomiting could be caused from anxiety. Jacob is my least anxiuos child. He wasn't anxious at recess playing with kids he's known for years, or anxious about going to bed. Once he had an episode while we were barbequing with friends at the beach. I just couldn't see that being the cause. He recommended having him see a therapist, but also arrange for him to have a scope and biospsy. The cardio said the tightening feeling is most likely growing pains from his chest and ribs growing. They did an ultrasound and everything looks good (she did find a very noticable mummer). She doesn't feel that his vomiting episodes are connected to his heart issues. That after the scope if I still felt there was a connection that she would take a second look. 

Tomorrow we have to be at Children's Hospital at 7:30. Jacob will be the first patient of the day with a 9:00 appointment. We hoping to get some answers to why this continues to happen. We'd like to ask everyone to say prayer for him or send positive thoughts.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Open House one of my Favorite Nights

The younger two had their open house tonight at their school. This is one of my favorite nights the schools offer (along with conferences). This is my chance to see where I can get involved within the school as well as their classrooms. Jordan had already reached the age where he doesn't really want me hanging around him at his school; while the other two still want me there as much as possible I'm more than willing to be there. Also it's the night I get to meet the teachers and make my own judgment of  rather or not they'll be a good fit for my boys. I have to say I haven't met many teachers who I didn't think would be able to reach my kids. From what I've seen I think I'm going to really like the teacher they have this year. I was also able to get a feel for how the classroom runs and the routine of their days.

While visiting Joey's class, I was allowed to sit at his desk. Being the nosey mom that I am, I started digging around his already clutter desk (he's been there what...3 or 4 days!?!) and I happened across a couple assignments. Hmmm. I asked the teacher about them and sure enough he told her they were at our house and had told me he had no homework, the little stinker. Turns out they were due Friday, so Joey was granted permissions to stay inside while his brothers played outside so he could complete the assignment. I know open house isn't the time to ask about your child specially, but I just wanted to check and make sure he was adjusting alright. Thankfully he's had no trouble making new friends, but he's been walking around the room during class time and getting to know the other students, even helped one with the assignment (the same one he was avoiding doing). Good intentions I guess, we'll have to work on keeping him seated.

Jacob has told me that he has had homework but finishes before school's out for the day. I was skeptical after visiting Joey's teacher, but his teacher conformed he whips through the assignments plus completes that days homework assignment (and turns it in neat and correct).

I'm excited about attending the PTG (parent teacher group) meeting coming up in a couple weeks. I'm also not a fan of candy sales, but the school only does one a year so I think I'm going to let the boy's participate. They are also having a walkathon coming up, love seeing families getting up and moving together. Plus my all time favorite, in October they start putting their parent volunteers to work. I'm really impressed with some of the non food fundraising they do and the amount of volunteering opportunities they offer.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Why We Left the Charter School

I have been talking about our "new" school. I guess I should explain how this all came about. Six years ago we had moved to our community and Jordan was going into first grade. I had to choose a school and from everyone had told me our public school was no where near a good choice. I had a friend whose children attended a charter school that is very close to our home, and her kids loved it. Not knowing much at the time as to what to look for in a school, I enrolled Jordan. School has always come easily to Jordan so the higher expectations of the charter school were great for pushing him academically. A couple years later I enrolled Joey into kindergarten at the same school. That was the year the school suggested I have him tested for ADHD and he started getting his label as a "problem child".  First grade for Joey was rough because they had to keep switching out teachers therefor teaching styles, due to his teacher being diagnosed with breast cancer. His teachers diagnosis was difficult for Joey and so was the always changing teachers. Second grade wasn't much better; my child who has almost no organizational skills had a teacher he absolutely adored but the teacher was more disorganized then Joey. Joey started getting detentions more than I would have liked due to incomplete assignments or missing assignments (I honestly don't think this was solely because of Joey). Jacob had started at the school about this time, and he excelled in his class (another child that school comes easily to). There were a couple little hiccups but nothing that really go under my skin about the school, and halfway through the year I was hired in as a lunch aide.

Last year is when all the trouble started, mainly revolving around Joey. His label as a "problem child" had not only followed him but the list of reason had been added to. The school had switched their discipline policy and homework policy. So when a kid didn't complete all their assignments they would lose their lunch recess (their only recess). Lunch detention was now for making up assignments the children were sent to sit in the office for any behavioral discipline. Let me just say that Joey is a very active kid, so when he'd lose his recess he ended up with built up energy and had a hard time focusing in class. His not focusing in class lead to him distracting other student, and that landed him in the office for the day. I'm not saying that my child should not have been expected to sit quietly in class, but when my child spends more time in the office than the classroom there's a problem. It became a vicious cycle; Joey wasn't in the room to learn the material, the assignment was not completed, he'd lose recess, his built up energy distracted other students, he was sent to the office where he didn't have anyone teaching the class material. He tried extremely hard to do the assignments, but the school wasn't following his 504 plan; so if he wrote his 15 spelling words 3 times each but not the 5 times like they had asked he'd lose recess (in his 504 it states he needs shorten assignments). One day Joey was finally granted permission to go to recess and he had broken someone's snowball in the process of trying to help them make it smaller; he was given a 2 day in school suspension for destruction of property. I fought to have him placed back in class and the assistant principal literally yelled at me that I was raising my kids to be disrespectful brats. Later she called to apologize and ended up hanging up on me because I wouldn't back down on not having him suspended. I'm sorry, but snow isn't anyone's property (granted the students weren't allowed to make snowballs), and it had been an accident the student and Joey both had told her this.

 
I was not happy with the way things were being handled with Joey and know full well that there were other children who were not being held to the same disciplinary standards. My nephew was also label as a "problem child" until I brought in proof that he was autistic. Jordan had always been placed in the school's enrichment program, where he would have higher grade level work on top of his grade level work, just to help challenge him. The school started marking down his grades for wrong answers on his enrichment work. So my 6th grade honor roll student was now failing because he wasn't getting good grades on his 8th grade math. It started to feel like they were targeting my kids. I decided it was time to look into other schools.

The icing on the cake was 8 days before school was out for the summer, I had taken my boys for their summer hair cuts. This is the 3rd year they had mohawks for the last week of school. I was called into the principal's office and was told they were in noncompliance with the school dress code. Past years this had never been a problem, because technically they nether had carved or sculptured hair. I was told to either "fix" their hair or start our vacation early, that shaving them bald would work as "fixed". That basically left me with no options other to start our vacation. I told him that we'd start our vacation and I wouldn't be returning as a lunch aide. He informed me that he had just receive a request to transfer their records from the other school. He proceeded to inform me that even though I think I'm making the right choice by switching schools, that I'm really not. That my kids will still always be in trouble at their new school or any school I put them in. We had planned on leaving gracefully as of the last day of school, but that didn't look like it was going to happen. We started our vacation that day. I have no intentions of any of my boys being in trouble at any school and don't/won't label them as trouble makers. When he made that comment, I knew that me feeling of my boys being targeted were more founded than I had thought.

So, that's the reasoning behind why we switched. I have no ill feeling towards charter schools in general and I still won't talk poorly about the charter school we left, just the way my family had been treated there. The school does have very dedicated and fantastic teachers, but in my opinion the administration could do with updating.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Back to School

The first day of school looks a little bit differently to each family. Some are dressed in uniforms and some are not; some are returning to schools they know, new schools, or home school. No matter what your kids are wearing or which type of school they attend, the first day back is a big deal. They are excited about moving up in grades and making new memories.

This year for us, we have a lot of new. New school, new routine, new school dress code, and the opportunity for new friendships. In the past my boys have always had to wear uniforms and the only decision they had to make was do I wear the blue or maroon, this year they can wear pretty much whatever they want. Last night it was a process that took about 20 minutes for them to decide what would be the best First Day outfits. Times like these I'm thankful I have 3 boys instead of 3 girls.  :)

Our daily routine has changes due to the boys having different start times. It was just Jordan and I up and moving this morning, the other 2 get to enjoy an extra hour of sleep. After dropping him off and he's blending in much too quickly with the crowd, that I can home and woke the other 2 boys. It was a rather smooth morning, but then again it's the first day back and they were excited to get to school.

Once the younger two got to school, they quickly found their lockers and stored away their belongings and found their desks. Joey has a classmate that we know from our old school. I also bumped into one of Jacob's friend's mom in the hallway, so he'll have an familiar face in his grade too. I took as many pictures as I could without embarrassing them and headed back to my quiet house.

I have to admit, although I miss having them here it is kind of nice to enjoy the quiet. I'm actually sitting down and blogging before 11pm. I cleaned up the house the morning and 3 hours later I still don't have to re clean it yet. I  know myself well enough that sitting in a quiet house won't last long, soon I'll be volunteering in classroom or lunchrooms, looking for a job, or returning to school. While the idea of having the place all to myself is still new and exciting I'll probably try to catch up on some things I can't do when the boys are home like the boxes of pictures that still need to go into the scrapbooks.

New to our school year is also half days, today is one of them. Shortly, I'll have go back and get my boys. So I'm going to go relish my quiet time, hot cup of coffee, and book until its time for them to come home and I get to hear their tales of how the first day went.