I usually do an update about the kids and school when I post their school pics. I will try my best, but it's actually the end of the second trimester while I'm writing this (even though I will post it in 2019) so I can't really remember everything that was said at the first parent-teacher conferences. And I don't have a lot of papers sent home either and I never throw those away so I'm not sure why I haven't seen as much. But regardless, it's pretty easy to summarize my kids reports. There was nothing but good things said.
Kylee is in Honors Language Arts and History, which is a two hour block with two different grades, but the same teacher and I guess they are kind of blended together. It's been good. The teacher is a good teacher and not too hard on them. But they do have to do a lot. She's in Algebra with her favorite teacher from last year (Emfield) who never gives homework and she's doing great there. All her teachers said she's well-behaved and does great with everything. Same old. She did end up with a couple A- in 2nd trimester. She missed 9 days of school between our vacation and being sick, so that probably has something to do with it. I want my kids to try hard and not settle for just okay. So that is why I ask her to try and make up quizzes and tests that she doesn't score as well. 1st tri she did, and she ended up with a 4.0. But 2nd tri she told me "when she grades the other stuff I turned in, it will bring it up." But it wasn't quite enough. I am not mad about an A- or two. But I want her to do her best and work towards scholarships starting next year. But she's great at getting done what needs to be done with very little reminding from me and zero help (because parents know nothing I guess). Occasionally she will forget about her homework until 10pm and we are never happy about that. But usually she's on top of it. If only she would practice piano as willingly.
Her teachers all pretty much said I look just like Kylee when I met them (Kylee wasn't with me). Every time someone says this, I think "you should see her dad." But I don't mind Kylee being my twin. She copied my hair and my height. She has her dad's long legs though. And his eyes (lucky her.)
It has been a great year for Dylan. He has the same teacher this year as last year and she has said he seems to have mellowed out a bit and matured. He's smart and kind and he does well. At the beginning of the year he came home asking to be moved down to the lower math class. They have him in the higher one, and his test scores say he should be in the higher one, but he felt a little overwhelmed and his teacher mentioned something about moving down. She told him he needed my permission and he said, "well she's not going to let me." Sure enough, I did not. I told him I would help him every day to understand anything that he didn't catch. And at first I did help him once or twice. But since then I've only helped him on maybe three assignments. He usually finishes in class. He hasn't even needed much help on Imagine Math, which I usually had to walk him through every lesson. So maybe he's just on a lower pathway in that, or maybe he's catching on quicker. I've talked to him about studying for spelling tests because he doesn't always get those all right. But he always tells me his words are pretty easy and he doesn't need to. Like I said, it's been a pretty chill year for him. Maybe that means he needs to be pushed more? Or maybe he's just figuring this thing out. There have been a handful of times where I looked at his grades and told him he needed to re-do tests or assignments that were bringing down his grade. He doesn't love that, but he's done okay. He's a smart kid. I don't know why his reading level is bouncing all over. I think it just depends on his level of focus on the day of the test. But he's definitely fine.
Sadie is a bright kid! She reads a lot. She scores high on all her testing. She has got multiple "awards" in her class for having the most Accelerated Reading points or being the "popcorn reader". She aces all her spelling tests (probably because she actually studies using Spelling City at school). She's very social but seems to avoid drama mostly. Occasionally she will have friends that want to play with just her, or some drama between two of her friends. But she doesn't seem to ever get in the middle of it, and she never comes home sad because of friends.
I've always thought my kids have large vocabularies. Dylan will use a phrase or saying or word and I will wonder where he learned it. I assume it was from books. Kaden uses words that seem too mature for him also. I hadn't thought much about Sadie until Kylee shook her head one morning at something Sadie was saying in the other room and Kylee says, "I don't think I knew that word when I was in 3rd grade." The word was 'subtly'. Then right after Sadie said, "stop criticizing me!" (Still in the other room, speaking to Dylan). A week or two later Sadie said, "it's been rejuvenated!" And at this point Kylee and I just look at each other and shake our heads. Sadie was like, "is that what that word means?" Ha ha. I say, "I'm not sure where they get it." Then Kaden asked if something was hot and I said, "it's just slightly warm." And he goes, "what does 'slightly' mean?" I laughed and looked at Kylee and said, "I guess maybe they get some of it from me."
You know, I feel like I can relate to Sadie a lot. She reminds me of myself when I was young. Although Kylee is more similar to me right now in my adulthood, Sadie is like I was as a child. She's social, excitable, smart and school is easy for her. But mostly, she has the youngest child syndrome even though she's not the youngest. She has two older siblings who talk down to her and make her feel dumb even though she's very bright. So I relate. I hope I'm right and so I can continue to relate to her as she gets into more difficult years. Raising teenagers these days is scary.
Since Kaden doesn't have a school picture, I'm using his cute soccer picture. It was pretty fun coaching this little team.
Kaden is great. He's quite smart and getting more independent every day. He likes to do things himself, like climb on the counter and get bread down and pop it in the toaster. He can finally get his shoes on (the ones with a tongue and straps, he has been able to do others for a long time) and can even do shin guards and soccer socks. He takes care of his business in the bathroom all by himself now for the most part. He can adjust the water in the shower and wash himself. He has been buckling himself in the car for awhile now. Yes, life is getting pretty good.
There was a time when I worried if he would struggle with learning. After his 12 month shots when he stopped talking and seemed to have verbal problems, I had no idea what the long term effects of those toxins on his brain would be. But he has blown me away at his vocabulary and his ability to learn letters, numbers, letter sounds, minutes in an hour, hours in a day, recognizing numbers up to 100,000, adding small numbers, counting by 10s, 5s, and 2s, and reading. The kid loves numbers and time and money. And he reads really well! I'm pretty sure he's doing better than any of the other kids at this age. But it's hard to tell because technically Dylan and Kylee were both in Kindergarten when they were 5 1/2. I'm certain he is better at numbers than any of my other kids. They were all pretty great readers. As I help him work and learn, I think to myself how blessed I have been with these kids that do well in school. It seems like most families have some that do well and some that really struggle. Walking away from PTC I feel so blessed and can't quite believe that this could be this easy. Maybe I should knock on wood. I guess anything can happen but right now, at least this aspect of child-rearing is going pretty darn great.
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