We've had some big adjustments as the kids have transitioned from homeschooling to public school this year. As I sat one evening before school had started with Logan saying prayers he asked me, "What if my teacher is deaf?" I assured him that he would not have a deaf teacher because he doesn't know sign language. It wouldn't work. He took a deep breath and then goes, "So she probably won't be blind either!" He sounded so relieved. I mean, I knew they didn't know what to expect, but he really had no idea what school was going to look like.
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Friday night of his first week of school, as we sat down for bedtime stories, Logan started telling us about his school day. It was a student's birthday in his class and they had cupcakes. Once the cupcakes were passed out, Logan started eating... and the whole class began yelling at him because he had taken the first bite.
He was homeschooled.
And our family, at family parties, doesn't abide by the "first bite" rule.
How was he to know?
He didn't.
And he paid the price for it.
The kids laughed and yelled at him.
When he told us that he was mad about it, Josh and I said we might have also been embarrassed, had it been us who made the blunder. A few minutes later he admitted that he was embarrassed. Nearly to the point of tears.
I can just picture him there, cupcake filling his mouth, red from his cheeks to his forehead, trying not to cry, and it breaks.my.heart. I feel my kids' feelings with a distressing amount of empathy, and I kept having waves of heartache wash over me after he shared his story with us. I hate that he had to experience that kind of humiliation. But I also know that those kinds of things build character, and that he is less likely to laugh at someone breaking social rules because he knows that maybe not everyone knows the rules.
He shared his mistake with his brothers so they won't make the same mistake, and we hugged him and told him we were sorry we didn't think to let him know.
I have a feeling this will just be the first of many "homeschooled kid" moments that he (and his brothers) will endure this first year. I hope my heart (and his) can stand it.
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As I was walking home from dropping the twins off Friday morning, I walked past the high school, and heard them doing the Pledge of Allegiance over the loudspeakers. It suddenly hit me that our kids don't know the pledge and would need to learn it.
When we all got home together that afternoon, I asked Jack about it. He goes, "Oh no, mom. I know the Pledge of Arregiance!" We laughed and laughed together. So adding to the list of "Things to Learn in Third Grade" is the pledge.
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The twins are behind in math thanks to some crummy kindergarten curriculum a few years back, but thankfully that and a bit of a distraction issue are the only academic things holding them back. I am hoping with time their ability to focus despite distractions will improve as they adjust to a classroom of 25 kids.
I'm just so so proud of them. They are so enthusiastic and brave. And despite any challenges, they go back each day for more. I hope I can be just like them when I grow up!