The short break is already forgotten and a few thoughts

I had a lovely break of ten days, and I have been back for the second day at work.
Of course it was way too short, and I would have liked to be with Little Miss this week as well.
We did not go away as the budgets are too tight! But we did make the most of it!
(Slumping on the coach and catching up with comedies are not that bad...)

Little Miss also played mornings (I can't say sunrise, because she is such a late riser! Bonus!) until past sunset with the friends in the complex. (Definitely a perk of complex living!)

We also did a breakfast here and there, which is lovely if you want to get out of the house! (And cheaper than lunch or dinner eating out!)

Some thoughts from the break

1. How I wish I could spend more time with Little Miss. We don't see her when she is most alive and active for most part of the week. She is such an interesting little being, and getting more interesting each day!

2. I woke up the previous night with both her hands around my neck. I asked her what she was doing, and she said that she was trying to cool down. She had a bit of a fever. That was precious, and I know I will miss these bed-ventures! (Because we still stay with her in her bed until she falls asleep or when she calls to us at night!) (This is passing way too quickly!)

3. Little Miss brought back a stunning report card, and when we saw the teacher just before the break she had only good things to say! Her being small and young does not impact on her abilities and learning capabilities in class. I am sure the OT sessions from the previous year really helped!

4. I did not have a computer at work the previous week, and when I came back after another week, it was still down. I was interested in how much it bothered me. (Even during the break!) I was feeling demotivated, questioning my existence and wondering if the Universe is trying to tell me something! It is not nice not to be able to work, and I am loving being up and working again! (Can you believe it?!!)

5. It is strange having an Eldest going off to work and having to work around her schedules as well! I also love the fact that she is starting to earn her own living and also her enjoyment of driving around in her own car!

6. We still have Easter eggs left, and that did not help weighing in this morning... *sigh*


Back to work!

Did you have a nice break, and what did you do? (You can even tell me about your beach or bush adventures! ;-) Next time it will be us!)


Photo at the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens on Monday. It was a lovely day for a short hike!

Two wheels' milestone and a report card

Little Missy was adamant the previous weekend that her dad must take off the extra two wheels on her bicycle. She is ready for the two wheels!

Her dad had to hold onto her for the first two days, but on day two she had mastered going forward on her own.

First time without the extra wheels!

Making new friends on her bike

Blurry, but there she goes!

Little Missy is five and a half now, and although I don't do the monthly updates any more (who's putting on the brakes now?), we are loving her energy at the moment.
(And getting tired by just watching her.)

She is forever doing cart wheels and hand stands and head stands. And getting better and better at it! She can spin a hula hoop for a very long time!

Little Missy got a very good report card from the school. The teacher is happy with her, and says that she is working hard when she is supposed to be working hard, and enjoy playing with all the children in her class. She can't think of any reason why she should not be able to continue to Grade One next year!

We are extremely relieved after we found Grade R to be a bit of a bummer in the beginning of this year! Little Missy loves her teacher and her class, and misses them when it's not school. With the midweek break she was counting the days to going back to school again.

We even had two mornings in the past month  where Little Missy announced at 6 am that she wanted to do a speech that day and I had to notify the teacher. It is something they are encouraged to do, but not enforced. She grabbed paper and pencils and was off in the car while vigorously sketching on a tray. (Hope it is not a peak into her future studying methods?) Apparently the teacher says it went very well! We can't get her to do the speeches for us as well...

And of course, her teacher knows best and e-v-e-r-y thing, and her commands are obeyed to the letter. If I smuggle in a little sweet in her lunch box (bad mother!), it gets voluntarily dumped in the dustbin! "No sweets in my lunch box, Mom!"

This is a very interesting age!

Mid-year report

Little Missy is doing well at school!
I was totally surprised to learn that she can say all the months of the year! (We did not think to start teaching her ourselves, and here she is doing it.)

We still need to focus on concentration and listening skills!
So we got lists of stuff to do at home!

But she got a mention for her creative work!
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She has been approved for Grade R, and I felt like dancing! I don't know what we would have done if otherwise...
Happy holidays! For the lucky ones! (Not us! :-()
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Please hold thumbs for The Student who is writing 2 subjects tomorrow! Thinking if you!

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The first feedback in Grade RR

We had our feedback session with the Little Missy's teacher the previous week.
(Before I forget, I am writing down the important points.)

It seems that most of my fears of her being so young are unfounded. Her birthday is in December which makes her a bit younger than most of her classmates. But her teacher believes that it is better to keep them with their age group, and that she does not perceive any problems of our Little Missy not going to Grade R.

Grade R is of course the final goal for Little Missy!
She thinks that she will arrive when she gets to Grade R.

She must be able to do the following: 
(Which apparently is not yet fully mastered)

- She needs to start helping with small tasks.
- She needs to be able to pack her own suitcase.
- She should be able to listen to the teacher.
- She must exercise her cutting skills.
- And: We have a whole list of stuff to exercise at home. (Which was handed out to all the parents)
(Wow! So small, and so many things to do and know already!)

The teacher tells us that she has a bit of a smart mouth on her:
- She retorted when she used a very bad swearword: "It's not me, it is my voice!"
- She was hitting another child, and when reprimanded: "I am not hitting her, I am giving her a hiding!"

The tantrums are also used very selectively, and also more than we expected.
(*sigh* We know! We still see it at home, but thought that it was more under wraps at school!)

She also has a best best friend, and even in the first week the teacher told me that they were very close. The friend calls the shots, and Little Missy follows.
Jade knows best! She knows everything!
The teacher has them seated at different tables, and she has a rule that they can't help or stand next to each other when they get an assignment.
The teacher overheard her once when she was waiting for Jade, and Jade kept on doing her own thing: "Jade I love you so much! Please come!"

Little Missy says that Jade just wants to play with her and no one else, but we see Jade playing with many other friends.

Always tough on the little ones when they focus on someone and don't see the other friends waiting on the side! (I see other friends hanging around when I go to fetch her in the afternoons...)
I will keep on telling her that it is good to have more than one friend!

I don't think boys have so many issues with friends?

A mediocre report

Report card coloured in by the toddler

The Toddler got her middle-of the year report yesterday! Except for receiving very good marks on her relationship with her teachers and fellow class mates, she got very mediocre scores!

She was moved to a bigger class  a couple of months back, and most of the children in her class are older (nearer to 3) than her. (What to do with a strict teacher)

She is two and a half years! I am thinking they are evaluating them on things that is way too early!
I will try to focus on some of the issues, such as balance and colouring in, but I am not going to be too worried now!

Or should I be? Should I already go and try to address these issues?
Maybe I am too complacent because I am an older mom, and tends to think that things will sort itself?

What are your take on a report card for the two year olds?

This morning at day care: Look, Mom, I've got my R5 coin for the sweets today!

I am linking up with Kristi at Live and Love Out Loud and her Crazy Days of summer theme. (Yes, I am jealous!) Her theme this week is yellow!
The report card is yellow! Can't you see?

The end of the school year for the toddler & report card

Friday was the last day of the school year for this year. It feels longer, because most children were already on “holiday” two weeks earlier. They just went to fetch their report cards on Friday. A logistic nightmare for working parents, of course...

The day care also closed for the year. The toddler has completed a whole year in her class.

The toddler got her report card:

• She listens to her teacher.

• Creative activities: She does finger pant; building with blocks; play with dolls.

• Cleaning in class: She tries her best.  (Is there a child who eagerly helps with cleaning up?)

• She has adapted very well in class.

• Eating: Very well. She begins to eat on her own.

• Friends: She prefers playing on her own.

• Sharing of toys: She struggles with sharing of her toys. (This is especially hard for singletons. I know from previous experience with the teen...)

• She knows all the parts of her body.

• Extra commentary: "She is a very good little girl and loving towards her teachers. But she bites her friends when she does not get her own way. She loves playing in the sand pit. It is a pleasure to have her in class. She loves listening to stories"

The biting is a big concern. She does not bite us at home. I hope that enough positive reinforcement of good behaviour and a bit lot of pep talk will take care of this.

Things to focus on/learn for the New Year:

• Sharing.

• Not acting in a negative way (hitting and biting) when not getting her own way.

The biting issue rears its ugly head every now and again. *Sigh*

Related post:
Day care woes and first report card

Day care woes and first report card

The working mother has a daily nightmare. Worrying about the day care and leaving your child in the care of somebody else is a daily niggle at the back of your mind. Especially if you leave a crying child, or a very sad face, in the hands of somebody else.

Even more so when you pick your baby up from school (last Thursday), and see that she has not had anything to drink for the whole day. When you taste the “milk” bottle, you find that they have mixed the milk powder with the fruit juice. (Horrors!)

I have spoken to the people before about giving Mieka all her bottles during the day, and it really bugs me when I see that she as only offered the one bottle during the day. Apparently it is also problem to not heat up the bottle in the microwave... (One of my pet peeves - I do not heat food or anything else for Mieka in the microwave.)

I wrote a long letter to the school again on Friday, to ensure that there is no misunderstanding. I do hope it is the last time I have to ask them. Next time: Powerwoman to the rescue! (Determined face!) I will take it to the head of the school, or else! (You know what! Mothers do not keep quiet when their children are involved.)

Mieka got her first report card back from the day care:

• It states that she is a “pleasure in class.” (That’s our little girl! Big smile by Mom!)


• “She is too young for certain activities.” (Is she in the right class?)


• Also that she has adapted well! (Big smile again!)


• She apparently also has a problem with putting stuff away – she has to be “encouraged”. (We are working on that! Wink smile!)

I like getting feedback in the form of report cards. It helps us to focus on the areas where there is still a developmental need. I will focus more on teaching Mieka about the identification of her body. She could only identify a few of her body parts. (Does she need to know all of them by now? She is 17 and a half months old.)