little rascal

The kids are back in school! The kids are back in school! Abby has entered 2nd grade with little ado. With the same kids, same teacher, same classroom, it was a pretty easy transition for her, and for me for that matter. I feel much more at ease this year with the school, philosophy, and culture of a Waldorf education.

Gage, on the other hand, is not quite as comfortable with his new routine as his older sister. First of all, the kindergarteners prepare their snack at school as part of their curriculum. Gage is a very picky eater and I am anticipating a ravenous little boy by the time I pick him up from school for lunch. After the first day of school, upon asking Gage what he thought he replied, "School is pretty cool. But I DO NOT like snack time. It would have been better if it was bananas and CHIPS instead of bananas and 'branola!'" He is still complaining about having to eat "branola" every Wednesday.

The second day of school was a little better. They each had to take a vegetable to make soup. He got to cut up his cucumber from our garden, but when the eating time came, he only ate the broth. He also informed me that "you will still grow big and strong if you don't eat vegetables, just not as fast!" Hmmm, interesting theory.

I ask him everyday, "Did you make any friends?" He replies "Yeah," and proceeds to tell me all about how him and "Little Rascal" were playing tag in the park, and how he wrestled "Little Rascal" into the mud, and that "Little Rascal" doesn't like "branola" either. So I ask him, "Who is 'Little Rascal?'"
"Oh, he's my friend."
"Well, what's his name?"
"I don't know, so I just call him 'Little Rascal.'"
"Oh, what does he call you?"
"Gage."
"Why does he call you that if you call him 'Little Rascal?'"
"Uh, becasue I said, 'My name is Gage.'"
"Okay. So, why don't you ask him his name?"
"Do I have to? He doesn't mind me calling him 'Little Rascal.'"
"I think it would be nice."

So, the next day when I picked Gage up from school, he tells me, "Justin. His name is Justin."
"Oh really? That's great! Justin, is that Dezi's little brother?" I ask him. (Dezi is a girl in Abby's class.)
"I dunno," he replies while shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, ask him tomorrow if Dezi is his big sister."
Annoyed, and obviously put out he replies, "Ugh! First you want me to ask him his name; and now you want me to ask him if he's Dezi's little brother?"

Man, that boy cracks me up.