So much happening here and I keep getting very behind in my updates. But while it is fresh, I wanted to let you know that Quince and Alexander have had their first days of school.
First – Alexander. We have been to umpteen stores and back again to many of them to try to get everything required for his school. His uniform has about 1000 items – shirts, shorts, jersey (sweater), blazer, track suit, school hat, black speedo, school towel, school socks, black shoes, black sandals, lunch bag, tog bag (sports bag - Alexander called it a toggle bag), book satchel. And then there are all the clothes and equipment required for his sports. The cricket and hockey equipment cost more than many domestic workers might earn in a month. We had to buy him a cricket bat, ball, huge leg pads, a cup (which they call a box – and that required us to buy jockey underwear since the boy usually wears boxers – I’m not sure he would want me to share that all around), helmet, gloves with an inch of outer padding, white shorts, white shirt, white socks, cricket shoes. That is a lot of stuff – so, you also buy a big cricket bag on wheels so they can lug all that stuff around. (picture a golf bag on wheels)
Hockey – hockey stick, hockey ball, shin guards, special school hockey socks, black shorts, special school hockey shirt, gum guard (mouth guard). Thank goodness he can wear the same shoes for both, though he was lobbying hard for yet another pair of shoes. And then a lock for his locker.
Now we got all that stuff – but then of course, we bought a combination lock and the school requires a lock with a key (and then one must buy a school lanyard to put the key on). So back to the hardware store for that. We got the required mouth guard, but it was too big – so a return to the store to get a smaller one. The white socks said size 4-7 on the packaging, but wouldn’t you know when we opened them up they were 8-14 – back to the store. We bought the last pair of school hockey socks from the school swap shop- and those were used since they’d run out of new. Back to the uniform supply store only to learn they too are out of those socks. Poor boy will have to wear the same used pair day after day.
And for goodness sakes, who knew that a cricket bat had to be “knocked in”. One can do it oneself if you buy a mallet and over time spend about 8 hours knocking the wood to compress it. We are opting to take it back to the store and have a machine do it.
I know this must be boring to read, but it gives you a sense of how we are spending our days (and why I am not sending more regular updates.)
Quince fortunately was much easier – just a regular school uniform, with requisite satchel, lunch bag, and tog (which she calls her toga bag). Of course all hair accessories must be blue, black or white. And believe it or not, underwear must be blue or white. But when Quince saw Alexander come home after a day of shopping with me loaded down with sports equipment she was eager to know if she also needed to get a hockey stick. Alas, no. But we can sign her up for extra-curriculars like karate and ballet – so she too will need some gear.
So, Alexander’s first day was yesterday. First day for him, but really the first day of the 4th term – he will do 4th term of 5th grade and then begin 6th grade in January. He was understandably apprehensive but surprisingly also quite eager to begin school. I took him a bit early so we could get some questions answered, and buy a few remaining items at the Swop Shop (I’m not sure why they spell it swop instead of swap). The Deputy Headmistress asked another boy to buddy with him. I left him with a group of boys outside his classroom – Mr. van der Westhuizen’s room - try pronouncing that. He said a quick goodbye, no fuss, no muss – I guess the embarrassment of having one’s mom hanging around clearly outweighs the apprehension at being left a new school with a bunch of boys.
He had a great first and second day and he seemed to jump right in. They played hangman in Africaans class and he had some brilliant idea, which I didn't fully understand, to help his team play the system and win. He started Zulu yesterday, and said it is hard. They already have some big maths (yes, it does have an "s" on the end) and English test next week, similar he says to the MCAS. In his materials and technology class they will be building something out of legos which he is looking forward too.
His school runs from 7:40am-4:30pm - homework and sport are built into that, so that when he gets home, his homework is all done - yay!!
He likes hockey, and thinks he did pretty well at cricket. We will go to a school hockey match this Saturday - all boys get on a team, a, b, or c - but I'm not clear if Alexander will already be playing this Saturday. That would be hilarious if they put him on the field after only a couple days of practice.
He comes home with stories of what the other boys are telling him and how they joke and play around. The stories sound different to me than what he would tell me from Mission Hill, but I asked him if they are any different from 5th grade boys at home and he said no. In any case, he seems to be making friends quite easily. I am really proud of him!
Okay - Quince. Quince has been so so so eager to start school. The girls and teacher were so incredibly sweet and kind to her when we went on the tour that she couldn't wait to go back. She had a cubby and desk and little pocket thing that hangs on the back of her chair to hold her school books (blank notebooks all of which we had to cover with contact paper over the break.)
The schoolwork is quite traditional - write a word three times to learn how to spell it, workbook gamey kinds of things for math. Homework every night - lord help us. Quince got some spelling homework over the break and she was in tears getting through it, and in fact didn't finish it all before her first day of school, which made her feel very guilty (her words).
Yesterday, it took her about 1 1/2 hours to get through what should have been 1/2 hour of homework had she focused and not complained and yelled and cried. Poor girl - she would have done so well at the Waldorf school here but it is just too far from where we live.
Both morning I've dropped her off the girls have been eager to play with her. When I went to pick her up yesterday she was sitting on the bench with 5 other girls.
She and Bill will go to the father daughter dance this Friday night - we'll report on that!
Hockey – hockey stick, hockey ball, shin guards, special school hockey socks, black shorts, special school hockey shirt, gum guard (mouth guard). Thank goodness he can wear the same shoes for both, though he was lobbying hard for yet another pair of shoes. And then a lock for his locker.
Now we got all that stuff – but then of course, we bought a combination lock and the school requires a lock with a key (and then one must buy a school lanyard to put the key on). So back to the hardware store for that. We got the required mouth guard, but it was too big – so a return to the store to get a smaller one. The white socks said size 4-7 on the packaging, but wouldn’t you know when we opened them up they were 8-14 – back to the store. We bought the last pair of school hockey socks from the school swap shop- and those were used since they’d run out of new. Back to the uniform supply store only to learn they too are out of those socks. Poor boy will have to wear the same used pair day after day.
And for goodness sakes, who knew that a cricket bat had to be “knocked in”. One can do it oneself if you buy a mallet and over time spend about 8 hours knocking the wood to compress it. We are opting to take it back to the store and have a machine do it.
I know this must be boring to read, but it gives you a sense of how we are spending our days (and why I am not sending more regular updates.)
Quince fortunately was much easier – just a regular school uniform, with requisite satchel, lunch bag, and tog (which she calls her toga bag). Of course all hair accessories must be blue, black or white. And believe it or not, underwear must be blue or white. But when Quince saw Alexander come home after a day of shopping with me loaded down with sports equipment she was eager to know if she also needed to get a hockey stick. Alas, no. But we can sign her up for extra-curriculars like karate and ballet – so she too will need some gear.So, Alexander’s first day was yesterday. First day for him, but really the first day of the 4th term – he will do 4th term of 5th grade and then begin 6th grade in January. He was understandably apprehensive but surprisingly also quite eager to begin school. I took him a bit early so we could get some questions answered, and buy a few remaining items at the Swop Shop (I’m not sure why they spell it swop instead of swap). The Deputy Headmistress asked another boy to buddy with him. I left him with a group of boys outside his classroom – Mr. van der Westhuizen’s room - try pronouncing that. He said a quick goodbye, no fuss, no muss – I guess the embarrassment of having one’s mom hanging around clearly outweighs the apprehension at being left a new school with a bunch of boys.
He had a great first and second day and he seemed to jump right in. They played hangman in Africaans class and he had some brilliant idea, which I didn't fully understand, to help his team play the system and win. He started Zulu yesterday, and said it is hard. They already have some big maths (yes, it does have an "s" on the end) and English test next week, similar he says to the MCAS. In his materials and technology class they will be building something out of legos which he is looking forward too.
His school runs from 7:40am-4:30pm - homework and sport are built into that, so that when he gets home, his homework is all done - yay!!
He likes hockey, and thinks he did pretty well at cricket. We will go to a school hockey match this Saturday - all boys get on a team, a, b, or c - but I'm not clear if Alexander will already be playing this Saturday. That would be hilarious if they put him on the field after only a couple days of practice.
He comes home with stories of what the other boys are telling him and how they joke and play around. The stories sound different to me than what he would tell me from Mission Hill, but I asked him if they are any different from 5th grade boys at home and he said no. In any case, he seems to be making friends quite easily. I am really proud of him!
Okay - Quince. Quince has been so so so eager to start school. The girls and teacher were so incredibly sweet and kind to her when we went on the tour that she couldn't wait to go back. She had a cubby and desk and little pocket thing that hangs on the back of her chair to hold her school books (blank notebooks all of which we had to cover with contact paper over the break.)
The schoolwork is quite traditional - write a word three times to learn how to spell it, workbook gamey kinds of things for math. Homework every night - lord help us. Quince got some spelling homework over the break and she was in tears getting through it, and in fact didn't finish it all before her first day of school, which made her feel very guilty (her words).
Yesterday, it took her about 1 1/2 hours to get through what should have been 1/2 hour of homework had she focused and not complained and yelled and cried. Poor girl - she would have done so well at the Waldorf school here but it is just too far from where we live.
Both morning I've dropped her off the girls have been eager to play with her. When I went to pick her up yesterday she was sitting on the bench with 5 other girls.
She and Bill will go to the father daughter dance this Friday night - we'll report on that!
What a true adventure! When shopping for school brings more surprises than a visit to the animal park, you know you're having fun! :) It's so nice to see and hear how the kids are soaking it all in. Can't you just see their minds expanding?
ReplyDeleteMissing you!
Jill