I finally started as a reading tutor today. It was something I had done years ago in North Carolina, when I worked for companies that encouraged volunteering during work hours. It was a nice break during the week and really helped me keep my so called "issues" in perspective.
I signed up with the BOE to be a tutor long before this school year started and have been rather impatiently waiting for a student to be assigned to me. I had requested a student at A's school but the coordinator said that there wasn't a match at that school for me - either they didn't have any requests (hard to believe) or perhaps they had all the tutors they needed, I don't know. So the coordinator of the program asked if I would consider another school and since the one she suggested was not too far from our house, I said yes. In hindsight, it is probably better that I am going to a different school; A is at an age where he can be quite possessive of me and if he saw me in the hall but I wasn't there to be in his class, there might be hurt feelings.
I met my student this morning. He is in the fifth grade and is a very outgoing young man. We spent today's 30 minute session just talking and getting to know one another, and will start in on the reading next week. It will be good for me to work with someone older than A, to move beyond the "Jack and Jilly" stories that can be quite tiresome!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
It's nice to be nice
Now that we are full-force into the holiday season, A - like most children - has a serious case of the wants. If I tallied up all the toys and games that he has said that he wants, the number would probably shock me. I have to watch the mail and newspaper carefully so that he doesn't seize any more toy ads and add to his list!
One of the lessons that we want to teach him as he grows is that not everyone is as fortunate as we are, and that we should share some of our good fortune. I decided that this year we would participate in Operation Christmas Child, which sends gift-filled shoe boxes to children throughout the world. While I am not wild about the second part of their activities, the evangelizing, at least they are doing something tangible for these children.
We decided to pack a box for a boy in the same age range as A. We went to our local Walgreens on Sunday afternoon and had a great time choosing items for our box: crayons, colored pencils, drawing pad, stuffed animal, Hot Wheels, flashlight, mini Etch-a-Sketch, a ball, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, hard candy...and a few other items that I certainly forgot. All three of us enjoyed shopping and I liked seeing A pick up an item and say "I think he would like this." Of course, we had to occasionally pry an extra toy out of A's hands, but all in all, he got into the spirit of giving to someone else.
The real challenge came when we got home and tried to fit everything into the box! J did a great time of arranging and rearranging, and managed to get everything except one small ball into the box. A and I will drop off the box next week at one of the collection locations - I want for A to have the experience of carrying the box in and seeing it with the other boxes.
Compassion and generosity are not easy lessons to teach, but we are trying.
One of the lessons that we want to teach him as he grows is that not everyone is as fortunate as we are, and that we should share some of our good fortune. I decided that this year we would participate in Operation Christmas Child, which sends gift-filled shoe boxes to children throughout the world. While I am not wild about the second part of their activities, the evangelizing, at least they are doing something tangible for these children.
We decided to pack a box for a boy in the same age range as A. We went to our local Walgreens on Sunday afternoon and had a great time choosing items for our box: crayons, colored pencils, drawing pad, stuffed animal, Hot Wheels, flashlight, mini Etch-a-Sketch, a ball, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, hard candy...and a few other items that I certainly forgot. All three of us enjoyed shopping and I liked seeing A pick up an item and say "I think he would like this." Of course, we had to occasionally pry an extra toy out of A's hands, but all in all, he got into the spirit of giving to someone else.
The real challenge came when we got home and tried to fit everything into the box! J did a great time of arranging and rearranging, and managed to get everything except one small ball into the box. A and I will drop off the box next week at one of the collection locations - I want for A to have the experience of carrying the box in and seeing it with the other boxes.
Compassion and generosity are not easy lessons to teach, but we are trying.
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