David Weekly, V3 - 32

My friend James brought to my attention something I said last week: David's maturity level and academic achievement will be on par or more advanced that others in his peer group.

David's last swim lesson was October 30. He graduated to the next group, but we'll be waiting until the spring (probably April) for more swimming lessons.

Meanwhile, Halloween with David was a blast! We spent Halloween at Mimi's. David was very excited to be giving out candy, and was very parental, in that he would instruct the other kids who were getting candy to "Say Thank You! You're supposed to say Thank You." He was counting the kids as they would come, and announcing it to me: "We need 3 pieces of candy!" or "There's 4 kids!" He had me bring him the candy, so that he could give it out. Eventually, it got dark, and we headed out. David was saying that he really doesn't want to celebrate Halloween, because he doesn't like that it's scary. I told him that he's celebrating it anyway, by giving out candy, and by going trick-or-treating himself, and that it was ok to be scared, which is what it's partly about.

What scared David: insane clowns, super skeleton masks, grave-yards...David said that the best part of Halloween was giving out the candy. When we were walking along, he would skip houses, and I'd have to remind him that he's out to get candy! And then he would go get some. Another thing is that he refused to let me take pictures of him, or if he did let me, then he would make faces. Too funny, that kid. Finally, I told him at one point how happy I am that he's in my life, and that I have him for my son, and he says, very simply, "We're connected, daddy." Made me about cry. I'm amazed at how profound he can be.

So Monday morning, David was asking me about "times", as in, 2 x 3. Trying to explain this to him, while I'm taking a shower, is not easy. In the car on the way to school, I figure it out: "if you do something once, how many times did you do it?" Then I went to twice, three times, four times...and I think he got it a little bit. I also told him that this is hard, and he has to work to understand, and not fight me on it. That also seemed to make a bit of a dent, since he was a bit more receptive to what I was trying to tell him.

The rest of the week flew by: Measured by his discipline gems (his behavior in school), he got three greens and two oranges. So, a good week, but not a great one.

David started his Tae Kwondo after-school program, and managed to get his white belt "early": by the end of the week. That means that his behavior was really good. It's a good thing since usually kids get their white belt during the first week or two, but David earning it even one day early says good things. He's learned rather quickly to ask for permission to leave (when he sees me, he doesn't just leave without telling anyone), and he bows to the teacher before getting his stuff.

David was also telling me about "Intervention", which is where he got the oranges. Intervention, I found out later, is simply like a reading group, but it's not, because reading groups are part of "centers"...which I don't completely understand all of this. I think maybe sometime soon I'll take a day to get to know the deep inner workings of kindergarten, because, even Ms. Perez says it's too complicated.

Friday night was hard for him, since I had to stop by and give Mimi his clothes and stuff for the weekend, because he stayed with her. She told me later that David very loudly proclaimed: "I love my daddy more than anyone else in the whole world!" He was merely upset that he wasn't going home with me...poor kid. But he had fun with Mimi.

That's a week with lots missing.

Rusty