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| One day after kindergarten when she had pigtail buns and just looked so darn cute |
When Odessa started kindergarten almost a year ago, we filled out a form and one question was what did I hope for her to get out of kindergarten and what did Odessa hope to get out of kindergarten? I wrote that Odessa wanted very badly to learn how to read, I wanted her to make friends and learn how to navigate social situations (she hadn't been to any preschooling and her personality is a bit oblivious to social norms). Well, it seemed silly that I was worried. She quickly made lots of new friends, knew everyone in her class and was invited to 3 parties by the end of 3 months. Her goals were also realized- she learned to read and tested in the 99th percentile for reading at mid-term and 93rd percentile for math. After she talked about the tests, we found out she had finally left problems undone because she didn't want to stay in the computer lab anymore! At the end of the year we encouraged her to take her time and finish all the questions. She scored in the 99th percentile in both areas. Her teacher (who once dissuaded us from having her tested for advanced programs) has since suggested that we do so and she will write the teacher evaluation. At the end of the year assembly, Odessa was awarded the Seymour Kaplan Humanitarian nomination with a few of her fellow classmates. All the kids in kindergarten nominate their classmates who are caring, sharing, and stand up for others. We wanted to test both Odessa and Ada this year and if they both qualify for the same advanced programs, then they will attend another elementary school the following year. My requirement is that they are both at the same school, it will be too difficult to have them going to different schools. Odessa has always been super athletic and coordinated, we need to let that bloom by putting her in soccer this fall and t-ball in the spring.
Ada is so ready for kindergarten. Although she will be attending only half days, (the school will not be paying for the full day program and neither will I! Odessa got to attend full day because it was free. Ada will just be taken out at half day every day, pretty crappy) she won't suffer from missing half the day. She was always hovering nearby while Odessa did her homework and she has already started to read. She knows her math skills much better than Odessa did at this point too- it seems any time Odessa learns something, Ada tries to catch up. She is more artistic than athletic, and her sense of color and style has always been instinctual.
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| This is a drawing Ada came up with- Flower Girl, a super hero that waters plants with her watering can and helps flowers to grow |
Franklin- well, he's just nutso clever and picking up so many words and concepts, we can't believe it. We always were told boys were slower, but when he's got 2 older sisters, I guess that's not the case. He not only mimics all kinds of words, he repeats them later in context, constantly surprising us. He knows when he's being naughty and tricky, he has certain facial expressions for both. We were in a classroom yesterday when someone tapped on the door- Franklin ran over and tapped on the door back at the person. Then he looked at me as if to say "why don't they knock back?" and repeated 2 more times. He kills me. He wants to dish his own food, eat just like mom and dad with metal fork and spoon and glass cup with milk. Needless to say, he makes the biggest mess of our 3 kids at this age, but he's the most independent and demanding. When we read scriptures at night, Odessa reads her own verses and Ada tries, then usually repeats after us to finish. I noticed Franklin seemed to be trying to copy. So now I tell him it's his turn and to repeat after me. I say a phrase and he mimics some jumbled phrases. It's beyond cute. He can also go and get something I tell him to get, or throw away. Love him.
My kids are no prodigies or geniuses, but I'm happy they are on the right track and doing well so far!!
I will read this in 8 years when one of them is failing some subject or getting into trouble and just cry myself to sleep. Ha ha.
