“in the hymns her mother sings / sunday pulls its children from their piles of fallen leaves”

[larryhammer]

TBD is five years and three months old.

Achievements unlocked these past two months: climbing a full-length wall at the indoor rock-climbing center, riding a horse on a lead, numerical succession, latching and unlatching bike helmet, successive somersaults, the interrupting cow knock-knock joke, swimming with arm floaties

Achievements leveled up: describing experiences we weren’t there for, separation in new social situations (such as drop-off at a new summer day camp), dribbling/shooting/other basketball skills, trampolining, LEGO assembly (again)

A busy two months -- let's see what I can untangle.

We started the summer at a school-based day camp but, due in part to chaos from schools merging, it was not working out. So halfway through we switched gears to a mix of week-long programs, including two rounds at a ranch camp (with farm chores such as taking care of the animals as well as horse riding) and a general sports camp. (TBD lobbied for soccer camp, but we didn’t want to shell out for equipment without clear signs of extended commitment.) Many of the unlocked achievements come from this.

Before excursions up the mountains were nixed by Janni's condition, TBD got heavily engaged in rock scrambling -- including a memorable a couple hours leading me over and around a large mountain outcrop littered with boulders, making traverses I would have had trouble with at ten. After that picnic, they asked visiting the local rock-climbing studio, and the next week successfully scaled the easiest full-height wall their first visit. We’ve been back a couple more times.

We intended this to be a summer of expanding reading and exploring insects. It's turned into one of heavy physical activity and LEGOs. Different skill focuses, okay.

Janni’s heart surgery and recovery meant a lot of time being mad at Mom, which is TBD’s typical cope for emotions they don't know how to handle, especially beforehand. They got significantly less mad once they could visit Mom in the hospital, and since she's been home and visibly improving, very little -- and indeed, has been much helpfulness.

I'm out of the loop on recent media consumption, though this past week Peppa Pig seems to have cycled back. Bookwise, I've been reading aloud mostly chapter books, typically realistic (with a school and friendship focus) or adventure tales, and comic books. Overall bookage is down -- there's been competing interests.

When told that the tooth fairy was a story, TBD asked that if she didn’t come that night, that we do the job for her—and not tell them who left the money. This, the being-raised-Jewish kid who has already written out two versions of a letter to Santa. The will to believe is strong in this one.

One linguistic note: Janni is roughly equally Mommy, Mama, and Mom, while I’m mostly Daddy (or Datty), sometimes Dada, occasionally Dad. Another: irregular past tenses are slowly getting internalized.

Because much talking, talking has been extended conversations, I haven’t been able to jot down most of the interesting ones before forgetting details. We did get these though:

TBD: “We can play any game.”
“Okay, is there any Thing in this room?”
:gales of laughter: “No! I said any game, not an any game!” :more laughter:
(we may soon be ready for Who’s On First)

(while being read a book about mummies, TBD corrected a mention of Egyptian “gods” to “God” and was boggled when it was corrected back; some parts redacted)
TDB: “How can there be more than one God?”
“Some people believe there is.”
“I think there’s one God.”
“I do too, but different people have different ideas about that.”
“God is everything.”
“I do believe that.”
“So how can there be more than one?”

“If Darth Vader were real, do you think he would try to kill Santa because he gives all those presents and is nice?”

“I don’t like kindergarten. Even though I’ve never tried it.”

Which is on their mind because it starts next week. (Later than most of their friends: most local school districts gear up the next couple days -- we had to search for a day-camp program still open.) (Yes, Arizona schools start and end early, compared to most of the country.) No doubt I'll things to report next time.

---L.

Subject quote from Passing Afternoon, Iron & Wine.

Comments

[sovay]

“If Darth Vader were real, do you think he would try to kill Santa because he gives all those presents and is nice?”

What did they decide?

[larryhammer]

I never heard their own decision. They asked a couple handy adults, and the answer I liked best was that Santa can't be killed.

[cmcmck]

I suspect TBD might like this thought from a Quaker of Jewish ancestry- we call it: 'the light within'- God within all things and all beings. :o)

[larryhammer]

I have mentioned this concept, as has Janni & TBD's rabbi. I haven't spoken to TBD much about Quaker practice lately, though, partly because this past year we pulled back on taking them to First Day School because Sundays were otherwise too busy and stressful. But I'm hopeful I'll find other ways it'll come up.

I will say, there are WAAAY more Jewish than Quaker picture books out there.

[cmcmck]

That's probably 'cos there are WAAAY more Jews! :o)

[larryhammer]

True, dat.

[movingfinger]

Ranch camp sounds wonderful!

Will kindergarten involve a bus, or is it part-day?

Best wishes to Janni!

[larryhammer]

We open-enrolled from out of the district, so bus is not an option. We're doing full-day kindergarten but without aftercare, so pickup mid-afternoon. We're still working out how to handle this until Janni's cleared to drive again.