my life as a crocheter & knitter & working mom

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Freya update and things to remember about B

So, that sweater I started knitting for my mom last Monday? I finished the right front last night. So it's sitting waiting with the back and left front for me to knit up the sleeves. This has been a super fast knit. Granted, gauge is 11 st/4" on US 11s. I'm knocking out whole pieces in a day or two (I didn't knit much at all over the weekend). I really should have taken pictures of the pieces so you'd believe me. I'm casting on for sleeve 1 tonight.

So, about the B. Monday, when I picked him up at daycare, the other 3-year-old teacher (not that she's three, her class is) told me that B had done some redecorating. Seems during arts and crafts, he'd decided he didn't like that the chair was yellow and proceeded to color it front and back. Not a huge deal, the crayons do wash off the chairs, but every single time she asked him if he was going to color on the chairs again he'd say "yes."

Of course, she asked me to talk to him. I explained, as she probably already had, that we don't color on chairs, only on paper. He seemed to understand, but when I asked him if he was going to color on the chairs again he said "yes."

After a few iterations, I got a little frustrated and told him that he should say no when we asked because he knows he's not supposed to do it. I was a little sharp with him because I know he understands but I couldn't figure out why he was saying "yes."

Later, after a few quiet moments in the car, he said "Mommy."

I said, "yes, B." and waited for him. Then I said "you wanted mommy's attention and I'm listening to you."

He then told me "I no color on chairs anymore."

The next morning, before he got out of the crib he said, "No color on the chairs, color on paper only, right?"

I don't know if he's gotten around to telling the teacher that yet, but when I told the story to Hubby, it dawned on me why he might have been saying yes. When I tell him what we're going to be doing (especially when I know it's not something he'll necessarily agree with) or when I explain that he's not supposed to do something, I end with the phrase "do you understand." And he always answers "yes." I think he had processed that he wasn't supposed to color on the chairs and just wasn't interested in the conversations about not coloring on the chairs anymore, so he was trying to say what he thought we wanted to hear.

He's been coming back at me the next morning with things a bit lately. Monday we had argued about not wearing shorts (it was very chilly). Tuesday, he told me he had to wear pants because it was too cold for shorts.

That kid.

Hubby was a little put out on Tuesday at Back to School Night. B's teacher had used him as an example quite a bit (particularly pointing out that B knows all of his letters). I think he felt it reflected negatively on B, I think that it had more to do with where we were sitting. And the fact that you can never overlook the B. He may be shy sometimes, but when he gets going, you know he's there!

1 comment:

Amy Lane said...

It was probably because she knows you--you're involved parents and she has a rapport with you. I know I will use the kids that I've dealt with in the past as an example because I feel more personally connected to the student and the parent. Sometimes, especially if the interaction was negative, because I want to let everybody know that the learning experience is over and we can continue in a better place. (And I always feel so bad when I misunderstand the Cave Troll--he's always so earnest when he chooses to impart his wisdom upon us!)