Ms. B’s Thoughts

I have been so Google Ga-Ga during the last week that I finally feel like I am getting my brain refocused and my life back in some sort of order. (Although today I did mess up an IEP meeting…wrote Wed. Sept. 30 on my list…which changed to WED-IEP for the next list…should have used Google Calendar!) Regardless as crazy as it has been, I have enjoyed sharing tid bits of information, connecting online with my expanded network and generally growing my space as a tech educator.  But tonight…it was about settling into a pace of life with my kids.

At 4, 5 and 7, they have a great deal of energy to offer.  They are also sponges for any information I throw their way.  We held a dance party to the new CD’s offered up from my friend Patty.  Ate a relaxing dinner together joking, talking about our day and planning for the rest of the week.  My four year old, Shane,  hit the tub, the five year old, Beau,  was on the old Sony typing all of our names and the alphabet (along with the crazy nonsense typing and the question–What does this spell, Mama? ) and my daughter, McKenna, typed up the 4th installment of her spelling words in her Google Docs account.  (This time her focus was on different font types for each word!) She has been sharing her list with her teacher, Auntie and grandparents and they responded back to her via her gmail account.  She was pumped to have email and spent some time reading the messages and replying back.  They rotated through taking tubs and turns on the computers, taking time out to play a few minutes on the piano or strum one of the guitars lying around.  Shane cleaned off the dry erase board that held McKenna’s spelling words (and the Sammy Rules) from the night before.  He had me “dot” the letters in his name so he could proudly trace them.  It was an easy dance, the pace simple, the mood filled with light-hearted jokes, laughs and learning.  Finally we settled in and read the newest Skippyjon Jones book and laughed and giggled at the funny antics of this beloved character.  Tucked in their beds now, I am catching up, prepping for my classes, both those taught and those taken…but I am filled with peace.  I am busy, for sure, but the time I have with my children is rich and filled with everything I think they need.  Our calendar is not filled with 100’s of their personal activities–we don’t run for this or that.  Nights like tonight reaffirm my belief that I am giving them the best childhood I possibly can…and that is a good feeling.