Surprising the Hell Out of Me

Last week, on September 11th, the girls' school had a little assembly, just for the kids, in remembrance of what happened 13 years ago.  Wow.  13 years.  None of the kids at the school were even born then.  For them the events of September 11th are what Pearl Harbor is to a lot of us.  It's difficult trying to explain it to them at this age, but we do in a very factual no details sort of way.  They get the idea of it and understand that it's a day where we come together as a country and mourn  the loss of those who died and a bit for our sense of safety.  

During the assembly they do the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the Star Spangled Banner.  I had totally forgotten that they do this assembly until I was headed into the school later in the morning.  

Side note-since I've had all 3 of them in school I have been working for the school part time.  Without pay.  I say that because I have volunteered for a few things that required a ton of my attention this first month of school.  All those closets I thought I'd have cleaned out by now with the girls in school all day, continue to need cleaning out.  I don't know if I will ever have time for anything other than school and Girl Scouts.  Everyone keeps asking me, "What are you doing with all of your free time now?" Yeah-what free time?  Admittedly I do it to myself, because I can't just be one of those moms who drops off her kids and then sits at home watching TV for hours.  So I wanted to help out more.  However, I need to learn when I'm overdoing it.  Of course my mom has never figured that out and she's 63, so I might be  in trouble.  Moving on!

As I was walking into the school, the principal was on her way out.  She knows all three of my girls and, since I'm so involved, me as well.  She stopped me on my way into the school to let me know that Sonya sang the Star Spangled Banner in front of the entire school.  Huh?  MY Sonya?  Long blond hair, 5th grade, "I'm not one for performing" Sonya?  Yup.

Apparently what had happened was this.  Ms. Taylor (the principal) asked Sonya's teacher if she could have a couple of the 5th graders lead everyone in the Pledge.  Well Sonya's teacher immediately picked out Sonya and her best friend Charlotte who are two smart, very well behaved girls.  When they got up there to lead the Pledge, Ms. Taylor joked that afterward they were going to sing a solo of our National Anthem.  Then she laughed it off, but Sonya said "OK".  So they did the Pledge and with microphone still in hand, Sonya went into her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.  In all honesty I wasn't even aware she knew all the correct words to it.  

According to Sonya, she thought Charlotte was going to sing with her, but when Sonya tried to hold the microphone between them Charlotte pushed it back Sonya's way, so she shrugged it off and kept going.  Now I wasn't there to witness this, and I have no idea how she sounded, but who the hell cares?  I was absolutely shocked that my child who tends to embarrass easily and worries what other people will think, got in front of her entire school to belt out a song.  I was also extremely proud of her.  Proud of the fact that she knew the song well enough to perform it and proud of the fact that she had the guts to get up there and sing it.  

It's so interesting to watch your kids get older and turn into these people with their own thoughts, feelings, and ways about them.  This wasn't something I prepared her for or even suggested she do.  It was something she chose to do on her own.  It just shows what an awesome girl she is becoming.  Well, despite the fact that I still get a daily eye roll and a sarcastic comment thrown my way from her most days.  I blame that on the impending hormones.  Hearing about what she did  makes me feel  that Andy and I are doing a good job raising her as a confident, smart, self sufficient young lady.  To go from coaxing her to take a part in the Jungle Book in second grade to her stepping up to sing on her own 3 years later.  It makes me excited to see what she might do next.  Okay and maybe a little nervous, but mostly excited!

Technology Talk

A few months ago we were running out of the house to take the little girls to gymnastics.  At the time, Georgia was on the laptop playing one of the educational games from school.  Either Ticket to Read or V-Math Live.  Either way, she was very involved in the game and not only do I not mind them playing those games, but I encourage it.  Knowing this, she asked me if she could take the computer in the car with her.  

"Well you could, but it's not going to work in the car," I informed her.  

"Why not?" She wondered.  

Then I proceeded to explain that the game was on the Internet and in order to have the Internet you had to have a connection.  She wasn't quite sure what I was talking about so I tried to break it down as best I could for a 6 year old.  

"You see, we have something at our house that is called Wi-Fi.  That keeps us connected to the Internet and hooked up to your game.  When we leave the house the Wi-Fi connection stops and so does the Internet. "  

"So you can't use the computer anywhere else?" She asked.  

"You can, but it has to be someplace else that has a connection to the Internet and they have to let you use it.  There isn't a connection in the car driving around.  Once we get to gymnastics there is a connection there, but you have to do your gymnastics so you won't be able to use it then anyway."

"Can't I just try?" She asked.

Now I could have argued with her and told her no, taking the computer away, but sometimes it's better to let them figure it out for themselves.  Especially when I am already running my typical five minutes late.   So I told her sure, and carried the laptop out to the car where she sat with it in her car seat.  She continued to play her game until we drove two houses down the street and she said, 

"It stopped!"

"Yes, because we are to far from our house and there is no more connection for the Internet.  You understand now?"

"Yeah," she told me.

"That's what I was trying to tell you.  It will only work where there is a connection."

"Ooohhh  Okay!" She said.  I felt pretty confident that she finally got it, but wanted to make sure there weren't any lingering questions so I said,

"Do you have any questions about this?"

"Yes!" She said.  "Just one."

"Okay what?" I asked.

"Why doesn't it work?"

I'm thinking that she might not be headed for a career in computers.