We have a routine when Lexi gets home from school every weekday afternoon: coat and shoes off, lunchbox unloaded, folder out and homework done. I like to check the folder to see what other papers have made their way home. These papers are usually a hodgepodge of things the kids have done in class, from art projects, to typing class achievement sheets, to math lessons, to homework that has been given back and graded.
Just so you know, Lexi thoroughly enjoys school. It’s one of the big things I share with her from my many years in school, and academically she is incredible. She is great at the common core math bonding problems, she reads above grade level, and she is wonderful at knowing what’s expected from her, and then doing it. The problems for her come in the form of comprehending social norms and her social interactions with her peers. Case in point is a conversation I had with her this week:
Me: How was school today?
Lexi: Great! Can I have my iPad?
Me: No, not so fast. What do you mean by great?
Lexi: You know, a regular day.
Me: So what special did you have today?
Lexi: I had gym. Can I have my iPad now?
Me: We barely started talking. So gym. What did you do?
Lexi: We played bowling.
Me: So how did you do at bowling?
Lexi: I did good.
Me: You did well.
Lexi: [rolling her eyes] That’s what I said.
Me: Really, though. How did you do?
Lexi: Well, I did okay, but Tara* didn’t. She got her ball taken by Penny*. And she was going to make a strike too.
Me: How did Tara react when Penny took her ball?
Lexi: She was okay with it. But I wasn’t. I got upset. She was going to make a strike.
Me: So what did you do about it?
Lexi: I told Mr. Cool* and he let Tara bowl it again.
Me: And did she get her strike?
Lexi: No, she missed all the pins that time. But I was next to them and I knocked them over for her. She deserved it.
Me: What happened then?
Lexi: Well, Mr. Cool made me sit down for five minutes because I didn’t play fair.
Me: Do you think you deserved that?
Lexi: No. I was just doing what I thought was right. Can I have my iPad now?
Me: Sure, have your iPad, but stay off of youTube.
Lexi: Man!
Me: That’s “daddy” to you. And Lexi, I’m proud of you for telling Mr. Cool what happened.
Lexi: Yeah.
Me: Yes.
Lexi: That’s what I said.
Sam
*Names have been changed.
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