School Days – new school shoes and nicknames

It’s seemed like the last week of school days whizzed by, being the first back after the half term.  Even N said it had gone quickly, but then got confused when I tried to explain how it feels like time’s going past quickly when you’re enjoying it and slowly when you’re not.  All those little phrases and knowledge that adults take for granted, but turn out to be more illogical than we might think when explaining them to children.

This week’s School Days

VIP twice

N was VIP twice this week.  I’m really pleased for him because he hadn’t been VIP for a long time.  Personally I’m still waiting for him to be learner of the week, or star of the week again, but he’s just as happy with VIP.  I was especially chuffed though  because the first one he got for doing good number work.  Usually it’s for helping clear up and not school work, so I’m impressed that he’s been doing good enough work to be noticed.

Parking spots

N was most indignant when I decided one morning to park in the space that the head teacher always parks in.  It’s not reserved and she was away with the Year 5/6 class trip so I thought I’d just pull in there.  She being away, meant N’s teacher was acting head so N announced that was now known as Mr H-R including the proper head’s name.  It’s very odd the way children think, but N found it very funny making up the name.

Unknown sports

N’s class usually have tennis on a Monday afternoon but this week he said they did another sport.  I’ve no idea what sport it was, what it involved.  Hopefully tennis during school will be back for the, although N is still enjoying the after school tennis club.  I must take some flexi time off so I can leave a bit early one day and pick him early so I can see how he’s doing with it.

Nicknames

For all N’s telling me he doesn’t enjoy football, it turns out that he plays football with some of the Year 2 boys and his best friend.  I’m presuming it’s his cousin who lets them play, and when I asked if N ever actually kicked the ball when they played, he told me of course, and that he had to tackle the older boys to get the ball.  I was quite astounded. But pleased he’s making an attempt.  It seems the older boys have given him the nickname Nathaniel Clyne although he seemed quite scornful because he didn’t understand why.  Irony doesn’t work with 5 year olds.

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Sports day practice

Sports day is in a few weeks, so they’ve been practising their races.  N’s year has so many boys and only 2 girls that the girls are having to race in with the boys – and they’re just splitting the class into 2.  I guess that’ll work for this year, but a bit sad for the girls in future years where the difference in sport between the boys and girls is likely to divide quite a lot.

N says he’s enjoying doing the sports day, although the sack race isn’t a favourite.  Instead, the egg and spoon race is creating a lot of talking points about the type of ball they’re using (a hockey ball was mentioned but I’m sure he must mean more like a unihoc ball rather than full on hockey ball!).

More new trainers and school shoes

The saga with the trainer decision from before is still ongoing.  The curly elastic laces definitely mean there’s a knack for putting the trainers on, which means N still can’t put them on on his own – the elastic is just too hard to pull.  So I’ve resorted to buying another pair of trainers that he can put on (annoyingly the ones I originally wanted him to have), and he’ll keep the others for the farm.  My plan is to put the laces back in which means hopefully he’ll start learning how to tie them.

And yes, new school shoes.  On the Monday after half term, N announced that his shoes were too short…after checking for me earlier in the week.  Trip to Matalan failed (lots of 10s and 12s, no 11), but Tesco had 2 possible pairs, and 1 fitted perfectly.  £14 for leather shoes  is a bargain and not too painful even if they only fit for the next 5 weeks until the end of the school year.

Change of reading books

Yet again N’s had a change of reading books.  He’s been bringing home 3 books each time (so 6 books a week) although they’re a different range (Storyworlds) .  Oh but they’re so tedious. Some are reference books, others are stories, but all are so repetitive it’s like going back to the beginning stages of reading again, but with slightly harder words included.  We’ve also gone down from 20 pages of reading to 6 or 7.  I’m presuming we’re now just trying to get through different types of books, but how I long for Biff, Chip and Kipper again. At least we’ve been able to read a few of these in the meantime, even though N insisted that they were only allowed to do level 2 books, and I’ve been saying level 3.

Having dull books again means it’s harder getting him to read them, although it does mean he does a lot more observation and chat about the books.