Stephanie expressed yesterday her disappointment that she won't be able to work with Kai for an additional year because we'll be moving. She said she loves working with Kai because he's a challenge. She said not only is his reading "amazing" but he can do math too - and when Kai's exuberance turns off the other kids she emphasizes these skills to the others. ("Well, children, Kai may be spinning around you instead of playing with you but boy, can he read!" I wonder if that works.)
She cautioned me about future problems in school. When I told Nate all of this, and said I think Kai is probably MORE than he was at the same age, Nate said, "They had to put me in a box!"
I love this school and think it's perfect for Kai. He's eating "organic fuel beans", he loves pesto pasta, he talks about feelings and emotions, and has still never said that he doesn't want to go to school in the morning.
That said, I don't like the whining that he picks up from other kids. Ugh. And I was upset the other day when he said, "Ansel and Jackson wouldn't let me play soccer with them." I wanted to say, "Well Ansel and Jackson are dumb jerks." But I didn't. And I was upset when he said yesterday, "Ansel said I'm a quitter." Again, gut reaction = "Ansel is a dolt." (I can imagine Kai's difficulty with the task at hand, which according to Kai was picking up rocks for some purpose I couldn't understand.)
The heartbreak is starting! With increased self-awareness comes confusion and hurt feelings and my heart aches just thinking about it. And it's just the beginning.
There was a posting at school with the kids' responses to the question, "How did you feel on Halloween?" For most kids it was, "I was scared." "I was a witch so I was grumpy." "I had fun." Kai's was, "I was really, really, really, really, really happy!" That about sums him up...I don't have to worry about his fragile heart yet.