A is for Apple

September 9, 2009 By 11 Comments

I am sooo happy that school this week has been terrific for Ace! Yesterday he was chosen as Student of the Week {I type as I beam with pride} and was able to bring home the Clifford backpack which is full of Clifford toys, books and audio CD’s. He is also very excited to be the class line leader and teacher’s helper for the week. It’s a very cool thing to be able to get the teacher’s clipboard out of the closet and place everyone’s name on it. No one else in the class is even allowed to touch it Mom!

He also had his first class project due yesterday. The teacher traced his body and he had to decorate the person to look like himself. First he needed brown hair and a face. Next he wanted overalls on him, because all farmers wear overalls, so I found denim patterned scrapbook paper that he cut up and glued like overalls. I sewed buttons on the top and stitched around the front pocket. Then we cut up an old pair of socks and drew shoes complete with yarn shoelaces.

After that he stood back and took a look at him and said, “Something is still missing.”

So he went and tore the cover off of an old drawing notebook and glued it in the pocket because he always carry a notebook around to write stories and clues in. Then he drew a little komboskini on his arm and asked me to cut out a cross for him. He went on to draw Jesus on the cross, complete with His crown of thorns, nails, speared side and blood.

Ace: This way my whole class will know I’m a Christian and I can tell them what the bad guys did to Christouli.

Me: {smiles}  Very good, honey.  And what’s even more important is to make sure we remember what the bad guys did to him and are very careful not to hurt Him with our words or actions.

 

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Kindergarten Blues

September 2, 2009 By 12 Comments

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted but I’ve been sick at home with the Kindergarten blues.

Ace has been having a really tough time adjusting to Kindergarten which means I’ve been having a tough time too. Just knowing that he’s not happy makes me a nervous wreck. Friday was absolutely terrible. He kept begging me to take him home and I tried everything to calm him down. I even told him I’d come to lunch with him if he took his seat and didn’t give his teacher a hard time. (I’d been to lunch every day that week but I wasn’t planning on going that day because I wanted him to sit with his class and get to know some of the kids.) He just kept crying and telling me he wanted to go home with me.

Finally, I pried myself loose from his hugs and tears and the teacher had to practically drag him to his desk. When I peeked in the window his face was in his hands and he was resting his head on his teacher. She is such a sweetheart and it really makes me feel better knowing she cares. She was rubbing his head and his back to help him calm down. That was about all I could take so I bolted for my car, where of course I busted into tears.

Then lunchtime came and I started crying all over again because I knew he was going to be upset when he realized I wasn’t coming for lunch but I told him I would only come if he settled down and went to seat, which obviously he didn’t. As hard as it is sometimes, I can’t reward improper behavior and Ace knows that.

Later that day when I picked him up from school the first thing he asked was, “Why didn’t you come to lunch? I sat at a table by myself the whole time waiting for you and I was so nervous I couldn’t eat all my lunch.”

I felt like the worst mother in the world.

However, on Monday when he started to cry I told him if he cried like that again I wouldn’t come to lunch again and he stopped immediately and I know if I would’ve showed up Friday, he would have been hysterical again. He was still sniffling and crying a bit but he was really trying hard to keep it together. He went into class to start putting his things away but then he ran out and asked if I’d bring Gaki when I came for lunch. Gaki has been at school with him everyday so far but I made him leave him home on Monday. So I promised I would and then he walked back into his classroom sniffling a little.

As I was leaving one of the parents introduced herself to me and told me that she sat with Ace for a few minutes on Friday.

“He was so worried what about you, we didn’t know what happened,” she told me.

I explained the situation to her and then she said, “Oh good, you’re forgiven then. We thought you just didn’t show up.”

Ummm…thanks. I think. And by the way who is ‘we’? We thought you just didn’t show up? So I wondered who else thought I was a terrible mother. Oh well, sometimes in order for our children to learn we have to teach them lessons. Tough love, as they say. No one will know that I cried harder than he did during that 45-minute lunch period.

Each day has been getting better, there are less tears and a little bit more excitement. He has been coming home all week and playing school, which I’m thinking is a pretty good sign. Every morning he still reminds me 100x to pray for him and he asks how to get rid of the ‘nervous bugs’.

His teacher has asked me to volunteer in a couple weeks and when she announced it to the class he got really excited. I explained to him that the better he behaved the more they’ll ask me to come. They can’t ask parents to come if they know their child will cry every time they leave.

Hopefully by next week he (we) will be adjusted and things will fall into place. We’ve got our first PTO meeting coming up and they have a lot of fun parties and field trips scheduled too and I’m hoping that makes a difference.

Lucky and I have been spending more time doing puzzles and snuggling up to read his favorite books during the day. I’m glad to be able to give him more one-on-one time and his hugs and kisses let me know that he likes it too. So, even though this is a big transition for all of us, things will work out great. We just have to be patient.

I’ve always thought it was so difficult for kids to adjust to school–I just never realized how difficult it is for their parents!! Please keep us in your prayers!

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First Day of Kindergarten

August 24, 2009 By 9 Comments


I am happy to report that Ace’s 1st Day of Kindergarten went very well. I absolutely adore his teacher, she is the sweetest thing. At Meet-the-Teacher Day she had these adorable little treat bags on each student’s desk along with a packet of information for the parents including their class schedules, etc.

The treat bags had these little tags on them:

We woke up, said our morning prayers, had a big breakfast and got dressed. Then we made sure we had all of the things we needed. I loaded his bags of school supplies into the car and he grabbed his backpack and lunchbox and the gift for his teachers.

I wanted to find apple scented anti-bacterial wash but couldn’t so I ended up getting Washington Apple hand soap from Bath & Body Works.

When I dropped him off, I could tell he was a little unsure so I walked him to his desk and asked his teacher if it was ok for Gaki to stay there with him. As soon as she said yes I saw him exhale. I gave him a kiss and he kind of just looked at me and I froze! I didn’t know what to do! If I left would he start crying? If I lingered would it make it worse? So I gave him another kiss and told him I’d see him at lunch (he asked me if I’d come today, I’m not going tomorrow I promise). Then the teacher gave him a paper and told him to write his name on it and to draw all of his favorite bugs inside the jar. I was barely out the door when I heard him tell her, “I like lots of bugs! Especially grasshoppers, they’re cool! Did you know I could catch a fly with my fingers?”

He was in good hands and she was about to meet the coolest Kindergartner ever! :) So I got in the car and cried the whole way home. Luckily I didn’t have much time before I had to be back there for lunch…

At lunch we sat and he ate his bento box lunch. He got kind of excited because all the kids were making a big deal out of his “cool lunch stuff”. This is what I packed for today:

When his teacher came over to the table during lunch I got up to say hello (and secretly ask how his day was going). She told me he was doing really well and then she asked, “Does he speak Indian?”

Me: “What? Indian?”

Teacher: “Yes, he told me he’s Indian and he speaks Indian. But when I asked him which of his parents were Indian he told me neither of you were but he said a few things and I wasn’t really sure, so I wanted to ask.”

Me: “Oh, he’s totally faking it. He just pretends.”

Teacher: “I thought so but you never know!”

We giggled a little and then I went back and finished lunch with Ace. I snapped a picture on my way out of the lunch room and then he shooed me out. So I left. And do you know what I did when I got in the car again? Laughed. I laughed so hard! He is such a little character!

JFYI, this is as Indian as he gets:

When I got home and called my mom she said, “At least he didn’t tell her you hated her, that’s what you told your Kindergarten teacher and I had never met the poor lady!” :) Whoops.

Then I took Lucky to Toys “R” Us for his birthday shopping. They gave him a crown and a balloon and he could have left without anything else and been the happiest kid on earth. My sister had sent him a gift card though so we went browsing through the aisles looking at more toys than he could handle. He didn’t know what to look at first! This was the first time he’s ever really been in there and he just loved it! He picked out a toy for him and one for his “bro-bro”.

Then we picked Ace up and headed off to Dairy Queen for some ice cream. I have to say, the day was much better than I imagined. Maybe I can do this after all…I hope.

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The Night Before Kindergarten Party

August 24, 2009 By 2 Comments

We had our “Night Before Kindergarten” party last night! First we made this school bus cake from Family Fun.

Then as we nibbled our cake and chocolate milk shakes, Ace and I talked about some of the things he was nervous about and I answered some of his questions about his new school.

He was very concerned about the possibility of Gaki not being able to come to school with him. I promised him that I would ask his teacher on the first day and if she said it was ok with her, he could stay.

When we had our fill of school bus cake, Ace, Lucky and I snuggled up on the couch and read some terrific Kindergarten books.

He’s pretty nervous but I could tell when we were reading the books that he was getting more excited about starting school. I think he’ll do much better than I will. Hopefully he doesn’t take after me.

When I started Kindergarten the teachers wouldn’t let the parents walk their children to class. So my mom dropped me off and walked me to the front doors to the school administrators. On her way home (we only lived a few blocks from the school) she looked in her rearview mirror and saw me running behind the car. (Teachers were where?!?) She said my pigtails were flying in the wind and I was screaming and crying.

We had a fun night and after his bath and an episode of Andy Griffith, the boys were both sound asleep. So I finished filling out his school paperwork, packed his lunch and pressed his school clothes.

Wish us luck! I’m going to wake him up now for his first day now!!

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What’s left…

August 20, 2009 By 1 Comment

A trip to the ice cream parlor for Root Beer Floats. One last trip to the Friday Farmer’s Market. One more weekday morning to pull the covers over our heads and sleep in for as long as our hearts desire. A fun-filled Night Before School Party. Just. One. More. [Read more...]

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Back-to-School Traditions

August 11, 2009 By 3 Comments


Most of you know how I feel about Ace leaving me for school. It’s no secret. I hate the thought and burst into tears every time I think about it. I have had an ache in my heart for the last 2 weeks and the closer the first day becomes, the stronger the ache. Where did the summer go? It feels like he just graduated from preschool and was accepted into Harvard a few short weeks ago!

 

I am in constant disbelief that Ace will be starting Kindergarten in just a few short weeks, I am determined to make this time in his life fun and memorable. Our family is big on traditions and so I’ve been trying to find some back-to-school traditions that will be fun for our family.

 

I’ve listed several ideas that I plan on doing to make this special time in mine and my child’s life as memorable and stress-free as possible.

 

Before School Starts:

  • Visit your child’s school. Let him get familiar with his classroom, the campus and if possible his teacher and administrators.
  • Establish both a morning and nighttime routine including prayers, a reasonable bedtime, a bedtime story and a goodnight kiss.
  • Practice things like using the bathroom and washing hands properly.
  • Role play how to ask to use the bathroom, approach a new friend or inform the teacher of a problem.
  • Ask him if he has any fears, questions or concerns.
  • Go for a special treat, like ice cream cones the night before school starts.
  • Have a Back to School Night Party. We’ll snuggle close and read books like The Kissing Hand, Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come, The Night Before Kindergarten, and A Place Called Kindergarten. We’ll also eat yummy treats like pencils (carrot slices with pink marshmallows stuck to the top with toothpicks), pencil shavings (homemade granola), school-themed cupcakes, etc. We’ll also cover some basic safety guidelines.
  • Help less fortunate children prepare for school. We’ll be sending these IOCC School Kits this year!

On the First Day of School:

  • Make a special First Day of School breakfast and/or dinner. Why not try these Butterfly Breakfasts? Or pancakes flat like a piece of paper with 3 holes poked along the edge?I’ll be making this awesome School Bus Cake on the first day. Family Fun provides the video and recipe for this sweet treat.
  • Send an apple for the teacher. Perhaps in the form of apple-scented antibacterial wash or lotion.
  • Send them off with something special. Last year for the first two months of preschool Ace took his Gaki, bka Curious George, in his backpack. Although it could be anything a pet rock (yes we have one of those). I also printed out wallet-sized photos of some of his favorite times and attached them to a clip to keep on his backpack.

  • Take a photo before they leave for school, getting on the bus or entering the classroom. I took one last year of him walking away and it is my favorite. Walgreens also has a special offer for Back-to-School; 30 4×6′s for $3.oo.

Once school starts:

  • Make fun lunches. I *love* bento box lunches. Kraft Foods also has some great lunchbox ideas.I also like to make things easier for me, so I pack his lunch the night before. I also put baskets with his lunch snacks on the top shelf of the fridge so that all I have to do is toss them in.

  • Stop by once a week or every other week to have lunch with your child. Bring fun treats for him and his friends too.
  • Get involved in field trips and other programs. Schools love parents who volunteer!
  • Get in the habit of talking to your child about his day. It’s soo important to know what’s going on both in their classroom and their minds.
  • Post often in his School Memory Book, making sure to add a picture of his first day.

Establish Routines for us both:

  • Make sure his clothes are set out, ironed and ready to go the night before as well. This includes belts, socks and shoes. Homework, permission slips and anything else that needs to go back to school in the morning should be ready and in his backpack the night before too, just to make sure I don’t forget anything if the morning is more chaotic than planned.
  • Establish an after-school routine. Have a snack ready and complete homework assignments at a set time. I prefer right after school so that it is finished and he can play the rest of the day.
  • Reinforce bedtime routine.
  • Get a calendar and keep it up to date on all his school activities and other deadlines.
  • Have a snack waiting when you pick him on a certain day of the week, month, etc.
  • Keep up with my journaling. I think on the first day I’ll take Lucky to the park after I drop him off and journal my little heart out. I know I’ll be a mess and journaling usually helps me through.

While I feel a pierce in my heart every time I think about him leaving me, I will keep those feelings deep inside of me where he cannot see them. I am determined to make this a fun and exciting experience for him that he looks forward to repeating every year! I can cry my eyes out after I drop him off!

 

What kinds of back to school traditions do you have?

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100 Things to do before Kindergarten {Update}

July 20, 2009 By 1 Comment

Awhile ago I posted 100 things I wanted to do with Ace before he started Kindergarten. Since his first day is just about a month away (tears are building up already) I wanted to see how many of those things we’ve done and how many are left to do.

Most of them are things you do on an everyday basis when you’re playing with your kids, so it’s a pretty practical list. I hope you’ll try to complete it too!

The items in purple are the ones that we’ve already done. The red items are things I plan to do before summer is over and the ones in black are things that will have to wait awhile.

100 Things To-Do Before Kindergarten

1. Go to the zoo
2. Visit a farm
3. Go on a hike (we’ll be hiking on our trip to the Smoky Mountains next week)
4. Play with baby animals
5. Catch a frog
6. Make a gigantic mess
7. Help clean up a gigantic mess
8. Master the monkey-bars
9. Swing high up into the sky all by themselves
10. Try ice-skating
11. Go sledding (we went sledding but not for as long as I would’ve liked so I’m keeping it on the to-do list)
12. Make a snow-man
13. Blow bubbles
14. Plant seeds and watch them grow
15. Have a pillow fight
16. Jump on a big bed
17. Jump on a trampoline or in a bounce house
18. Hang out in a tent
19. Spend days at the beach
20. Build sandcastles
21. Go fishing
22. Go out on a boat
23. Play with blocks and puzzles
24. Read the classic picture books
25. Read a classic chapter book (We’re going to begin The Little Prince tonight)
26. Check out library books with their own library card
27. Get a passport28. Carve a pumpkin
29. Hold a newborn baby (to see how much they’ve grown)
30. Love a special doll or stuffed animal
31. Bake cookies and cakes
32. Help plan their own birthday party (nameday)
33. Attend 4:00 a.m. Liturgies before he has to wake up early for school
34. Go to a museum on a quiet weekday
35. Play hide-and-seek
36. Play a board game
37. Do nothing whatsoever all day
38. Try a sport
39. Watch a sporting event
40. Learn to swim
41. Be tickled in hysterics
42. Paint and draw as much as desired
43. Have complete use of scissors and glue
44. Display artworks and other creations around the house
45. Learn to use a camera (and keep an album of the results!)
46. Play with clay
47. Pick flowers
48. Climb a tree
49. Gaze at the moon and stars
50. Toast marshmallows and make s’mores
51. Learn to eat an ice-cream cone
52. Watch a sunset (we watched a sunrise)
53. Learn to write their own names
54. Learn their addresses and telephone numbers
55. Learn their parents’ full names
56. Set the table
57. Clear the table
58. Help wash the dishes
59. Learn to say their pleases and thank yous and excuse mes
60. Watch fireworks
61. Go to the ballet or theater or a puppet show
62. Put on a ballet or play or puppet show at home
63. Finger paint
64. Dress up in costumes at will
65. Learn rhymes and poems and songs by heart
66. Have a picnic
67. Enjoy friends at preschool and at the park
68. Invite friends over to play
69. Get to know grandparents
70. Play with cousins
71. Make our own kite and fly it
72. Learn the name of our president
73. Know the name of their town, state and country
74. Be familiar with a map of the world
75. Snuggle together with a bowl of popcorn and a good movie
76. Hear and learn words from a different language
77. Learn the difference between trash and recycling
78. Grow their own vegetables
79. Learn to ride a bike (or try!)
80. Take a road trip
81. Draw a self-portrait
82. Slurp alphabet soup
83. Learn to twirl spaghetti on a fork
84. Pick strawberries
85. Star in a home movie
86. Learn a cool trick
87. Practice reading
88. Practice writing letters
89. Practice counting to 100
90. Make up stories
91. Send a letter
92. Receive a letter
93. Ride on a merry-go-round
94. Give away toys and books to less fortunate children
95. Learn the value of coins and bills
96. Keep a piggy bank
97. Try a musical instrument
98. Have a heartfelt wish granted
99. Have a heartfelt wish denied
100. Practice writing thank you notes

What fun things have you done this summer?

 

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Applying to Harvard

April 29, 2009 By 14 Comments
Harvard University

It seems like getting your child into a decent school for Kindergarten is remarkably similar to applying to Harvard these days.

Ace has a screening appointment coming up this week for the only school I will be very happy with him attending. It’s the best public school around and I certainly can’t afford private school, so if I don’t want him going to the other school near us (which is a smaller version of the one in Dangerous Minds, if any of you remember that movie) he must get in to this one. He screens on Friday so please keep him in your prayers.

Below are some of the things his Preschool teacher told me they screen them on:

01. Counting to 30 and identifying each number

02. Knowing all of the alphabet, both upper and lowercase, and identifying each letter and it’s sound.

03. The name of his city, state and country

04. His address

05. His telephone number

06. His birthdate

07. The first names of his parents/siblings

08. The words a, the, and, to, I, in, is, on, you, cat, ten, sit, dog, run and several other sight words.

09. How to write his first and last name

10. His social security number (just kidding–but I wouldn’t be surprised!)

11. Months (and identify their names)

12. Days of the week (and identify their names)

13. Draw a picture and explain it. They’re also observed with other children and asked to identify different pictures, objects, etc.

I’ve been practicing with him every now and then but I don’t want to overdo it and stress him out. I’m stressed enough for the both of us.

The good news is the school is remarkable. I am so impressed with what I’ve seen of the faculty and campus so far. The curriculum is unbelievable, I can’t believe what they’re teaching them even from Kindergarten! They work with computers everyday and will start learning about web design and video production. I’ll be honest it’s a little scary and part of me wants to keep him coloring and writing ABC’s for awhile longer but I have to accept that one day he will have to make it in society and he needs to be as prepared as possible.

Watching them grow up is so difficult, I never thought I would have so much trouble letting go of so many things! Each new step forward he takes makes my responsibility as his mother that much greater; I must remember the importance of prayer at all times.

Keep us in your prayers! I’ll keep you posted!

UPDATE: ACE WAS ACCEPTED INTO HARVARD! YIPEE!! Thank you all for your prayers! We are very excited to be a part of such an incredible school!

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First Day Jitters…

February 4, 2009 By 13 Comments

Ace started pre-school today. Here they have 3 sessions you can choose and we chose the winter/spring one.

I was/am a nervous wreck! We packed his lunch last night and got all of his supplies and clothes ready so the morning wouldn’t be too chaotic. So this morning we woke up, did morning prayers, ate breakfast and got ready. I snuck two Hershey kisses into his lunch box with a little note and told him I was sending some of my kisses with him to school. He kept asking how and I told him he’d find out in school.

The whole drive he kept telling me how nervous he was and that he didn’t know if he could go a whole day without me. I told him he had to be brave like the saints and that we taped an icon of the Archangels (his patron sts.) in his backpack. I also put a few wallet sized photos in 2 badge holders and clipped them on his backpack so he would feel like he wasn’t that far from us. I told him he could look at them anytime he missed us and it should remind him that I’d be there to pick him up soon. I also kept reminding him of all the fun things he was going to do in school. I’m telling you if he would’ve started crying I would’ve turned my little minivan around and said forget the whole thing! :)

We sang fun songs like Bear Hunt and Catalina Matalina while we were driving and once we got close we said a prayer together. I walked him in and his teacher asked him to find his name on his cubby and his seat. So he found his cubby and put his things away and then went to find his seat. Once he did he sat right down and started talking with the other kids. I gave him a hug and a kiss (twice) and then realized that I was lingering. So I said goodbye to the teacher and left. And cried my eyes out the whole way home. Lucky kept pointing at Ace’s seat and trying to figure out why we left him somewhere.

Someone please tell me this gets easier! I’m so nervous leaving him in some stranger’s (however nice) care. I think of all the crazy things that happen in schools and I’m ready to have a nervous breakdown! I keep praying and reminding myself to have faith and that I am sending him to school (and not homeschooling) out of obedience and so everything will be fine. But I miss my boy!

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100 Things to Do Before Kindergarten

February 4, 2009 By 3 Comments

I recently found this list via Savvy Source, and with Ace starting pre-school this week I thought this was a fun list of things to do. Most of them we’ve done lots of times already but some of the things gave me great ideas to do on the weekends from now on.

Here’s Savvy Source’s list of 100 Things to Do Before Kindergarten:

“We enjoy making lists here at The Savvy Source. Making a list is an act of hope, and a form of dreaming as well as planning.

These years before kindergarten and the forward march of school years are precious and irreplaceable. Never again will we have so much plain old free time with these adorables of ours. So here’s a list of lots of stuff we hope to do with them, make possible for them, show them and teach them before they head off to — gasp! — elementary school.

And if we don’t get around to each and every one of these items…well, we still have another twelve years before they go to college!

In no particular order….

1. Go to the zoo

2. Visit a farm

3. Go on a hike

4. Play with kittens or puppies

5. Catch a frog

6. Make a gigantic mess

7. Help clean up a gigantic mess

8. Master the monkey-bars

9. Swing high up into the sky all by themselves

10. Try ice-skating

11. Go sledding

12. Make a snow-man

13. Blow bubbles

14. Plant seeds and watch them grow

15. Have a pillow fight

16. Jump on a big bed

17. Jump on a trampoline or in a bounce house

18. Hang out in a tent

19. Spend days at the beach

20. Build sandcastles

21. Go fishing

22. Go out on a boat

23. Play with blocks and puzzles

24. Read the classic picture books

25. Read a classic chapter book

26. Check out library books with their own library card

27. Get a passport

28. Carve a pumpkin

29. Hold a newborn baby (to see how much they’ve grown)

30. Love a special doll or stuffed animal

31. Bake cookies and cakes

32. Help plan their own birthday party

33. Go to the circus

34. Go to a museum on a quiet weekday

35. Play hide-and-seek

36. Play a board game

37. Do nothing whatsoever all day

38. Try a sport

39. Watch a sporting event

40. Learn to swim

41. Be tickled in hysterics

42. Paint and draw as much as desired

43. Have the use of scissors and glue

44. Display artworks and other creations around the house

45. Learn to use a camera (and keep an album of the results!)

46. Play with clay

47. Pick flowers

48. Climb a tree

49. Gaze at the moon and stars

50. Toast marshmallows

51. Learn to eat an ice-cream cone

52. Watch a sunset

53. Learn to write their own names

54. Learn their addresses and telephone numbers

55. Learn their parents’ full names

56. Set the table

57. Clear the table

58. Help wash the dishes

59. Learn to say their pleases and thank yous and excuse mes

60. Watch fireworks

61. Go to the ballet or theater or a puppet show

62. Put on a ballet or play or puppet show at home

63. Face paint

64. Dress up in costumes at will

65. Learn rhymes and poems and songs by heart

66. Have a dance party

67. Enjoy friends at preschool and at the park

68. Invite friends over to play

69. Get to know grandparents

70. Play with cousins

71. Become attached to a wonderful preschool teacher and/or babysitter

72. Learn the name of our president

73. Know the name of their town, state and country

74. Be familiar with a map of the world

75. Listen to music from many different ages and genres

76. Hear and learn words from a different language

77. Learn the difference between trash and recycling

78. Grow their own vegetables

79. Learn to ride a bike (or try!)

80. Take a road trip

81. Draw a self-portrait

82. Slurp alphabet soup

83. Learn to twirl spaghetti on a fork

84. Pick apples

85. Star in a home movie

86. Learn a magic trick

87. Try different hair-dos

88. Practice writing letters

89. Practice counting to 100

90. Make up stories

91. Send a letter

92. Receive a letter

93. Ride on a merry-go-round

94. Give away toys and books to less fortunate children

95. Learn the value of coins and bills

96. Keep a piggy bank

97. Try a musical instrument

98. Have a heartfelt wish granted

99. Have a heartfelt wish denied

100. Receive a million (make that a billion) heartfelt kisses and hugs from their parents!

***********************
Every parent has their own list, including the Savvy City Editors in Austin, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City and Washington DC“

I think I’ll make a list of 100 things that I’d like to do with him before he starts Kindergarten next year. I’d love to know about the special things you did with your children before they began school or things you plan on doing, wish you did, etc! What’s your list look like? Any suggestions? Let’s make a list together!

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