Monday, June 25, 2012

Hopscotch



The last day of school was all a bit much for Samantha.  I was grateful that there was no "graduation" ceremony or anything else I'd feel crappy about having crying-child pictures from.  There was just a class party.  Parties, as I have discovered over the years, just aren't Sammi's thing.  I mean, take a perfectly safe, familiar classroom, a room in which she spends every single weekday, an environment that is pretty much the same, day in and day out.  Then add a bunch of grown ups, crumple it up, shake it until pulverized, gargle it and then spit it out, and that's kind of what it must've felt like to her. 

She'd been having an ordinary day to begin with.  But then, around 9:30, some parents started to arrive.  Including us.  She took one look at us, then burst into tears.  I think she knew what was coming.  Complete discombobulation.  The kid actually refused ice cream.  With sprinkles on top.  That doesn't happen.  Finally, after enough was enough, we took her outside to the blacktop playground that's accessible from a door in the classroom.

And that was all she needed. 

Actually, all the kids and parents came outside within a couple of minutes, and I think they were all pretty relieved to be out there, but none so much as my baby girl.  And, being that it was probably the most beautiful day of the year so far, who could blame them?  Sammi was in her element.   

So, as I so often do, I'm going back to talk about one of those things Sammi is able to do, quite well, actually, that we had absolutely no idea she could do.  One of those rites of passage that every little girlie girl worth her salt must be able to do.

Hopscotch

She joined her classmates on the hopscotch form, and, unlike my last experience seeing her do hopscotch, about a year ago, she was amazing.  Switching from two feet to one foot, alternating that one foot from an occasional right (her weakest side, funny being that she's a "righty") to an occasional left flawlessly, my jaw dropped.  Apparently even the PT had been susprised to see her do that recently.  Building her core strength has been a battle, especially given that we've been concerned about staircase safety for the last 3 years.  But finally, she was ready to go.  Finally, we've given her free reign of the stairs.  Finally she's proven to us what she can do and surprised the heck out of me. 

It was beautiful.




Summer school starts today, for the next 5 weeks.  She's in a fully-inclusive 1st grade-going-into-2nd grade class (there is no inclusive Kindergarten-going-into-1st-grade summer school), and nobody felt she should be in a special education summer school setting (nothing against it, but we felt she needed the challenge and preparation for 1st grade that this setting would give her).  She'll have one of her beloved resource teachers accompanying her every day, as she will be again in September.  So I'm not worried about her being in an unfamiliar classroom (although it's in her home school) with unfamiliar children - the consistency of having Mrs. D with her will probably help her settle right in. 

We are thankful for the opportunity. 

Update:  Gotta update the summer school situation later, but let's just say it's nothing like what I just posted above.  We are. not. happy.  :-(  Blah.

12 comments:

Lisa said...

sorry to hear the update - hope things work out for you. I'm so proud of her for hopscotch - I know what a huge thing that is! Cate loves to play hopscotch but doesn't even come close to getting her leg up like and never switches feet. Hers is more like a "hopskip" then an actual jump. Go Sammi!!

Unknown said...

Love the hopscotch photos! She looks like she is having so much fun!

Rochelle said...

Love the pics, hate that it wasn't a great day for her. Ugh!

Becky said...

Mad hopscotch skills..there is nothing like watching your child master skills parents of typical kids take for granted! She looks like she is having a blast. We love hopscotch here....:)

tekeal said...

love the hopscotch pics! was just going to say how envious i am regarding your school situation but i'll wait to hear what's next... i visited livia in kindergarten today and loved watching all the kids do their own speed/rythm/version of jumping rope!

and yay, when to much is too much, fresh air, space and playing definitely helps. for me too.

(thx again for email info last week!) xx

lovemy3 said...

Way to go, Sammi! I think I would have cried...I cry when I'm super happy too! Sorry to hear the school situation isn't what you had hoped!

Bahama Momma said...

Awe. Love the pics! She's awesome :-).

JC said...

Beautiful pictures, loved this post...My daughter was looking over my shoulder as I read this and commented on how pretty Sammi was :)

Sorry to hear about the summer school situation...Hope everything works out ok.

teal915 said...

Oh no. Sorry it's not what you thought.

Jess said...

It's such a great feeling when our kids randomly exceed our expectations like Samantha did with her hopscotch skills. Sometimes when I walk by my own daughter's room I hear her speed reading which is a far cry from where she was a few years ago!

Anna said...

Hopscotch. Amazing! She is so adorable and rally has worked hard to master this talent. (sorry things aren't working with her summer program)

Renee said...

That's great about the hopscotch! Way to go Samantha!

Sorry to hear about summer school.