It's College Life { and Kindergarten}

Vanessa isn't so alone this year at the college. This year it's an awesome foursome of close friends who have been in the same homeschool groups forever. The same four that went to Youth for Jesus in California this past summer.

Vanessa,
Brianna
Natalie  &
Garhett

They survived their first day.

If you know Brianna, this will make you really laugh. She's a no-nonsense, black and white, matter-of-fact person. She comes home saying, "English class was so weird."

The teacher was trying to get the students in the room to relax and interact....

"Tell us about your rebellious acts (and don't say you haven't done any, because I won't accept that.)"

The other students were saying stuff like, "Oh, I call my mom and tell her I am at a certain place, but I'm not really." Or "I was asked to do the dishes and I just walked away and left them."

Poor Bri broke out in a sweat, tried to convince the teacher on the sly that she had nothing to say. She was thinking, "Seriously?? There isn't a single person like me here." Finally she stood up and said,

"I rebel against LOW EXPECTATIONS!"

lol. Way to go, Brianna Grace!

I teased her that she could have told how she always stands up in the canoe when she's paddling instead of sitting like you are suppose to... That's rebellion, isn't it?

You may have heard of the Rebelution and recognize her line.

Her next class was algebra. She took an immediate liking to the gruff old teacher and felt completely at home. "In her words, I don't think the teacher is as mean as she wants us to think. She's just black and white and gave us all the rules and I feel completely comfortable with that."

The foursome met together after classes to debrief.

Garhett had missed breakfast for nothing. The 8 o'clock class wasn't his. Natalie was stressing out over her soils class (soils class?? see told you this was a very special sort of set of kids). I guess the professor expects her to have her whole life career in agriculture planned and set in stone by Friday, and in her words, "I just want to know how to grow my tomatoes and pumpkins!!!!" Vanessa is back with the same Spanish teacher as last year... and chemistry isn't too hard yet.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the year goes. Many prayers go with them.

***

I have to tell you, after my little sob story about Missy not making any progress in anything recently, that this kiddo is really, really trying this week. She recognizes now that everybody is in school. Everyone has expectations and it's dawned on her that she's being left in the dust.

The past few days with her have been very good (you might not thinks so when by the time you finish the story, but believe me... very good!!) . She asks to do pages in her workbooks. She is actually enjoying them. Now you have to understand that she still wants my full, undivided attention and wants me to practically do the work for her, but she's starting to get the picture.

We had a showdown on Sunday. Actually it started with James. His phonics workbook asked him to write 4 "W"'s. Because of his lack of fine motor skills, sensory stuff, etc.. his dexterity is nill.... I have not been hard on him about writing at all. I just wanted him to try, that's all. Whatever came out on the page would have been fine with me. Just try to make a W.

NOPE. He nearly tore a hole in the page scratching hard marks and erasing them and his frustration was building. The whole "go get the eraser" bit was a tantrum in itself. He wanted to use the end of his pencil where the eraser was worn away leaving the metal to scratch holes in his paper. He looked for 30 minutes and I tried to find it, too. Finally I let him use Missy's.... and then I walked in his room and it was in full view. I brought it to him called him on his lie... I asked him if he knew where I had found it and he told me exactly where I had picked it up. So, anyway, we have some serious character issues....

I tried helping James with his "W"s and he would not cooperate and I figured out finally that this was not about ability. This was attitude. FINE! You want it the hard way, we'll do it the hard way!!

I brought out his wide lined notebook and told him I expected a WHOLE page of "W"s and they had to be nice or I would erase them. When he was done he could have lunch. I did erase a few lines. Suddenly, magic of all magic he produced an entire page of fine looking "W"s and he wasn't much late for lunch.

Enough baloney about not being able to write. LOL. Now I know the truth.

So, anyway, Missy was doing a page... but of course, James was taking up my time... and did I mention we were in the middle of canning 4 boxes of pears? Yeah.... "Would you just go outside and play?" Nope, they didn't want to at all.

Missy started trying to control my time and was doing what she does best.... PLAGUING me over her little number exercise. I knew she knew what to do. It was simple. Really simple. We went over the instructions and then I finally said, "No words until you are done that section!"

She would NOT. WHINE, WHINE, FUSS, FUSS.

So I put her in a room at a desk all by herself. Told her to call me when the little section of the page was done. She called me every few seconds anyway. 

I then shut the door. 

She pooped her pants. 

LOL!

She was made to shower, wash her clothes out, and was put back at the desk.

Lunch time came and went and she was not budging.

Remember, I never asked her to do this page. She wanted to do it. I wanted her to go outside to play.

You just can never win in these situations. It's either laugh or go crazy!!

And then, DING! She did it. The swat on the behind might have helped? Who knows.

She ate her lunch, and did pages and pages more. Yesterday pages and pages more. Every once in awhile she tries her little trick. I ask if she wants to sit at the desk in the other room. End of trial. 

WHEW!