For now though I'm just happy to report that first grade is going amazingly well. Tate is having a blast, complete with good grades and good behavior. His teacher is very impressed with him, especially his math skills. She's giving him enrichment work since he's doing so very well. He's above average in reading which didn't really surprise me as he reads chapter books quite well on his own. He just needs to work on his comprehension. I'm just really proud of him.
Mostly though, I'm happy for him. He really seems to have reached his stride. He has friends, boys he likes to play with. He's really enjoying his new babysitter...I've hired a 19 year old, male college sophomore to pick him up from school three days a week. It's been a work in progress having a young guy taking care of Tate from making sure he realizes Tate can't cross the street by himself to not having another adult to talk to when I get home. I was so used to spending a few minutes talking to Nanny S at the end of each day last year, that it's been an adjustment for me :). (Nanny S got a full time job complete with benefits with the post office...I was so happy for her! Her 9 hours a week here were just not making ends meet! We both miss her).
So now we have Manny C. :) Tate is so excited to have a boy babysitter as he tells me often! Manny C gets down on the floor and plays any and all games with Tate...from Trouble to Sum Swamp. Every.Single.Day. He's quiet, shy and unassuming and great with my kid apparently.
Then there's the school playground. Tate is all about it and the 3 recesses! Even better this little boy of mine stood up for a friend on the playground about a month ago. This was our conversation at dinner that night:
I asked Tate tonight as I made dinner: What was the funniest thing that happened today at school?
Tate: Nothing really funny happened today.
Me: What was the saddest thing that happened today at school?
Tate (very matter-of-factly): I had to scream at X today because he wouldn't let Y play during recess.
Me: What?
Tate: I screamed at X after he was mean and told Y he couldn't play with us and said "I'M NOT PLAYING WITH YOU ANYMORE!!" Y was crying Mommy.
Me: Wow Tate I'm so proud of you for being such a good friend....
And earlier this week another boy was trying to cut in line on one of Tate's best friends. Tate started trying to defend his friend and got shoved into a drawer necessitating a trip to the nurse. He probably should have stayed out of this 'altercation', but I'm still so proud of him for always trying to watch out for his friends!
This is the man I want to raise him to be. I want him to be the friend who knows right from wrong and doesn't care about the ramifications of standing up for what is right. I've always known he has a very sweet heart, he's quick to apologize, he's quick to try to do the right thing (usually); I just didn't realize he was so confident in who he is.
Who he is is a very good friend.
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