As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, Rick and I have opted out of using the kindergarten’s car pool in the morning. Barring the hurried parent who doesn’t follow the rules and stops too soon, the system seems very efficient. Teachers from the school wait outside as parents stop. They get the children out (some as young as 2 ½ ), and then the kids go into the building themselves. I’m sure this is essential in a building that small that houses so many classes. It also allows teachers to focus on the students and not spend time trying to answer parent questions.
For the most part Rick and I don’t have problems with the car pool – other than the whole image of idling cars and their contribution to the ecological footprint in Decatur. I just can’t imagine Audrey starting the day with me looking over my shoulder from the front seat of the car. Granted, I can be just as loving from that position, and walking with her doesn’t guarantee a more nurturing departure. Nevertheless, I do not want the point of departure as we both start our days to be mediated by a car seat and accompanied by a car radio or exhaust sound.
To honor the need for full disclosure, the long walk from “horsey school” to kindergarten I wrote about earlier was the first and last. For one, the rain has certainly put a damper on such activities. In addition, Audrey’s protests have led us to “Plan B.” We still have a fifteen to twenty minute window of time between Niamh’s pre-K class and Audrey’s. Now I often park over at the recreation center, and if weather permits, we play on the playground for ten or fifteen minutes before school. Otherwise we sit in the car and talk or act silly.
Today we had a job to do. Her class is supposed to make pictures of their school. Some of the parents are coming in tomorrow to help them. They were going to take the children outside – two at a time – to draw pictures of the school. Given the weather forecasts, I asked Mrs. Curtice if she would prefer to have pictures of the school so the children could do the pictures inside. As a result, Audrey and I spent the morning taking pictures of the school from various angles.
Granted, I refrained from using the experience as an opportunity to review concepts of lines, etc. We just enjoyed the time, and Audrey was relatively free to choose how she wanted to capture the images of the school. I figured those conversations about lines, geometry, architecture, etc. could always come later when she is looking at the pictures and trying to draw her own.
Nevertheless, the nature of the teachable moment seemed so real this morning. We just shared fifteen minutes and a camera, but what a difference it made for my disposition (and hopefully hers). Walking back to the car I thought about how fortunate I am to have those fifteen minutes every morning. I wish I had them with Niamh as well – and perhaps if we ever get more organized we can make that happen too. I thought about how rushed I am in the mornings, how many times I’ve told them to hurry up so we won’t be late. Given their general resiliency, I assume they continue their day without too many emotional repercussions. Yet, what a difference a mere fifteen minutes could make (or five or ten) to alter their perspectives, dispositions, and openness to the day’s possibilities.
We still have no idea what we’ll do for the girls next year – whether they’ll be in a public school, charter school, or learn at home. I only hope that whatever we do, we’ll be able to share those precious moments together in the morning.
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