Finally, a night when the little boys went to their rooms QUIETLY, so as not to disturb the big boys as they work on their homework. (Cabin fever is raging strong here…) They were so quiet, and so well-behaved, that I felt refreshed enough to go up to their room and visit with them, one more time before they fell asleep.
I had stuff I wanted to tell them — funny things that happened — but they had their own agenda of stuff they wanted to say. One started off by saying — do you want to know what grinds my gears? I’ll tell you:
“So, Mom, this teacher treats us like we’re first graders — she has this little table in her room, and we all have to sit like this (he pushes his knees together, and holds his arms straight down, close to his sides.) Now, I’m used to sitting like this, because my big brothers always spread their legs wide in the car, I have to sit between them — but John in my class, he’s the oldest, so his legs are spread out, and Adam has a sister, so he’s not ever squished, so he has his legs out — and the girls take up the most room — so even at school, I have to sit all squished up. It’s just so TIGHT! I just can’t understand why the teacher can’t get us bigger chairs, and our own desks so we can SPREAD OUT!”
I just sat there totally fascinated that my child is experiencing life in this way… I just had no idea that’s what life for him was like, and how he defines the way a person sits, based on their place or gender in the family.
This is him, pre-snow storm days, out stretching his legs, after a long hard day of being squished.
I imagine that at this point, I should perhaps act on this insight and mention this to his teacher, because it really grinds his gears.