Completely nonsensical and tangential post about school. Sort of.
Callum needs to go to school. I can’t believe I’m saying that because a huge, enormous, globe-sized part of me thinks it is completely and utterly ridiculous that 3-year olds go to school. Even pre-school with their crafts and games. HE’S THREE YEARS OLD. Three year olds color and watch Franklin, they do not go to school.
The reality is that I’ve never spent any quality time with a three year old and I was oh so very naive.
Technically he isn’t even three. And that little technical glitch is the sole reason why I did absolutely nothing about the whole preschool charade all summer. That and a little thing called potty training. I was convinced that there was no way in hell the kid would be potty trained by September and there was no way in hell I was going to turn myself inside out trying to make it happen and ruin my summer.
Color me an idiot because it appears that potty training? Nothing to do with me. One day Callum informed me he had to pee, and off to the potty we did go. For several weeks he was in underwear and while he would pee in the potty, that’s where that ended. And we all know there is a little more to this bathroom business than peeing.
Middle of August and we’re still not spending any quality time in the bathroom, if you know what I mean. I’m thinking that the quality time is a long time coming because I’ve heard the stories. I know how this rolls. Except in the middle of August there we were out camping and I had forgotten the potty and my little guy looks at me and announces “MAMA I NEED TO POO”.
Voila. Potty trained. I’d be giving myself some serious kudos here if, well, I had anything to do with it but I clearly didn’t. CLEARLY. You have never seen anyone as lazy as me when it came to the potty training. I’m talking a special kind of lazy. I’m talking I was thinking diapers until he was 4 seemed like less work than what I imagined went into potty training. I tried to talk Michelle into spending a month at my house and getting her to do it. My Mom was more consistent and proactive than I. This was my level of interest in this. We’re talking lazy, people. I be a very special kind of lazy.
September rolls around and I’m starting to realize that I erred when I didn’t make any effort to get Callum enrolled in preschool because man, I can’t keep him entertained. I’ve had friends say “well, with Claire you really can’t spend an hour painting with Callum” and I’m thinking an hour? AN HOUR? If an hour was all it took this wouldn’t be a problem. Callum already spends 2-4 hours EVERY DAY painting, cutting, gluing, sticking, rolling out playdoh, you name it. The kid paints little model trains on his own, and if I’d let him have the glue, he’d be attempting to glue them together too. Of course he wouldn’t glue them properly, but he’d spend 2 solid hours giving it a go.
He sits at the kitchen table and does all this without any input from me. Unfortunately, he is awake for 12 hours. It’s the remaining 8 hours that are driving me crazy.
A good mother would sit down and teach him the alphabet. That’s reasonable, I could do that, even enjoy doing that, but that would take what? 15 minutes a day? Then what? I do what I can to keep him entertained – daily field trips to the store, the farm, great-Grandma’s, the beach. We’ll be starting Kindermusik and swimming lessons. He’s doing skating in November. Even with all that there will still be hours where the kid is bored and a bored 3 year old? A level of annoying I never did experience before. No matter what I’m doing, he’s in my face. If I’m stitching, he’s demanding that he stitches too. If I’m cracking an egg to make myself breakfast he’s dragging a chair across the kitchen to crack an egg. For those remaining 8 hours, the kid is on my heels.
And the talking. Oh boy. The talking. It. Never. Stops. No one believes me because the minute someone new is around he doesn?t talk at all, but a few out there have experienced the talking and I know you?re nodding your heads vigorously right now and saying out loud ?oh god, THE TALKING?. This is so very Steve; another soul who people think never says a word most of the time, but those people? Well, those people have never had to sit through Steve attempting to download pictures off the digital camera and listen to the play-by-play. The other day he was setting up his new race watch which logs runs that you then download onto the computer and the second he plugged in that USB cable he started talking?
Now I have to research preschools and see if I can get the kid in and if you?ll recall, the lazy in me isn?t pleased and is clashing with the part of me that isn?t sure how much longer she can keep her son entertained. Who knew that you had to research preschools, anyway? Honestly.
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Three years old. How well I remember–potty trained himself, one week beginning to end, (because I am also lazy and figured he wouldn’t be wearing diapers by high school) and lived by the window looking for other kids to play with. Preschool was pure heaven for him. Good luck on finding a nice match for Callum– I think most of them are wonderful!
I totally believe the potty training is up to the kid when they are ready. Once you show them what to do they will do it when they want. A control thing.
Preschool is wonderful and beautiful. It will change them so much but the changes are good. Enjoy the growing up as sad as it is in some ways it is also wonderful, seeing them use the skills you have taught them in the world.
The talking NEVER stops. And soon Claire will be talking in there too, and all at the same time. I would like to say that this is a skill that is part of thier personality, and maybe it is. However my mother says that I talked a lot as a kid and anyone who knew me say that my kids don’t talk as much as I did. God how did my mom survive. But I love it. Enjoy the peace that preschool will bring but love the hour after when they tell you all about it.
Welcome to the next phase of your life.
Well, I had a friend’s three year old daughter for like two days, and I was completely bitter about the constant blathering, especially before coffee. She was potty trained and all, but still. I don’t know how you parents do it!
I didn’t go to school until I was five. No wonder my Mom was crazy.
Surely there must be a preschool in Harewood that doesn’t require potty training. They have them in Riderland.
I don’t know this Steve you are talking about. Looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I pity you.
The talking is insane. Who knew?! Although I have to admit that it is some of the funniest damn stuff I’ve ever heard and I adore how funny HE thinks he is. But I kinda think you have to be the Mommy to appreciate it. And have had enough sleep… it’s the main reason I get up an hour before the kids, to get in that coffee before the talking starts.
I think if I had more educational tools around he’d be ok, but they’re pretty expensive. Today he was ‘stitching’ plastic canvas. For some reason he’s decided he’ll only go outside on certain occassions and I’m not privvy to that information (which is unfortunate because there is A LOT outside that would seem entertaining to a kid, I’d think).
oh my gosh, you just described Kailey. She dogs me ALL DAY. And the constant “play with me mommy” is getting on my nerves. So, like you, I went from what does a kid need preschool, to, she needs to go.
Thing is… she screams bloody murder the minute I’m out of her sight. Blah.
heh, wish Kailey trained like that–she’s been “trained” for what, 4 months now? And there are days when she just refuses to go on the potty. Ick.
I don’t know if he’s old enough, but we got our friend’s daughter a workbook full of all different things – easy math, spelling, etc. – and she loves it. She can easily spend an hour working with it.
I just realized why my parents booted us out of the house after breakfast! We were lucky to live in the country. “Go and play and we’ll call you for lunch!”
Hahahaha. “Oh god, THE TALKING!” You always make me laugh, my dear.
I can’t WAIT for Jack to talk. He still barely knows 4 or 5 words. Actually, he KNOWS tons of words, I know he does. He just won’t SAY them. No one’s concerned yet because of his 2 month preemie status, but the boy needs to start blathering! And soon! I’m doing everything I can to get him to talk.
Guess I should enjoy the quiet? Hahahahaha. The grass is always greener….
Btw, I’m laughing my butt off about the potty training, because I had the same thing on my mind (though not for my kid!)
I totally re-posted The McDonalds Playland Incident that I had with Arden when he was 3. I was giggling hysterically at my former childless self.
PS, was going to tell you to look into Montessori. Sounds exactly like YOU (hands-on craftiness and learning), but at school. If we can afford it when Jack is 3, he’s going to the Montessori school in Lawrence.
Yes, it was a little easier on the adults when we didn’t know exactly what he was saying….case in point….”Gramma, where is my train? ” “I think it is in the living room where it always is. ” ” NO Gramma, my train, so I can paint and glue…. with Papa” ” Uhhh, I don’t know…I can’t remember.” ” Gramma, you know, my train. Where is it?” ” Ummm, I’m not sure, let’s look in the livingroom” Said train, being the ones that will be wrapped up for a birthday present, but he will apparantly, be well aware that it was purchased some time ago, and he should have been allowed to paint and glue a long time ago, too.
I think that Claire may get potty trained by her brother though, so that will be one problem dealt with