Category: Spawn

There’s so much more to it than I ever thought possible.

Surprise!

In the last week of school holidays, Squishy and I went into the city for the day. While we were there, we wandered into a big bookshop and bought a book. The 13 Storey Treehouse caught my eye because it is a “chapter” book, but it has loads of illustrations, so the amount of text per page builds quite slowly – the first chapter has very little text.

So I gave it to him last Monday night, to read as he was going to bed. He resisted vociferously, until I showed him how many pictures it had, and he agreed to give it a go. I presumed that he had read a bit and put it down, because I didn’t hear any more until Wednesday, when he said, “Mama, I can’t wait to get to chapter 10”. Luckily I was driving, so I didn’t fall off my chair. Apparently there was no special reason to get to chapter 10, other than he was enjoying the book so much, and wanted to read more.

He then said he was worried about what he was going to read after he finished this book. I looked – he was over half way through the book (in two days!). So I promised to talk to the school librarian about letting him borrow big kids books. She told me about The 26 Storey Treehouse and The 39 Storey Treehouse. So I ordered those and picked them up on Friday.

As of right now, he is 3/4 of the way through The 26 Storey Treehouse.

He’s got the bug. The reading addiction that got many a shy nerdy kid through the early years of being “different” and not fitting in anywhere. My boy has got protection. The metaphorical shield of access, not only to his own imagination, but to entire worlds, galaxies of infinite adventure and fun.

I couldn’t be more proud of him.

Genetics

Squish is doing really well at school. Last week he went up a few more reading levels, and is now at year two reading level. Socially, he is having a great time, his peers like him and he always has someone willing to play with him.

 

But for a while, I've had a nagging concern. At school, he is doing year one maths, but at home, he is exploring concepts far beyond his age level. Nothing astounding about that, given his fathers contribution genetically, but what I am seeing at home is at odds with where Mrs D has him in the classroom.

 

He's still “lazy” (for want of a better word!), and happy to coast along. He likes being the best in the class, but doesn't see any reason to put in effort. A trait that both his parents have in abundance.


Yesterday I had a chat with a friend from Uni who is studying primary education, and also works as a tutor. I explained the situation, and asked whether I should let it slide (because he is happy at school and not disruptive), or pursue it (so that he is set up for good experiences and habits at school). Unequivocally, she advised that we should make sure he was being challenged, and that it's not too early to encourage him to do his best.

 

Mark came with me to talk to Mrs D, and she agrees that he isn't being mathematically challenged in the classroom, but explained that it isn't possible for him to do group work at his level, and that she was concerned about removing him from his social group. But we've agreed that he won't miss anything if he does go to another class for a bit here and there, so she is going to talk to another teacher about him doing maths groups with a year two class.

 

Inigo will love it! I'm so excited for him, and I'm still so thrilled that he has such a wonderful caring teacher.

Vietnam, 2013. Part one

Reading “Darth Vader & Son” at Sydney airport.

 

 

Breakfast at the local markets outside our homestay.

Our building as seen from the markets – I was too chicken to check out the roof, but Mark and Inigo did.

The back of the markets – the butchers

 

At the district 6 Pagoda. Apparently Pagodas are for worshiping gods, Temples are for commemorating revered people.

 

A beautiful fence.

 

A monk ringing a huge bell behind the foliage.

My friend the dragonfly

 

Pretty gardens

An amazing bonsai scene


An extremely underfed kitten. Some of his siblings weren’t in such good shape 😦

Wood carvers working to restore the pagoda

I still have absolutely no idea what this is, but I aim to find out!

Blacksmiths

Our house from the front as we waited for our host to return home. The neighbours run a little drinks stall, they took great care of us.

Inigo’s number 2 fan. His number one fan appears later.

Some nice girls at the vegetarian restaurant we went to – they all wanted to be photographed with the cute kid. Instant celebrity.

 

Since I am way behind on posting our adventures, I’ll have to catch up with picture heavy posts.