E Has Been Nominated For The Gifted Program At Her School
E has been nominated to the gifted program at her school she is seven years old this year.
I don't know the process regarding nomination or who nominated her, I haven't read the notice or looked up the program yet. I don't like public schools, but the school she is going to is awesome. It has small classes and the teachers look for their students talents and interests and help them develop them as well as supporting the children in their weaker areas. Teaching is not a one size fits all in this school! Her brother was also nominated and is in the gifted program at his school, he is a math wiz and loves reading if you can get him off his digital devices...sigh
E's note thanking me for helping her and expressing her love. We laughed a lot when I said, "You love me? After all those temper tantrums and me making you do things you said you couldn't?" E laughed and her blue eyes sparkled as she said, "Yes Grandma, that's why I love you, except when you started laughing at my temper tantrums."
As most of you who follow me know I've been doing collaborative art work with my two grandchildren from my oldest daughter. I had several reasons for starting this project. Firstly, I'd like my grandchildren to develop their creative skills, secondly creating art is very healing.
My husband and I moved in with my daughter a 1.5 years ago during her divorce at her request. We helped her move to the house we are staying in right now after packing up our old house and moving what stuff we brought, mostly books and clothes. The first year was hell as you can imagine having your parents move in with you even though you asked, moving all your stuff into a smaller house, it was messy to say the least.
The kids were angry, my daughter was angry, sad and her house was a mess. My husband can't stand messes and I am standing back and thinking to myself, "This could be heaven or this could be hell." My daughter and I fell back into old behavior, she is the child and I am the adult several times, we had some awesome fights! I was ready to leave several times and my husband talked me out of it. My husband lost his temper several times, noisy kids and messy houses are not his cup of tea. I was able to help him work his way out of it.
E said last year was the "Year Of Anger." She is a smart kid, that's what we all started calling our first year in Oklahoma. This year has been the opposite, it's been the year of happiness even though my daughter and her children are going through a very stressful custody battle with the children's fathers.
Art helped me survive a very dysfunctional childhood and so did reading books. I decided to introduce the children to art and classic stories. The art was a hit and E was just starting reading so I read to her after her study time. Now she is reading on her own. Both children struggled with moving to a new school system and E regularly threw fits during study time especially with her spelling words. Her brother, mother, myself, and friends coached E every day for an hour on her spelling, reading and writing.
I still remember her taking her list of spelling words, in a fit of temper, balling up the paper and throwing it, all the while stamping her feet and crying. Her red hair seemed to stand on end during this time, with her redheaded fair skin turning bright pink. I wanted to laugh and had to hide my face several times. She caught me once giggling whilst throwing her temper tantrum and all hell broke loose!
Fast forward to this year, E is breezing through her tests with ease, she has developed good study habits, she has confidence in her abilities, unlike last year. I think confidence not self esteem is the key to healthy learning. You have to earn that confidence and trust in oneself, not the false confidence many develop when they don't have to face the stress of learning new things and failing several times without any rewards. I do not give prizes for success or failure, I want my children and my grandchildren to strive to become better for the sake of becoming better, for the sake of learning new things and the thrill of real success.
What an amazing story @reddust and congratulations to E! Hard work pays off and the proof is right here. I lived with my parents with 3 young boys after my divorce. We had to establish boundaries and thankfully the house was big enough to have space - but my father absolutely adored his grandsons and like he did when my siblings and I were young, he tucked them in every night. My kids might not remember, but I treasure those moments.
And the memories you are making with your family - even through the year of anger are also going to be gems in the treasure chest. :)
We sit at the dinner table and talk about the funny things that happened during that year, many of the memories are funny now even though they were full of pain at the time. I use dinner as a time for the family to debrief. My husband loves the kids and demands order in the family. His neatness is why we are so happy this year! hahaha
I had a horrible childhood and don't talk to most of my family now, I shy away from helping most of the time because I think I am not qualified because of my past. Now I look back and I think all that pain I went through has helped me see others pain and not judge harshly. I would like my grandkids to learn this lesson before they are 50 something years old!
Life is life every home is a world, whatever home is and is the most beautiful thing that can happen to us, no wonder that the granddaughter has been awarded is a good line congratulations.
Ravietas make an active life, the day that the ravietas are missing would be an unhappy world.Thank you for sharing these beautiful passages of your life my great friend @reddust
Thank you @jlufer, you made my eyes cry with happiness.
You are an awesome grandma! Those children are so fortunate to have you involved so much in their lives. My eldest boy is a redhead too, and my 2nd had lighter red hair when she was younger. That was unexpected as neither my husband or I recall any redheads in our families ... but my husband's Grandma is from Iceland, so I say it is their Viking blood.
Thank you, I need that awesome injection when cleaning...hahaha (I hate housework). That's what we do mostly, my husband and I, we keep the home tidy while everyone is running around like crazy.
The red hair in our family is sprinkled all over the family tree. We also have native American blood so we never know what color of children we are going to get...I love that! I would love to find out exactly what is in our genetic history.
I want to move to Iceland but my husband says it's to icy for him....The Dutch are so picky!
I've always had a fascination with Iceland too -- long before I met my husband. There are 2 unusual places I've wanted to visit since I was a teenager -- #1 Iceland, #2 Easter Island.
OMG...I want to visit Easter Island, hey, if we become Steemit millionaires lets go visit Easter Island together. I want to meditate by the big statues and see if I can pick up any interesting vibes.
really? We both want to visit Easter Island and Iceland? How crazy ... sure, when Steem is worth $100 let's go! Maybe they can hold SteemFest on Easter Island ... and the next year in Iceland! I want to go soak in the outdoor hot springs with snow surrounding me.
It's a deal! I want to longboard in Iceland, one of my favorite movies and soundtracks.
I also want to visit Mongolia and learn how to throat sing, eat horse milk curd cheese and dance around the campfire out there somewhere on their windswept plains.
Way to go, E! And way to go with you, too, @reddust. For stepping in and stepping up. Here's to good public schools - they do exist! And it sounds like E and her brother are going to get the best of it, too. Here's to art and grandparents that care!
Hear Hear to grandparents and good public schools. I loved my grandmother, she left me alone to just be me but was always there. She taught me so much by being herself.
: )
She is so adorable ! I love her hair ! :)
She loves her hair too, no one has teased her so far, wait some boys did and they pulled on it last year. I told her to stand very still and just stare at them, don't say a word. She did! The boys ran away when she didn't react with tears...she couldn't believe the power of silence...haha! They haven't bothered since that time.
haha ! Awesome ! She going to be a strong and pretty woman! :)
Thanks so much for sharing your touching story. Hard times and very sweet times, and the kids are always so astute through it all. Glad E is doing so well, your grandchildren are very fortunate to have such a great grandmother to help, and more importantly, to be in their life when young, at such an important time. Some of my most cherished memories are of my grandparents. You're having a very large effect on their lives.
I hope I am helping, it's been an adventure for all of us, adventures are never comfortable, like Lord Of The Rings type of adventures...haha! I threw away the ring of power ;-) that's what I've learned so far.
Oh, and I forgot. In all the discussion of grandmothers, and how much yours meant to you with @haphazard-hstead above. Check out an older (3 months ago) short photo/writing essay by @rebelmeow for a really wonderful tribute to her grandmother. Your comment above reminded me of it. Think you'll enjoy it.
I think I read it already, I'll check to see if my memory is correct!
The ring would just get you in trouble anyway...look what it did for those guys. But one can tell from the post you are making a large difference. And as you said, one day, once it all settles back to normal life, which it will, it will be more humorous than painful/loud/messy. Such are the joys of this life.
Awesome! I'm glad I discovered you through commenting on my blog, you are indeed one awesome lady. I wish the beautiful Elizabeth lots of luck and success as she goes through her life :-)
Cg
Thank you, there are some awesome people on Steemit ;-)
E tested out nationally at the top 3%....she has no excuses now....lololol