Notes From The 1st Grade

Wally has been going to 1st grade for a few weeks now, and true to Wally form, it has not been uneventful. Here is a sampling of the notes that have been sent home so far from dear Mrs. Neumann...


-Dear Jessica,

Today I had to tell Wally not to pick up so many rocks from the ground while he is at recess. He has his pockets so loaded down with them that he can barley keep his pants up in class. Could you encourage him at home to leave things he finds outside, on the ground?

Thanks,
Mrs. Neumann




-Dear Jessica,
Today when I asked Wally if he would be having hot or cold lunch, he brought me a lunch box and told me he was eating cold lunch. Then during lunch time, I was called to the cafeteria because Wally did not have anything to eat. We figured out he was supposed to eat hot lunch today, and he had picked up another student's lunch box and showed that to me. Could you please include a note in his folder in the morning to let me know what he will be having at lunch, as he is still a bit confused by the choices?

Thanks,
Mrs. Neumann


-Dear Jessica,
Today a Birthday treat was passed out for a little girl in our class. Wally picked up the Birthday Girl's treat off her desk and ate it. He felt really bad and apologized for what he had done without me prompting him to do so. I praised him for that. I know that he feels really bad, but I did want to let you know that I had to move his name out of the stars today.

Thanks,
Mrs. Neumann



-Dear Jessica,
This was so cute! Today I passed out the spelling word work sheet and told the children to use their best handwriting on their work. When I came back around to check on Wally, he had traced the outline of his hand on the worksheet.

Mrs. Neumann


I have no doubt that there will be plenty more where those came from. I anticipate opening his backpack every day, anxious at what I will find. When I gasped about him eating the Birthday treat of the Birthday girl, Wally told me very quickly,
"It was an accident mom. And I felt all weird! I felt like this..." (he then folded his arms across his chest and put one foot over the other one, screwed up his face funny and bowed his head.)
Then he said,"And my eyes were like this..." ( he made circles with his fingers around his eyes and started tearing up.)

I told him that is what is feels like to feel embarrassed and feel sorry for what you have done. We decided that he could make a card for the girl and send a special treat to school to give her to say sorry. I think he felt a lot better after he was able to do that. I just hope that all the talk about how we have to think before we do things so that we don't hurt other people, and embarrass ourselves sink in. I hate having to watch my children learn those lessons, but they are also so important as they grow.

I think we are in for an interesting 1st grade ride!