Friday the 13th

Gavin has been a bit less than perfect this week at school. He didn't take a nap on Wednesday and woke up all of his friends.

That never make a mama happy to know that her child is keeping others from napping. I spoke with his teacher and asked if there was a place they could move him to so that he doesn't wake up all the other children who would like to have a nap.

Thursday he napped because his teacher,Ms. Elaine made sure that he was asleep before she left for lunch, leaving him to the supervision of another teacher.

Friday about 3:15, I got a phone call from the director, Ms. Molly. Gavin wanted to call to tell me about his choice: to be a worker, not a kid.

Bits of the conversation went something like this:
Gavin: Mom, I'm in Ms. Molly's room.
Mama: Gavin, what did you do to get in Ms. Molly's room?
Gavin: I didn't want to take a nap.
Mama: Did you wake the other kids?
Gavin: No.
Ms. Molly: Gavin, tell your mom about the choice you've made.
Gavin: I want to be a worker.
Mama: Ohhhhh.
Gavin: Mom, I miss you. Will you come pick me up?
Mama: Well, I miss you to, but I'm at work and I have jobs to do. Since you're a worker, now you have jobs to do, too.
Gavin: But, Mom, I'm worried about you.
Mama: Well, you're talking to me now. Nothing is wrong with me. There's no reason for you to worry.

At this point, Ms. Molly picks up the phone and whispers: He's OK. I just thought it was too cute that he wants to be a worker. She also reassured me that he's a 3 year old boy.

At some point we also talked about how a worker doesn't get to go outside to play. Ms. Molly said that shortly after we hung up, two kids had to come sit with her while a teacher took care of something. These two kids had on their jackets. Gavin got a little weepy at the realization that they were going outside.

Later, Gavin told Ms. Molly that he would be a kid again on Tuesday when Ms. Elaine got back. (She had taken Friday off to celebrate her 60th birthday. I hope I look that good at 60 and can chase 3 year olds.)

When I picked Gavin up, he was still in Ms. Molly's room. He had helped with tasks throughout the afternoon. He wanted to play football with Ms. Molly's football. I told him that was an outside game. Ms. Molly told him that if he was a kid again on Tuesday, he could take the football outside during play time. He seemed excited about that. Let's see if he really decides to be a kid again.

There was lots of time to fill between 2ish (probably even before that; they go down for a nap at 12:45ish) and 5:30 when I picked him up, so he and Ms. Molly made the lists seen below.

At some point in the afternoon, Gavin was Santa Claus and this was his list. He had to feed corn to his reindeer.
Oh me, how do you stay angry at that?

Even during my long conversation with Ms. Elaine, who's firm with the kids, she said, "He just looks at me with those angel eyes and I have to love him."

Glad he's got everyone else as wrapped around his finger as he does his Mama.