Catching the Magic

Travels in New Zealand and beyond, going back to 2003!

Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Blasts from the past
  • Country Kids
  • Motherhood
  • Poetry
    • 2011 Poetry
    • 2012 Poetry
    • 2013 Poetry
    • 2014 Poetry
    • 2015 Poetry
    • 2016 Poetry
    • 2017-2018 Poetry
  • Travel
    • Auckland
    • Fiordland
    • Kapiti Coast
    • Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough & Canterbury
    • Otago, Queenstown, Wanaka & Southern Lakes
    • Taupo, Rotorua & Tongariro National Park
    • Wairarapa
    • Byron Bay and the Gold Coast (2005 and 2016)
    • Californian Adventures, 2013-14
    • Canada, Dec. 2018
    • Cook Islands
    • Copenhagen, July & August 2014
    • Japan
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • UK Visits from 2014 to 2022
    • England via Santa Barbara & San Francisco, 2012
    • England via San Francisco – July 2007
    • NZ to UK, with our 9 month old, 2004
  • Running
  • Special Days
Menu

Sophie has a ‘cold’… (warning – school rant!)

Posted on May 12, 2011May 12, 2011 by BritMumInNZ

but we know it’s not ‘that’ bad.

The reality is… she’s just started her second term of her school life.

She’s moved classes and has a new teacher.

There’s now twenty children in her small classroom. The children in the class are all getting used to each other and a new teacher.  Five, of the twenty children, moved up from new entrants. The existing children bid their term one teacher farewell as she is now on her own personal journey of motherhood.

That’s quite a change in dynamics!

Now take a look at Sophie’s personality…

She is HIGH energy ALL day.

She is highly enthusiastic, motivated, keen, bright, physically active, a ‘chatter box’, always asking questions, full of ideas and wants to please.

One has to ask, is she really going to be happy with six hours a day of little personal attention, having to learn at a set pace, with little opportunity to ask questions and express new ideas?

A vibrant personality

Let’s look at the Sophie of LAST week that attended school 4 out of the 5 days:

  • Not easy to motivate to get out the door in the morning.
  • Very tearful after school and highly emotional.
  • Exhausted emotionally, but not physically.
  • Talking about the children in her class, that had already done one term of ‘Year 1’, as being ‘not good role-models’ (she’d heard this from her teacher).
  • Disappointed at not having a day a week to bring in news.
  • Finding the work very easy and boring, asking to see and do things outside of school to feed her mind – visit the museum, library etc.
  • Looking withdrawn, downcast eyes, sad.

Now, let’s look at Sophie of THIS week (not attended school all week):
(She has a cold. She would be ‘okay’ to go to school, but is very reluctant)

  • Happy every morning & cooperative in getting dressed, even though she’s clearly blocked up with a cold and cough.
  • Keen to learn.
  • Completed a numeracy activity book for 5 to 7 year olds.
  • Completed a phonics activity book for 5 to 7 year olds.
  • Delighted in playing with her younger sibling and having an opportunity to bond.
  • Asked to help with domestic activities in the home and delighted in feeling ‘useful’ and being responsible.
  • Suggested ideas for baking and meals.
  • Spent hours writing (without any persuasion by me) – coming up with words beginning with certain letters.
  • Received a letter from a friend and wrote one straight back (decorating it) – all unprompted, self-driven.
  • Created a beautiful piece of artwork.
  • Completed puzzles of her own choosing.
  • Ran on the beach.
  • Enjoyed seeing Wellington from the top of Mount Victoria.
  • Played at the playground with children of all ages.
  • Investigated fungus growing in the garden and an old butterfly cocoon.
  • Talked with various adults we’ve met at shops and been listened to.
  • Chatted with our gardener that comes once a week.
  • Read books and asked to visit the library to get more out.
  • Sketched pictures at will.
  • Been happy, helpful, cheerful, positive, outgoing, wonderful!

AN OBVIOUS DIFFERENCE!

What to do?!

Sibling love given a chance to blossom

(Charlotte, in the meantime, is LOVING school this week!)

Life’s rich tapestry hey….

Related posts

  • I hope she’s not thinking about me as much as I am about herSeptember 27, 2011 I hope she’s not thinking about me as much as I am about her
  • Term 4 and winding down to the last days of school for 2020December 1, 2020 Term 4 and winding down to the last days of school for 2020
  • Running with PassionMarch 10, 2011 Running with Passion
  • School too easy?December 1, 2008 School too easy?
  • An Olympian in the making?!August 12, 2008 An Olympian in the making?!
  • Making Real FriendshipsApril 15, 2008 Making Real Friendships
Category: Sophie

Post navigation

← The Gallery: Chilled Out
Loving our little Zoo, Zoo, Zoo! →
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Archives

Recent Posts

  • A holiday in paradise – ten blissful days in Rarotonga, in the beautiful Cook Islands. August 8, 2023
  • Marlborough Food & Wine Festival Birthday Celebration August 7, 2023
  • A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon! May 10, 2023
  • Auckland mid-week break away for Harry Styles! April 4, 2023
  • Celebrating a Birthday with a Meerkat Encounter! March 30, 2023
  • Summer holiday in Rotorua & Taupo March 29, 2023
  • Christmas and a Birthday in Wellington January 12, 2023
  • Summer highlights from the Wairarapa January 8, 2023
  • A long weekend with friends near Goat Island Marine Reserve January 6, 2023
  • It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – southern hemisphere style! December 23, 2022
  • Wellington Lantern Festival – in the spring rain December 18, 2022
  • Toast Martinborough – Wine and Food Festival December 16, 2022

Things I Write About

Art (100) autumn (42) Baking (37) beach (67) Birthday (51) birthday party (31) breastfeeding (29) cafes (46) christmas (70) Country Kids (59) family (115) family time (57) featured (34) friends (38) Garden (43) holiday (36) Holidays (131) Lyall Bay (47) Lyrical Sunday (68) milestones (62) motherhood (37) New Zealand (38) parenting (36) photography (39) poem (69) poetry (92) running (57) Santa Barbara (32) school (75) school holidays (49) seasons (45) Silent Sunday (51) sisters (29) sleep (35) spring (38) summer (60) swimming (28) the gallery (62) Things I'm Loving (118) UK (30) Walks (47) weather (34) Wellington (137) winter (42) writing (50)

Poetry

Follow Sarah's board Poetry by Sarah Lee on Pinterest.
20 Of The Best Expat Blogs To Follow In 2017

Related posts

  • I hope she’s not thinking about me as much as I am about herSeptember 27, 2011 I hope she’s not thinking about me as much as I am about her
  • Term 4 and winding down to the last days of school for 2020December 1, 2020 Term 4 and winding down to the last days of school for 2020
  • Running with PassionMarch 10, 2011 Running with Passion
  • School too easy?December 1, 2008 School too easy?
  • An Olympian in the making?!August 12, 2008 An Olympian in the making?!
  • Making Real FriendshipsApril 15, 2008 Making Real Friendships
© 2023 Catching the Magic | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme