In addition to taking vitamins and getting extra (enough) sleep, nothing helps lift your spirits like a visit to kindergarten.
I try to have lunch with Big Girl at least every other month and this was the day.
The rule is that the kid of the visiting parent can invite one friend to sit with him or her so as not to throw the lunchroom into chaos with 20+ students all competing to sit by Mom or Dad. Apparently they saw me coming through the window and Big Girl had best friends popping up like gophers. I heard later that one kid offered her "500 piles of money" if he were chosen. I'm proud that she declined. Although she is Cheapskate Jr. in the making, she is above taking bribes.
At lunch today I heard about one girl's fifth grade reading buddy who is presumably independently wealthy, as she is going to buy the kindergartner an ice castle the size of the cafeteria.
I also got asked somewhat abruptly: "Have you ever been in a Big Scary Attic?" Upon admitting my failure at entering any type of attic whatsoever, the boy continued: "I went in my Nana's attic this week. It was big and scary." In lieu of farewell, he extended me an open invitation to visit his Nana, should I feel the need to fulfill my lifetime Big Scary Attic quota.
I sometimes question my decision not to homeschool, but visits like today confirm that I made an equally acceptable choice. I don't want to say it was the "right" choice and homeschooling the "wrong" one, because I think she would have thrived as well at home if we'd chosen that. But I think she is learning valuable skills above and beyond readin', writin', and 'rithmetic. Skills like teamwork with peers, making age appropriate decisions away from parents, and dealing with personalities unlike hers.
Also, just in case she has a political future, she's learning at a young age to just say no to bribes.
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