Sunday, February 19, 2012

Mommy, I don't speak adult...

...and sometimes, Aly, I wish I didn't either!

These past few weeks haven't been too fun.
Between the exhausting day schedules and the weekend catch ups, there haven't been to many moments in the middle to enjoy, sit back, and breathe.

I hear the kids wishing all the time that was in front of them would disappear so they can grow up, do their own thing, buy their own stuff, and enjoy their own world -- so to speak.  I'm thankful that they dream ahead, but I want them to enjoy today - and lately we've been so busy taking care of work that we are not doing such a good job at showing them how.

The truth is, I don't even remember what conversation Aly and I were having to have driven her to say that she doesn't speak adult, but these words certainly caught my attention and I made a mental note to think on it.  During the day, there are constant decisions to be made and THAT adult voice is the one leading the discussion. Even in my classroom, a world away from MY homelife, my students use adult language and expressions that Aly and Brandan have yet to recognize.  And it makes me wonder, when is ADULT used and how effective is it?  I used to think mastering vocabulary and sentence structure gained me notoriety as a writer in an adult world, but when I watch children write (and I've had opportunity to see 325+ students not counting Aly and Brandan) I see such freedom in expression and invented design!  I think it is hidden within this type of creativity that I want to dump the ADULT speak and regress.  Forget the politics, the monetary struggles, the hassle of being organized -- I need to learn how to speak KID!

And just think...How much MORE time I could have as a result!  Who's with me here? Yeah, I know.  Peter Pan won't be grabbing me by the arm anytime soon, but I still have the intention.  I'll figure it out one day...
 ...and PINTEREST will probably coax it out of me.  Really don't know how I lived with out it for as long as I did!  My WORDS TO LIVE BY board sustains that childish notion; thank goodness!
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I did fall into one of B's downloaded game apps on the iPad yesterday: Who knew that Back to the Future had a continuation GAME?  Aly and I have worked to complete three different episodes so far!!  Can you say ADDICTED?
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I think the thing that makes me saddest about the past couple of weeks is that I very rarely pull out my DSLR for anything.  The love of my iPhone and the ease has helped me to survive a picture-less world by noting a few things here and there...like the lazies...
 
 ...and yucky head colds...
...alongside the long hours of planning down to the wire.
Absolutely nothing exciting.
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I have kept up with my 52 weeks challenge so far!
 Week three's theme was CLOSE.

 Week four's theme was AT ARM'S LENGTH.

 Week five's theme was DARK.

And this past week six's theme was LOVE.
(Hence the love of those crazy iPhone apps, since time hasn't permitted all the loves of my life to sit in the same spot for any duration of time!)
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So, it is my intention to uncover one of those adult-to-child translation guides.  Who knows.  Maybe it can transport us Back to the Future? :)

1 comment:

Pam said...

i love reading your pondering blog posts:) i can't wait until your spring break so I can see more blogging from you;)

love the photos of you too...I just never got started on the challenges! kudos to you for keeping up with it!