Back to School - Big Boys

Elliott and Wyatt went back to school this past Wednesday.

Elliott is in SIXTH GRADE!

Wyatt is in FOURTH GRADE!

It's funny to know that there are people I went to high school with who are parents to 21 year old children and I am the parent of an 11 1/2 year old.  It's pretty cool though.

The boys did a lot of growing up this summer.

Back in the Spring, after a night of getting stuck in a rain storm and terrible traffic trying to get home from taking Elliott to soccer practice (Wyatt and Quinn were home), I stressed out and we got the boys a phone.  A flip phone.  Essentially a home phone but I call it "The Howden Boys" and so we've spent some time this summer working on phone skills and old school texting.  Elliott has taken the phone a few times to some soccer parties and movies with friends so he could let us know when he was ready to come home.  It's been really helpful. 

(Side Note:  There seem to be a lot of 6th graders this year with phones.  That scares me.  My 6th grader will not be getting his own phone.)

It's a really nice feeling to know that I can leave the boys home to run a quick errand and that they will be responsible and safe and nice to each other.  Granted, they pretty much only watch TV or play video games, but I'm pretty okay with that.

We've hit a really good stride the three boys and me.  We can have more grown-up conversations about more grown-up topics and I didn't really have to do much in the way of "discipline" this summer.  The three of them really get along well.  Now, of course, there are stressful moments, and always tears, but it feels like it's fewer and farther between.

Anyway, back to school.  Elliott and Wyatt are both still in the Dual Immersion program with excellent Spanish teachers and okay English teachers.  I actually think that the 4th grade English teacher is going to be really great this year.  Fourth grade was a tough transition for Elliott - one less recess and more academic - so it will be interesting to see how Wyatt relates to the 4th grade.

As a 6th grader, Elliott is on Safety Patrol and he started bright and early Wednesday morning.  About 12 kids per 6th grade class do 2 week rotations throughout the school year assisting at all the crosswalks around the school in the morning and afternoon.  He was pretty excited to do it.  I'm not sure how excited he will be to do it in the winter, but when the mornings have been in the 70's this week, he likes it just fine.  And, Yoshi gets to do it with him so if Yoshi is involved, it's always good.

Both boys are still in the band, which they really enjoy.  The band teacher, Mr. Malmrose, is excellent and this year, band is only two mornings a week.  Hooray for sleeping in.