Schooling

Before we left for China, I had bought some books for the kids to have while living here. I bought a nonfictional educational set that included books about the planet, weather, robots, recycling, (very exciting titles) etc. One day Eli brings a stack of books down and plops them on table and tells me he is going to do some reading. He is reading out loud to me and telling me about the ocean and how deep the deepest part is and showing me pictures of the planet. He finishes the book and I ask to look at it. He hesitates and slowly gives it to me, and then says, "but Mom, I wanted to read to you about trash and recycling." (I'm thinking he takes after Matt) He starts to read to me about trash and landfills and what can be recycled (if you ever want me to pick a series for you to read, let me know). Half way through, he stops and sees the next book is about weather. He asks me if I know how rain can sometimes be red. I tell him I don't know and ask him how. He then tells me I am going to have to wait and I can learn that when he reads me "Weather" but right now we have to finish reading about the trash and recycling. He is good at giving those "hook" questions to keep you interested and excited to hear more!

Mia loves her 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Adams. The second week we were here was conferences, so there wasn't a whole lot Mrs. Adams had to show me, but she did say Mia is a very funny little girl. They were lining up to wash their hands for lunch and Mia told Mrs. Adams "we don't wash hands at our house." Mrs. Adams told her that they wash them at school though and she still had to wash them. The next day, as they were lining up to wash hands again, Mia put her arm on Mrs. Adams, and asked, "do you remember what I told you yesterday?" Yep, washing hands is overrated and we don't think it prevents illness, so we are boycotting handwashing, even if we are here in a new place, where we aren't used to the germs they have... and besides, if it really does kill germs, wouldn't killing be breaking a commandment? Mia has also told her that her stomach feels like it is melting and going to burst open, and should she see the nurse. Well, in AZ, Mia saw the nurse regularly and we knew her well. I guess we should get to know the nurse here also, especially if we are opposed to hand washing.