Today we went out to dinner as I didn't have time to cook because I had a newborn session and tons of editing to do. Anyway, during dinner our waitress was actually very excellent. She asked the kids their names and would say stuff like "Is your food yummy?" Rather than How's everything? etc. It was like she was on their level and the kids had huge smiles. Luca said "She's really nice!' So after she asked the kids their names, she said my name is ? can't remember her name, she said "I'll be taking care of you." About 10 minutes later, Luca says "So will our waitress be taking us to school tomorrow?" We were like what!? "Well, she said she would be taking care of us." He's funny.
Last year in Kindergarten, toward the end of the year, Luca was in TEARS and was devastated that "he didn't get to go to the donut party." I had no idea what he was talking about. Later, I found out that if you read a certain amount of books and take a certain amount of tests you get to go to the AR donut party. They have donuts and you get to pick a prize depending on how many points you have. He was DEVASTATED. I was also a little upset because I had no idea about it. So, this year, I made sure to find out how many points the kids need to have to go to this donut party. 1st graders need 45 points. Most books are worth 1/2 point. Luca reads 3rd grade and 4th grade level books and sometimes the 10 chapter books are worth 1 point. Well, he made a goal to have 100 points (even though 45 is the donut party goal, he aimed high). Yesterday, he achieved his goal and I was so proud of him. He read over 150 books and took and passed 149 of them. He got an average of 95% correct. He failed a 5th grade book that had big words (we realized that was too challenging for him). He was soo excited. We told him if he achieved his goal we would let him get Shadow Fight 2 an app that he's wanted forever, but told him he still has to read and that he can only play 30 minutes a day.
Growing up with Italian parents who only went up to 8th grade in Italy, I honestly can say I don't ever remember them reading to me. I had a great childhood and my parents were hard workers and taught us all kinds of things, but as their English wasn't good they just never read to us. I feel like if I was read to, that I would have been a little more successful in school. I always did good in school, but not Excellent. I hope by encouraging and reading with my kids every single day that this will help them become successful at school and whatever they decide to do for their future. I'm just so proud of them. Olivia is getting to be a better reader. She's reading 1st grade level and is starting to take tests, too. Kindergartners goals are 10 points so about 20 books and tests that she has to pass. She's already at 8 points so I'm very proud of her, too!
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