Week #6 What went well this week?
I'm not going to lie, i had several times i looked at this writing topic for the week, and thought for sure i was going to toss it out. I mean, what a horrible week to think about what went well. We had Athena with Pink Eye, Then Literally everyone in the house one by one, (except for Beatrix) got the stomach flu. Everyone has been miserable at some point. But i just couldn't do it. I felt like i was wallowing in self pity if i tossed out a question about what went well, because of some illness and discomfort. I literally tell people silver linings daily. I'm constantly trying to keep my employees positive even through the negative at work, and i really don't' want to be a hypocrite. So to word this question a little differently, here are our families silver linings for the week, and it's been quite a rough week!
Silver Lining #1 - Kira was Super Citizen again this year! Super Citizen is sort of a big deal, only two kids per class get it for the whole year. Kira has already been Student of the week this year (happened back before Christmas) but this is an even bigger honor. She was nominated by her teachers for several things, including overall improvement and effort, being the kid that always seeks out the kids that are all alone who need a friend to play with (in this day of bullies and kids as young as Kira committing suicide, i am very proud of this one), and staying out of trouble even when her friends are doing things they shouldn't (she has her own moral compass and she follows it). Kira has learned some hard lessons this year about, when friends do things you don't agree with, or when friends don't get along. I know it hasn't been easy for her, but she has stayed strong and followed her convictions.
Silver Lining #2 - Insurance, after a ridiculous battle trying to get Beatrix covered by insurance so that she can continue to go to the same pediatrician as her brother and sisters, it's finally been settled. I don't know why we had such a hard time getting her on my insurance, even my HR couldn't figure out why she wasn't being excepted (as my dependent none the less), but she is now considered one of my kids, lol. There is a peace of mind, that comes with knowing everyone in the family is covered, and our kids are double insured! This also means that Beatrix gets to keep her pediatrician, who we really like. It doesn't make any sense to have the kids at different offices. This week Bea, and Athena have well child visits, and next week are the older two! (Though Donovan did end up going in earlier this week, ahead of schedule for double ear infections =( poor guy)
Silver Lining #3 - School work! Even though we had a week of illness in the house, Donovan still did great getting his school work done. The kid not only had the stomach flu for two days, but Thursday i left work early to get him from the nurses office at school, rushed him to the doctor and found out he had double ear infections. But somehow we stayed on track for the week. He had two things that needed done, his 100 day project that included 100 items displayed in some way. (he made a 100 googly eyed monster), and he needed to put together valentines for his class. At first i thought it was crazy i was supposed to get this kid to write down 27 different kids names (yes they address them this year, and not just with their own name). It's hard enough keeping Donovan focused for any extended period of time to work on homework, but he did really great. We still have about half of his valentines to go, but his party isn't until Thursday so we will be fine. It's actually been pretty fun doing them with him, because everytime he does one he tells me a story about the kid it's for. Some are his friends, one cries all the time in class, one is the class clown (and i can't believe it's not Donovan, lol), one does crazy stuff in class and tries to get Donovan to do things he knows he will get in trouble for, so he doesn't like to be his friend anymore because he doesn't want to get in trouble (lol), it's been fun.
Athena has also done great, and has completed her valentines, she didn't have to write her classmates names, but she has written her own name on 24 cute little Dinosaur cards! Not sure it's a silver lining, but she is also registered with School Choice for the first round of cut offs for next year. Since she is in first round, and already enrolled at her school, i'm pretty optimistic she will get to return to the same school. Your chance of getting the school you have selected is much higher the sooner you apply. 1st round your almost guaranteed, 2nd round you have a good shot, 3rd round your probably going on some waiting lists and hoping they have a spot open up by the time school starts. In order to apply 1st round you have to already be established in the school district (returning student)
***School Choice for Denver Public Schools, is how you enroll out here. Instead of just being sent to your closest neighborhood school, you get a choice between several neighborhood schools. Once the kids are in Kindergarten they dont' have to continue to go through the school choice process, unless they want to move to a new school. However the ECE kids ( early childhood education aka preschool) have to reapply each year. ECE is part of public schools here just like kindergarten so if you apply early enough you should be able to send your 3 or 4 year old to school. Donovan and Kira are locked in to their school, because they are both high enough grade levels they don't have to re apply. Athena was ECE 3's this year, next year she is ECE 4's, she lucked out because her school which is litterally several blocks down the road will stop taking ECE 3's (three year olds going on four) this next year, so she slipped in for the last year, what luck! Next year we are going to have her go to the same school, maybe she will get the same teacher, which would be great because her teacher is wonderful. For kindergarten we will reapply to send her to Donovan and Kira's school. (ECE kids don't' get the school bus, Donovan was a special exception last year, so keeping her at the school right down the street is best until kindergarten when she can ride the bus with her brother and sister)***
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