Parents' Night

It's been a busy week. Sharon and I have barely crossed paths, save for a quick birthday tea on Tuesday and a dessert later that evening once she had finished some training in the house. She has had a team meeting, a show in Berwick and a day down at the Pampered Chef UK office in Ascot doing her Advanced Director training. And today she is off to Ireland with Finn for the weekend to see Olivia. Hopefully she'll find time to just sit down and relax.

We also met briefly at the school yesterday afternoon for parents' night. Finn is doing everything that Mrs. Nelson would expect of a pre-schooler and is taking more of an interest in making letter sounds to try and spell simple words and trying to write letters. He got his merit star home this week with the ten stickers on it that he got for "being very good." He seems to be integrating more with the other children this year and has a group of friends that play together. She was amazaed that he acts up at home because he is always a model of good behaviour in the nursery and steers well clear of trouble if someone looks like they're about to lose it. She suggested he gets a nursery star and stickers to take home to see if that helps as an incentive to behave. After a bad start to this week in the house his behaviour did improve when he was told he wouldn't be going to Ireland unless he earned points on a chart.

Sean is doing very well, both with his reading and his maths. He concentrates well on his maths but can daydream a little during things like dictation, probably because he writes the word down right away and then drifts off while he is waiting for the next word. Due to the funding cuts he isn't getting the extra tuition we hoped for as a result of his gifted and talented assessment, which means we may need to keep him challenged at home. Sharon also wasn't best pleased to hear they have been watching Horrid Henry DVDs now and then. Sean loves reading the Horrid Henry books but they don't provide a great role model. Sean is inclusive in his play and seems to be getting on well with his classmates.

I was off on Wednesday while Sharon was down at Ascot. I took Rowan swimming at Bonnyrigg. He occasionally ventured away from the steps to float with his armbands on but would turn and tip over with much spluttering and wailing. He is following his brothers in being an avid reader of books and has taken to reading in bed before falling asleep with the light on. It seems to settle him which can only be a good thing.