When I picked up Summer from school the other day, I could tell she was having a rough day. Summer definitely has her moments at home with me but at school and other places with adults, she is usually very attentive and is a pleaser. Summer rode the whole way home in the backseat in silence. Usually she is upbeat and talkative and I am always trying to keep my eyes on the road and at the same time watching the mirror for her hands signing about her day. I knew something was wrong when she sat in her booster seat pouting her little face. When we got home I went into her backpack to find her folder and there I found her behavior sheet. The teacher had changed her color and wrote that she was talking a lot in class that day. I took her out on the porch for a little talk. After dinner we had a talk about it again with David. This whole parenting thing can be tricky... knowing how to correctly handle all the different situations you find yourself in. After she calmed down Summer decided that it would be nice to write an apology note to her teacher and to deliver it to her at school the next morning. I couldn't believe how excited Summer was to do this for her. She sat at her desk for a very long time and colored pictures for her and then wrote her own note. We then put the note and a bag of swedish fish (that Summer insisted on including) into a bag. Summer gave her teacher the note the next morning and gave her teacher a big hug and said she was sorry. This is not the first incident of having to apologize nor will it be the last. My hope, however, is that all of these little experiences will add up and that she will learn from them.
