Last year attending the Winter Fair at Hilltown Charter marks the moment I was certain I wanted my third guy to switch schools. It wasn’t exactly the mixing of loose teas into little pouches nor was it any of the other sweet crafty experiences he had. It was more the feeling of the event—loose, warm, a tiny bit raggedy and to quote one of my favorite picture book authors ever, the place “radiated good intention.”
As I’ve written about some, the transition to a new school in third grade, after leaving the most perfect second grade teacher ever, hasn’t been easy-peasy. Despite the fact that our dear Remy can pretty much do anything he sets his mind to exceedingly well, being the new kid has been uncomfortable for him, more so than we’d imagined (because of course, he does do anything he sets his mind to exceedingly well and because he’d gone off two years in a row to overnight camp without a from-home buddy by his side).
One of the things I guess parents have to learn and then practice way more than we wish is holding steady when things are hard rather than offering some sort of solution. This practice runs the gambit from tears at bedtime to not being in the same class as your friend to any number of things. You, the adult, have to hold the vision of sleep or new friends—or eventually liking the new school.
Somewhere in November the shift seemed to occur: he’s IN. He’s knitting and reading and writing book reports and stories with his friend about boredom and making gorgeous macramé bracelets and taking the bus and even liking a song or two (if you know Rem, this is a big deal).
Thank f*&^ing goodness.
The Winter Fair is on Saturday. It is really fun. You do not have to set your heart on the school in order to enjoy it.
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On the subject of weekends, Sunday is Safe Passage’s Hot Chocolate Run and Walk. Need I say more than this is a chance to support families experiencing very difficult transitions? I don’t think so. Plus, it’s just one of those rare communal treats to be in a crowd doing something for good on a brisk December morning—like the Polar Bear plunge, but with purpose and without getting wet and concluding with hot chocolate.
Next weekend—after some magical house decluttering—we’re having a craft show. We, as in hosted by my family. I believe there might be some macramé friendship bracelets for sale, created by a happy third grader. Also, you can find everything from Herrell’s hot fudge, Mister G CD’s—the Many Hands CD, as well, and the game Co-opoly—along with gorgeous things made by such artists as Ann Lewis, Robbie Heidinger, Donnabelle Casis, and Lucy Fagella. That’s just the tip of the crafty berg.
After that, I will pretty much want to collapse.
