First Day of School

Well, Griffin’s first day of school has come and gone, and I think we can say that it was a success.  Tamara and the boys walked to school for his first morning, and even though he wasn’t a big fan of that part, he had a good time anyway.

It was the second day that started with a minor hitch.  Instead of walking all the way, mom and the boys drove up to the trailhead that led to the school.  As they were getting out, Griffin’s Spiderman thermos fell out of his backpack and rolled into a deep culvert.  His little heart was broken.  Daddy had found the very last Spiderman thermos at Target, and now it was gone down the drain…literally.

They drove back to the house and got a replacement before heading back to school.  All was well!  I know some people that would have let that ruin their whole day, but I’m glad it didn’t for him.  As soon as he got to school he ran toward the playground without a backwards glance.  I think he’s settling in just fine.

As my Congolese coworker put it, “You can choose to wallow in your sorrow, or you can focus on the good things.”  And I think he’s right.  There are a lot of things in life that you just don’t have control over.  Worry about them is futile.  That’s a lesson I need to take closer to heart.

The only thing Griffin has had a problem with is answering the same question over and over again.  Everyone is so excited for him, and they all want to know, “How did you like school?”  We’re working with him to help him understand that a lot of times you just have to answer the same question over and over again, and not to get upset.  It can be hard though.

I’ve had the same feelings as him before, and I’ve been guilty of doing it to others.  You know how it is, you’re walking by a coworker and you ask them how they’re doing, and you don’t even stop to hear what their answer is.  You didn’t really want to know how they were doing, you were just being polite.  And then there’s the occasion that one of them stops to actually tell you how they’re doing and you get upset about being pulled into a conversation.

I wonder if this isn’t why teens shut down sometimes when parents ask them about school.  It’s the same question over and over.  It doesn’t take much thought to come up with, “How was school.”  Maybe in their young minds, they’re thinking, ‘You don’t really care how school was, you’re just trying to start a conversation.’

I have no idea if that’s actually how it goes.  I’m just throwing it out there.  If there are any teens reading this, maybe they can weigh in.

As for my experience, I’ve found that I get better results when I ask a specific question.  One that shows I’m plugged in and know what’s going on.  I’ve noticed it in my own life too.  I have a much easier time talking with someone who shows a real interest in what we’re discussing.  Chit-chat has never been my forte, and I’m beginning to think it might be a problem for Griffin too.