Community

Teacher told me Butterfly had a great day yesterday. One of Butterfly's goals this year is to learn to jump the big jump rope. Yesterday, she had some success. When I came to school that afternoon she was practice both swinging the rope for others and jumping it. She was very happy. Who knew jump rope could be so much fun?

The School had the monthly K/1/2 meeting after school let out so Brother and Butterfly played while Partner and I went to the meeting. I did not get to go the one last month so this was my first time. It is mandatory for all parents with kids in K/1/2/ but few people were there. Probably has everything to do with the meeting being held at 330 PM on a weekday. However, there were a group of us. WE practiced NVC, asked questions and got updates on school stuff from the Teachers.  I enjoyed myself tremendously.

This school is so different. After the meeting, I was watching the kids on the playground. These kids don't have "bling" and in LA that is pretty amazing. I was talking to someone the other day whose 1st grader has been begging for an iPhone because "everyone else at school has them, even the kindergartners!"  The kids at Butterfly's old school were also much more mainstream, consumer oriented. I feel very fortunate our family got to break from that before it ate us alive- it can be hard to resist- especially in Los Angeles for some reason.

The kids at our School now are just a little different in their styles and presentation. And that doesn't mean that everyone is just dressing in expensive grunge. Even the 7/8 graders are different than other middle schoolers. The other day one of the middle schoolers slipped on the black top. All the other middle schoolers stopped what they were doing and helped her. They didn't laugh at her. Or tease her. Or leave her sitting there.  

There is just some underlying thing that is a little different. I can't put my finger on it yet.  The kids are just really close- maybe because it is such a small school and they grow up together since kindergarten. THere is a real sense of community, caring and looking out for each other. Maybe it is almost like a church family- that is a little of what it reminds me of at School. I think if I got sick, someone would bring me a casserole. I like that feeling.