The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.
My monster finished his first full week of school! It hasn't been the smoothest transition, but we're adjusting! A side effect I wasn't expecting? The kids still wake up early on the weekends...ugh. You'd think they'd sleep in, right? Wrong. They're little brains are now wired for early mornings, which means I have to wake up with them.
News:
My monster finished his first full week of school! It hasn't been the smoothest transition, but we're adjusting! A side effect I wasn't expecting? The kids still wake up early on the weekends...ugh. You'd think they'd sleep in, right? Wrong. They're little brains are now wired for early mornings, which means I have to wake up with them.
I'm a little frustrated with my son's schedule at school. I taught second grade a few years ago, albeit at another school, but the structure was different. The teacher sent home their weekly schedule, and I'm shocked by the amount of material they're required to cover in a single day. Additionally, he's only allotted 15 minutes for recess. Fifteen. My son is five and has endless amounts of energy, fifteen minutes of play isn't enough to settle his mind or his body. He's going to be antsy and unfocused every day. After talking with his teacher, I learned they actually get less time. The fifteen minutes start before they ever make it outside, and they include however long it takes to get to and from class.
And if that wasn't bad enough... gym. I foolishly assumed that gym would be another time during the day when my son could run and move around. Wrong. Do you know what they did last week? They played with blocks. They sat in small groups and played with blocks. I'm sure this is good for team building and whatever else, but these kids need to be in motion! They're forced to be still and quiet for the majority of the day, so it seems cruel not to take advantage of the times when they can be a little loud and bounce around. On Friday, my son said they brought a projector into the gym so they could watch a movie about exercising. Seriously?? How does that make any sense??
The worst thing happened when I went to pick him up one day. The line to pick students up is insane. Sometimes I wait for 45 minutes before the car ever moves forward. I know that people are trying to adjust and learn the system, but that also means our children are sitting inside and just waiting. After the first day, I gave my son a book to read so he would have something to occupy himself. They took it away from and gave him a mark. I was livid! Apparently, children cannot have any items outside of their backpacks while they're waiting to be picked up. They're supposed to just sit quietly while holding a bubble in their mouths, and they cannot move. How ridiculous is that? He got in the car crying that afternoon, and when the teacher wouldn't tell me why, I called the principal. She said children weren't allowed to read because there's a chance someone could "throw" their book across the room, or "hit" another child with it. Once I told her that I had instructed him to read as his parent, he wasn't in trouble. They should convey things like this to the parents so we don't inadvertently break their stupid rules.
Previous week on the blog:
Sunday: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik ⋆⋆⋆
Monday: Nothing!
Tuesday: Nothing!
Thursday: Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women, #1) by Evie Dunmore ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Friday: Nothing!
Saturday: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas ⋆⋆⋆
What I'm currently reading:
Nothing to Fear (Final Hour, #2) by Juno Rushdan
Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha, #1) by Tomi Adeyemi
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
I really enjoyed Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan (the first book in the Final Hour series), and I've been looking forward to this next installment! A lot of questions were left unanswered, which I dislike, but I know it was to set up the second book. I really liked how the author combined adventure and romance! Children of Blood and Bone is one I've been reading for awhile now. I'm listening to the audio, and my loan from the library keeps expiring before I can finish it. Maybe I'll have more time this week! It's been insanely good so far. I'm starting Circus Mirandus tonight with the monsters.
What I plan on reading next:
The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett
The Girl the Sea Gave Back (Sky in the Deep, #2) by Adrienne Young
Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger
Jenn Bennett is my jam, and I am really looking forward to The Lady Rogue. It sounds amazing, and I cannot wait to go on this adventure. Six Goodbyes We Never Said is going to make me cry, isn't it? Have you seen the cover for The Girl the Sea Gave Back? It's shimmery and stunning! I absolutely love it. Hopefully the story is just as captivating.
What I'm watching:
I rarely have time to watch television these days, but I will occasionally sit through an episode of Fairy Tail (it's the final season and I only have a few episodes left, so I'm trying to drag it out), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Veronica Mars. I recently saw all of the Marvel shows being added to the new Disney+, and now I'm trying to convince myself that I don't need it. There are too many streaming services!
Challenge updates:
Audiobook Challenge: 33 / 30+
Beat the Backlist Challenge: 59 / 100
Discussion Challenge: 5 / 11-20
Goodreads Challenge: 272 / 500
I've met my goal for the Audiobook Challenge! I'm not too worried about the Beat the Backlist Challenge or the Discussion Challenge, but I'm starting to think 500 was a lofty goal for my Goodreads Challenge. Only time will tell! How are you doing with your challenges this year?
15 minutes of recess for the whole day?!?!! That's insane and totally setting kids up for failure. And there should certainly be a better system for pick up time. If a kid has to sit so long to wait, they should be allowed to play!
ReplyDeleteRight?? They're totally setting the kids up to fail by not giving them opportunities to physically exert themselves. School is exhausting and mentally draining, especially at this age, those outlets for play are extremely important. I'm really frustrated with how this school chooses to operate and handle its students.
DeleteThanks! I hope you have a great day as well. :)
ReplyDeleteOh I know. My grandson started 1st grade this year and the the amount the stuff they do during the day is a lot. My daughter had to pay for a reading app for the year that's required and that's the only way they're allowed to do any reading for school. I asked her about recess and they have one 30 minute recess. I thought they would be allowed out after lunch but they're not, they have to stay sitting at their tables and they only get 30 minutes for lunch. School is crazy now.
ReplyDeleteIt's horrible! When I was in Kindergarten we still had to take naps! Like, for an hour. We also had a really long recess to break up the monotony of the day. Some days... we went outside twice to play. It's what you do for KIDS. My son only gets 30 minutes for lunch as well. He often comes home with some of it uneaten, and he'll eat it in the car on the way home. The recess is bullshit. You should give them more than 15 minutes to play outside and work off their energy. It's torture to keep them confined indoors all day doing work.
DeleteOMG, I can't even! They played blocks in gym class and watch a movie about exercising. Hmmmmm. Seems like they are missing the mark there. Your son's in kindergarten right? That's crazy that he only has 15 minutes of recess. I remember a lot of playing when I was in kindergarten. I was on the fence about Six Goodbyes, so I will be curious about your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly! If they're only going to get 15 minutes outside for recess, they need to be moving and DOING during their 30 minutes of gym. It doesn't make sense for them to sit still in yet another class where they're not getting to work off their energy. We had a least 30 minutes of recess when I was in school, and sometimes we went out multiple times during the day. We still had NAPS when I was his age. I think they're trying to expect too much too soon from five-year-old's. They still need to play. It's crucial to their learning and development.
DeleteHe's not allowed to read?? That's insane! Everytime I go pick up my cousins it's crazy full of people, but they do let them play and read while they wait!
ReplyDeleteI agree, fifteen minutes is nothing, they should have at least half an hour to release some energy. They're kids!
Well, hope it gets better. Have a great week!
@BookishTreats
They're not allowed to read after school while they wait for their parents, because someone might throw a book or hit another child with it. Ridiculous. If that did happen, you should separate that child, not punish everyone else for what MIGHT happen. Making them sit in complete silence is boring and cruel.
DeleteYou're right! 15 minutes is nothing. He's 5!! A five-year-old needs more than 15 minutes to work off some of their restlessness. My son can play at the playground for an hour and still be bouncing around when we get home. It's unfair for them to keep them contained for so long without an outlet for their energy.
Wow...your son's school sounds
ReplyDelete..exhausting.
It is!! This was only the first week... I'm worried what will happen next.
DeleteI think that school's crazy myself. :) Any school that discourages reading in any way is bonkers to me, and th whole bubble thing. What even?
ReplyDeleteI hope The Girl The Sea Gave Back is good, because I liked her previous book and want this one to be good too lol.
Luckily, he won't be attending this school for very long. I'm half-tempted to pull him before the move and just homeschool him for the duration. I don't feel like this school system has the children's best interests at heart.
DeleteMe too! It's been ages since I read Sky in the Deep, but I really enjoyed it. :)
DeleteOmgawd! How is block playing and watching a movie gym? I don't know how long my son had for recess, but they had it twice a day: once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It looks like you need to get involved with the PTA. 😯
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week. 🌞
Right?? Me too! We often went outside multiple times during the day, because it helped us focus in class. Children need to play!! It's a huge part of their development. Hah! I considered joining the PTA, but we're not going to be at this school long.
DeleteOh, the joys of school. I can relate on so many levels. This year my youngest (or four) is in 3rd grade and my oldest is in 10th and we have three different school. Picking up is the worst, but we have a way to get around the craziness that we've found work. The Lady Rogue is also on my reading list coming up. I hope we both enjoy it! And hopefully this week goes better!
ReplyDeleteTressa @ Wishful Endings
I have no idea how we'll manage when the girls start school... we already run all over the place for our son and his various activities. I'm happy you've found something that works for pickups! There's literally one lane into the school that eventually splints into two. It takes forever to get from one end to the other. If I get there too early, the girls and I still have to wait for an hour before school ends.
DeleteI'm so excited about The Lady Rogue!
That sort of structure for a Kindy class is completely opposite of what we know is best practice for educating young children. Kindy kids here have regular physical activity breaks through the day, as well as morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea periods. I hope the new school he will be going to is not as inflexible.
ReplyDeleteWe don’t have the same sort of school pickup system you do here, is there anywhere nearby you can park and then walk to get him?
Have a great reading week
You're actually not allowed to walk over and pick up your child. They will not release a student after 2 PM with a parent that is not in a car. It's ridiculous. You have to sit in the pickup line, and you're not allowed to get out of the car for any reason. I really hope the new school is different. We didn't have too many options when he started this year, but we're choosing a school first and foremost before looking for a house. I want my kid to be happy while he's at school, and I want his learning experience to be something that he enjoys.
DeleteI'm just... WHAT KIND OF F-CKED UP SCHOOL IS THAT?!!! He's freaking 5! He should have 1 hour of lunch break!! Every school in Puerto Rico gives 1 hour of lunch break/recess from Pre-K to 12th grade. And from Pre-K to 1st grade, the kids get a snack break of 15 minutes. Again, THEY ARE SMALL KIDS!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs for the kids waking up early on weekends, I remember I used to do that a lot LOL Mom didn't like it at all.
Genesis @ Whispering Chapters
It's seriously fucked up. The kids cannot mentally sit through all that work without any sort of outlet for their physical energy. Five days a week? That's incredibly cruel, and the children deserve better. They should be encouraged to not only play, but socialize, in addition to learning. Play is important! I hate that schools have lost sight of what the children need in order to succeed.
DeleteThat’s crazy about your son’s schedule. They are expecting waaaay too much from very young children. Their mind and bodies need a break from the classroom environment... and 15 minutes is not going to do it. I can’t imagine how frustrating that must be. :( And the rules regarding pick-up are RIDICULOUS! How they they be expected to sit quietly for so long? And why shouldn’t they be able to read or do other quiet activities? OMG, that is just crazy. And school germs... yep, already in full force. My 11 year old niece is at the doctor’s office this morning with suspected strep throat. In school for two weeks and already sick. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteYes! I do think they're expectations are too high. He's 5 and being forced to basically sit still and quiet for seven hours a day. 15 minutes of recess? That is nothing! It's barely a blip in their long day of learning. Additionally, gym should be something that requires the children to be active. They can't read, because someone "might" throw a book. I think that says more about the school than the children. They're willing to punish everyone just to avoid the mistakes of a few.
DeleteKid had 102 fever last night and 103 this morning, so no school today. We're trying to manage it without a visit to the doctor (since his fever broke around lunch), and he's been playing with his LEGO most of the day. I'm trying to keep him separated from his sisters, because I really don't need everyone getting this. I've used so much Lysol today, and I've been trying to keep my hands washed after interacting with him. It's exhausting.
I have one kid starting next week - he's in grade 7 and then another that's starting university. While both are older, I'm sure I'll have a fun week next week as well. Lol. I hope your son will feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!
University? How exciting! I'm sure you'll be busy next week. :)
DeleteWoah, that is a crazy school. So dumb you can't read while waiting - they're little kids! Reading should be encouraged. And that recess and gym time sounds awful. Wow. I'm sorry your son has to deal with all that - and you too!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Ugh, I know. It's incredibly frustrating. Reading should ALWAYS be encouraged, yet they would rather make their jobs easier. It should be about helping the children, not themselves. If reading helps them pass the time, and encourages them to think for themselves, then it should be allowed. A kid might throw a book... so? Handle that problem when it arises, and don't punish everyone because of what might happen.
DeleteI hate how they expect kids to be still and perfect all the time now. They need to run and play and yell.
ReplyDeleteThat's one thing I like out here, even though I don't have kids, they are very outdoorsy here and have lots of playgrounds and activities for kids all the time. It's encouraged.
And not being able to read a book to stay quiet is beyond ridiculous.
I know we've been texting but keep me posted on William.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
Karen @ For What It's Worth
They should be having fun at school right now, and he's not. I cannot wait to move up north and see if the school systems are better there. From everything I've heard... they are. Right? Him reading hurts no one, but greatly helps him. They're hurting all of the students because of something that MIGHT happen. It's asinine.
DeleteHonestly, I'm so terrified of if I ever have kids and they end up being the same. I need my weekend rest! Must be all the years I was a kid and I'd wake up early on the weekends to watch Nick cartoons in Spanish (a language which I didn't understand but we didn't have cable so I was desperate to watch the cartoons!) that make me tired as heck now lol Kidding. Mostly. Here's to hoping your week ahead has more adjustment and you guys grow into the school year! Completely in shock over the 15 minutes of recess. HOW IS THAT OKAY? I don't get it. Recess is there for a reason and to make it so minimal is just... not great.
ReplyDeleteAside from all this, I hope the week ahead is better and of course you have some free time to read! To which I say, happy reading!
Recess is a very important aspect of education. The children need an outlet for their energy, a break from the constant learning, and a chance to socialize with others. It's all crucial to development, and I hate that schools today see numbers and statistics instead of students. It makes me really sad and more inclined to homeschool, at least until he's older. He's 5 and should be allowed to act like it.
DeleteMy weekends are over, haha. There is no more sleeping in. If I want a nap, I have to squeeze it in while they're napping, and that's only if my son decides he wants one that day. I remember watching Spanish cartoons on the weekend!! <3
Well I'm glad you're moving, Lindsi cuz to be honest that school sounds cr*p.
ReplyDeleteHere in the UK our EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) and National Curriculum encompasses a child's development from birth to 18 yrs old making physical activity compulsory - including adequate breaks in the morning, lunchtime and, for the younger pupils, in the afternoon to allow for physical and social skills to be nurtured.
On a side note, rules like not reading while waiting to be picked up after school screams to me that they had behaviour issues in the past at that time that got out of hand and they are now trying to stop similar situations from happening again. It's an eye-opener/clue about how they handle issues.
I asked my son if he wanted to stay in this school for a few more weeks, or if he wants to homeschool until the move. He wants to do both, because he has made friends there, and it's a new experience. However, he's bored in the classroom because they're teaching things he already knows, and he's antsy because they're not giving him an outlet for his energy. Clearly, I need to move to the UK, because that's amazing! It sounds like they care about the students and their development.
DeleteThat's what I was told. In the past children have thrown objects, so now they're not allowed to have anything outside of their backpacks while they wait. I dislike that they are punishing everyone for the mistakes of a few, and feel like different measures could be taken to prevent disruptive behavior.
Wow, sounds like the situation at school is really frustrating! My oldest had major problems with the whole sitting still and being quiet all day long thing when she started school. (I finally pulled her out and homeschooled her in the 4th grade---not saying that will have to happen for you, but that's how it all ended up for me. On the plus side, my kid is now WAY ahead academically because once she was OUT of the school environment, she thrived. Again, not saying that to scare you or anything. Every kid is different!)
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I actually wanted to homeschool but left the decision up to my son. He said he wanted an opportunity to make more friends his age, and I can understand him wanting to socialize with peers. I think it's been a good experience for him, because now he knows what school is like. He realizes that while he's there with kids his age, he doesn't necessarily get to talk to/play with them very often. It's mostly siting quietly and not moving while someone else speaks. We're moving at the end of the year, and I was going to ask him again what he would rather do. :)
DeleteBut seriously... 15 minutes for recess is not okay. They need way more than that, especially when gym is a joke.
DeleteUgh! I'm so late on this - it's almost Sunday again! But this week I'm doing all my blog-hopping during the weekend - which isn't a smart move, but well.
ReplyDeleteWhat an obtuse school...really. The book incident was absolutely BONKERS. And the teacher wouldn't even tell you what happened? That's outrageous. Also, watching a movie about exercising...that must have been a joke, right?
I'm reading in your comment above that you're moving again at the end of the year - I assume your husband is getting relocated. It must be a huge stress - I feel like you barely got where you're living now! It's been what, a year ago that you moved there? I remember your post about making the place livable and getting rid of those giant ants LOL.
No worries! The other day someone commented on a review I wrote last year! I'm always curious how people stumble across certain reviews. :)
DeleteThe school is annoying, although he's been out all week with strep, so... and now there's a three-day weekend, so he'll only go for four days next week. We'll make it until the end of the year, but I could do without all this sickness.
No, they actually watched a movie about why it was important to exercise, while sitting on the floor themselves. Makes sense, right? This school is really something, let me tell you. Yes! We are relocating, so that will be...great. I like getting to a new place and unpacking everything, but the actual MOVING is always stressful. It's also going to be about an 18 hour drive, so yay. Three kids, five dogs, three cats... two vehicles. I typically purge the house of a LOT of stuff before we leave.
At least I hope there won't be bugs and scorpions where you go next 😂.
DeleteWait...five dogs and three cats??? I must have missed the memo on that 😱.
I think there are bugs everywhere! I guess I need to move in with me. ;)
DeleteYes! Lots of furry babies. <3