I think Tamzin's done with Kindergarten! (Read...Stephanie jumping wildly up and down for joy because she's sick and tired of getting up at 6:15 in the morning to get Tamzin off to the bus!).
Tamzin has regularly skipped a day of school every few weeks since starting last fall. Some days she just didn't want to go, and I was ok with that. The school didn't seem to care. I got no nasty notes when she missed 9 or 10 days the first quarter.
On Valentine's Day I think I permanently tipped the scales. I bought the girls a new GameCube game. Tamzin was adament that she wanted to play the game first thing the next morning, which resulted in her missing kindergarten. She ended up missing the whole week.
I thought she might change her mind once she realized the older girls and I read for a few hours together 3 mornings or so a week. I figured she would find life at home boring with no one available to play. But she's been keeping busy. She plays GameCube or computer, or watches cartoons, or colors. She doesn't stick around to listen, but she's happy, which is all I'm interested in.
She and I had some great times alone together in the early mornings getting ready for the bus, and on the way home from school. From these moments I realized I was not focusing enough of myself on her, and she has not been as close to me as the other girls were/are. It is so easy to be so busy that you miss out on spending time with your children individually. At least, it is with four.
So now I'm working on that, thinking about what little things I can do just with Tamzin. We made paper hearts together. Made soup and Jello together. She's asked me to help her "practice reading" (she likes working on letter sounds). Today she asked me to play GameCube with her. It's the first time she's ever chosen me...usually she asks a sister. I'm doing lots more tickling and piggyback riding. I want her to know she's made the right choice. Home is better... lot's better.
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