Monthly Archives: May 2010
Fireworks and a wedding

We lit fireworks last night and they were a tad pathetic. I am undertaking to improve our choosing techniques for next time. A little internet research, perhaps? Gabi took the whole thing personally because she had helped choose them and of course her brothers were very vociferous about their feelings. I tried intervening but it was received with confusion. “But she didn’t make them?” True. Another undertaking is to build my daughter’s resilience and teach her what she is and isn’t responsible for. On a bright note they were perfect fireworks for my nephew, Aden, to break his teeth on. Their tameness for us appeared to be borderline scary for him but just enough for him to feel oh so very brave!

The week ahead is going to be hectic in a great way. My youngest sister is getting married in our garden and my sisters from Israel and California are flying in for the occasion. All five sisters together – what a treat. Also making the trip are my three nephews, a wife and an almost wife. It’s going to be great family time. Beds to prepare. Must fly!

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The school office

The school office is a scary place for most kids. Here’s a conversation I had with Gabi yesterday:

“Our lunch ladies are so mean!” she said.

“Why?” I asked.

“They were teasing this girl I know and calling her fat and chubby and laughing,” she replied

“What?! These are grown-ups, right?” I asked.

“Yes. I asked my friend if she liked what they were saying and she said no but that it was ok. So I told them to stop because my friend didn’t want them to say that.” Gabi explained.

“What did they say?” I asked. – These were adults?!

“They said that my friend knew that they were joking and did I want to go to the office with them?” my daughter replied.

“What did you say?”

“I said sorry and walked away. That made me scared.”

I was very proud of Gabi and told her so. She clearly felt that she had failed her friend and I explained to her that she had done something that most people wouldn’t have done. We had a big discussion about the office and why she felt it was a scary place. She said that the office was a place you went to when you had done something wrong. I replied that while that was true sometimes that it was also a place to go to for protection or help. She didn’t look convinced. And here’s another problem. She does not want me to “deal” with anything and I have to respect her wishes if I want her to continue to feel comfortable sharing with me. Any suggestions anyone?

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