About Foot-Rubs

Every day, at the beginning of nap, the children get to soak their feet in a lavender foot-bath and then they each get a foot-rub if they like before I read them a story. Most children eagerly wait for their foot-rub and ask again and again for their turn. On our first day back to school this year, one of the new boys wasn't so sure about the foot-rubs.

It just so happened that two girls went first in soaking their feet, and while they were soaking, this little boy asked me if the foot-baths were just for girls. I told him that everyone got to have a foot-bath if they wanted one, and then I said it was his turn and he went over and put his feet in. When it came time for his turn for a foot-rub, I asked him if he wanted one, and he said, "Will it make me turn into a girl?" I reassured him that it wouldn't; that he would stay just the way he was, but he declined the foot-rub anyway. Then, while other boys in the room were getting foot-rubs, he expressed great concern that they were going to turn into girls too!

The next day, he came around and wanted to have a foot-rub before nap and every day since, he has asked me excitedly for his turn to soak his feet and get his foot-rub. He likes it so much now, that on Friday, while giving him his foot-rub, he began to giggle and then said, "It feels like macaroni and cheese!"

Obvious Answers

The children don't return to school until next week, but this week the teachers all were back preparing for the new school year. One afternoon this week, as I was putting new labels on the childrens' cubbies, one of the little girls from our class came bouncing down the hallway. When she saw me, she stopped, raised her shoulders to her ears, gave me a great big grin, then ran to give me a hug. I commented that she had grown so much over the summer and she said, "Yes! And I'm 5!!! I just turned 5!!!" I asked her when she turned 5 and she said, "On my birthday!" I couldn't help but smile. I don't know why I didn't think of that!

Ears are Old

One day at school, a child came up to me to share some wisdom. He looked up at me and said, "Miss Rachel, ears are reeaaalllly old. (pause). Even people in Egypt had them!"

Bottles or no Bottles?

While having dinner with some of my best friends and their children, the topic of where milk comes from and breast-feeding came up. Toward the end of the conversation, their six year old daughter said that she and her brother didn't have bottles when they were little. Then their four year old son piped up and clarified by saying, "Mama, you didn't give us bottles... because you thought they weren't as good as cups!"

Pajamas

During one of our parent meetings, I provided child care for the children and we had a pajama party. The children knew that it was going to be a pajama party and that we would have a spaghetti dinner, some quiet games, ice cream sundaes, and a bedtime story. The day of, it was all they talked about! They were so excited to come back in their pajamas and they giggled about seeing Miss Rachel in her pajamas!

At one point, just before going home for the school day, one little boy said to me, "Miss Rachel... I have a little problem. You see, I wear boxer shorts these days instead of pajamas." He paused, then continued, "But my mom says she's got me under cover!"

Kindergarteners and the Super Bowl

Among the Waldorf kindergartens at school there really wasn't much talk about the Super Bowl. The children are too young and we are a community that is pretty media-free (especially with the very little ones.) Only a few children shared bits about the Super Bowl- a fun party playing Candy Land with real candy! and a few mentions of which team they were "voting for", as one child put it.

My favorite comment was one from a 5 year old boy. While out on the playground he excitedly shouted to me, "Miss Rachel!!!! Guess who won the Super Balls!?!?!!?"

Chivarly is not Dead

We needed eggs to make a cake at school today and didn't have any, so I went with one of the boys in our class to ask some other teachers if they might have any. As we were leaving our room, the little boy ran ahead and opened the door. As I walked toward the doorway, he looked up, flashed his most charming smile and said, "ladies always go first."