They've Got Him Pegged

No one knows a child better than his or her parents, but it's still a fascinating, nerve-wracking, and nail-biting experience to hear someone else's take on your little person... especially during their annual parent-teacher conference.

We met with Joey's main teacher, Miss Kristi, on Tuesday for a chat about our little man, and his readiness for kindergarten, both socially and academically. Luckily, there weren't any surprises, and he's right on target in both areas, although we need to work on the way he holds writing instruments, and help him overcome some shyness with adults. We came away with a written report from her that had us laughing and nodding our heads over nuggets like these:

"He is a large-framed, big-boned guy, so things like galloping, jumping and skipping are tricky, but should become easier as his musculature builds up."

"He has an endearing, slight lisp (f for th) which will most likely soon self-correct."

"Joey is watchful around new adults (an excellent habit), and once he has determined they are trustworthy, he can become confiding and share smiles with them when they both find the same thing funny."

In summary?

"Joey is quiet, thoughtful, and careful in his approach to a lot of things. He comes up with rather ingenious, creative solutions to situations, and overall is a very capable guy with a good sense of humor."

Phew! We knew he was a good boy, and a good listener in class, but didn't appreciate just how mellow he is until we compared notes with the parents of two of his little friends. They were both told that their kids needed much more exercise -- preferably a morning run before school!