This year, when Rose entered kindergarten, it was the first time all three of our daughters have gone to school together. That meant one drop off, one pickup, and plenty of sisterly conversations about school. This year and next will be the only time they will ever all attend the same school at the same time. I love that they have common teachers and experiences being part of the same school community.
Tonight, when we got in the car after swapping kids at the dance studio, Rose and Adi settled right into debriefing their days. “Mom, did you know Adi got the Principal High Five?” I turned around to catch a shy smile spread across Adi’s face.
The Principal High Five is announced monthly and one student from every class is selected. Wren and Rose have already been “high fived” this year. Month after month Adi has come home disappointed that she wasn’t chosen. “Maybe I should just break the rules like everyone else,” she’s been testing out lately. “If I don’t do my homework, I’ll just have to sit on the bench for a few minutes. That’s no big deal.” We’ve been having many conversations about doing the right thing and the good feeling you get when you do your best.
So, I took this moment to reinforce this message. “That’s exciting! Your teachers must have noticed you being kind. We’ve been talking about that very thing…being a good person.”
“I didn’t get it for being kind,” Adi interjected. “The paper said I was responsible and do the right thing.”
I didn’t know what to say after that and that’s pretty much Adi in a nutshell.
By that point she was done with having the attention on her, so she asked Rose, “Why was your class yelling so much today?”
“We were doing something so scary (which I think was kindergarten for challenging). Ms. S said we were so smart. We’re such a good class. We got so excited.”
The conversation then turned to art and the respective projects their classes were working on. I eavesdropped, half listening and half just soaking up these moments of connection. Two sisters, trading stories and sharing about their day.
Where There's Joy 
Childhood and school are a different world. It is nice to get some insight into it. I remembered those long -ago days when my elder brother and I were in the same school 🙂
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Reading your slice of sisterly sharing makes me miss my sister. I love your reflection about “soaking up these moments of connection”; congrats to Adi for the High Five.
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I always loved listening to my kids’ conversations in the car. Your slice captures so much! I appreciate knowing how much that certificate meant to Adi. We have monthly assemblies with certificates, and sometimes…well, let’s just say I don’t always find joy in writing out certificates. I’ll be thinking of Adi and her reaction when I approach the job next time. I also love “We’re such a good class!” and how much that speaks to Rose’s classroom culture. Lovely slice.
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I didn’t know how I felt about the high fives. But they always come home on the day they are announced talking about who got the recognition. I think it makes them feel seen. I’m just glad now they’ve all received one! I also love that in that one statement from Rose, it was all I really needed to know about her year in kindergarten. It’s really quite beautiful.
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“That meant one drop off, one pickup, and plenty of sisterly conversations about school.” What a gift it is to have them in one school, if only for a couple years. 😉
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Go, Adi! I just love her take on the whole thing – I didn’t get it for being kind! I also think the conversation about this – (“Maybe I should just break the rules like everyone else,” she’s been testing out lately) would make a fantastic slice!
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Nope, nothing about kindness in that message– she’s not wrong about that. I love how you capture the interactions, and also the pride and love. There’s a lot to learn about Adi from a close read of this piece and the snippets you share about both past and present Adi.
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I love their sisterly bond and how Rose seemed so proud of her sister for receiving the award 😀
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Yay, Adi! You should feel proud too for raising three kind and RESPONSIBLE children!
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Car conversations are priceless. As they get older it’s amazing what comes out in the car! And, responsible Adi for the win!
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How fun to listen to your daughters chatting over their school day, it brings back memories for me! I love the Principal High Five idea.
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My sisters and I were only in the same school together for just one year; this post makes me wonder what my mother overheard during that time. I love Adi’s straightforward response & Rose’s enthusiastic declaration about her class. No wonder you were soaking it all in.
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