Lost in Translation

"I need bracelets for karate." My son sat in the backseat as we headed home last Monday.

"What?" I was confused. "Why do you need bracelets for karate? What kind of bracelets? What are they for?"

Zane had no answers for me. He's a boy, and traditionally, boys are not interested in things that are extremely important to their mothers.

I consulted the authority in such matters. The backpacks of children have become vital in parent-teacher communication, and I hoped that some note could be found to illuminate this mystery. This time, however, I came up short. There was only a note about appropriate dress for the Kindergarten Mardi Gras parade for March 4th.

Every day this week, my son has told me that he needed bracelets for karate, and every day I have been completely clueless.

Until yesterday, when the lightning bolt of comprehension hit me.

Bracelets=BLING

Karate=MARDI GRAS

If a person, say a teacher, were saying the words 'Mardi Gras' very fast, it might sound syllabically similar to the word 'karate' to a six year old boy with attentional issues.

Mystery solved. We headed to the dollar store, where the boy got his 'bling' on. The Mardi Gras parade will be a hit this year, at least for this kid.

It's a Mom Thing

I am not one of those mothers who overschedules her child's day.  I don't believe in that sort of thing, plus I don't want to be sitting at all these different places for hours at a time.  It's not fair to me.  But we have made an effort to involve Zane in a couple of activities.  One of those activities is soccer, of course.  (I may have been ostracized by the other soccer moms, but as long as Zane loves the sport and wants to play, I will cheerfully put up with it.) 

We've also started letting Zane participate in karate.  They offer the class at Zane's school as an after school program.  As soon as I knew they would be offering the class, I mentioned the idea to Zane's father.

"Heck no!  He's too young for that!"

Not the least bit deterred, I consulted an expert.  My nephew Tristan was in karate until middle school, when he gave it up to pursue soccer full time.  I texted him, and he actually texted me back, to say that karate would be great for Zane's balance and coordination.  Thinking of my own lifelong tendency toward imbalance and dyscoordination(Is that a word? If it's not, just pretend it is), I was sold.  Plus, karate teaches self-discipline and who doesn't need a little of that?  When the opportunity presented itself, I signed the boy up.  The first month was rough. 

"Zane did you go to karate today?"

"Yep."

"Well...did you like it?"

"Yeah, it was okay."

Great, I thought.  Kiss that cash goodbye. I had been so sure he would enjoy karate! 

And then Zane sat down with me last night and showed me the correct way to make a fist.  He demonstrated the procedure first, and then he took my hand and 'helped' me, moving my fingers and thumb just so. 

"Like this?" I held up my fist, just like he'd shown me.  Zane acted all impressed.

"Whoa!  When did YOU go to kindergarten?"

I didn't answer, because at that particular moment, I couldn't remember exactly when I went to kindergarten.   And I was a little choked up with pride, to see my boy able to 'teach' what he'd learned. 

It's a Mom thing.




5.) Talk about something your child learned this week.