Duchess graduated to the next level of her martial arts program last weekend. She was very proud. Some kid kicked her so hard during the sparring she flew several feet in the air and landed on her butt. She popped right up, though, and carried on. This is a bad phone photo of her being ceremonially granted her new blue sash by one of the kind, serious teachers whom she adores. She has requested that we pay her fee for the next tournament, as her birthday present this year.
What else...Skipper can count to five in Japanese. I still have no job. Also, yes, Mandarin is free! For now.
I've been thinking a bit about Skipper and Duchess, and sibling dynamics. While I'm still feeling bad about Skipper's school experience,* I remain glad that she's at a different school than Duchess. Duchess is good at everything, and that is an extremely tough act to follow. (I don't mean, of course, that Duchess is ACTUALLY good at everything,** but she's moderately successful at most things she tries, and she tries everything. And because she's four years older than Skipper, she looks to Skipper like she's incredibly good at everything. She also thinks she's good at everything, which is also persuasive to Skipper.) Skipper could use some space to be herself, to try new things and to build skills at stuff that Duchess cannot preempt. I look forward to seeing her explore that space.
*Today Duchess's principal said to me "Kids who succeed at recess will succeed at life!" and I cringed a little. Poor Skipper and her lonely recesses.
** She is not.
What else...Skipper can count to five in Japanese. I still have no job. Also, yes, Mandarin is free! For now.
I've been thinking a bit about Skipper and Duchess, and sibling dynamics. While I'm still feeling bad about Skipper's school experience,* I remain glad that she's at a different school than Duchess. Duchess is good at everything, and that is an extremely tough act to follow. (I don't mean, of course, that Duchess is ACTUALLY good at everything,** but she's moderately successful at most things she tries, and she tries everything. And because she's four years older than Skipper, she looks to Skipper like she's incredibly good at everything. She also thinks she's good at everything, which is also persuasive to Skipper.) Skipper could use some space to be herself, to try new things and to build skills at stuff that Duchess cannot preempt. I look forward to seeing her explore that space.
*Today Duchess's principal said to me "Kids who succeed at recess will succeed at life!" and I cringed a little. Poor Skipper and her lonely recesses.
** She is not.
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i (still) wish we were your next door neighbors.