Learning When To Say No

*This post was started last Monday.  It's been a busy week, so I am finally posting it today.*

I was a little later than usual picking Audrey up today.  I had a doctor's appointment that ran late, so I was in a hurry when I got to her school.  I found her class in the "Climbing Gym" which is like one of those contraptions from the McDonald's Play Area, but better.  As I was waiting for Audrey to get down from the Climbing Gym, her sweet new Jumpstart teacher, Ms. Stephanie, turned to me and said, "I just have to tell you how well behaved Audrey is.  Every single student was testing my patience today and Audrey was the lone student who continued to always follow the rules.  She is just SO sweet."  Before I could even bask in this moment, Audrey was out of the Play Gym, tearing her Daily Folder open to show me the contents of her day.  Number 1, a letter from the Director saying that Ms. Stephanie has only been a long term sub, and they had found a teacher to take the afternoon part of Audrey's Jumpstart class.  I was taken aback.  We all know I'm not the easiest person to deal with, and it takes awhile for me to warm up to a new person teaching my child.  (Audrey on the other hand has never flinched, she has loved every teacher she has ever been with.)  I instantly liked Ms. Stephanie upon our first meeting last week.  She gave me lots of feedback about Auds, and Audrey loved her.  And now she is leaving.  I have faith in Audrey's school, and I know Audrey will adapt, but we just really fell in love with Ms. Stephanie.  

So as I'm trying to process this letter, Audrey tears out a note out of her folder.  "Mommy, I went to computer class today!  I LOOOOVED it.  Please please can I sign up?"  I told her we would talk to Daddy and think about it.  Her school always has all of these classes to sign up for.  Dance, Karate, Gymnastics, and on and on.  We signed Auds up for Dance through her school, but really that's all she needs at this point.  I mean, at one point this summer she was in Dance, Swim Lessons, Soccer, and Gymnastics.  We don't keep her from activities!  

I had been thinking about this computer class for awhile though, because the one thing that the Kindergarten teachers at my school really focus on is that their incoming students have no idea how to use a computer.  But as I thought about it, I didn't think we needed to sign Audrey up for this class.  Not to mention how expensive it was, but also, hello, I have a computer, surely I can teach her how to use it.  I can't teach her ballet or soccer, but I can do computers!  I talked with James and he agreed.

But y'all, we sat down to dinner and I told Audrey that Daddy and I decided NOT to sign her up for the class and she lost it.  Not in a "I'm throwing a fit because I didn't get my way" kind of thing, but an actual "I am really devastated because I loved this class" way.  She dropped her head into her hands and just wept.  I did have a moment where I thought I should give in and just sign her up, but no.  I KNEW she didn't need this class. So I explained to her that not everyone does every class.  We talked about the girls in her class who don't do the dance program.  They're fine, right?  And then I explained that we could work on our computer upstairs.  And bless Audrey's sweet heart, because she just looked and me and said "but mine's not real."  She was referring to the toy computer her Auntie Moo got her for her 1st or 2nd birthday.  She loves that computer and uses it daily, but she thought that I meant that instead of getting on a real computer, she would be stuck with her little play one.

I explained she could get on MY and now our computer.  She couldn't believe it.  We ran upstairs and got on PBSkids.com (my students' favorite website) and Audrey was OVER THE MOON.  

Printing out her artwork . . .

We hung it up in her room . . .

And had to take down some old artwork to make room, so we added it to our keepsake box

We had fun going through the box and talking about projects and things that Audrey has made

This one made me laugh!  Such a big day!! :)

I am so glad that we said "No" to Audrey about the computer class.  It opened up a whole new world at home and hopefully helped Audrey realize that even if you don't get what you want, you just might find what you need.  (Wait, is that a Rolling Stone lyric?)  ;)