First Grade Update

First grade is going really well for the boys. I agonized over the decision to split them up or keep them together and had it been left up to me I would have kept them together. They ultimately made the decision and it was the right one.

Nelson seems to have more confidence in his work and doesn't feel the need to compete with his brother as much as he has in the past. Today he was so excited to have been the first person in the class to ring "the special bell" for getting a perfect score on a reading exam. Just as we were high-fiving his accomplishment, Henry-Smarty-Pants chimed in that he has already had 6 perfect scores on reading exams. We are, of course, very proud of him too, and with them being in their own classes Nelson was able to feel his own sense of accomplishment without feeling outdone by his brother. It was a beautiful thing!

Henry is a very good and natural reader. He reads at an above average level while Nelson is perfectly average for his age. Nelson, however, seems to really be excelling at math and he does express enjoyment in doing his math worksheets and homework. Can't help but wonder how long this excitement will last...

So, overall, they are doing exceptional in school (other then the fact that Nelson has had to flip his card to blue twice this year, which means he looses his Friday-after-school ice cream treat). He does have a very relaxed and easy-going demeanor with his classmates and, I think, at times doesn't know when to say when on the conversating. Henry, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to please his teacher. She told me that he is her "little helper" and does whatever errands or special tasks she needs completed. He thinks he is her "favorite" and I have no problem with having a son whom is the teacher's pet.