Today is very unusual for me. My eldest son made it to the regional Spelling Bee, so I picked him up from school early and took him over to participate. When it was his turn to spell, I realized I was as nervous as he was – or more so! Being a parent has its ups and downs – but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. He did great, and I felt so proud of him. It was a good experience for him to participate in.
Coffee and a Treat
Afterward, I saw I had a few hours before school was out so I decided to make a stop at Starbucks for coffee and a treat (parents deserve rewards too, when their kids do good, right?), and took the opportunity to sit and write. I usually write earlier in the day, but today is different. I feel like my routine is all out-of-whack. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Not sure, but it’s too late now to change it.
I was thinking about how, as a student, I would have loved to have the chance to participate in a spelling bee. I LOVED spelling and words. Still do. I think I would have done really well, and maybe even made it to the state competition, with some hard work and practice. Even when kids don’t make it to the next round, or the next level, it’s so good for them to at least try. If you never get the opportunity to try, you won’t know how far you can go, right?
For my son, the challenge of a new experience was satisfying enough. He got a taste, and if he decides to try again next year, he will have some idea of what he’s getting into. He knows now that it takes hard work, focus, and maybe a little luck. (You never know what words you’re going to get. You may get the hardest word on your list).
As I think about my children’s school, I am so thankful for what they are learning and the environment they are in. I think that knowledge in a vaccum isn’t very useful or fun. Learning and studying with others can be very exciting and inspiring for everyone. The students also have the opportunity to use the knowledge they gain in a group setting to brainstorm ideas and form different opinions. My eldest son is especially social and finds the group learning opportunities to be stimulating and beneficial. He gets excited about group projects and seeing other student’s ideas, which in turn, can inspire his own.
Make A Difference
I hope all my children have the opportunity to use and share the knowledge they are gaining now, to make a difference in their world. Whatever they end up doing, wherever they go, I hope they take these experiences with them. And who knows… maybe someday one of my children will make it to a state spelling bee! (If I was nervous this time, just wait!) And I’ll make sure there’s a Starbucks nearby for me to write about that experience too. But if not, I’ll still be cheering them on in whatever they do. Because I’m their mom, and cheering for them is what I do best.