Cailey is her father's daughter

In second grade Cailey has spelling pre-tests on Monday. The teacher uses "List A" to test the kids on Monday. If the kids score 80% (8 out of 10) or better on "List A", then they study "List B" for the final test on Friday. List B is usually significantly harder words than List A. So, the first week Cailey was very proud of herself for scoring 80% on her pre-test... until she realized that List B had harder words to study. Week 2 came and Cailey scored 80% again. While she studied List B for the week, Cailey commented that if she got more than two words wrong she would get to study the easier words on List A. I told Scott that I think Cailey has already figured out the system... get more than two wrong and you get to study the easier words... yet, I didn't think she realized that she could do it on purpose. So, now we are on week 3 and Cailey brought home a pre-test with more than 2 words wrong... in fact, she only got three correct. Clearly, she left nothing to chance. I say, "Okay, well we have to study List A this week" and Cailey says, "Oh good! Those words easier!". Our routine is to have her write each spelling word three times on Monday and then I quiz her on the words immediately following ~ which gives me an indication of which words we need to work on more through the week. This week, she didn't miss any of the words when I quizzed her Monday and she gave me a great big grin when she got them all correct. Hhhhmmm... I believe Cailey has figured out the system. So, at seven years old and within the first three weeks...Cailey figured out the spelling test system and I don't expect to have to study List B with her for the rest of the school year :o) :o) I have talked to her about the need to challenge ourselves so we keep our brain fresh and healthy... blah, blah, blah. But, I think I will have to talk to her teacher about changing the system... although this system has been used for several years now! Leave it to Scott's daughter to figure it ~ she has already learned how to manipulate the system... ah, common sense ~ it's brilliant :o) Scott says that even he has to commend her for figuring it out so quickly!!! Some of the other moms are concerned that their "gifted" kids might figure it out... we will have to ask Cailey not to tell them... or at least charge an adequate fee for the secret :o) Now, that would be like her daddy!!!

Thursday, at Back to School night, it became blatantly obvious as to where Cailey gets her... um ... lack of "focus" with regards to school... her "out of the box" thinking... her ideas regarding "normalcy". Clearly, Scott and I are more accountable than we ever thought imaginable :o) That night, parents were asked to use the first page of their child's writing journal to leave their child a note for them to see the next morning at school. Scott and I immediately pulled out the markers and proceeded to draw flowers and "I Love You" (me) and dogs and chinese symbols (Scott) in all different colors and sizes... filling the whole page with colorful pictures and funny drawings. Scott looks around and nudges me. As I scan the room I noticed that all the other parents are writing full pages of notes ~ in proper paragraph form ~ to their child. It never occurred to me that other parents wouldn't draw pictures and make the "note" to their child fun and interesting... what seven year old wants to read a whole page of words?? So, there you have it. She has the arts running through her blood from all sides of her family and her parents have, obviously and unknowingly, enforced a relatively artistic approach to school... and probably life. I now have a much different view of my daughter, as I realize she just can't help it, and I am changing my approach to parenting her ~ she is our daughter and I love everything about her. Frankly, I don't really want her to conform. She will, with our love and support, find her path in this world. I know that she may never be a straight A student... but she is sweet, honest, bright, loving, artistic, social, and a free, independent thinker. Who could ask for anything more!!!