They're a year older and they're back to school

With newly cut hair, freshly washed jackets, heavily filled backpacks and a good night’s sleep, my kids, together with their cousins, headed back to school this morning. I sure hope they had banked enough sleep. I have been making them go to bed earlier this past week. And for the last couple of days, I made sure that they were in bed by 9:00 pm, their school night bedtime.

I went through their supply list once more after breakfast. Every item has been checked off. On top of Ryan’s list was this note from his teacher: I do not recommend buying new materials, wherever possible use old supplies that are in good condition. And we did just that. It saved us a few bucks.

The kids are a year older and have moved on to a higher grade. Over the summer vacation, I have noticed that not only have they grown taller, they have matured and have become more responsible as well. There have been less bickerings. Oh don’t get me wrong. They still quarrelled, but there have been less of that. There have been more sharing and more independence. Reggie has been very generous in letting Ryland use his GameBoy Advance SP. Ryan has been (at times) helpful at teaching Ryland with Pokemon battle attacks. Reggie has learned how to clean the toilet. Ryland has been pitching in with the chores more as he has learned how to wash the dishes. Just yesterday, I asked Ryland if he needed help cutting his food. He said no.

This one’s a biggie. Ryland has learned how to ride a bike. Nadaig pa si Mommy. I was going to teach myself how to ride one, but I thought that a forty-year old woman in a bike with training wheels would look ridiculous. (What do you think?) So this afternoon, I asked Ryland teasingly to teach me how to ride a bike. He said, “It’s so easy. Just three words. Practice. Balance. Bike hard.” Wise words from the mouth of a babe.