November Virtual School at Nana and Pop's

November Nana-School started off with a party. 

There were trees to climb, games to play, and a 'queen' to walk!

The good times rolled!

Bryce left and things quieted down, but only a little. Shane and the cousins played every day like their days were numbered!

Nana and Pop were on it when it came to Shane's school work. I texted them pictures of whatever the bus dropped off and they'd help him attend AND pay attention in his classes.

And they'd quiz him outside of class, too! There was a clear reward structure based on performance. That's the sort of thing I'd want to do with unlimited time and energy. 

Structure is good for kids. You don't want to overdo it, but I knew Nana and Pop wouldn't. There were tons of time to hit up playgrounds and have fun!

 

And hopefully Shane's positive energy and novelty made things more fun for everyone!

Schools are back to in-person in SC. Class sizes are small and the wee ones are the least likely to catch anything. Hopefully, they just took the masks off for a quick picture here. Evelyn and Cole are not the most extroverted, so they're not going to spend much time inside other kids' orbits.

We'll keep Shane at home for a week once he gets home. I'm not terribly concerned based on my family's precautions, but it doesn't hurt to be considerate (just not paranoid!).

In the meantime, I'm thrilled Shane gets the chance to be around his cousins. He plays with all of them.

I laughed out loud when I read the story. I showed Carrie and Shane the texts, too. He was home by then! It shows his visit had a lasting effect.

But that's getting ahead of things. One of the other perks of Shane visiting Nana and Pop is he gets exposed to new things. We have our own routines here and Carrie largely controls the TV. What she watches is different from Nana and Pop. I remember watching Nick at Nite shows and other things like Murder She Wrote at Jama's house from my own childhood. That knowledge has made me able to make references and jokes with older colleagues to connect with them.

I mentioned Shane got to see some Highway to Heaven to some of the barn people and Barbara said she loved Michael Landon! Variety is a spice of life. I'm convinced God wouldn't have made such a diverse world if he didn't want us to experience diverse things.

We kept in contact with Shane over the phone. I think he started to miss us more (or Nana wanted us to keep him busy some) the second week, because we got more calls then.

In addition to calls and texts, Nana wrote emails. 

Some were funny.

Shane has been enjoying taking baths, but after the typhoon in the bathtub last night, he will have to take a shower next time. We'll let him take a bath again in a few days after the memory of the flooding lessons. No one enjoys water play and simulating hurricanes more than Shane. 

Some were cute.

Shane asked me today what I would do with it if I won a million dollars.  I said that I would probably donate some and save some of it, but wouldn't change my lifestyle. He said he would pay for a 2nd week's rent for the beach house and for a cruise for all the family so he could have more good times with his cousins. He sure loves family. 

Some were future blackmail material.

Yesterday, I asked Shane to explain why his poop coats the front of the toilet bowl where there is no water. I asked him if he sat on the toilet backwards. He said, no, that that would be ridiculous. He also explained that he sits only halfway back on the toilet seat so that toilet water will not splash on him when his poop drops. He likes his poop to land in very shallow water so there is no splash. Since he has a voracious appetite and loves fruit, I have been cleaning the toilet more often than desirable. Once I made him clean up after his "art work" in the bowl. I have suggested that he put 2 squares of toilet paper on the front of the bowl where his "art work" is landing frequently or put 2 squares of toilet paper in the middle of the bowl to prevent the splash as he sits further back. Honestly, I have not had a problem with splash-back myself, but I can empathize that it doesn't sound pleasant. 

And others exemplified he's my son.

Pop picked up donuts this morning and is bribing Shane to work harder with one. It takes a lot of encouragement and hands-on supervision to keep him working on his assignments. Shane says he's tired when it comes to school work, but has boundless energy otherwise. Pop is very determined though and persists in getting Shane to work. Shane reminds me so much of our sons growing up. The twins worked too hard and you boys excelled at relaxation. I told Shane that his standard for work will determine what kind of house, car and lifestyle he will have as an adult. I think he is tired of me nagging him to work harder. Expect complaints when he gets home. hahah

Oh boy! Nana's a better writer than she admits. I can hear her telling the stories in her own voice when I read them.

There was one paragraph from an email that came to mind when we were discussing when we'd meet up for the hand-off.

Pop keeps trying to get Shane to do the See-Saw assignments, but Shane says he can do them next week, that there is no big rush. Good thing Pop is bigger and wil make him do some of those assignments. 

Natural consequences can lead to intrinsic motivation! And they did here!

I'm looking forward to seeing Shane again, but I'm also looking forward to the next time he gets to spend time in SC. Maybe we can make a whole family trip if we get a barn sitter. I've been ready for it, and Carrie brought it up!

A Tale Through Texts - Shane at Nana and Pop's!

Nana kept in contact through texts and having Shane phone home. I decided to use her texts to tell about his trip!

Creative or a cop-out? You decide! 

The texts started shortly after Nana, Pop, and Shane drove off from the Cook Out. 

The next day, virtual school started and it was clear Shane didn't pack everything he needed. (Bonus - Nana asked me to ask John about helping Jama with her library account).

Academics aren't our main concern with Shane at this age. We figure he'll do fine and Nana and Pop did everything they could to fix the situation. Meeting Shane's social needs and building family relationships were the more important needs and he got that through cousins and bouncing on a trampoline!

Or pizza. Nana kept us updated on playdates and food offered. 

I know Shane met with the cousins every day. I suspect he ate out nearly every day and I know he cleaned Nana's house out of macaroni and cheese. 

I was a little jealous he got homemade Chinese dumplings.

And ice cream later on? Were they trying to spoil the boy rotten? Or was it only fair, because they got the dog something?

I enjoyed reading the last bit about how Shane played with Tenley. He is really good with other kids. If he can learn to actively listen he'll have an incredible set of social skills.

Shane and Cole got to take turns spending the night at different houses. Shane said that Cole wasn't very excited about Shane sleeping over at his house, but he did it because he knew Shane would like it!

And yes, I did as Nana asked. She's still my mom!

There was one night he called with a headache. COVID didn't come to mind. Every several months Shane will have an exciting day or series of days and wear himself out. Then he gets a headache, goes to bed early, and wakes up at 100%.

Before Shane headed south, I told him two things: 1) Nana loves to 'help' with loose teeth and 2) doesn't like long hair. "If you come back with long hair and that tooth still loose, I'll be shocked!"

Two weeks of the 'good life' started to show after a while. Shane put on some weight!

It's been a while since Shane's last growth spurt, but I've sworn he looks older to me. It's something in the face I can't describe.

I really enjoy being Shane's father and I loved getting texts like these.

.....and Nana did get the tooth in the end!

Hopefully, Shane learned a lesson about speaking with discretion, too!

Nana wasn't the only one who texted. Kathleen gave me updates, as well.

True story: I played with my sisters when we were younger. They had Barbie dolls, too.

....and the Barbie dolls were frequently involved in accidents and often needed rescuing. Like father, like son, I guess!

I'm sure there were lots of electronics, but I love that Kathleen would throw the kids out into the backyard, too.

Electronics are great, but there's something special about making up your own games that all kids need to have the chance to do.

I wouldn't say I'm a "hard-ass," but I've always been very explicit with what will happen depending on the choices Shane makes. I'd like to think that's helped him develop a good attitude.

I told Nana there was an opening for a SPED teacher at Shane's school that Stu could look into. Is it selfish to think it'd be amazing if all the SC family moved a little closer?

Carrie and I did do research on Asheville NC and some areas around there, but decided to stick to VA. I don't regret it economically or professionally, but sometimes I do wonder what it'd have been like to be closer to the family.

And I have to mention Aunt Dot, as well. She insisted it wasn't babysitting whenever she watched Shane, but she had a hand in keeping an eye on him. Camera phones and texting aren't her thing, but she gave some updates whenever Nana called, too!

Getting to let Shane stay with Nana and Pop is one of the best things virtual school has done for us. Carrie and I are already thinking about when he can visit next! We want to let Nana and Pop have a long enough break they're well-rested and happy to see him, though!

Reports from Camp Nana-Pop!

While Carrie and I were working, Shane was having the time of his life. He swam daily, played with cousins, and Nana kept me informed (Thanks, Nana!).

"He hit the ball with his head!" Nana said.

Shane arrived to a welcome sign and the good times never stopped. He was having sleepovers with Cole...

...ice cream sandwhiches....

...and play dates galore. 

He never wants to come back from Nana and Pop's. 

You can't be a frail, wilting wimpo and offended by every correction you hear if you want to survive there, though! 

Exhibit A:

Which I find hilarious, by the way. Maybe the sense of humor is genetic.

I included the pictures here, so you can see that, yes, Cole did stick his tongue out by the last one.

I'm not saying Shane's better behaved than Kathleen's kids (you can come to your own conclusions!).

I am saying Shane's attention wanders. It looks like he forgot what Nana said and was moving on with life while Cole remembered (and wanted to rebel!).

But in general, even if Nana likes to spoil grandkids she won't hesitate to call them out and speak her mind.

Nor does anything embarrass her or worry her enough that she will forgo mentioning it.

For your reading enjoyment, I have included Nana's own words to describe what went on over the week. I got two emails in addition to all the texts.

Here's the first.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It's Tuesday evening and we're at the pool and I just realized that I should send you a note saying how Shane is doing at Nana Pop Camp. We love having him here. He and Cole are getting along great. When they talked about various Pokemon shows and books, Pop said they sound like they are talking a foreign language. Cole and Shane love all the same things.

DIRECTOR'S LOG

     First day of camp - Saturday, August 15: 

      Eating yummy delicious food with you and Shane in the parking lot at the Chick-fil-a in Greensboro,  NC was so nice. Shane watched 2 movies on our van's rear entertainment system on the rainy drive to our house.

Kathleen and her 3 kids came over to greet Shane pretty quickly after we arrived. I'll try to remember to take a picture of the Welcome Shane sign that Pop, Cole, Evie, Tenley and I made for Shane. Note the effort and not the absence of any artistic genes in the family. 

Second Day of Camp, August 16:

      Kathleen invited Shane to go to their house on Sunday morning to play and do children's church there with them. Then they all came to our house for a delicious lunch of Hungry Howies pizzas, cheesy bread and cinnamon bread. That afternoon, Stu and Kathleen took their 3 kids and Shane to the pool in our neighborhood. Then Cole and Shane came back to our house to play. Cole spent the night at our house for their first sleepover together. 

Third Day of Camp: August 17:

    Monday morning, Kathleen took Evie and Tenley to school for their first day, so it was a good time for Cole to be at our house. Tenley will go to preschool from _____. Evie will go to the same Christian school for kindergarten for _________,  but she got out early (at ___)on Monday because of it being the first day. Kathleen picked up Cole about 12:15 on Monday, while Shane stayed with us. About 2 PM, Pop took Shane to their house to babysit the 4 kids so Kathleen could go to her eye doctor appointment.  Shane came home with Pop after Kathleen returned. I cooked beef tacos for dinner and Shane ate really well, which made me feel good. We took him swimming that night. Only Pop and Shane were in the pool. We went to Brewster's for ice cream for bedtime snack after leaving the pool.

Forth Day of Camp - August 18:

    Cole had to go to school this morning for a few hours of individual testing before school starts next week. Next week Cole will only go to school in person on Tuesday, because the rest of his school week will be done virtually for awhile. Cole and Tenley came to our house for McDonald's happy meals for lunch with Shane. Then Kathleen, Cole and Tenley left about 1:35. Shane enjoyed playing on the Nintendo Switch during my nap. I took Shane back to the Howlett's house to play about 5 PM. Pop and I picked Cole and Shane up about 7:30 to bring them to our neighborhood pool to swim. It's now 8:40 PM and getting pretty dark so we're going to take them back to our house for a sleepover.

Love,

Nana
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And so it's not a straight wall of text, I moved some pictures down to here.

Nana was real big on name tags and assigning things to us growing up, because otherwise no one ever fessed up to anything.

But most of the texts weren't like that. Nana's an encourager by nature.

And now, the second email:
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Director's Log, Thursday evening,  August 20:

We've been blessed with great weather at camp this week.  Shane has gone swimming 5 days in a row and is delighted every time. He seems to never tire from swimming. Kathleen took him swimming twice and he went 3 times with me and Pop. Only once in his 5 times of swimming did Cole not go and that was Monday evening. They both love it.

Pop and I had Cole,Tenley, and Shane this morning so that Kathleen could work. Then Kathleen picked them all up at about 1:45 so I could nap. Shane enjoyed jumping on the big trampoline, building with magnetic plastic pieces and doing electronics at their house. We picked Cole and Shane up from the Howlett's home about 7 PM this evening. Now we're watching them swim in the neighborhood pool, trying to get them worn out before bedtime.  They often talk in Pokemon (?) so they understand each other, but Pop and I don't understand them.

Megan called earlier today and said that B wanted to play Roblox with Shane, so we let Shane install it for free on my new Amazon Fire 8 tablet. I bought a second one, because Aunt Dot took over mine months ago to listen to tons of books online after the libraries closed. Shane likes the game Bee Simulater on Roblox alot. When Pop and I travel, we watch movies on Netflix on the tablet. I think the tablet only cost about $80. 

Cole and Shane love imaginative play. It's fun to listen to them. Now they are playing like the swimming pool water turns them into various things, such as chickens. I'm glad we are the only ones at the pool. They are so silly and so loud. Pop and I  think it's fun, but other adults might not. 

I cooked  sausage cut up into small slices and French Toast for lunch and Shane ate well. He eats a lot of fresh fruit. So far he's enjoyed fresh pineapple,  cantaloupe,  watermelon,  and bananas. Kathleen picked up pizza for their dinner.  

My new fancy ovens were installed last evening. I am enjoying learning how to use them. I've been cooking a lot more since the pandemic started. We pick up food-to-go about twice a week.

I hope you and Carrie are enjoying this week as much as we are.

Kathleen let Shane borrow a couple of books that Cole had from the library.  You can't go into the libraries here, but you can get online and order books for their drive-through pick up.

Love,

Nana
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Editor/Father's Note: I'm thrilled Shane got to have such a raucous good time in SC. I want to visit family more! I wish I could drag Carrie away with me and join in more, but a barn ties you to it. It's going to happen at some point. Thank you, Nana and Pop for taking such great care of my boy!