Ginikanan

Dear Charlie,

 This is only the second week of school but, so far, I’ve noticed that your pace has definitely changed.

 Last year you were one of the “action boys” who ruled the school and caused some parents anxiety over the way you played as superheroes or villains equipped with guns, bombs, and swords.  This year, with your best school buddies, Elijah and Jack, gone (off to kindergarten), you are already behaving in ways so different from last year.  For example, today I found you quietly sitting in the book area, headphones on, listening to an audio book.  Last year, you hardly stayed indoors.  You were always outside, chasing bad guys and monsters and aliens, or digging rivers in the sand box with nothing but your underwear on.  (Interestingly enough, this year, there’s a group of a few older and second year girls who are running around in their underwear and capes, shooting fire from their painted nails, chasing the few surviving “action boys”.)

Also, today you played with Desi for a long time.  Last year, although you and Desi often played at his house, you didn’t play with him in school.  Today you both sat in front of a fire station, arranged the various rooms, equipments, and firemen, and enacted fire station scenes.

During group time, not only did you join but you volunteered to be the “reader” of the class.  This blows my mind as last year, you hardly sat down for the group time.

I’m looking forward to seeing you grow and change this year, Charlie!  This year will be a good one!