Pappee in Grade School 2


I’d been meaning to share this but not quite getting the courage until now. Pappee (my son) is in year two primary school or grade school II (depending on which part of the world you are reading this piece from). The new school year started in September so they got to move to a new class with a new teacher. Because it is the same students/pupils from their year one class, there are no issues about making friends (not that it would have been any problem with my son). It is amazing how I could have given birth to him because I do not make friends easily…actually I do not make friends at all (I am working on it). I am one of those people who are happy being just by themselves and since I am not a ‘social butterfly’ and rarely go to parties I am fine then I do not have to mingle and ‘make friends’ but we talking of Pappee today not me so I will let myself off the hook of this friendship making before I get into trouble.

On the first day of school in the new class, the teacher asked the children to write what they are hoping and wishing to accomplish in their new class. The children all wrote things they are hoping to accomplish in their new class: It ranged from doing well in class, to what they want to be when they grow up (please do not ask me how that is related, I just read things that were put up on the entrance door into the class), passing their exams, getting 100%, the best in reading etc. I searched frantically for the piece of paper with my sons name and as soon as I saw it, I stopped my random reading to see what he had to say and what he is wishing and hoping to accomplish in grade school 2.

It goes like this:

“I wish I got double promotion.
I wish I was the class captain everyday.
I wish I got 100% in my exams.
I wish to have a girlfriend from this class.
I wish I was the best”

I continued my reading to see if there is anyone who had a more or an equally balanced view of life and aspiration and I was disappointed that every other kid wanted double promotion, to pass exams with 100% and to be the best but I did not see any other kid wanting to be class captain everyday and seeking an emotional sound life by looking for a boy friend or girlfriend in the class. Believe it or not, I did not see anything remotely close so I gave him the thumbs up.

Now you must be kidding if you believe this was my interpretation when I first read the piece above. No way! I was close to tears. I thought “Oh my God at 6 years?” Every kid was focused on being the best and passing exams and my son was also looking for a girlfriend in addition? This cannot be happening and then I thought “Anyway, they say that an apple does not fall far from the tree” meaning that I am sure that I know this trait is running from father to son (please make sure neither my son nor hubby reads this piece I am begging all of you out there).

On a second thought though, I was happy that he included every area of his life in the hopes and aspiration and that gives me a lot of joy. In his last creative writing exams, he said that he wanted to be the president of this country one day (as you can see, it will begin with being the class captain everyday). Class captainship is currently rotated so that every child gets a chance to ‘lead’. He is smart enough to get a double promotion and we have often talked of leaving the primary school from year 5 instead of 6 so we are on track on that one. As for being the best, there is no choice there, he naturally hates to lose anything and works hard to achieve that but we all know that being the best takes more than coming first so we are working on those habits and attitudes – discipline, humility, honesty, respect for others and obedience.

I guess I am his number one fan and I have to really blow his trumpet but if a 6 year old is hoping and wishing for a girlfriend, I should be worried shouldn’t I?? Worried or not, I am eagerly waiting for the ‘fortunate girl’ whom he will be bringing home from his class…I kind of like the fact that he will be limiting his search for now to his class then he is not likely to spend the whole time combing through the entire school in search of this girl friend that he is wishing and hoping to find.