Report Card #2

It's that time again at daycare...report cards. I still can't get over the fact that the Boy is not in school, and yet he is getting report cards. Oops..."Child Development Review", that is. I do love hearing about how others view the Boy, since my opinion is rather biased. I've added my comments below each section:

Language Development
[The Boy] expresses himself in a very clear and polite manner. He is able to answer any question a teacher may have for him and uses please and thank you. He is a very talkative child. He enjoys listening to stories within a small group. One of his favourite storybooks is "Elmo's Adventure". He also enjoys getting involved with our music teacher RJ. His enthusiasm is shown through singing and dancing.

Wow..polite? Really?? Apparently what happens at daycare stays in daycare. We've nattered on about "please" and "thank you" for months, and the best we get is a rather reluctant parroting of the prompted phrase. No, wait! I think he has said "please" umprompted a couple times when he wanted more crackers. I think I'm going to get a t-shirt made for him that says:

"I am addicted to crack(ers)."

Other than that? Talkative, yes. Singing, yes. "Elmo's Adventure"? Never heard of it. Apparently I'm going to Chapters on my lunch tomorrow.

Cognitive Development
[The Boy] can recognize almost all colours. He can recite the alphabet and count from 1 to 15. He is always eager to learn new concepts, and shows it at circle time when books are being read to him. If interested, [the Boy] can attend to an activity for up to twenty minutes. Example: Building large towers with lego, playing with little animals, or using the marble tower.

Now, I would say he knows all his colours. Okay, I haven't taught him to differentiate between maroon, violet, and grape - I just put them under the heading "purple". Cut him some slack here, he's 2.5! I've never heard him count into the teens, though. I love the turn of phrase "If interested the Boy can attend to an activity.." Well, sure. If I'm interested, I can do things for long periods of time too. If I'm not, I just cut bait and run. Why should I expect differently from the Boy? Life is short.

Motor Development (Fine/Gross)
[The Boy] is able to use crayons, brushes and chalk during creative activities and enjoys playing with PlayDoh. Gluing and painting have become his favourite activities. Whether he is using the slide or playing in the sandbox with the shovels and pails, he really enjoys himself in the playground.

Okay, now I'm a really lousy parent. All we have at home is a sad chalk board and some sadder PlayDoh in four colours. I could be thwarting an artistic genius! Maybe I should be getting some art supplies instead of another Elmo book? I'm so negligent.

I think they glossed over the gross motor skills, though. While the Boy is really good at fine motor skills and talking, we've noticed that he is behind in the gross motor skills area. He can fall off the bottom step of the stairs, and has to be watched and helped when climbing playground equipment. He shows no real interest in riding his bike (although that could be because he has developed an aversion to his helmet). He has shown improvement since the ear tubes were put in, though, and we're trying to encourage him to get up and move as much as possible.

Food Consumption/Sleeping Behaviours
[The Boy] eats very well during lunch and snack times and usually asks for seconds. During naptime he sleeps on his own and sleeps for approximately one hour.

Ha! Notice they didn't say what he has seconds of..? If it's crackers, cheese or pasta - or really anything in the bread family - you can't get the Boy to stop eating. Vegetables, though? Apparently that will happen over my dead body.

Social Interaction (peers/adults)
[The Boy] is a very sociable and friendly child who enjoys small groups rather than large ones. He may be a little shy but he really enjoys interacting with all the teachers.

I have noticed this. He seems to do especially well on playdates with one or two kids. He held hands with Cakes! He ran around the zoo with Mme Labrune! He's even been known to share a toy or two. But at things like Sportball or the free Gymboree class we went to once, he backs off as if he's overwhelmed.

Inappropriate Behaviours to Monitor (if applicable)
Not applicable.

Huh. That's interesting. How about crocodile tears and full out Cry-abanas whenever he doesn't get his way? How about constantly voicing the opinion that he would rather be with the parent who is NOT at home? How about losing it when we try to make him wash his hands?? Maybe those are not considered inappropriate, but they are no fun.

Additional Comments
[The Boy] is a very independent child who tries really hard to master tasks on his own. He is always ready to get involved with everything that is presented to him. It is a pleasure to have him in our room. Good Job, [The Boy]!

...So, here's my question: Would this kind of report ever have negative stuff included? Other than the obvious problems like biting, kicking or incessant crying, that is? When I read the report, I was very proud and pleased, but then Mr Earth and I both wondered if they'd ever state what they really thought about a child, or whether they'd try to put a positive spin on everything. I can't really see sending a toddler home with a negative report... How awful! Should I be reading into this more? Are there things in here that are Teacher-speak??

Wow, I'm neurotic! What do you think? (Um, what do you think about the question stated above...NOT about whether or not I'm neurotic. I know that I am - thank you very much.)