Shaping Things with Floam
The other night I was sitting in our home with my lovely wife and children. The kids had finished playing Reader Rabbit, and I wanted to check my sales on the computer one more time before getting the kids ready for bed. "Man, I sure have sold a lot of Floam today," I announce for all to hear. "Floam?" Ryleigh says "I know what that is. And if you call now or log in you get a free tub of green." After I dabbed the tears of pride that had formed in my eyes I turned to my daughter and ask how she knew that. Of course she had seen it on tv in an infomercial, probably on Nickelodeon. She also knows about Floam because we actualy have a few tubs of Floam - a micro-bead modeling material sorta like Play Doh but lighter and softer. Ryleigh loves to squish it her hands and shape it into all sorts of creative things.
Andrea and I went on to explain that Floam is an example of some the fun "As Seen on TV" stuff that Daddy helps sell on the computer. Needless to say she was excited and is looking forward to taking over the family business some day. (Okay maybe I embellished that last part a bit). However, she was excited to know that her dad sells FLOAM, and that in 4 - 6 weeks some kids will be having the same fun with it that she has thanks to their parents buying it from her daddy's web site.
Today is information day for Ryleigh's school and in 6 days she will start kindergarten. I know it's time - she's 5 years old and graduated from preschool. She is ready - she is smart, loves books, and she is eager to learn. So why am I so nervous for her? She went to preschool at our church last year and Sonshine School before that - all at our church building. That seems safe: Christian teachers, classmates most of whom attend our church, learning Bible stories, singing Bible songs and prayers throughout the day. Next Wednesday she enters the world. My sweet, innocent, shy, angel of a daughter will be set free to face new teachers, new classmates, and a new school whose curriculum does revolve around the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Will she quickly and easily make new friends, or will she shyly keep to herself and not get involved? How will she respond the first time that a bigger kid picks on her? How will she feel when she's told that the answer she gave is incorrect? How many times will she be asked about the gap between her front 2 teeth? How long until she is called horse instead of Horst? You just don't know what is going to happen until she gets there.
Andrea and I have done our best to prepare her. We've tried to teach her right from wrong and to stand up for what she believes. She knows that she should make wise choices. We've taught her to respect her teachers and the school leaders. If I could impress one thing upon her at this time as she starts this new journey in her life I think it would be this: Don't let this world shape you Ryleigh, you go out and shape the world!
Andrea and I went on to explain that Floam is an example of some the fun "As Seen on TV" stuff that Daddy helps sell on the computer. Needless to say she was excited and is looking forward to taking over the family business some day. (Okay maybe I embellished that last part a bit). However, she was excited to know that her dad sells FLOAM, and that in 4 - 6 weeks some kids will be having the same fun with it that she has thanks to their parents buying it from her daddy's web site.
Today is information day for Ryleigh's school and in 6 days she will start kindergarten. I know it's time - she's 5 years old and graduated from preschool. She is ready - she is smart, loves books, and she is eager to learn. So why am I so nervous for her? She went to preschool at our church last year and Sonshine School before that - all at our church building. That seems safe: Christian teachers, classmates most of whom attend our church, learning Bible stories, singing Bible songs and prayers throughout the day. Next Wednesday she enters the world. My sweet, innocent, shy, angel of a daughter will be set free to face new teachers, new classmates, and a new school whose curriculum does revolve around the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Will she quickly and easily make new friends, or will she shyly keep to herself and not get involved? How will she respond the first time that a bigger kid picks on her? How will she feel when she's told that the answer she gave is incorrect? How many times will she be asked about the gap between her front 2 teeth? How long until she is called horse instead of Horst? You just don't know what is going to happen until she gets there.
Andrea and I have done our best to prepare her. We've tried to teach her right from wrong and to stand up for what she believes. She knows that she should make wise choices. We've taught her to respect her teachers and the school leaders. If I could impress one thing upon her at this time as she starts this new journey in her life I think it would be this: Don't let this world shape you Ryleigh, you go out and shape the world!
posted by Blair | 10:46 PM
1 Comments:
You are a wonderful person and
an OUTSTANDING daddy - actually I expect Ryleigh to be the teacher's assistant within a week or two.
At least she has a real school building and not just a converted
garage! Andrea and I were talking about the questions Ryleigh's teacher asked her about Ryleigh's
life experiences and knowledge so
far, and I was reminded of when
your teacher-to-be asked me if you could walk around the block by yourself, to which I replied, "he can, but he's not allowed to!"
Thank you very much!
Nice blatant advertising of FLOAM.
Welcome to Ryleigh's new beginning. It will probably be all the experiences you mentioned,
and lots of good ones, too.
Been there, done that - Mom
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