Ashwini was waiting eagerly for today and so was Adit. They were quite excited that school started today. It was Ashwini’s first day in second grade and Adit’s truly first day at school in the Kindergarten class. A big milestone for Adit as this marks the end of just fun all day and more importantly no more afternoon naps. All the goofing off is finished. Now, it will be school followed by more school followed by work, career, family for about 50-60 years before there is time to just sit and goof off again. I hope he is ready for all this.

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V was driving the kids to/from school when the following conversation went on.

Ashwini: Mommy, if we live in Connecticut, can I get married in Harkness park or Mystic aquarium?

V: Sure. You can get married anywhere you want.
Ashwini: Can I get married in New York or Michigan or how about India?
V: Yes. Anywhere you want. When you are older and want to get married, we’ll decide.
Adit: Ashwini, we should get married in India.
Ashwini: No way! You are not marrying me.
Adit: Why not?
Ashwini: Because, I am not your true love. You only marry your true love.

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This year, we didn’t order any caterpillars from Insectlore to watch them turn into butterflies. So, the kids are really excited to follow the progress of this caterpillar and the egg. Here are a couple of photos and expect several updates.

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With all that sophisticated system, I don’t know what happened to this package that I received recently. It came from China into Anchorage, AK where it was cleared by customs. Then it flew to Newark, NJ and unexpectedly took a wrong turn and went off to Oakland, CA before making it to Connecticut via Memphis, TN. I am not sure why FedEx added a cross-country trip in the package’s routing. I have to wonder if one of my friends worked on the development of this routing software.

Jul 14, 2010 8:38 AM On FedEx vehicle for delivery NORWICH, CT
Jul 14, 2010 8:30 AM At local FedEx facility NORWICH, CT
Jul 13, 2010 6:50 PM At dest sort facility EAST GRANBY, CT
Jul 13, 2010 3:30 PM Departed FedEx location MEMPHIS, TN
Jul 13, 2010 12:36 PM Arrived at FedEx location MEMPHIS, TN
Jul 13, 2010 7:04 AM Departed FedEx location OAKLAND, CA
Jul 13, 2010 2:10 AM Arrived at FedEx location OAKLAND, CA
Jul 10, 2010 2:21 AM Arrived at FedEx location NEWARK, NJ
Jul 9, 2010 4:13 PM Departed FedEx location ANCHORAGE, AK
Jul 9, 2010 1:26 PM Int’l shipment release ANCHORAGE, AK
Jul 9, 2010 12:42 PM Arrived at FedEx location ANCHORAGE, AK
Jul 9, 2010 1:43 AM In transit LANTAU ISLAND HK
Jul 9, 2010 1:37 AM At local FedEx facility LANTAU ISLAND HK
Jul 8, 2010 1:33 PM Left FedEx origin facility SHENZHEN CN
Jul 8, 2010 11:06 AM Picked up SHENZHEN CN
Jul 7, 2010 2:02 PM Shipment information sent to FedEx

From Anchorage, AK to Norwich, CT the routes traveled by the package were in this order: red, orange, green and then, blue.

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I don’t think we look much different compared to 14.5 years ago…

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More Walks
It’s sad that nearly every three- or four-year-old can identify the McDonald’s golden arches and a Taco Bell, and exotic animals like a tiger or whale, but cannot identify the plants and wildlife that live around them: snails and caterpillars, fir trees or maple trees, common weeds, flowers, and shrubbery. (Note, we may not be able to either, but noticing is the first step to all of us becoming more attuned to the world.)

Here are some more walk ideas:

Color walks
Look for all the colors you can see and make a color journal. Or, look for a particular color. Or make up something you have to do when you see a color — hop three times when you see purple, walk backwards when you see orange, etc.

Penny walks
At every intersection, flip a coin. Go right on heads, left on tails. If you get heads or tails twice in a row, go straight. With children 5 and up, talk about chance or keep track of the flips. Try and guess what it will be. Make a map of your trip.

Microclimate walks
On a hot day, go for a walk in sunny and shady areas, waterside areas, or breezy areas, and notice how the temperature is lower in the shade and even lower in shady areas with trees, or with a breeze off the water.

Animal and plant walks
Go on a “wanted dead and alive” walk and search for living things (insects, animals, plants) and once-living things — keep a journal or collect specimens. Distinguish between live and dead plant material and inanimate things, like stones or sand.

Wet walks
Walk in the rain, walk through puddles, and above all, get wet.

Architecture walks
Notice how houses are alike or different — size, shape, roofs, windows, doors, porches, landscape.

Car/truck walks
Notice how cars are alike or different, or look for convertibles, VW Bugs, or other distinctive cars or trucks.

Sharing Nature with Children
In his wonderful series of books on experiencing nature with children, Joseph Cornell writes that above all else, exploring nature is becoming receptive — feeling with every sense. In Sharing Nature with Children he offers these guidelines:

Teach less and share more: Besides telling children the bare facts of nature (“This is a mountain hemlock tree.”), I like to tell them my inner feelings in the presence of the hemlock tree.

Be receptive: Being receptive means listening and being aware.
Focus on the child’s attention without delay: Some children are not used to watching nature closely, so find things that interest them and lead them bit by bit into the spirit of keen observation.

Look and experience first, talk later: Smell the lilac, rub the bark, or listen to the rumble of the garbage truck, then have the conversation.

A sense of joy should permeate the experience: whether in the form of gaiety or calm attentiveness.

The world is an interesting place with lots of things to learn about. Children need to connect to the world and come to love the world. Parents are the best guides and mentors as they lead explorations into the child’s habitat. Without turning it into a rote learning classroom, we can venture out armed with fun games to attend to the world around us.

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Katie: Adit, come here. Play with me. Sue put boats in the sensory table. You can have this blue one.
Adit: Are you going to kiss me?
Katie: No.
Adit: OK. I’ll play with you.

Oh, this boy has such rough life!

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