As you may, or may not, be aware, Chloe spent this week at Circus Camp. Since we are homeschoolers, sending her off to a camp where we knew none of the teachers, none of the kids and none of the parents was unchartered territory.
Each day Chloe came home with stories about her activities, her “silly” teachers, and her friends. Ah, her friends. What drama! I think that not being in school has isolated Chloe from the parts of school that I hated most. Generally, my kids’ friendships have been true ones, not put to the arbitrary tests that are encountered in schools. Friends have things in common and like to do things together — that’s what friends are!
This is how adults function, or at least I think how they should…. I don’t harbor grudges when one of my friends finds a new great friend… I welcome this new person into my friend’s life. We all evolve and find new friends along our journeys, right?
Each day at camp, Chloe came home with stories of new “friends”. Two girls were friends, but they fought all the time and they didn’t like that one or the other would spend time with Chloe. Another day, three girls ended up in tears because Chloe decided to sit with some new friends at lunch instead of with her “old friends”. Feelings were hurt. Girls wanted apologies for their other friends. Really? It is a one week day camp, and it got to that point?
If this is what school is like in third grade, I am quite thankful that my girls are not in any way involved. This “drama” has no place in our lives. We have enough drama without needing to create it!
We don’t have that in our lives either and do NOT miss it. I am so thankful that we don’t have to deal with that aspect of schooling.
M, at age 5, already has this in his class. Two of his friends compete for his attention/loyalty and everyone ends up getting upset. Rachael is trying to explain to M that he doesn’t have to get involved with this, but I guess he’s not always able to stay out of it.