Nicest Manners

The Kindergarten classes are using the computers to look up books for the first time this week. (Before this they have been browsing the shelves.) My colleague, who teaches the younger grades, asked for "all hands on deck" to help these students with the little exercise she assigned. 

I was standing behind three Kindergarten students at the computers. K1 was moving pretty slowly, so when she finally found a book she was interested in I asked, "What do you next?" trying to urge her along.

K2, right next to her, said, "Well, then we are supposed to write down the number for the book and then ask a grown-up for help using our nicest manners."

I told him, "Nicest manners. I like that."

In the mean time K3 finished. He got up from his chair and stood in front of me expectantly. I prompted him, "I'm waiting for your nicest manners."

Without saying a word he turned and walked past me. (Maybe looking for an adult who didn't know the rules?)

I stopped him and said, "Wait. I will help you!"

Virginiaisms With Bonus French!

Virginia often falls asleep in the car on the ride to day care in the morning. One morning as I went to unbuckle her, her eyes flew open. I asked, “Were you just pretending to sleep? Were you playing possum?”
About a week later we arrived at day care and when I opened her door she looked asleep. But then, with her eyes still closed I saw a smile creeping across her face. I asked, “What are you doing?”
She said, “I’m a possum.”

After months (years) of asking Virginia about her day and getting no real response, I finally figured out that if I ask her about emotions she will remember things and share them with me. I ask what made her mad, sad, happy, and what made her laugh. One afternoon while we were driving home and having this conversation, I asked what made Virginia laugh that day and she started laughing so hard remembering it that she could hardly tell me! Then she tried to say it several times and I couldn’t understand her through the giggles that kept erupting. By this time I was laughing, too, and I didn’t even really know what was so funny. Finally I thought I understood, “You said, ‘Sleeping Beauty Butt?’”
She laughed, “Yes! I told [my friend] Sleeping Beauty Butt!”

One evening earlier this week, Virginia took a shower with me. She was giving me a hard time about getting out of the shower and then about coming out from under the towel to put on her pajamas. I told her, “Look, if you are going to pitch a fit about this, you don’t have to take a shower with me next time.”
Virginia crossed her arms and scowled at me and said, “You better not fitch a pit at me, Momma!”

Speaking of the scowl, one afternoon Virginia was whining from the back seat, “My eyebrows hurt!” I told her to stop frowning.

We watched Julie and Julia with Sugar recently and since then Virginia has started saying, “Bon appetit!” We also have a jar of apricot preserves by “Bonne Maman.” During another afternoon car conversation...
Virginia: “Momma, you are a bon appetit!”
Me: “No, I’m not. I’m a bonne maman!”
Virginia: “I’m a bon appetit!”
Me: “You are a bonne petite mademoiselle.”
Virginia: “You are a mademoiselle!”
Me: “I am a madame, because I am married.”
Virginia: “Boogery! You are a boogery!”
Me: “You are a mademoiselle boogery!”
Virginia: “You are a madame boogery!”