Let's Make a Reservation

At the parent orientation on Monday for my daughter's class, we learned about their snack routine, and I've just got to say, I am impressed with what little children and young minds come up with.

My children come from two years of. "Toddler House" where the entire class of twelve enjoys snack time together.  The portions and selection is made by one of the teachers, although the children help prepare things, like cutting up fruit or peeling a vegetable.   In Children's House, snack is handled differently.

The older children, most commonly the five-year-olds, plan a "menu" for the week.  The items coming in from the snack shopping each family does in rotation is mostly the same, but they still decide on what's going to be served each day.

Then, at the start of the morning, snack is prepared and sits in a corner of the kitchen, available to children for when they want to have snack later in the morning.    When you would like to have snack, you find a friend you want to have snack with.   You and your friend go and get your napkin (each child has their own cloth napkin), they get their cups that are labeled with a shape they recognize (since most children aren't reading yet).   The children get a plate, serve themselves some snack, sit down and eat together.

When they're done, they clean up the table, put their dish, cup and napkin away and the table is now available for anyone else who would like to have snack next.   But what if more than one group of children wants to have snack together?   My daughter's teacher said they were wanting to reserve a place in line and for a while, she was putting two napkins (indicating the two friends who wanted to snack together) in one pocket of her apron.  If a second set of children wanted to wait in line, she would put their napkins in her other apron pocket.  

Then, they came up with a solution together.   There is a three-slotted glass napkin holder in the kitchen area.  If you want to make a reservation for snack because the table is full, you put your napkins in the first slot.  The second and third slots can be filled as needed.   When the table becomes available, the first children in line take their napkins and begin their snack.   The children figured out on their own that if you're second in line, this is the time to move your napkins up one slot.  

Apparently the reservation method for snack time is appreciated by everyone, including the teachers.

The Big Boy Update:  When I took my son to the pediatrician last week to get an allergy form updated, he was pretty excited to be going.  We have a great doctor and he likes to see her.   We were in the waiting room, waiting to be called back when he decided he couldn't wait any more and said, "I'm ready to go back and see my doctor now."  As he walked out the door and down the hall, thankfully the nurse called his name to come on back.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter got new shoes today.   These shoes look more like the types of sneakers/running shoes/tennis shoes adults wear.   I didn't realize she'd made the connection until we got home.  She jumped out of the car and said, "Now I can run like Jon does!"   She ran into the house to find Uncle Jonathan and show him her, "running shoes".