Leap Testing

The two oldest are doing standerdized testing the rest of this week (and first half of next for Caleb). The school has stressed to the parents and children that they need to go to bed early and eat a HEALTHY breakfast (which means no cereal or sugary food).

Between the almost daily notes home telling us this and the kids constantly telling us, I think we got the picture!

Yesterday when Caleb got home he reminded me (yet again) that today started the testing and he was NOT allowed to have cereal for breakfast this morning. I told him I knew and that he also had to go to sleep as soon as he was sent to bed and could not stay up playing and getting in trouble like they normally do. He argued with me and said that he could still stay up and play.

First off, I never fix cereal for breakfast. It is not that we are too good for cereal or that I am a better mother than those that do give cereal to their kids. We did cereal every morning for a while a long time ago. But, I had one that would never eat much and throw it all away and they all made huge messes with it. So, I stopped buying it. I have time in the mornings to make them a breakfast and do, every morning. So, not sure why they were both making such a big deal out of NOT eating cereal.

Secondly, when I send you to bed, you are supposed to go to bed. Whether there is testing the next day or not. I don't send you to bed to play and get in trouble. Caleb said he did not know what sleep had to do with testing. I said it had just as much to do with testing as a good breakfast. He says his teachers told him to eat a good breakfast, he doesn't know why. I asked if they said he should go to bed early, too (like all the notes that are sent home). He sheepishly said yes.

If you are going to listen to one part of the instructions (which by the way, is the part that really did not apply to us) then you need to listen to BOTH parts of the instructions and obey both because "my teacher said."

As I was serving breakfast to Isaac this morning (sausage/egg scramble and banana with a cup of milk) he lectured me on how he needed a HEALTHY breakfast today. I guess I did not serve healthy enough?