December 2, 2009
Learnings from Kindergarten again this week. It seems the kids think I must be poor!
Let me back up a bit…
In Center Time on Tuesday I was, as I have been lately, helping in Writing Center helping the kids “stretch out their words”. I remember it as “sounding out the words” but truthfully, it does feel more like stretching them out when I’m ennunciating so much trying to get them to hear the letter they are searching for to write the word they need.
This week they are working on distinguishing between Wants and Needs. A worthy cause, I’d say. I sure do know a lot of kids (and adults, for that matter) who still don’t know the difference between them.
So our assignment was to make a list of five words that were Needs. They’d talked about it the day before so they had a good idea that things like air, a house, clothes and food were Needs. They knew that toys and games and cake were Wants (though I really had a hard time not letting them add “cake” to the Needs list, folks. It is a need!).
So I get two sets of three kids at a time. And I’m trying to help three different kids sound out (usually) three different words all at the same time. (Being schizophrenic comes in really handy sometimes!) And even though Mrs. Smith had just run through all of the needs, they couldn’t remember a thing. They’re looking all on the ceiling for things that might be Needs.
“Jellybeans!”
“Hannah Montana Jacket!”
“Shark Sneakers!”
Finally we get to “food” through jellybeans and “clothes” through the HM jacket. (And, slacker that I am, I admit I couldn’t get anywhere with the shark sneakers).
And then they want to add “TV” to the list.
Hmmm….
Me: “I don’t think that’s a need.”
Them: “Yes, it is.”
Me: “You don’t really need TV. It’s kind of a good-to-have thing.”
Them: “No, I need it. We have four TVs in our house.”
Me: “Actually, I don’t have a TV. So you don’t really need one.”
And suddenly, there is something that so rarely happens in the company of three 5-year-olds…absolute stunned silence.
Followed by looks of incredulity and looking at each other for confirmation that this woman is obviously an alien from outer space.
Finally, one of them ventures…”Are you poor?”.
And then concern for my obviously dire straits… “Do you have enough money for food?”
LOL.
It’s really weird and I know I’m in the minority but I really don’t have a TV anymore. I haven’t for about a year and a half. And before that it just sat around and collected dust and dribbled money out of my checking account for the cable bill.
Truthfully, I haven’t watched TV since 1990. Murphy Brown was on then.
I know, “yikes!’.
For sure, I didn’t tell these kids that. They probably would have run screaming from the room! I can only imagine the dinner conversation around their tables that night.
: )
Wow! I’m impressed. While I’m not a slave to the TV and typically watch only about three full hours a week (of stuff on TV; that doesn’t include movies from my Netflix list), I can’t imagine not having a TV. But I’m always so impressed by folks who do without one … because THAT’S how it should be. I’m just too wanting of unnecessary things to reach the point of pitching the box. In fact, I’m hoping to get a bigger, better box someday soon, one with hookups for my computer so I can see things from one WANT (although I NEED my computer to do my job) on another WANT.
Kudos to you!
Oh this is so funny. Elizabeth did come home talking about wants versus needs. We talked about a few examples. There were a few that popped in that sweet little voice – hands/feet. Well, I was stumped. I classed them as a need explaining what we use them for, but also tried to point out that some people don’t have them. She was shocked. She obviously had forgotten about the time she was 2-3 y/o. We were in an elevator and she couldn’t stop stairing at the man in the wheelchair who was missing a leg and then innocently asked him (not me mind you) ‘Where is your leg?’ The man was so gracious…and I was so relieved. Anyway – NO TV!!!!!WHOLLY MOLLY! How do you keep up with the Wonder Pets!
LOL. She did say “feet” today! Now I know where that came from. It made quite an impression on her, that’s for sure. I’m sure that man was used to getting those questions from kids…it is embarrassing though…being afraid the person will be offended by what is truly an innocent question from a child.
As for the TV, Wonder Pets just isn’t quite on my list of Needs. LOL. In fact, until you mentioned it, I’d never heard of it! Woo hoo!
People are usually impressed that I haven’t watched TV for so long. But I’ll let you in on a secret. I just don’t miss it at all! I have so many other things going on all the time. I read voraciously, I work on the computer a LOT (my version of TV, I guess), and I’m out and about all the time. I just can’t find the time for it.
I will tell you though, it becomes a liability when the social conversation goes around to “Did you see (fill in the blank TV show name) last night? It was SO funny!” I’m socially inept when it comes to commercials, TV shows and celebrities. Stops the conversation pretty quickly and leaves me and whoever I’m talking to searching to come up with something else quick! LOL.
Yeah, I pretty much stopped trying to tell you about things I’ve seen on TV, because I inevitably have to go back and explain, not only the premise of the show, but also the entire series. Unless I’m referencing Full House, you’re lost
LOL! Yeah. Oh cool! Is Full House still on!?!?!? Haha. It’s really just a lost cause, isn’t it? Hey…I have other talents and redeeming qualities, right?