On this particular day back in November, Ellis went with me downtown to take Aunt Rach and Uncle Lee's Christmas photos. She did a great job being patient and letting me snap some photos. Being that she has had a camera in her face from day one, in the past, she has not been the easiest child to photograph. She likes to move and move fast. But on this particular afternoon, she was more than happy to take some photos in front of the Christmas decor because in her words, "Mama, I have my Christmas shirt and sockies on!"
Not sure what the difference was - maybe it's because she is closer to five than three now. Older, more patient. Maybe because she felt like entertaining Rach and Lee. Or maybe it was just that she had on her Christmas cat shirt and Christmas Mickey Mouse socks.
Either way, I am so happy that she was engaging and entertaining and allowed me to snap some photos of her on this day. No particular reason why, I just suddenly feel like time is so fleeting. Looking back on these photos from this afternoon in November, my heart breaks a little to know that her fifth birthday is just around the corner.
And so the list that I mentioned.
I came across this list on Pinterest the other day and it really made me think. I always ask her how her day was when I pick her up from school. And I really try to ask her at bedtime what her favorite part of the day was, but I just loved how this list was full of great questions to also ask her about her day.
Some of the questions seem super simple like I should know how to come up with them by myself, but on a fast paced afternoon of pick up and head for the next activity I am the first to admit I am not the best at engagement with talk. Getting in the habit of these super simple questions is something I would like to be more mindful of. Especially as she gets older lines of communication become even more important.
So i just wanted to share this here. It's from Parent Co.
Questions a kid will answer at the end of a long school day:
- What did you eat for lunch?
- Did you catch anyone picking their nose?
- What games did you play at recess?
- What was the funniest thing that happened today?
- Did anyone do anything super nice for you?
- What was the nicest thing you did for someone else?
- Who made you smile today?
- Which one of your teachers would survive a zombie apocalypse? Why?
- What new fact did you learn today?
- Who brought the best food in their lunch today? What was it?
- What challenged you today?
- If school were a ride at the fair, which ride would it be? Why?
- What would you rate your day on a scale of 1 to 10? Why?
- If one of your classmates could be the teacher for the day who would you want it to be? Why?
- If you had the chance to be the teacher tomorrow, what would you teach the class?
- Did anyone push your buttons today?
- Who do you want to make friends with but haven’t yet? Why not?
- What is your teacher’s most important rule?
- What is the most popular thing to do at recess?
- Does your teacher remind you of anyone else you know? How?
- Tell me something you learned about a friend today.
- If aliens came to school and beamed up 3 kids, who do you wish they would take? Why?
- What is one thing you did today that was helpful?
- When did you feel most proud of yourself today?
- What rule was the hardest to follow today?
- What is one thing you hope to learn before the school year is over?
- Which person in your class is your exact opposite?
- Which area of your school is the most fun?
- Which playground skill do you plan to master this year?
- Does anyone in your class have a hard time following the rules?
