Mango Minds

As a way to excite my soon-to-be Kindergarten student about returning to school, I told her that school was going to be GREAT! because this year her teacher would teach her how to read. Last Friday, after her second day, she returned home visibly disappointed from school. I asked what was wrong, and was unprepared for her response: “You told me that my teacher was going to teach me how to read and she didn’t!” Probably not the moment to mention the 180 days still remaining in the school year. It takes a bit of time at the beginning of each year for students, teachers and parents to get to know each other, build trusting relationships, make friends, and settle into the new routine. We all begin a new school year with our own expectations, dreams, and hopes. It is hard for children and parents when aspects of their new class are unfamiliar or different than anticipated. It is scary to make new friends. We believe in the importance of children feeling good about coming to school ...

Olivia’s mother is currently the story book character with whom I can most identify. She takes her children to the beach, the museum, implements time out, and has the humanity to tell her daughter, “You really wear me out, but I love you anyway.” I can relate to her negotiating how many stories to read each night before bed; Olivia wants five books and her mother counteracts with the offer of one; they compromise on three. AnaLu, Ben and I read Olivia by Ian Falconer at least twice a week, and have done so for the past three years, which adds up to about 300 plus visits with these characters. It’s safe to say that we have spent a fair share of time together. Good times, good memories. Alan Alexander Milne had a brilliant understanding of the importance of characters to children, writing two books about a boy named Christopher Robin , after his son, and various characters inspired by his son's stuffed animals, most notably the bear named Winnie-the-Pooh . Connecting to s...