MY KIDS ROCK!!!!!!

I had parent teacher conferences last night. I was a little nervous because Olivia's teacher is....TOUGH... and Sydney, well, she's Sydney =)

I needn't have worried. I am so unbelievably proud of the girls, that I just can't stand it!

SYDNEY

Sydney is in Kindergarten this year and has a lovely, very young, teacher - she's not jaded yet and thinks the kids are cute. She's cute =)

Sydney is doing so well! She's testing above where she should be and has been put in the beginning reader group. The teacher was impressed with her writing, said she tended to be a "perfectionist" (something I don't want to encourage, but don't want to discourage either... I'm in a quandary there) She already got her alphabet down, her colors, numbers, beginning sounds and - other than being a little chatty in class - is doing wonderfully. Her teacher said she was very well behaved, very compassionate, very attentive and very cute. Which, of course, I knew.

All in all, I was bursting with pride when I left the room.

OLIVIA

Then I went to Olivia's conference. Olivia's teacher is very discipline oriented and seems to use punishment rather than positive reinforcement to encourage the kids. Olivia, on numerous occasions, has been in FULL BLOWN PANIC ATTACK fearing that she may have forgotten homework or that I didn't sign her planner. This concerns me a lot because Olivia loves school and tends to really stress if she gets a 98% rather than 100%. She beats herself up for an hour over one missed question. Adding even more anxiety and stress seems counterproductive -especially since she hasn't gotten a grade below a very high "B" on anything and typically gets 100% on anything she does.

So, in I go - to sit on the little, teeny, tiny chair which makes my ass seem ten times bigger than it really is, at which point I immediately swear to go on a diet.

Her teacher looked at me and told me "This will be the easiest conference I have ever done. Olivia is an absolute delight. Could you clone her for me?"

I was stunned. When I found my voice I was actually able to talk about Liv and her grades. Here's the rundown, almost word for word from her teacher...

Liv is over the top in math.
She takes a leadership role in the class room, but isn't condescending - she actually helps the kids that need help.
Liv "gets" it. She only has to be told once.
She's able to grasp concepts that a lot of kids can't - and then she explains it to them.
She stands up for herself with the others when she thinks she' right - even if she's outnumbered (that's my girl!)
Her writing is amazing - she's tells a great story and is very full of details and descriptions and has fantastic ideas (she must take after her Uncle B!)
She's a little fashion plate and always looks so put together and cute (I told her Olivia and I liked to shop and she was very particular about what she wore)
She's reading well above her grade level.

Basically, her teacher LOVES her. Which makes me so very happy.

Makes me wonder what I ever did to deserve two such amazing kids. And I find myself thinking about how far they'll go in life and how they really do have a good foundation.

And that makes me even prouder........