The Melting World

Free time for me, if it were a window, would be a slit cut into the fortress turret.

With students streaming in for their graduate theses to be edited, with the demands of the readings and the group activities for my grad class in educational research, with the daily prep and teaching, the marking (long overdue), and with the waking up early to prepare my son for daycare, I am losing grip on giving myself time to just be.

This is not a complaint, really, because life always has its moments of high speed and, blessfully, there is an end in sight. At least the teaching and the students’ visits will end next Thursday and then I can have a less stringent daily schedule to follow. I welcome that freedom, and I need it!

My son is learning to play with other kids. For two years his primary playmates have been his parents, and now he is being immersed in the life of playing with people his own age. At first his teacher said he didn’t seem to notice the other kids, just off doing his own thing, in his own reality.

Yesterday, for the first time, he joined others to “run” at certain times while listening to a storybook. A landmark event! This morning is also the first time he didn’t start crying when I dropped him off at daycare.

I think he is starting to see the joy in playing with others besides his parents. I am happy and relieved.

We decided to to increase his days at daycare because he needs much more time with other kids, and we don’t wish to jar him weekly with only two days of school, and then he has the chance to learn Japanese naturally and proficiently. It is good for him to play outside everyday with others and to learn how to share and get along with others. It is something I need to learn, too ;-).

Now I am off to the land of educational research….this class is a challenge because it isn’t as compelling a subject for me, at least not yet.