Sherlock's class did their reports and floated their boats on the pond today. He was happy enough with his boat last night, but when I picked him up, he'd hidden it somewhere in the classroom and wouldn't tell Mrs N where, so we had a chat about that. He produced it, finally, from behind a bookcase and shoved it in the bottom of his bag. A couple of the other kids came up with things he wished he'd thought of, apparently.
I tried to explain that that didn't make his bad - I thought it was very nice, especially for someone who'd never tried carving anything before - and L tried to introduce the concept of telling the other kids he thought their boats were good... Not sure how well either of us did. I suppose we'll see. Makes a change from him being impatient with everyone who's not picking things up as quickly as him, at least.
At Noontime
Sappho
translated by Mary Barnard
At noontime
When the earth is
bright with flaming
heat falling straight down
the cricket sets
up a high-pitched
singing in his wings
I have an actual book of Sappho's poetry, one of the few I still own since I've tended to look things up online more and more. It's very small, which is probably why it's survived so long, orange on both covers and faded nearly white on the spine. It's strange how very recent and immediate her poetry still feels.
I tried to explain that that didn't make his bad - I thought it was very nice, especially for someone who'd never tried carving anything before - and L tried to introduce the concept of telling the other kids he thought their boats were good... Not sure how well either of us did. I suppose we'll see. Makes a change from him being impatient with everyone who's not picking things up as quickly as him, at least.
At Noontime
Sappho
translated by Mary Barnard
At noontime
When the earth is
bright with flaming
heat falling straight down
the cricket sets
up a high-pitched
singing in his wings
I have an actual book of Sappho's poetry, one of the few I still own since I've tended to look things up online more and more. It's very small, which is probably why it's survived so long, orange on both covers and faded nearly white on the spine. It's strange how very recent and immediate her poetry still feels.
32 comments:
I like that poem.
We'll get there with him. It's hard, learning you're not always 'the best'. I mean, I assume it is, never having been in that situation (of thinking I might be, not of learning I'm not!).
I dunno, we'll get there.
Yeah, I think we will. I do feel bad for him when he's upset like this. It's sort of unavoidable though.
I think he's very lucky to have you in his life. You're far more empathic and kind than me.
I don't think that's true at all. And you're teaching him things he needs to know.
Something like that.
I hope Sherlock works his way out of his disappointment. But it's good that he'd like to try again. Every boat I've built has been better in one way or another than the one before. Well, except for the one where I forgot to weight the keel before I put it in the water. It flipped over and sank.
The interesting thing to me is all the different ways that different boats can be "better". A motor might be neat, but it sure makes a lot of noise. I like sails. They're sneakier.
As for having real books and not just screens, I find the experience so different I can no longer imagine doing without both. The internet is fine, but it's always looking at the narrow end of the information pipe. I like bookshelves, where serendipity reigns.
rsf
I'm sorry Sherlock's boat didn't work out as well as he had hoped. It can be hard at any age when you've put in a lot of time and effort and it still isn't what you had hoped.
It seems to me this may be the first time Sherlock has never really been the best in his class. He grew up pretty isolated from what you've said, and since he's been put in the new school, he seems to be ahead of even his peers. It's got to be frustrating to suddenly find yourself faced with a situation you've never had any experience with, and to do it in front of others.
I think you're doing an amazing job of helping him through this. It's hard to suddenly realize you can't be the best at everything, no matter how hard you try, and to have two very down to earth role models to show him it's OK to still keep trying is the best thing that could happen for him.
I hope that he's able to build another boat, and maybe incorporate some of the things he hadn't thought of on the new one.
I've so far written and deleted this *counts on fingers* several times, because none of them came out right.
So I'll just say--yes, it's a difficult sort of thing to deal with, and I think (reading the comments) that you two handled it excellently well. I also think Sherlock handled it well--he might have been upset (and acted upset, and why wouldn't he?), but he did hold himself together, and instead of deciding to turn his back on the whole thing, he decided to try again. That's admirable.
I like that poem very, very much. I don't know why, but it makes me think of Emily Dickinson. (And to think that almost all of Sappho's works disappeared--it's heartbreaking.)
And now I will go back and finish eating what's left of my fingernails. (For the record, I haven't bitten my fingernails since high school--that's the state this election has brought me to. :( )
Yeah, I'm checking the results every time I wake up.
The networks have projected a win for Obama!
YES!
I can sympathise with Sherlock, it's very hard to put lots of effort into something and think you've done very well and then find that others have done better. And the good thing is that although he showed his frustration, he also acknowledged in what ways others had done better. So the way the two of you behave is coming through to him.
(And three states voted in marriage equality, whike a fourth rejected a ban on it. Yay!)
As you were. :)
No idea what time he actually finishes John but picking up mine made me think. Is Sherlock feeling happier and brighter today?
Did you have a nice day Sherlock? Did you do anything interesting?
He said he 'told that girl her stupid boat was nice'...I hope he didn't actually call it stupid, but either way I'm counting it as progress.
I would say so, definitely!
Good for you, Sherlock. I know that's something that can be hard to do.
Yeah, I'll take that as a step in the right direction.
well done Sherlock :-) that is a really big step and I am sure that he was much more polite in the way he said it to her.
You two are amazing with how you get through to your boys :-)
Were you more polite, Sherlock? And was she very pleased when you said it?
Oh, hey--it's snowing here! (It's mixed with freezing rain, so nothing is sticking, but it is snowing. :))
I think so. she said mine was nice colours.
Well done, then. And that was nice of her, too. I'm really proud of you.
Did you paint your boat, Sherlock? What colors?
rsf
red and purple and it was called the Sophia and I wrote it in Greek letters on the side.
I love purple! I bet it looks great. And Sophia is a brilliant name for a boat of yours, very appropriate indeed. :)
Wow. That sounds brilliant. Did very many of your classmates paint their boats purple or red?
rsf
some did but not both at once.
It's a strong color combination, very eye-catching (in a good way!). :)
Yes, it's a great combination. Why did you name your boat Sophia?
rsf
because of the boat in John's book and because it means wisdom in Greek, Mycroft told me that.
That's a good reason. And it's a girl's name, which is lucky for boats. What book is John reading?
rsf
Master and Commander but he's reading the next one now and it's not as good because it has love and stuff and less boats.
Ah. I haven't read the books in that series yet. I keep getting distracted by other things. I did like the Horatio Hornblower books, though. There's some mushy bits, but mostly he's at sea so that's better. I liked Treasure Island when I was a little older than you, and the Swiss Family Robinson (we had one of the translations with pirates, although they aren't in the original story.) Now I tend to read true stories, like Two Years Before the Mast, or books about sailor's ghost stories and songs and superstitions. Did you know that only bosun's mates and cooks whistle on board a ship? The bosun's mate uses a whistle to convey commands, and the cook is only only supposed to whistle when they're making duff. (It keeps them from stealing the plums and other dried fruits that go into the duff.)
rsf
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