Overachievers

That's what we are.  I know it, Dusty knows it and Kaitlyn is learning it.  We like to do more than what is expected of us, we like to accomplish our goals and then some, we like to be the best at whatever we do and that is just how it is. 

With that comes some down falls that sometimes it can be hard to overcome.  It can be hard to accept that sometimes average is perfectly normal and perfectly fine.  You don't always have to win.

Wednesday brought us a few examples of how we are such overachievers.  Kaitlyn's teacher has been really impressed with how good she is doing this year.  She was even more impressed when she found out that she still has a couple of months before she turns 6 and is easily the youngest in her classroom, by quite a bit.  We received her first ever progress report yesterday as a first grader.  Progress reports do not have grades, instead they get marks for "Above Grade Level" or "At Grade Level" or "Approaching Grade Level" or "Below Grade Level" in Reading/Language Arts and again in Math.  Then, they get marks between outstanding, satisfactory and needs improvement for homework, classwork, quality work, respect & responsibility and cooperation.

Kaitlyn received Above Grade Level for reading (which we are more than aware of and really push her on) and At Grade Level for Math.  For everything else she received outstanding.

Her teacher's notes:  "Kaitlyn is making great progress!  She is doing well in all areas and is a wonderful citizen.  It is hard to think of how she might improve  Bit if I am pressed, one area of improvement I can suggest for Kaitlyn is to try to write longer sentences in her journal.  Her sentences are quite simple and don't have a lot of details.  Another area is listening a little more carefully for directions (example: sometimes she doesn't hear me tell the class where to put their papers and hers doesn't get put where it need to go).  But these are little things!  Kaitlyn is a fabulous student and a real pleasure to teach."

Which is a great report and we are very proud of her and told her as much.

Of course, at the same time, as Dusty and I read it we both said "we need to work with her more on math" which is something we do constantly as it is.  We are constantly giving her math problems in the car, at home, at dinner, all the time.  And of course I immediately started working on how she can extend her sentences in her journal.  It just seems like we always want better for her, which I'm sure can be hard on her, even though I think in the end she'll benefit.

Then of course, in the same packet came her new fundraiser envelope.  Her school is having a walk a thon.  The kid in each class that raises the most money gets a school t-shirt.  The one to raise the most in the whole school gets a school sweatshirt.  The first words out of Kaitlyn's mouth "Mommy, I know we'll win my class, but how are we going to win our school?" 

Gosh I love that kid lol.  So, if you're interested in contributing to our obvious problem of competition, let me know :)