He's only 5

There is still time to join in the ABC Photo Fun Challenge this week. I'll leave the linky up until Tuesday night. So post your "A" pictures. And start thinking of "B" pictures for next week.

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There are times that I have to remind myself that Blake is just 5. It is during these times that I really know that we made the right choice not to push Blake into kindergarten this year.

Blake is very smart. There are things that he knows that I shake my head and think "how do you know that?" But, when push comes to shove he is a young 5. It is very easy to think of him as being older than he is, so when he does something that is very 5 it may come across as immature.

This week Blake got in trouble at school twice. On Thursday he came home upset because he had his "star moved". When I questioned him about his behavior he told me that he threw blocks. I had him apologize to the teacher and then he came home and wrote her an apology letter.

Friday morning he told me he was going to get his star back on the board. He proudly read the note to his teacher and I walked out the door. I was very shocked when I picked him up and he got in trouble again. But, even more so when he got in trouble again for throwing blocks. This really bothered me.

But the more I think about it. He is just being 5. No I'm not saying that all 5 year olds throw blocks. Nor am I saying that it is excusable to do it, and especially to do it again. But my thinking was that he should have rationalized the consequences of his actions and though about it and therefore not done it again. But, that isn't the way 5 year olds work. They work moment to moment.

After talking to him about the two incidences they were totally separate in his mind because the action was different. The first time he was throwing the blocks from one are into the next area of the room. The second time he and another child were throwing blocks into the air. Although both involved throwing blocks they are totally different.

I have always been concerned that others would get to know Blake and expect more from him. I just never realized how often I do it myself.