Archive for October, 2015

Kathy is Going to Have a Room Mate over Thanksgiving Holiday

Wednesday, October 14th, 2015

KathyKathy has a cousin, Mimi, and she is coming all the way from Paris, France to spend Thanksgiving at Kathy’s house.

Her mom told Kathy and her younger sister, Annie and her brother, Orrie, at breakfast. Her mom said, “Kathy, since you have the largest bedroom, Mimi will stay in your room while she is here.” Kathy answered, “Orrie has a bigger room than I do. Why can’t she bunk with him?”

“Kathy, you know the answer to that,” said her mom. “Orrie uses a wheelchair and needs more space to turn and such.” Annie chimed in by saying. “Besides, Orrie’s a boy and Mimi’s a girl.”

Then Orrie joined the conversation by asking, “Kathy, why don’t you want Mimi in your room? She was here last year, for winter break and you two got along real well.”

Kathy answered, “I just  don’t want her touching my stuff. Do I have to share closet space and give one of my drawers for her clothes? If she messes up the room, do I have to clean up after her? Do I have to take her with me when I go out to play?”

“Just because you will share your room doesn’t mean you have to be responsible for Mimi while she is here.You weren’t last year. Why should this year be any different?” said her mom. Then she asked, “Orrie, Annie, how will you make your cousin feel welcome?” Orrie volunteered to take Mimi to the community center programs and to play computer games, and other board games with her. Annie offered to shoot hoops with her and be her partner when they went to cooking club.

‘Kathy,” said mom, “next year, when we visit with her family in France, what if she doesn’t want you in her room or touching her things; how will you feel?” Kathy thought a moment and said,  “I’ll feel like she doesn’t want me around. OK, I will clear out a a part of my closet where she can hang her clothes and store her shoes.”

Mom said, “Thank you Kathy, I know sharing space is hard to do when you are used to having a room to yourself, but it is only for a short time. So, Kathy what will make you feel better about Mimi staying in your room?” Kathy answered, “Can I put my new doll away for safekeeping? Can I ask Mimi to ask before she starts playing with my toys? “Can I ask her to put them back when she is finished playing?”

“Hmmm,” said Kathy’s mom. “I think it would be okay to put your new doll away for safekeeping. I also think it is also okay to ask Mimi to put toys away when she is finished playing with them, but, it doesn’t sound very sharing of you to make Mimi ask for permission every time she wants to play with one of your toys.”

What do you think boys and girls? What would you want to do if you had to share your room for a couple of days?

Pocket

It Must Be Halloween

Wednesday, October 7th, 2015

October is here and Halloween is not far off, and there is so much to plan!

Willie and Nellie have a few weeks to figure out what they want to be for Halloween. Grandma Hattie said she would make their costumes or they could be store-bought. It’s a tough decision.

All the kids on “Can Do” Street are trying to decide what to be on Halloween. It is all they talk about!

Halloween is a very special day on “Can Do” Street. The “Can Do” Kids get to wear their costumes to school! Since Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, the “Can Do” Kids will celebrate Halloween in school on the 30th of October. At lunch time there will be pumpkin cookies in the cafeteria. No one has to pay for them …they are free! All the moms and grandmas bake them and bring them to “Can Do” Street Elementary School on Halloween morning.

After school there will be a costume parade from the school to the community center. All the adults line “Can Do” Street and cheer as the parade goes by. At the community center there are activities like pitching candy corn into a big pumpkin and dunking for apples. “Can Do” Kathy doesn’t want to dunk for apples because she doesn’t want to mess her hair! She is going to miss out on some good fun! There are orange slices and popcorn balls for snacks.

On Saturday, the 31st, the children will get in their costumes in the early afternoon and go to the Senior Center. They will sing Halloween songs and recite Halloween poems for the grandmas and grandpas who live on “Can Do” street. Each senior helps one of the “Can Do” kids to make a Halloween gift for their parent such as a picture or a felt pumpkin.

Then, as it starts to get dark, it is time to go trick or treating! Parents and grandparents will walk the “Can Do” Kids for house to house. The kids have plastic pumpkins for carrying the treats they will get at every house. All the while they are saying,” Trick or treat. Smell my feet. Give me something good to eat”!

Halloween

Halloween

Pocket