Hokay. I'ma call you on that, David.

I think it's fantastic that Matilda is paying good attention and obviously retaining the curriculum. Moreover, I think it's great that you and JZ have raised her to speak up and question, instead of going along with repetitious instruction.. I'd also like to compliment her on her newfound choice of words. And to ooh and ahh a little over her obviously spicy brains.

In short, one of us.

Happy birthday Calli and Burrell!

Thanks to ita !'s link, I give you this. I think Kathy would be very interested.

Cool! I wonder if that would work for an iPod Touch (I don't have a smart phone, let alone an iPhone).

Hokay. I'ma call you on that, David.

Good points, Sox! I hire you as Matilda's advocate in family court.

I'm not too worried about it. You know who gets impatient at the repetition? Kids that already get it. (As you note.)

Also, I'm fine with her not being cowed by authority.

OTOH, she can be obnoxious at times with an imperious tone. And we've been talking to her a lot about that at home anyway, so Miss Cathy's comments didn't come out of the blue.

I would love to hear what a five-year-old imperious tone sounds like. That sounds hilarious.

Yeah, learning how to get along in the situation you're in is one of the most important things to learn in school, IMO. In first grade, I was definitely prone to getting up to talk to my friend when I was done with whatever. Not on, kid!

OMG, I was sopping wet by the time I got home. Bleh! I hope my coat is dry by the morning.

Just popping in to say thanks for all the well-wishes! Obviously, things are kinda crazy right now, so I'll be popping back out of this thread, but we both do really appreciate it.

Everyone is doing great!

Ellie totally has the six year old imperial tone down. It can set me on edge faster than almost anything else - especially because while she is often right from her perspective, she's usually missing something - like respect for adults.

Actually, I think respect can be very difficult to teach. If you are right, you are right. Why should age matter? (At least, that's how she sees it.)

If you are right, you are right. Why should age matter? (At least, that's how she sees it.)

Ah, I cringe to think how often this was me as a kid. Sorry, Mom!

I would love to hear what a five-year-old imperious tone sounds like.

None more imperious. She also has a dreadful habit of handing things off to us instead of dealing with them herself -- leaning all the way across the couch to hand me her water cup so I can cross the room and put it on the table next to her (usually accompanied by, "Mommy, when I hold this out to you that means you're supposed to take it") and such. Sometimes she longs for the all-enveloping safety of infancy, and sometimes she's as languid as a Gilded Age heiress.

Mostly we reiterate the importance of nice words and kindness and remembering that everyone deserves respect. And Miss Cathy did note that her attitude has really improved in the last couple of weeks. But, oh, sometimes she's the bossiest bossypants in the Land of Boss.