Dr Visit

Leah had her well-child visit yesterday! She was eligible for a COVID booster, but since we just had COVID 6 weeks ago & she has her birthday party

today, we decided to just come back for a nurse visit sometime after school is out - when I got home and told Sam that, though, he reminded me that she was signed up for summer school, but I guess it's not as big of a deal for her to miss a morning at summer school!

She was 3 feet, 8 inches tall and weighed 43 pounds. (That's 3 inches and 2.5 pounds since last year - here's the link to last visit: http://babybuffaloe.blogspot.com/2022/03/dr-visit.html)

It was wear yellow day for kindness week at school. 

She did say her vision was blurry sometimes, so the nurse checked with a doodad & that all looked normal - we went to the eye doctor right before school & will go back again before 1st grade, too. 

Here are some things Leah's doing now that she's 6: 

• Telling (& explaining to us) jokes
• Reading quite well
• Helping in the kitchen 
• Bargaining 
• Talking a lot about friends & what's happened at school
• Using her imagination and playing "puppet show" 
• Sleeping in her closet occasionally 
• Eating lots and lots and lots of snacks
• Asking lots and lots of questions
• Figuring things out
• When I asked what we should add to this list, she asked, "Can I put my goal?" which at school was - choosing working friends rather than recess friends in class for projects & in specials (namely, art)

I just got around to reading the 6-year-old handout they gave us at the doctor & I feel like it has changed quite a bit since Amelie and James turned 6 - though apparently I didn't update the blog with those lists so that's been lost to history. Anyway, for posterity: 

• If your child is not hungry at one meal, it is okay to wait until the next meal or snack to eat
• Limit fast food
• Offer water. Do not give your child soda
• Do not use food as a reward or punishment for your child's behavior. Do not make your children "clean their plates"
• Let all your children know that you love them whatever their size. Help your children feel good about their bodies. Remind your child that people come in different shapes and sizes. Do not tease or nag children about their weight, and do not say your child is skinny, fat, or chubby
• Do not put a TV in your child's bedroom & do not use TV and videos as a babysitter
• Have your child play actively for at least one hour each day
• Help children brush their teeth 2 times a day and floss one time a day
• Put a broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) on your child before going outside. use a broad-brimmed hat to shade your child's ears, nose, and lips
• Do not smoke or allow others to smoke around your child 
• Put your children to bed at a regular time so they get enough sleep
• For every ride in a car, secure your child into a properly installed car seat
• Make sure your child wears a helmet that fits properly when riding a bike or a scooter
• Do not let your child play in or near the street. Children younger than age 8 should not cross the street alone  
• Give your child simple chores to do. Children usually like to help
• Teach your child your home address, phone number, and how to call 911
• Praise good behavior. Do not yell or spank. Use time-out instead. Be fair with your rules and use them the same way every time 
• Try not to have too many after-school plans, such as sports, music, or clubs
• Give your child a desk or table to put school work on
• Help your child get into the habit of organizing clothing, lunch, and homework at night instead of in the morning
• Place a wall calendar near the desk or table to help your child remember important dates 
• Help your child with a regular homework routine. Set a time each afternoon or evening for homework; 15 to 60 minutes is usually enough time. Be near your child to answer questions

(Lots of interesting things here, but thank goodness Ridgeway doesn't assign regular  homework to the Kindergarteners! Even James [4th grade] doesn't have to do much at home - that's a change, though, and I remember Amelie had homework in K and 1st - in theory but rarely in practice it was supposed to take 5-10 minutes.)