What about home schooling? You know, it's not just for scary religious people anymore.

.
Trying to decide how squeaky this wheel should be at Bean's school ..

I've gotten more reports from Bean on some of her current teacher's gems, like the subtly sexist "boys holler and girls scream" to the notion that "I act like a two-year-old when I scream, and whine and cry."

I'm also getting pressure to embark on a subtly shaming anti-nose-picking campaign, and a direct report from Ana that she uses it. I get that Bean's almost habitual insert finger, hunt, remove finger, suck routine isn't the yummiest or most sanitary thing around, but for god's sake, the kid is about to turn 4 - isn't there some "ick" wiggle room?

Based on the grapevine, the next class up is more of the same, where the teacher focuses on the negative.

I'm also kind of fed up with disruptive boys. There are kids in her class that spit on her, kick her and jab her in the face with sticks - which seems slightly more problematic to me than nose-picking ... and - coincidence or not? - all those offenders are boys and I've yet to hear Isabel report that Ana is as hard on them. To be fair, Bean's scratching injuries have come from girls and boys, but really; does compulsive booger-eating really seem like the thing to focus on?

So I'm torn between the "this is just the way it is" kind of thinking and the "my kid might do better in a different environment" thinking. I bounced it all back to Dave, too, since he should have input and an opinion; so I'm in a holding pattern for now as I think on it and wait for his response.

I get that there will always be compromise, and I'm also not one to push my kids too hard ... but if skipping a 6-month interval could put Bean with kids that are slightly more mature and would challenge her a bit more, I'm not sure whatthe harm would be ...

I've got a few emails and 'winks' to respond to from match.com and chemistry.com ... some have potential, a few, not so much. I'm just pretty well booked up over the next week or so, so I've not been chomping at the bit as much as I would be if I had this weekend off.

Okay, so who else needs a breakfast taco primer? Check this out, and be prepared to feel hungry ... in fact, I might make time for a stop at Rudy's this a.m. ... I'm tellin' ya, another few months and I'll never be able to move from Austin. The music, the food, the climate, the outdoor spaces ... this truly is a fab place to live. And eat, which everyone knows is my second favorite pasttime!
.