giving the tree some roots



my zander



does anybody remember exchange city in kansas city?  when i was in fifth grade, we got to go to exchange city, which was a miniture city that i remember to be very cool.  as i remember it, this place was gigantic.  it had a city hall, restaurants, a bank, jewelry shop, & plenty of businesses.  we spent weeks in school preparing for exchange city - we even got to have checking accounts with real checks!  it was so much fun, and it was a huge deal because we only got to go in fifth grade.  we applied for jobs & we were elected for certain positions.  i was hired as a newspaper reporter (which oddly enough was my first major in college).  we worked all day for a paycheck, and we were able to shop and spend on our breaks.  it was so much fun!!  i remember buying jewelry and coming home with a bunch of treasures.

here's zander buying my ice cream

nowadays, our school disctrict goes to the school of economics.  for the kids, it's

zander spending some of his money

 the highlight of the year, and they get to go every year.  it's a similar concept, but i just don't think it's nearly as cool as exchange city.  it could be my adult eyes deceiving me, but it's a much smaller scale than exchange city was.  the kids love it though.  there is still a town with shops, but everybody works in the shops.  when i volunteered last year with the third graders, we had 3 restaurants with hot dogs, ice cream, pudding, and pizza.  there were also shops selling jewelry (although at SOE it was plastic beads, and i'm quite positive at exchange city we were using real emeralds and rubies), candy (the homemade pixie stick was a favorite - those lucky teachers), and stationery.  there is also a bank at SOE, and the kids are able to bank their money

every year and earn interest, which i think is a great idea.

all the kindergarteners at school of economics

today, i volunteered to help with zander's kindergarten trip to SOE.  i am so glad i did. i was able to zander in a completely different light.  zander is the child i struggle with - he is very stubborn like me, and he never gives.  it's part of his charm, but it also makes life difficult at times.  our field trip t

oday showed me a side of zander i've never seen before.  he was calm and cooperative and sweet-natured.  he walked in with his friends and followed all the directions to hang up his coat and sit with his class.  i did distract him a bit by kissing his cheek as he walked by.  he sat quietly with his class and listened intently.  i was shocked.  this is the exact opposite of the zander i know and love! 

one of zander's prized masks

i was assigned to help with the mask making shop, which apparently was a hot shop in the world of SOE.  we had a line all afternoon, and the third person in the line was my zander.  he was just so cute.  we made his mask, and off he went to buy more treasures.  about 10 minutes later, he reappeared to make another mask.  i loved that my baby wanted to be with me.  then, he said, "come on mommy.  i'm treating you to ice cream."  it was my favorite moment of the entire day.  he wanted to spend his money on ice cream for me.  he didn't get any more himself - just me.  we sat together in food court and enjoyed our ice cream.  i asked zander if he was going to buy a raffle ticket, and he said no because he wasn't guaranteed to win anything.  i hope i never forget this afternoon together.  it's rare that i get to spend one on one time with my boys, and these moments with zander were eye-opening.  i saw him as a totally new child.  he was independent and charming - everything i hope he'll grow up to be.  while i wish i could be with my boys every minute of their lives, they deserve to go off on their own and discover themselves.  i suppose i'm giving them the footing for who they'll become, but ultimately, they choose who they will become.  zander showed me today that he is fully capable of growing into exactly the kind of adult i dream he'll be.