Reflections About the Kids Over Oreo Shakes

Kids are funny. They say funny things and do funny things and they make all of the incessant talking that we do all morning worth it. Alisha and I were discussing some humerous antecdotes about the children over oreo shakes (Its not quite as fantastic as it sounds) this afternoon and we decided we had better write them down. I'm not entirely sure how many of them are "you had to be there" moments so bare with me.

Fei-Fei, Phuvit, Ongry, Prea

Student # 1: Prea (pronounced Pear)
Prea gets to be first because she is the most entertaining. They all have their moments but Prea is an old bossy woman stuck in a one year olds body.

Prea

1. Today I was sitting on the floor playing with blocks. I know exciting right, but scissors and glue are not good toys for one year olds so we use real toys. Prea was very intently trying to figure out how to get the star shaped block in the star shaped hole. Mew Mew, the other little girl in the class was watching her. Apparently watching is exhausting because before I knew it Mew was in my lap asleep. I think this took less than 30 seconds. It was time to clean up right about then so I sang the clean up song while Prea put all her blocks away. She then noticed Mew in my lap and became very concerned. She started shouting "Mew! Mew!" As a side note you have to realize we are supposed to talk to these kids all day. So while Prea is freaking out I am saying, "Do you hit Mew Mew? You don't hit Mew Mew. You say Mew Mew wake up. Say Mew Mew wake up." Prea started repeating me and I showed her how to pat her shoulder rather then pummel her head. But she didn't wake up. So I started patting her and telling her to wake up. She didn't. Next thing I know Sarah is laughing at us over the gate because both me and Prea are patting Mew Mew and telling her to wake up. She wouldn't so I tossed her over my shoulder and took her to a Thai teacher. The Thai teacher got a handful of water and splashed it on her face. That worked, I will have to rememeber that for future reference.

2. Prea knows whn things are funny. Yesterday Sarah almost tripped over Name during a heated session of duck duck goose. Alisha started laughing and Prea who was sitting next to her just nudged her and grinned while she pointed at Sarah.

3. The kids get in this conga line formation (like in the top picture) whenever they need to go somewhere. Last week at the Garden House Prea was holding on to Tiger. Tiger saw a giant frog and left the line to investigate. Prea held tight to his shoulders and followed him. I think this was funny because Prea didn't seem to mind that they left the rest of the class and Tiger didn't seem to notice she was attached. The followed the frog for a couple of minutes before either of them noticed their problems (a tag along and desertion).

Prea

Prea and Whitney

4. Today Prea watched us swim through the bars, she looked like a little prisoner. Eventually they took pity on her and put her in the pool in her gym shorts. She cant swim at all and she doesn't float, so unless I held her up she just sort of tipped backwards slowly with a look of panic on her face. She doesn't cry very often, even at the thought of drowning. 

Prea:

Thinks she is older than she is.

Likes to play guns with the older boys.

Bosses everyone around, especially Mew because Mew is the only one who is actually younger than her.

Tells Alisha what to do, puts her crayons away, and tells her goodbye.

Frequently looks like she is going to jump into the ball pit if you try to get her to do something (its very melodramatic).

Can't swim or float.