Kaiden’s behavior… I love him just the way he is.

I try to help out at Kaiden’s school once a month and the other day I was there while they were learning about whales. My job is to help them along in their journaling. That day they were asked to write one thing they learned about whales and draw a picture. For example, one kid drew a sperm whale then wrote “sperm whales are 65 feet long”. Another drew a blue whale then wrote “blue whales have two blow holes”. These are all little facts they learned about whales.

So I try to help Kaiden out a little but for the most part I stay my distance because he takes direction and suggestions very well from others but let’s just say, not so well from me… so I check in on him once in a while but kinda let him do his own thing. So I check in and he has drawn his whale and many other things…. So I ask, “Can you tell me about your picture Kaiden?” And so the story begins…. “There’s this whale, and he has lots of friend, he has an octopus… you see him right here mumma?.... and here’s a jelly fish, and here is the ink that the octopus squirted on him because he startled him… and you see this mumma?.... here is some coral, and some other fish…” and he goes on and on about the names of the whale’s friends, and why there is coral near the whale, and on and on….

So I gently remind him that he may want to start his writing… well… then he says this is what I want to write…. And the recites pretty much the whole story over again! So I tell him, why don’t we do that part at home… because I think your teacher asked you to write one thing you learned about whales….

He sighs then I know that is my cue to give him space to think about it.

Well… he was the last one done with his assignment and with his teachers help, he did eventually write, “A killer whale is 30 feet long”.

Kaiden loves to write, he loves to be creative, and his imagination is amazing. For about 3 years (just before 2 to about 5 years old) he had imaginary friends…. 3 of them! With very detailed lives. Anyone who knew him then, met Chrissy, Dunda, and Sussa (and occasionally Splat). He mentioned Chrissy just a few months ago but they are pretty much gone now. Busy I guess. My point is that Kaiden has some amazing creativity but he does not take direction very well. I wonder where that will take him in life. It should be interesting!!!