I forgot the coho salmon spread you and I made this morning for your lunch. you wanted to scoop it out at school lunch with rice crackers packed in a little packet of six perfectly square sesame rice gluten free crackers…no cracked crackers for you. The spread, the crackers and a fork in case the scooping is too slow, all sit on the counter. I forgot to pack it. I’ll head back to school in a bit. I can hear the little stack of goodies teasing, na-na-na-na-na, like the school yard bullies you have been telling me about. Maybe not really bullies but certainly unmediated teasing, taunting and exclusionary play going on. You tell me you try but are having a hard time finding a loyal friend. Time for a serious intervention and friendship sessions out of school. Harder than one might think to identify a potential candidate. You suggest the girl who bullies you the most. Go figure.

You were the focus of an IEP meeting yesterday, you, they worry are easily distracted, cry easily turning to wails during PE and music sessions, the overstimulating group times, too frustrating, noisy…sensory integration issues? Autism? They gave you headphones to cancel noise you choose to wear when you wish, making it more difficult to make friends but less likely to cry and break down in public. You will just look like a weird kid instead.

Drew some beautiful horses after your riding lesson, simple, quiet, one teacher, one kid on a horse, no over stimulation there. In fact may be good as sensory integration therapy. You post beautifully, go over ground level jumps and are relaxed and confident. You are a kid that goes from none too over confidence easily, bragging about how wonderful a rider you are as if relieved. So much in need of success. Daddy was a little like that, too. Esteem like your moods, zigging and zagging from moment to moment.

Liza came home after school delighted, singing in the car, a Donovan song, forgetting the words, but capturing the delight, joy of the song. She sat at the art table drawing a a big piece of paper from the water color pad. lines to the left, right, across and then focused for an hour and a half coloring each resulting section a different color. You saw her art and complimented her. Liza said, I can teach you how to do it. And she did. You and your sister worked together another hour. Bright colorful designs We could show you here but they took them to school. Liza handed hers to her teacher, Diana, and she cried with joy that Liza had taken the project idea home and initiated it and then taught her brother. Very sweet. Liza is loving kindergarten. Enjoys every bit of it. tells me all about learning Spanish, the classmates escapades, injuries, illnesses and shows me how she can cross the bars and make a goal in soccer.

“Happiness runs in a circular motion

Thought is like a little boat upon the sea

Everybody is a part of everything anyway

You can have everything if you let yourself free.”

Your teacher is a folksinger, Liza learned the song from her, Ms Mendez.

Next car ride we can try it as a round. Maybe over several rides we can practice. Remember this song?

See the Donovan You Tube singing the full song.

Another sunny and where’s the rain? In beautiful Santa Cruz where we have to make our own water. That’s all we get. gma