Dear First Grade Teacher,
As a
kid, my favorite comic strip was always Calvin and Hobbes. I’d race my dad to
the newspaper and pull out the comic section; always reading Calvin’s exploits
first. I’m not sure if it can be chalked up to osmosis or just the universe
having a bit of a laugh at my expense - but apparently years of reading the
adventures of that ruffled haired, rumpled shirted little boy was just
preparation for the boy I’ll be dropping off in your classroom every morning
this year, because Larkin is notoriously known as Calvin come to life.
He is wildly
imaginative and unexpectedly mature beyond his years. He manages to be both creative
and logical at the same time. For example: when told by some older kids that
Santa isn’t real, he told me he believes in Santa, but he “needs to speak to
someone about installing security cameras in the house, just for some evidence”.
He’s witty
and wildly sarcastic – the kind that makes you want to laugh out loud and
punish him at the same time. He can tell you more about dinosaurs and animals
than you ever wanted to know, carefully pronouncing their full scientific
names. This fact will drive you completely insane when (like Calvin) he can be
contrastingly lazy about anything that doesn’t immediately capture his
attention. He gives up easily, and sometimes needs encouragement to try new
things.
Fair
warning: he will talk you to death - and I mean that with only the slightest
exaggeration. He will drive you nuts. He'll go to time out for talking
during circle time, during quiet time, during story time; while he's on the
potty and when he's supposed to be eating lunch. I warned his teacher last
year, and she assured me I was correct - his will be the voice jingling in your
brain when you go home at night and beg your family for a minute of silence.
But he
knows he talks a lot, and will usually be responsive when you just tell him
that you’re out of words, or that he HAS to let someone else have a chance to
talk. Usually. Sometimes, anyway. Okay… let’s just say that if you find a magic
trick to get the verbal onslaught to slow down, please let me know.
Luckily,
within that tsunami of chatter, is one of the sweetest six-year-old you will
ever meet. He will be one of the biggest leaders in the class. He can make
other kids laugh when they’re crying and will bend over backwards to please
you. He’s got a huge heart and thrives on giving and receiving affection. He’s
eager to please, and loves to help. You can give him any job, and he’ll usually
go above and beyond for no other reward than to make you happy.
You'll never meet a kid with a bigger heart or capacity for love and affection. He thrives on protecting and reassuring those who are scared or sad. He has big feelings, and sometimes has days where things overwhelm him at the drop of a hat. Acknowledging the big feelings but reminding him that
the day still has to go on, usually works to get him through, albeit maybe
moodier than usual.
Fair warning: his stepdad is a police officer. I tell you that because he's been known to get a little too enthusiastic while playing "cops and robbers". I'll go ahead and apologize for that in advance.
Larkin
is very much your typical all-boy six-year-old. I’m not of the mind that he is
a "untouchable, flawless little snow flake", but he is a pretty
special kid. I know he isn't perfect, and I want to work on his problems
with you. But he has so many amazing qualities, and he can be such an asset and
enjoyable part of your day - if you have some patience and maybe a good, solid
pair of earplugs.
Thank
you again, so much, for teaching him. We’re so excited about everything he’s
going to learn this year!
Sincerely,
Larkin’s mom