Making Strides

After spring break the boys are back in school fulltime and will be till the end of the year. They have a lot to learn to be up to speed with their age level, but I know it will happen. They attend third grade in the morning for help in understanding directions. At noon they eat with their good buddies, the fifth graders, go out for recess and spend the remainder of the day with them. The library teacher is also in on the act, assigning them computer games that enhance their reading and math skills.

Tonight after family night pizza and movie, we had a discussion about School Rules, like Obey the teacher at all times, and Never be the one who starts a fight. Some kids had asked Peter about his ear, and he reacted, perhaps assuming they wanted to fight, as was the case back in boarding school.

The Ukrainian government files show him pictured in over-alls, a darling little toddler with a sparkling smile, but as he grew older he was taunted and poked at, and by the time the missionaries came along in first grade, he needed rescuing bigtime and was a very angry, hurting little boy. I will explain this to his new teachers, because in some ways it is like starting over for him, finding his place in a new school, and rising to the old challenges and answering the same questions. This time I hope he will have a greater measure of grace and poise.

Bob gave him and James and Rob the father-son advice about clean fighting. Only if necessary do you fight, and never because you started it, and never because someone insulted you. If you absolutely must fight, use your fists, not your feet. James had been taught to grab for a rock, but Dad says, "No". I added the part about being known as a man of peace and a man of strength. And Bob said, "When you do fight, you fight to win."

To look at these little smiling faces, you'd never guess how fearless they are. I would be proud to have them defend me in a dark alley.