Last day of school

School runs quite late here, and it wasn't until Friday, June 24, that Rachel was finally done.

I volunteered to bring over sidewalk chalk and help supervise games at Madison Manor Park, which is within walking distance of our house, where the entire 2nd-grade class was having its end-of-year party. When I arrived at my designated time, about 11 p.m., any effort at organization had deteriorated. Kids were wheeling each other around in a little red wagon, hanging out on the play structure, playing with soccer balls in the field.

Rachel was upset that all the other kids had had their turn in the wagon and Sydney wanted to pull her around in it. No one was letting that happen, and so she came to me, teary-eyed and whining a bit that "It's not FAIR!" Having just dealt with the Sydney issue, I didn't want to barge in and insist that the other kids give Rachel a turn. So I looked at her and said, "FIGHT FOR IT!"

I walked away to talk to a parent, and later saw that Sydney and Rachel had prevailed and that Sydney was pushing her around.

The best part was when Rachel came up to me afterward and said, "Thanks, Mom. That was good advice." I was floored.