What Adrienne Thinks About That

My favorite was when we saw Pearl at the pool last summer. She did not see us because we arrived as she and the rest of the daycare group were leaving, anyway Pearl was suppose to be putting on her shoes and shorts but instead she was hiding under her towel talking with her two friends who were putting on their shoes and shorts and then the whole group had to wait while Pearl finally got ready but she was oblivious to it all. I can respect that she is her own person and will do well as an adult if her imagination and confidence are not beaten out of her. I also want to point out she always has the special seat near the teacher's desk in the back of the room as if she might distract herself and others. It is really sad that traits we admire in adults are usually punished in children.
Perhaps I should let Lucas take the deep end test so that he does not have to wear the bubble anymore, I would not want the mermaids making fun of him.

What's your mermaid name Adrienne?

I didn't get a mermaid name even though Pearl was very interested in both when I was coming back to visit their class again and when Lucas and I might be at the Y again.

It's funny that Tammy knows exactly who I'm talking about just from my description of what Pearl was up to. Pearl is one of those girls who makes an impression.

And, seriously, as if Pearl wouldn't find something else to tease him about.

I think I disagree with you about "Pearl." From what you've said here,I don't see a marvelous imaginative kid so much as a bossy outgoing kid who rides roughshod over her shyer and less confident peers (and sometimes her whole class.) I don't find those qualities admirable in children OR adults. It would not squelch Pearl's imagination or confidence if adults gently reminded her that other children have feelings just as she does and that she needs to think of those feelings before she speaks, just as she would want someone else to consider HER feelings before speaking.

Most of my failures in life have been a result of being too polite or too shy, so I disagree with Linda. I think we need to teach kids to step it up to Pearl's level, or at least move in that direction, not deflate her to everyone else's level.

Well, yes, Pearl can be bossy, which is, I think, in her case, a side-effect of being smart and having a strong personality. This isn't how Pearl acts every minute of the day, just at that particular moment on that particular day. Her comment to Lucas about the bubble wasn't said with any malice. She noted its presence with a cheerful smile and moved on, as I say, completely oblivious to Lucas, who is somewhat given to sulking anyway. The mermaid thing seemed to have a history, but I didn't get any background. Through the next fifteen minutes or so, Pearl also told the other kids a little bit about my stories, she asked me if I'd be coming back to their class soon, and she tried to get Lucas to go play with her and the other kids. She even tried asking more than once and a few different tactics when he refused to answer her. (He was done sulking by then. I think he just didn't want to play with the other kids, since he also ignored another child who was trying to get him to play. The pool was too crowded, so it was all a little overwhelming.) Anyway, in my experience, Pearl really is a wonderful kid -- in need of improvement like the rest of us, certainly, but good-hearted and fun to be around. I'd hate to give anyone a bad impression of her.