Give or Take

We had a fabulous last seventy-two hours.  It started on Friday when I made cupcakes and attended my daughter's fifth grade teacher's birthday party.  The weather was sunny, the kids were completely excited, and they got to replace science with a friendly kick ball against the fifth grade class across the hall.  It was a good time!

I finished my elementary day with volunteering in my son's classroom.  His Star of the Week presentation was a hit with the showing of his cooking blog.  But the last ten minutes of the day was the most relaxing and special time.  The teacher got the students settled down by reading them a story, and then she told them that they would wrap up their week by playing Give or Take. I thought it was going to be some version of Heads-Up-Seven-Up by the way the kids were getting prepared and excited.

However, it was far from that game and this is my new favorite.  The kids were quiet and the teacher asked the first student: Sierra, Give or Take?  Sierra responded with Take.  At once a bunch of kids hands shot up in the air waiting to be called on by Sierra.  The student who was chosen said, "I like how you are always friendly to me, and when you see that I have nobody to play with, you always come over to include me."  As I was sitting at the side table cutting circle number thirty-two or eighty-four, I just about lost it.  I don't even know these girls like I know the boys in the class.  But talk about a sweet moment!

The next person in class was asked, "Cameron, Give or Take?" and Cameron replied with Give. He then chose a person and said, "Nick, I like how you are always fair at recess when we play kickball.  You never argue and you just let the game be a lot of fun."  Another teary hit for this Mom.  Oh my goodness, I love this game!

One by one each student was asked to Give a compliment or Take a compliment.  It was fun to spy on my son's classroom and see all the children who were so eager to Give.  Whenever someone asked to Take a compliment, over half the classes hands shot up quick to Give their classmates some verbal happiness.  My son was chosen to Give twice and when it was his turn to Give or Take, he Gave again!  Love my son!!

It was the perfect ending to the school day and a great kick off to the weekend.