Another Great Kid..

As to not neglect any child I need to have a post just for my Ryan. I have written about all the others individually so it's Ryan's turn. In all things there must be balance--including equal posting per child.

Ryan is a unique soul. He is very sensitive and sweet. Emotional and deep feeling and thinking. He is a perfectionist and a worrier and of course as I already mentioned learning the art of martyrdom quite well. I could write a book on just experiences with Ryan and his reactions to different situations but that would embarrass him and he does not like that kind of attention so I will just share a few stories that have been approved.

When Ryan was in 1st grade we went to his conf. with his teacher and while we were waiting in the hall to go in we were reading the little cute pictures in the hall. Well they had all written and drawn pictures of what they wanted to accomplish when they grew up. One boy wrote he would be president, another being an astronaut or something, and then we get to Ryan's. He had written I want to have lots of minions(he spelled it men-yons) to bring me anything I want. OK my sweet, sensitive little Ryan has a picture of all these little stick people bringing him things. Disturbing to a parent to see this and to realize my 6 or 7 year old is even aware of the word minions. After talking to his teacher he was doing great and she wasn't too worried after talking to him about it. I came up with that Darth Vader's influence in his life might be a little to powerful. My solution was to limit all viewings-Kevin's solution was to steer him towards Yoda's example and teachings.

Ryan unlike Luke does not feel the need to have constant activities and entertainment. He tried gymnastics and did well and like it but after the the 8 week session I said ,"So do you want to do the next session". He looked at me and said, "I already did gymnastics". I said, "I know but you can keep going and learn more, didn't you like it?" "Yes, but I already did it so I 'm done now, it takes up a lot of my Saturday". It was only 45 minutes! Apparently that was putting a dent into his carefully planned itinerary which includes playing with his toys and then well more playing with toys.

Then he tried some sports with my prodding because I felt guilty Luke was in all these activities and Ryan wasn't. Well with much anxiety- which he faces, like myself in any new situation-he tried soccer and then baseball. After those experiences I again asked, "Do you want to play again this season?" His reply, "Mom, I'm not really a sports kind of guy?" That's fine with me and now all guilt of trying to keep things 'fair' has thus been relinquished.

Ryan is funny because he takes what he hears very serious.
They are learning about the heart and circulatory system at school and is now very concerned about proper eating because he doesn't want his heart to get "clogged up". So he comes home and says can I ride my bike-it was cold but I said OK and off he goes. He rides about 4 houses down and then back. He comes in like 5 minutes later-it took him longer to put on the helmet and get on the bike than the actual 'ride' he took but unaware of this he says very seriously. "Mom do you think that was enough to help my heart." Well hmm... I guess considering that is way more exercise than my heart has seen lately I replied, "Sure!"

Ryan is in tumbling now which again he is really good at and learning to do flips on the trampoline. I'm curious when it ends in a couple of weeks what his answer will be when I ask if he wants to do the next session.Since it's not on Saturday's it may be acceptable.