From Soup to Nuts

Ben’s school handed out report cards today. For him, it was nothing but an excuse get out early, as they don’t start receiving grades (1 for highest achievement, 4 for lowest – most kids strive for ones and twos) until next year in third grade.

(We recently discovered during a meeting with his German teacher that he will be afforded two years to learn German before receiving a grade in that subject and then he will be graded on a slight curve given he’ll still be newish to the language.)

So despite having been sick in bed all week, I roused myself to take the M50 tram, a six minute walk from our apartment, to pick him up. (Dave was at the Kinderarzt – pediatrician – with Isaac, as he has been sick as well).

I’ve had big plans for weeks to take him out to lunch and to do something special with him until picking Isaac up from kita later in the day. But as I was still feeling quite sick and Isaac wasn’t in school, we modified our plan and simply went to one of the many Asian restaurants (something our family especially appreciates given our affinity for Udon, sushi and curries) near our apartment for two hot bowls of noodle soup.

{Pho fun}

I love having time alone with each child. As Ben is now eight, our conversations tend to be a little more advanced than those with his little brother.

We started with some silliness and talk of a recent birthday party and how one of his classmates had missed a day of school that week as she had been bitten by a spider.

Knowing that his class is in the middle of a module on Relationships, Sex Education and Personal Safety, I asked him how it was going and if he had any questions. I was thrilled at the care his school was giving these topics and appreciated how frank and open the German society is about sex and educating our children early and in an open and honest way. This is a huge departure from how many of us born in the US in the ’70s were taught. Especially coming from a family that didn’t talk about emotions or “difficult topics” such as the war on drugs or puberty. God forbid women wanted equal treatment.

{second grade lessons}

He said they had read a book that talked about many of the myths of how babies are made, such as from sugar and spice and everything nice to growing from a seed like in a greenhouse, as well as the truth, meaning sex.

{whimsical ways of conceiving – including on a skateboard}

He knew the basic principles, but wasn’t quite sure how the mechanics went. So using standard terms in a straightforward way, I expanded on the simple principles taught in Mommy Laid an Egg. There was no looking away, embarrassment or giggles. To him, these words had no shame or awkwardness. It was just a part of this big and exciting world we live in that he was discovering. We then moved onto puberty and how his body might be changing or can change in the next few years.

{mini noodle stach}

This discussion included places on his body where he will start growing hair. After some thought, he decided he’d grow a goatee or maybe even a handlebar mustache.

{full on handlebar}

Who knows what our precious boys will look or be like in the future. For now, I simple adore looking at their faces and know these kids will become young men sooner than we think.

And all that we can do is to prepare them as best we can and pray they continue to act in kind, generous and respectful ways.