Katie and I were just laughing about something I used to make them do in school. 2 things, actually. I always told them that whenever there was a new kid in their class, that they had to ask them to have lunch with them, at least for that first day. It was a steadfast rule in our house, from 1st grade on. I don't know where I got the idea, or why it was even an issue, my parents lived in the same house through all my school years, so I never was the new kid. You'd think my motivation for instilling such a rule came from remembering how horrible it was to be the new kid, but I had no such recollection. Katie said she always did it, that she thought I would "know" if she didn't.

Daniel made a good friend this way, a boy who was sick with leukemia and in a wheelchair, Shiloh. I think he really appreciated Daniel's gesture, and they hit it off as good friends after the first lunch "date". Shiloh was gone a lot and in the hospital frequently. Daniel would always give me medical reports on what was going on with him. His mom was really nice and would come to the classroom all the time and let the kids know why Shiloh wasn't there, and how he was doing. He finally went into remission and could even walk again, he came back to school, and then *bam*.. his mother died unexpectedly. I know Daniel worried about him a lot, and eventually they lost touch with each other. We saw him about 2 years ago at a grocery store, and he looked great.

I also did another goofy thing. Whenever there was a field trip and the kids were required to bring a sack lunch, I always made two..and told the kids that if someone forgets theirs, give them the extra. And it seems there was always someone who forgot. An effortless gesture that probably made some kids day, I hope.

Katie also told me that whenever I bundled them up in the cold; neck scarves, hoods, etc..that they always took them off as soon as they were out of the house. Great, just great.
And..they (her and Amanda) hid pork that we had for dinner in their pockets. Brother.

I remember when I was about 35 I told my mom that when I was a teenager, my friend Tom M and I used to jump off the roof of the house onto the trampoline when she was gone. She got so mad, she was yelling at me. heh.