At least once a year, each of the boys’ classes at school takes an evening to invite the parents to come and do some kind of activity with the kids.  This year and last year, Benjamin’s teachers (very cleverly) had the parents come just before Lanternfest and help build lanterns.  1 hour, 20 lanterns.  Great plan!  I imagine it’s more efficient (though not really less crazy) than having the 4 teachers building lanterns with the kids.

Liam’s teachers instead opted for a Christmas activity.  They invited the parents to the school Thursday evening to build 5 Christmas crafts with our little ones — and Benjamin was invited to come, too.  It was great.  We made a placemat using stamps cut from potatoes, strung peanuts onto a wire and made a wreath, wove sticks together to make a candle holder, cut out paper stars to make a napkin ring, and paper mâchéd an angel.  (Lots of activites we probably will never do at an American school — metal wires, peanuts, glass candle holders . . . and Christmas.)  All in 2 hours, while the kids scarfed down as many cookies as possible from the snack table.  (We had a little help from the kids, but in all honesty, Dan & I did a lot of it.)  Whew.  It was quite a night!

We had a great time, and made some really cute things, but it wore us out!  I feel so fortunate to have found this school, and I’m incredibly grateful for the teachers, and the time and effort they put into this kind of thing.  I’m also completely amazed at the job they do every single day — after 2 hours of crafts with our two kids, when someone else made all the effort at setting everything up, and Dan & I needed a nap.  The teachers do it each day with 4 of them and 20 kids, with a permanent smile and more patience than I have.  Amazing.  What a great school, and a great night.