T, you are our Montessori kid.

You are three, three and a half, and are often the most helpful child in the house.

Not “helpful” in the sense that you are capable of more, but in the sense that you are more conscious of the needs around you and look to see what needs to be done.

No knock against H and T, I think this is all a 100% product of schooling.

Learning Tree always felt like teachers barking at an uncontrolled classroom.

While all of you went to Learning Tree, the short time you have been in the TAS Montessori School has changed your disposition.

As I understand it, the Montessori methods are built on a few simple pillars:

• Hands-on learning.
• Mixed-age classrooms
• Uninteruppted work time
• Independence

Plain and simple, your teachers will not do anything for you that you can do yourself.

And this is evident!

Mom and I carved pumpkins yesterday.

Kneeling on the vinyl floor, I muttered to myself about not having the knee pad we use to bathe y’all.

A moment later, I looked up, and you had gone to the other end of the house without anyone asking and were handing the pad to me:

Here you go daddy.

I love you.

-Dad

T, you are going through a phase.

Woooo, mama, you are.

For the last few weeks, you have been nearly unconsolable two to three school day mornings per week.

It starts when something does not go as you expected.

And – as three-year-olds will do – you lose it.

I try to be helpful, but you always want Mom after it’s that bad.

And this is the time of the morning when mom has the least amount of time to stop and hold you.

She is packing lunches and helping H and K get ready, and getting herself ready too.

I think this morning you screamed and cried for over half an hour.

It started with you not wanting to wear a uniform.

Then you were just angry at everything.

This too shall pass.

And we are trying to cherish the frustrating moments too.

Muh Tay Tay.

I love you.

-Dad

T, I have been meaning to write this for some time now.

In a twist of fate, when it is time for you to get in bed: You only want Daddy. 💌

I mean, you let Mom come and say goodnight and all, but that is about it…

You even had a thing where you would tell her that she couldn’t say long.

Two songs, Two prayers.

That is what you would tell her. 🤣

And then you want me.

We cuddle up in the big brown chair and I sing.

Every night I sing you the same songs.

I’ll ask sometimes if you want me to sing all for them or only a few.

You always say:

Sing all your songs, Daddy.

I love you.

-Dad

This is what I sing every night.

Then we say a poem:

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labours increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.