High Fives and Hash Browns

On my mother's advice, which has an impeccable accuracy, I have been trying not to compare the schools. And trying as much as possible to raise up the fun and achievement of what the boys have done at their new school. Hindrances to this are the fact that their new school costs one-eighth of what the old one cost and I feel guilty about that. And another one is that that I feel bad for them bc they are so different than the other kids racially and even culturally. ( Benicio said that he had to ask a kid to repeat himself several times and then the kid got in trouble for talking.)

To be exact, my mother's warning was: Make sure you don't compare the schools because then they will idolize the past.

My adjustments:

-Do not ask to see their daily "behavior score." Rather, rejoice in Manny's bloodthirsty reign as "King" in Four Square for what was apparently 4 rounds straight.

-Do not fret about lost snack containers. Rather, delight it the fact that Benicio traded a the second half of a bag of cheese popcorn for 2 hash browns.

-Instead of wiping my eyes when a row of boy classmates gave Manny a high-five at dismissal on Friday afternoon, I just smiled into my shoulder.