This past weekend I was surrounded by old friends at my 20th high school reunion. I went without my kids, and I can say without question that was the best decision. Who wants to be reminiscing with friends until 3 a.m. and then be woken up at 7 a.m. by the sweet sounds of the Wiggles and demands for chocolate milk?

While I missed my kids, I was thankful that my mom and husband had them instead, safe at home. That feeling was reaffirmed when I saw a dear old friend after she had just spent the day at Animal Kingdom (the reunion was in Orlando). She was exhausted.

The next day, as we all gabbed and dished about our lives and about our classmates, she talked about her own family (she has two boys, ages 4 and 6) and made a confession:

"I have a four-hour tolerance with my kids," she said, somewhat sheepishly, waiting to see our reaction.

She didn't have anything to worry about.

I often have guilty feelings about my weekends at home with the kids. I always schedule a trip with the kids to Target or Publix -- gotta break up the day some way. I let them watch a little too much TV on Saturday and Sunday mornings. And yes, we play ... but it gets old!

My friend said after four hours, she's done. She's got them fed, bathed and in bed well in time before she's too tired to watch a movie and have a glass of wine with her husband. She's not necessarily on the floor with them playing trains every minute of those four hours either.

I think I like this kind of plan. I spend so much time with the kids on weekends that all I feel like doing at night is collapsing on the couch. Can't even clean the kitchen sometimes. So if you let the kids entertain themselves a little more, you'll be less tired. Sounds good to me. Gotta try it.

Moms, dads ... what's your limit?

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Today is my younger son's third birthday. He got a Thomas the Tank Engine bicycle. And he just sits on it. Or he walks it around the house. Or he sits on it, waits for someone to put his feet on the pedals, then waits for someone (me) to grab the handlebars and walk him around. That's right, he refuses to push on the pedals.

He was more excited about his new DVDs, books and his cake than he was his bicycle. Although he won't let anyone else touch his bicycle.

I remember when Evan turned 3, he also got a bicycle. And he went wild on it, riding up and down the sidewalk with a big grin on his face. I know -- different kid, different skill sets, etc.

But it's tough to remain patient when your kid flat-out refuses to even try. He already has a tricycle that he loves ... to be pushed on.

Any suggestions?

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Long ago, I told you guys about one of Palm Beach County's best places to go for entertaining little ones, the Playmobil Fun Park. Located near Palm Beach Gardens, it costs just a buck to get in, and it provides an afternoon or morning of relaxation for moms or dads, who can just kick back on a bench while the kiddies go to town on the hundreds of Playmobil figures, vehicles and play sets.

We were there yesterday, in fact, when something rather disgusting happened.

Elias was sitting on the play mats, happily assembling train tracks, playing with trains and putting the "choo-choo guy" on the trains when another little boy made his way into Eli's space. The boy looked barely a year, as his steps were tentative. He picked up one the play figures from the train, and promptly put it in his mouth.

Sure, I know babies put stuff in their mouth ... duh! But this little guys just mawed on it, just moving it all along the inside of his mouth while his mom stood by. I looked at her, looked at him, and she casually told him not to put it in his mouth. Of course, the kid ignored her. Then he walked DIRECTLY UP TO MY SON, and tried to put the offending, spit-covered conductor person into Elias's hand. I quickly tried to intervene, wondering when this mother was going to step in so that I didn't have to put my hands on the disgusting conductor.

She didn't. I gingerly grabbed it, resisting the temptation to actually kick it away on the floor rather than touch it. Again, nothing from the mom.

Now, I harbor no illusions that the toys at a place like this would be germ-free. Of course not. But jeez, at least TRY to stop your kids from sucking on the toys and then handing them off to someone else.

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Elias will be 3 next month. I'm hoping the Terrible Twos will end, miraculously, when he's no longer two.

When he doesn't get his way, he has recently started to put me into a time-out. He does this with as much authority as he thinks he has, ordering his brother, his father, and even his grandma into a time-out as well.

I also hear echoes of my own admonishments when he responds, "Didn't I tell you to go to your room?" Something tells me I've been doing a little too much yelling.

So I have to try to dial it back. But I still don't know what the appropriate response is when he tells me I've been put in time-out. Any suggestions?

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Tomorrow, we're heading to North Carolina. And we all have colds. This is not going to be fun. I am hoping my 4-year-old and a 2-year-old have no ear problems due to the cabin pressure and their severe colds, but I'm definitely going to take some preventive measures.

Evan went to the pediatrician on Tuesday and got antibiotics because he had been suffering from a cough for several weeks. But Elias went on Friday and the same pediatrician thought he just had a virus, as opposed to an infection. She gave me a prescription for an antibiotic only because we were going to be flying on Tuesday but told me not to start it until today, only if he was really feeling awful.

She also recommended a decongestant and/or Benadryl before the flight. I'm wondering if I should do both, or just one or the other? Anyone have any similar experiences? I've also read about getting plus like EarPlanes for kids, but I'm thinking both boys would just pull them out.

Wish me luck tomorrow.

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I took the boys on Saturday to the 6th Annual Our Kids World at the South Florida Fairgrounds Americraft Expo Center, billed as "the perfect place for the entire family!" With that kind of a marketing line, I have high expectations.

When I think perfect, I think of a nice, inexpensive, pleasant afternoon with the kids with no stress. Of course, I'm not sure that's such an easy feat.

We left the house in the early afternoon and headed up to the fairgrounds near West Palm Beach. The boys were excited at the prospect of seeing Diego, Dora and SpongeBob. The parking lot was jam-packed, and the line was not too long to get in. Bonus point goes to the lady at the ticket counter who gave me a free pass for one of my kids (I already had one coupon, so I just paid the $5 for myself).

Once inside the Expo Center, it was loud. Really loud hip-hop music that my little ones did not appreciate. Granted, the event was geared toward anyone under 12, but I'd be willing to bet my kids were not the only ones bothered by the blaring, repetitive, hip-hop music.

The line to get a picture taken with Dora and Diego was miles long. OK, not a mile long, but it definitely snaked around and around and I can say without hesitation that it would have taken at least 45 minutes to get to the front and have an up-close moment with Diego. Needless to say we didn't, although the kids were at least a little excited to get to see Diego and Dora. Why not separate those crazy cousins, put Dora in one line, where mostly girls will want to go, and put Diego in another line, and perhaps minimize the wait?

There were dozens of inflatables -- slides, obstacle courses, bounce houses, etc. It just cost $10 per child for them to play on the inflatables as much as they wanted. I thought that was a bit much, and I know those companies made a bundle, judging from the lines of barefooted kids waiting to jump.

Don't forget the pony rides, which also cost money, and the opportunity to look at the "world's smallest horse" for $1. Whatever it was, it was behind a curtain. I didn't pay.

So, for me, it was a bust. I should have known better. These kinds of things are basically one huge advertisement for other companies that have booths set up, ready for you to sign up for a chance to win this or that. I'm sure hundreds of kids had a great time. Maybe mine are too young. Next weekend we'll just hit a free playground.

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Why, oh why, must the toothbrushing ritual be such a pain?

Elias, who is almost 3, recoils in horror twice a day during toothbrushing time. He flails, he cries, he grabs my hand, he twists, his head moves away from me with a strength that I didn't know he had.

I have tried everything. Giving him the toothbrush first so that he can do it himself. Singing silly songs as I brush his teeth. Explaining to him rationally (as if he can understand) that he is going to have big boo-boos in his teeth if he doesn't let me brush. Cheerfully telling him we've got to get the "sugar bugs." Getting his older brother to show him how it's painless to brush teeth. Buying him one of those Spin toothbrushes with Thomas the Train on it.

But everyday, it's an ordeal. He works himself up to the point sometimes where he's crying uncontrollably and I want to give up. But every time I want to throw up my hands, I think of the dentist experience that Evan had. Suffice it to say he had more than one cavity. More than two, even. It was a horrific experience, one that Evan ever-so-helpfully tells Elias about.

I'm wondering how other parents deal with their toddler who are violently unwilling to have their teeth brushed, and I'm also wondering what age your kids were when they first went to the dentist, and what you did to make them comfortable. Confession: Elias hasn't gone yet. Gulp.

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Recently my friend and colleague Missy, who has a 5-month-old baby, mentioned she'd love to find some moms with babies to hang out with on the weekends. While there are many moms groups in the area, most are geared to stay-at-home moms who meet up on weekdays.

By the time the weekend rolls around, I imagine most of them do things with their hubbies or at least make their husbands take over the childcare duties. There seemed to be no groups for working moms who might want to find women with similar interests and similarly aged babies to get together.

So I got on the website Meet Up, which links people with similar interests. Anything from dog lovers to people who just want to meet others from their home countries to people who scrapbook.

It's pretty simple. Enter "Moms" in the website and your zip code, and voila. There's a group in Boynton Beach with moms over 30. How about the North Broward Working Moms? I found one that seemed to meet Missy's criteria, one for working moms with weekend playdates (with the ominous warning, "this group contains TODDLERS," but it meets primarily in Plantation. There's one for single moms, one for "hip mammas," and my favorite, the "Playgroup for the Naturally Nurtured."

This group says they are "open-minded, non-judgmental and loving mamas who support breastfeeding, baby wearing, co-sleeping, cloth diapering, home schooling, delayed or refused vaccinations, gentle discipline, family balance, natural or home births and more!"

It's a great site where you are sure to hook up with other parents who share your interests. You might make a great friend. Or your child might. Either way, it's worth a try.

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My husband just emailed me a link to this article: "Moms, Tots Argue 20 Times an Hour." As I contemplate this stop-the-presses news and think about my own sweet toddler, I come to the conclusion that ... yeah, that sounds about right.

Whether it's scooting to the back of the minivan when we arrive at our destination instead of getting out, or insisting that he has to "push triangle" (translation: press "play" on the DVD player) for his favorite videos, or allowing him to hold the can of Ovaltine as we prepare his chocolate milk in the mornings, there is no shortage to the number of arguments that can occur on a daily basis.

According to this study by Lehigh University, which appears in the March/April issue of Child Development, moms and their toddlers argue 20 to 25 times an hour on average. Granted, for the study, the kids, who were about 30 months old, and their moms were videotaped at a researcher's lab during times most likely to have a conflict. The moms had to enforce rules about toys (and apparently the lab supplied toys that the kids couldn't have), and the kids got to play with puzzles that were too hard for them -- both scenarios sure to elicit frustration and tantrums.

Six months later, the exercise was somewhat repeated, only in the families' homes. What did these researchers find out? The arguments occurred "between 20-25 times an hour at both assessment periods." That's from a low of four arguments an hour to a high of 55 an hour.

I'm not really sure what this study accomplished. What do you guys think?

On a different topic, I'm going to plug CNN on Wednesday, which is devoting a considerable amount of air time throughout the day for World Austim Awareness Day. At noon, a segment produced by John David Dear, whose sister is a close friend of mine, will give viewers a look at the struggles of raising an autistic child. J.D.'s son Jonas was diagnosed in December 2006. I'll be sure to tune in, and I hope we'll all come away with a better understanding of this developmental syndrome that is striking an increasing number of families.

Check this link for a closer look at the CNN programming on Wednesday that centers around autism.

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Just last week I blogged about what a sweet kid my 4-year-old Evan is. But yesterday he temporarily turned into a rude and ungrateful little boy.

I had taken great care in ensuring that the boys' Easter baskets contained an equal number of treats and small toys. Did I make sure that each item was the SAME EXACT COLOR? No. I didn't really think that would be a problem.

But after the initial euphoria of opening Easter baskets had worn off, and I was dozing on the couch at 8 a.m. as the boys played with their new stuff, I heard the all-too familiar wail from Elias that indicated something had been taken away from him. I opened my eyes. A distraught Evan was holding a blue egg that had once held a Hot Wheels car while Elias was crying that it was his. Apparently Evan didn't get a blue egg among the three that contained brand-new cars. I told him that they each got the same number of cars, and that I didn't want to hear any more out of them.

Five seconds later, there was the unmistakable sound of jealousy rearing its ugly head again. Eli crying, Evan acting as though it was a huge injustice that he did not receive a blue plastic egg container. I told him once again that he and Elias both got the same amount of toys and candy and that he should be thankful to the Easter bunny instead of whining. And that the color of the egg didn't matter. I closed my eyes.

"Shut up."

Those two little words were uttered so calmly, yet almost tentatively. And they came out of Evan's mouth for the first time. My jaw dropped. I bolted out of the couch.

"Time out -- NOW," I told Evan.

He went, crying.

I immediately marched into my bedroom and informed Jeff of what Evan had said. Nothing I say usually stirs him out of bed, but his eyes immediately opened. Take his basket away, my husband said firmly.

I wasn't willing to go that far, but Jeff was insistent that Evan's entire Easter basket should be off limits, at least for a little while. He then went in Evan's room and gave him a stern talking-to that provoked the kind of tears usually accompanied by hyperventilating.

Eventually, Evan got his basket back. After an apology. Jeff and I were both aghast that Evan would ever say such a thing. But that's the influence of TV, I guess. And I was left wondering if we addressed it properly.

Any thoughts? How old were your kids when you first became the victim of their shocking language?

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I walked into the preschool, camera and videocamera packed, a bundle of nerves. I wondered how Evan was faring, just minutes before he would accompany his classroom to sing two songs for the preschool's spring program. Once inside the hall where the show was to take place, I saw a crowd of what had to be at least 200 people. Oh dear God, what is Evan, my sometimes timid little boy, going to do when he sees so many faces staring up at him?

Sitting with a couple of moms, we all copped to a fear that we would be the parent of the child who starts crying inconsolably on stage. And we all pretty much had decided that $45 was a bit too much to spend for chicken and a few songs.

The program started. We sat through the presentations of two other classrooms (yeah, yeah, you're cute -- move along) before the songs of Classroom No. 7 began. There he was. He had an expression on his face that I'd never seen before. Not fear, not exactly confidence. A look that told me that if it weren't for the fact that none of his other classmates seemed scared, he might have been the kid who cried. That probably wasn't obvious to anyone but me, and I gave him a casual thumbs-up when he caught my eye.

The two songs ("Farmer in the Dell" and a little-known ditty called "The Tractor Goes Chug Chug Chug") were over in a flash. Evan sang every word, loudly I might add, and though he forgot a couple of some of the arm motions most of the kids was doing, he did GREAT. The whole thing was ridiculously adorable. Got it on video, of course.

I left before lunch was served, and picked Evan up a little early from his classroom. Gave him a big hug, told him how proud I was. He seemed rather nonchalant by then, but I could tell he was tickled. Made me almost forget that the darn thing cost me $45.

Almost.

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I can't wait to see my 4-year-old son sing in his first-ever school function on Friday. It's going to be great.

It darned well better be, since I'm paying $45 for the privilege.

In fact, the ticket price for this spring extravaganza is so steep, that just one of us is going. In our household, we really can't justify spending nearly $100 to watch our son sing a couple songs along with a bunch of other preschoolers. I'll be bringing the video camera.

Frankly, I find it ridiculous. The price tag gets you in the door and entitles you to lunch. What if you just want to watch your kid sing, you're not interested in eating lunch and you're willing to pay a reduced fee, say half-price? No dice. From what I understand, they can't do that because then a lot of parents might want to do the same.

You know, I understand the function also serves as a fundraiser, but I'm also not too keen on the fact that at the beginning of the year, they enthusiastically tell you about how cute it will be to watch your little one in the spring program. Months later, they drop the price on you. So, unless you want to be known as the cheapskate or the parent who wasn't there to see their child perform, you'd better pony up.

Evan had better not get stage fright. I might have to demand a refund.

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I haven't checked it out yet, but I thought I'd give a shout-out to a locally produced television show that is embracing the topic near and dear to all of us: parenting. Recently launched by the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County's Parenting Center, Positive Parenting Today airs on PBC TV Channel 20.

The shows are focusing on topics such as mentoring, discipline, developmental stages and dealing with teen stressors. We can all use a little help with at least one of those subjects, am I right? Or am I right?

In a Jan. 13 Sun-Sentinel community news story by special correspondent Lisa Goddard, CSC's chief executive officer Tana Ebbole said the show has been a "team effort" and something the folks at the Parenting Center have been talking about doing for years.

Created in 2001, the Parenting Center offers workshops throughout the county -- about 200 free classes a month. For those who can't make the workshops, the TV program might fill in that gap.

If you live in Palm Beach County and want to check it out, tune in to Channel 20, which airs educational and government programming, on Mondays at 8 p.m., Fridays at 9 a.m. or Saturdays at 3 p.m. Hey, you can watch it tonight!!!

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Of all the countless parenting dilemmas out there, I never thought I'd face this one, at least not at this early stage. My son, 2 1/2, has turned his yearlong obsession with the alphabet into the ability to read. At first I thought he was just recognizing certain words that he remembers from his favorite books or videos, then I realized he's actually reading.

We were at Babies R Us the other day when he said, "bab." I looked up, and sure enough, most of the store's sign was blocked and he was reading what he saw. My husband took him to the bank the other day and Elias announced "Drive-Through ATM." And this weekend we were at Old Navy waiting at the cash register when he saw a sign (in reverse, mind you, on the store's glass meant for patrons coming toward the store) and said "Baby and kids." That's not even the half of it. He can read practically any three-letter word and lots of simple four-letter words too.

What's the problem, you may ask? Of course, I'm pleased and proud of my little guy. He's super-smart. But my older son Evan is pretty smart too. He's starting to read too, which I think is pretty normal for a 4-year-old. He sounds every letter out, while Elias instinctively just says what he thinks, which is right most of the time.

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There are still four months or so left in the school year, but already I'm thinking I'm in a bit of a pickle. This fall, Evan will be eligible for free pre-K.

Let me re-state that: FREE PRE-K!!! Woo-hoo!

Here's the wrinkle: The preschool that Evan currently attends and adores does not participate in Florida's Pre-K program. This was his first year that he was away from anyone other than his parents or grandmother, and he has flourished socially and intellectually. If he were to continue at the school, there's a good chance he'd be in the same class as many of his buddies (not to mention his girlfriend). But it would also be very pricey for us.

Given that Evan only goes half-days anyway, which is what the state offers (technically, three hours of instruction per day), then enrolling him in a school that does participate in the state program should be a no-brainer, right? Unless I want to continue handing over nearly $600 a month for 20 hours a week.

So ... how do I prepare Evan for transferring to a new school in the fall after he has grown accustomed to his current school?

And for those of you that want to find out which local schools are providers for free pre-K, check this link.

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Just kidding. Of course Evan, my 4-year-old, is a delightful child. I'm just coming off the high of our first parent-teacher conference, where my husband and I were informed that Evan is a "delightful child" who loves to play with the computer and with blocks.

I had been looking forward to this conference, our first-ever sit-down meeting with Evan's teacher to discuss his progress. Of course, he's not even in Pre-K yet so I realize the ramifications of this conference are pretty much non-existent. Still, it would be a treat to get time with his teacher solely devoted to talking about Evan without any distractions.

We sat down and she said, "Well, what can I tell you about Evan?" She went on to explain that she usually writes a positive and a "needs improvement" type of comment on each child's report but that she could think of nothing negative to say about Evan. In fact, she marked every single category (jeez, there must've been a couple dozen at least) with a "goals met" checkmark, making me a proud mom. He shares, he does what he's told, and never has to be told twice what to do.

Can I take her home? Because although I'll be the first to say that my child is one of the sweetest boys ever, I'd like to see this sharing and obedience for myself. What is it about school that makes him behave like an angel? Not that he's a brat at home -- far from it. He's loving and helpful. He just could use some help in the listening department, and he has a long way to go when it comes to sharing with his little brother. Is it the structure, the fact that we're not there? Do I need to take some cues from Ms. Jody?

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In the next few weeks, we'll be going to our 4th and 5th birthday parties of the year for kids in Evan's class. Everyone's turning 4, and that's certainly a cause to celebrate.

When my younger son gets into school, the parties will only double, I know. Obviously,I like to bring a gift, and I'm wondering what the appropriate amount is to spend on a 4-year-old's birthday these days. I winged it for the first three birthdays, but because the birthday kids did not open their gifts at the party (thank God), I have no way of knowing whether our gift was in line with a typical present. Lest I be chastised once again as "cheap" by a poster to this blog calling himself "Teddy," I won't reveal what I spent.

Instead, I'm curious as to what you all think is the right amount to spend on a gift for your child's classmate. It's not something I lose sleep over, and I think I'm pretty comfortable with my selections, but it would be nice to know nonetheless.

Give me a hint, won't you please?

And by the way, apologies for not blogging in awhile. A road trip to North Carolina with a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old can take a lot out of an old gal ...

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Even when Evan was an infant, I had visions of setting up a chair on the field at his soccer games, rooting him on and going out for pizza afterward. And now that he's 4, he actually does love soccer. Loves baseball. Loves basketball.

Loves all those games, as long as he's playing them at home. With us. He's old enough now to join T-ball or little kid soccer, but he immediately resists the idea whenever I mention that it might be fun to sign up to play with other kids his age.

I think I've established on this blog that Evan is a bit of a character. Can't call him shy, because my husband can't stand the term, but he is definitely reserved and it takes him a while to warm up to other people. He'll talk an adult's ear off, but when he sees other kids at the playground he sticks to his little brother no matter how badly he might want to run wild with the other kids.

I took him to a gymnastics-themed birthday party recently where he knew all of the kids because they were from his class, where he's quite comfortable, but he started crying because he didn't want to run or jump with the other kids, especially with other people watching him.

I'm not surprised at his very emotional, negative reaction to the prospect of playing in a soccer game or something similar with other kids. But he's not some sort of couch potato or bookworm either -- he adores being outside, hitting the baseball (or trying) and kicking around a soccer ball.

And I'm not going to make him do anything. Or should I strongly encourage it? Should I sign him up anyway, hoping that he'll end up loving it even if the first couple of practices or games make him absolutely miserable? I can't stand to see him unhappy, particularly in that sort of setting, so I can't see myself forcing the issue. But I'd love to hear from other parents if they have had similar experiences.

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The letter from the room parents in my 4-year-old's classroom gave me a bit of a jolt. The holidays were coming -- it was a perfect time for all of us to show our appreciation for the great job done by our children's teachers, the letter suggested. The room moms kindly informed me that they were collecting for a gift for his three teachers, and they helpfully suggested the amount for each parent to contribute. $50. What are they getting them, a plasma TV?

Well, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and a Jolly Kwanzaa to me. Am I the only person who thinks $50 is a bit steep? I have a friend who's an elementary school teacher, so the concept of gifting at the holidays is not entirely foreign to me, but the whole letter kind of caught me off guard. My son goes to school everyday for four hours, in a classroom for 3-year-old (but that's not another blog), and it's our first experience in a school setting. So I'm learning as I go along.

I don't doubt for a minute that teachers are underpaid. They do deserve a lovely gift around the holidays. But why can't I make the decision on how much I want to spend, and what I want to give? I consulted with my wise and noble friend, who I think is probably in the minority here, and she told me that she feels uncomfortable with the whole idea of gifting. I told her the amount and she was flabbergasted. In fact, this year her classroom is donating what they would have collected for a teacher gift to an animal rescue charity.

I know I don't HAVE to follow what the letter says. But will I be a marked parent? The letter didn't seem to present any other options. Am I going to be that mom who is viewed as cheap? Fifty bucks is fifty bucks. I'd love to hear from other moms and teachers!

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Well, we went out and did it. Got ourselves a minivan. (I know it's not the greenest choice, but it had to be done. With two carseats in the back seat of our crossover Mitsubishi, it was impossible to fit anything else in the car other than the four of us.)

OK, so it may be a cliche to write about how we've totally succumbed to the suburban parenthood trap that is buying a minivan. Too bad. Now that we've had it for about two weeks, I can write about how very lovely it is to drive and how very excruciatingly frustrating it can be to drive it with two little boys who constantly want to flip every switch.

It's a gently used model. We were looking at two minivans, one was a newer, basic no-frills model with Stow and Go. The other was slightly older but fully loaded. To me, the convenience of keyless entry, power windows and automatic everything, including side doors, was far more alluring than stowing away luggage underneath the seats. I didn't count on the annoyance factor of automatic everything.

My younger son now cries because he wants to hold the keys and push the button. My older son insists on being the one to open and close his door. (Why, oh why did they put a button on the side of the door that he can reach with his foot?) Open. Close. Open. Close.

AAAAAAGH!

Oh yeah, and there's the little matter of the DVD player. While I wanted to establish a rule that the kids were not going to watch TV during short trips around town (the main purpose of that thing is that we're driving to North Carolina next month ... 'nuff said), my husband thought it would be harmless to let them watch whenever they wanted. Which basically means, every time we get in the car. While for four years I had managed to avoid playing kid music in my car, I'm now forced to listen to the not-so-sweet sounds of kid TV.

What about you guys? Any ground rules for DVD playing in the van? Will the novelty ever wear off?

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I'd love to hear from parents about their preschool experiences and the level of feedback that they get.

Because while my son is not technically in preschool yet, he has spent the last several weeks in a part-time summer camp program that has a great reputation and is quite popular in the Boynton area.

He's quite tall and he'll be four in September, so he's probably bigger and a little more mature than most of the kids in his class. Yet, he has been a stay-at-home kid for most of his life and being dropped off at school has been a huge adjustment for him.

To that end, I've been a little inquisitive of his teacher. How'd he do, I ask. Fine, she says. Ohhh. Fine, huh? You know, I understand that she has 16 kids in her classroom, but she's got two other teachers there as well. Going to school is huge for Evan, and short of surreptitiously installing a nanny-cam in a cubby to spy on my son, I'm depending on her to let me know how my son is doing. Is he interacting with the kids? Is he hanging out by himself? Does he sing along with the other kids? Is he going potty while he's there? Things like that.

I try to ask specific questions but I get this vague answer about how he's doing just great. So I'm wondering if the lack of feedback is because this is considered summer camp? For his part, Evan says his time there is sometimes fun, sometimes just okay, and sometimes he only likes it "a little bit."

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