I know that my children have everything they need and then some.  Steve & I are fortunate that we’re able to get them many of the things that they want (their bedroom is certainly a testimony to this; it’s often difficult to walk in there among the strewn toys and books).  Still, I try to manage some kind of balance between spoiling the girls rotten and teaching them the value of simplicity.  This month, though, I suspect that balance may be tilting more toward the rotten side; however, while Gracie may not have learned a lesson about simplicity this month, I think she may have learned a lesson that is just as valuable.

Gracie has been working very hard this year at  a lot of different things.  She’s been working hard to control her temper tantrums; she’s been learning tools to improve her focusing skills; and she’s been reading, reading, and reading. 

Her school uses the Accelerated Reader program.  Basically, the children read books in their reading level and then take computerized test on the books.  Each book is assigned a point level, so the more books they read (and the more difficult those book are), the more points they accrue.  Many schools use this program.  Gracie’s school, however, uses the points as a type of reward system.  Children who get a certain number of points get a spot on the “Wall of Fame” and children who get three times that number get a spot on the “Brag Board” .  And yes, those names make me cringe, too.  Finally, at the end of the year, the three children from each class get to go on a special field trip.  Gracie is a strong reader.  Each year of school, she’s earned enough points to land a spot on the “Wall of Fame” and either made it to or come close to the “Brag Board”.  The problem is, at least in her mind, that’s she’s never earned enough points to go on the elusive field trip.  This year, she decided that she really, really wants to go on that field trip.  And she has worked hard so far.  Steve & I decided that we wanted to encourage her efforts, and also reward her for all of her hard work. 

For the last four months, Gracie has been attending an American Girl book club that meets at the public library.  I can not say enough good things about this book club.  The club, and its leader, have done more to encourage Gracie in her reading than anything we’ve done at home or school.   The leader of the book club is a sixteen-year-old high school senior who created the program three years ago.  Her name is Mary Grace and she is nothing short of amazing.  Each month, she makes the books come alive for the girls with a lively discussion of the current book and an activity that flushes out the storyline.  Gracie has been able to hear from a marine biologist about local sea turtles; she’s participated in a Russian folktale play; she’s learned the Virginia Reel.  I don’t think I can overstate what a good thing this has been for her!

At the end of the each meeting, they announce what book the girls will be discussing the next month.  In September, Mary Grace said that the girls should read the book “Meet Marie-Grace”, the introductory book to one of American Girl’s new historical dolls. The story is set in New Orleans a decade before the Civil War.  This doll immediately piqued Gracie’s interest, partly because of the similarity to her own name (Grace AnnMarie…Marie-Grace) and partly because we both think that the character Marie-Grace (pronounced Mary Grace) is loosely based on the leader of her book club, Mary Grace.  As soon as I heard this was the book selection for October, I started formulating a plan.  Steve & I talked and we agreed.  We told Gracie that if she had earned enough AR points (35) to be on the Wall of Fame by the October American Girl Book Club, that we would give her a special surprise.  It seemed like a lofty, but obtainable goal.  At that point, she had about 10 points, so four weeks to get the remaining 15 seemed doable.  About three weeks ago, she came home from school completely crushed.  The school changed the number of points that second-graders need to get on the Wall of Fame.  It seems that too many children read over the summer and were getting onto the Wall too easily (and yes, I see the complete and utter lunacy in that statement).  Steve and I talked again and decided that we would honor our original deal of 35 points and not require that she earn 40 points (the new point level) to get her special gift.  We told Gracie and she continued to work hard.

The October book club was yesterday.  On Friday afternoon, Gracie took the test that took her to 35 points and Friday evening, she unwrapped her surprise, her very own Marie-Grace doll.  I wish I could bottle the joy that lit her face when she got into the car on Friday afternoon and told me that she’d made it and the look of surprise when she opened her present.  Her sense of accomplishment is priceless to me.

I know that looking in from the outside, it seems overboard to reward Gracie for something that she should be doing anyway.  We expect her to do her schoolwork to the best of her ability.  We expect her to always try her best.  But, over the last several months, she’s worked harder than she ever has; she’s been through some pretty tough times for a 7-year-old, but she’s worked through them and she’s doing so much better.  Steve and I are both so proud of her!