One boys day
This morning was my nephew’s K5 class field trip. There was a father, a grandmother, two mothers and an aunt, guess who, as chaperones.
The kids went to the Smithsonian Institute National Air and Space Museum’s Steven Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport in Virginia. Everyone was so quiet while they watched Blue Planet at the gigantic Imax theater screen. I wasn’t sure if the kids were really enchanted by the movie or some fell asleep but my nephew, he held my hand in the first few minutes of the show. He’s like that when he doesn’t have any idea as to what to watch. Somewhere in the middle of the movie however, he was able to understand what was the movie all about thus withdrew from his tight grip.
After the captivating story of the planet earth, the 23 K5 children were assigned to each of the five chaperones and their two teachers.
Since the only father and grandmother in the group had their girls with them, two more girls were assigned to each of them. The two mothers and two teachers had a mixed group of girls and boys in three’s. And, of all people, four energized boys were with me.
When Peter, the only father among the chaperones, learned that I have four boys with me, he said “Good luck.” and chuckled. In reply, I gave out a big smile and a disbelief look. As to why I have three more boys aside from my nephew, I never asked but just took them as my own.
We were given a sheet of paper to complete as we toured around the large Boeing Aviation Hangar. As expected, the boys, seeing it as a game, were so excited about the idea of hunting for the aircrafts. They ran all the way down to the exhibit hall. That was my initiation for patience.
I tried to catch them up and got their attention by calling out their names. They responded by jumping up and down towards me while talking at the same time and pointing here and there.
“I know where it is.” Ryan said.
“I saw this one earlier.” Dylan pointed an aircraft from the sheet.
“Hold it! We have to do one thing at a time.” I said.
“Ok” Elijah said.
“First, no running. Walk. Second, we have to work as a team. We have to go together. Who wants to lead?” I added.
“Me!” they all raised their hands. Oops wrong question.
“Wait, let’s take turns.” I said as I assigned two aircrafts per kid.
A tour guide approached us and told us he could give us a free tour. Looking at the gray haired gentle man, I just thanked him and told him we’ll manage. The truth is I don’t want to ruin his day with four energized boys under his care.
Different shapes, sizes and colors of planes were at the exhibit. Among the aviation artifacts on display was the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet in the world. The boys loved it and even had picture of it with them in their funny poses.
As the tour progressed, I found out four outstanding personalities in the group: the leader, the reader, the follower and the know-it-all kid.
The only time the boys’ attention was called by their teacher was when she saw them running ahead of me. She reprimanded them and told them to behave or else they will stay with her.
I guess the boys wanted to stay with me because they were cooperative in the long run. We went up and down the stairs and even rode an elevator without any behavior problems. We checked on the computers to see more details about the aircrafts. Then we saw a ground map.
“This is where we are.”
“Good job Ryan.”
“That’s the plane we’re looking for.”
“Are you sure CJ?”
“Uhh.”
“Let me read, bear-.” Elijah said
“This, this is where I want to go, please.” Dylan blurted out as he gently poked me.
I looked at the drawing on the map and I smiled.
“Ok everyone, we need to take a break, Dylan needs to go to the restroom.”
"Me, too." the three others said in unison.
That was the only time my world was silent for a moment
After the short break, we came across a gift shop. The boys were so excited to see familiar names engraved in cups and key chains. They also saw different aircraft toys.
“Just look don’t touch” I told them.
“I want to have this” CJ said showing a mini-plane on his hand.
“Well, who has money?” I asked.
”I have 5 dollars.” Elijah said.
“He has 5 dollars we can borrow from him” Ryan said.
“Me, too, I have 5 dollars but it’s at home.” Dylan said.
“Ok how much is the toy?” I asked.
“$6.50” they said in chorus.
“So, do you think $5 is enough for you all?”
They all moved their heads sideways.
“You have money can you buy these for us instead?” Dylan looked at me.
“I don’t think I can do that.” I said but I was tempted to do so.
“Ahh” they said in chorus.
“Ok which one is important to you now, food or toy?” I asked.
“I’m hungry.” Elijah said.
“Me, too!” again in unison
"I guess we’ll just have to spend our money on food then.” I said.
“Yeah,” the group said in chorus.
We never got to the meal part though because it was time to leave. But they had lunch back in school once they got there.
As for me, I thank God for His strength and wisdom. I did not regret having the four boys with me today. At their tender age of 5 and 6, they’re still lovable despite their shortcomings.
And even though my digicam didn’t function near the end, it accidentally fell on the floor in one of our photo sessions, I still had fun.
The kids went to the Smithsonian Institute National Air and Space Museum’s Steven Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport in Virginia. Everyone was so quiet while they watched Blue Planet at the gigantic Imax theater screen. I wasn’t sure if the kids were really enchanted by the movie or some fell asleep but my nephew, he held my hand in the first few minutes of the show. He’s like that when he doesn’t have any idea as to what to watch. Somewhere in the middle of the movie however, he was able to understand what was the movie all about thus withdrew from his tight grip.
After the captivating story of the planet earth, the 23 K5 children were assigned to each of the five chaperones and their two teachers.
Since the only father and grandmother in the group had their girls with them, two more girls were assigned to each of them. The two mothers and two teachers had a mixed group of girls and boys in three’s. And, of all people, four energized boys were with me.
When Peter, the only father among the chaperones, learned that I have four boys with me, he said “Good luck.” and chuckled. In reply, I gave out a big smile and a disbelief look. As to why I have three more boys aside from my nephew, I never asked but just took them as my own.
We were given a sheet of paper to complete as we toured around the large Boeing Aviation Hangar. As expected, the boys, seeing it as a game, were so excited about the idea of hunting for the aircrafts. They ran all the way down to the exhibit hall. That was my initiation for patience.
I tried to catch them up and got their attention by calling out their names. They responded by jumping up and down towards me while talking at the same time and pointing here and there.
“I know where it is.” Ryan said.
“I saw this one earlier.” Dylan pointed an aircraft from the sheet.
“Hold it! We have to do one thing at a time.” I said.
“Ok” Elijah said.
“First, no running. Walk. Second, we have to work as a team. We have to go together. Who wants to lead?” I added.
“Me!” they all raised their hands. Oops wrong question.
“Wait, let’s take turns.” I said as I assigned two aircrafts per kid.
A tour guide approached us and told us he could give us a free tour. Looking at the gray haired gentle man, I just thanked him and told him we’ll manage. The truth is I don’t want to ruin his day with four energized boys under his care.
Different shapes, sizes and colors of planes were at the exhibit. Among the aviation artifacts on display was the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet in the world. The boys loved it and even had picture of it with them in their funny poses.
As the tour progressed, I found out four outstanding personalities in the group: the leader, the reader, the follower and the know-it-all kid.
The only time the boys’ attention was called by their teacher was when she saw them running ahead of me. She reprimanded them and told them to behave or else they will stay with her.
I guess the boys wanted to stay with me because they were cooperative in the long run. We went up and down the stairs and even rode an elevator without any behavior problems. We checked on the computers to see more details about the aircrafts. Then we saw a ground map.
“This is where we are.”
“Good job Ryan.”
“That’s the plane we’re looking for.”
“Are you sure CJ?”
“Uhh.”
“Let me read, bear-.” Elijah said
“This, this is where I want to go, please.” Dylan blurted out as he gently poked me.
I looked at the drawing on the map and I smiled.
“Ok everyone, we need to take a break, Dylan needs to go to the restroom.”
"Me, too." the three others said in unison.
That was the only time my world was silent for a moment
After the short break, we came across a gift shop. The boys were so excited to see familiar names engraved in cups and key chains. They also saw different aircraft toys.
“Just look don’t touch” I told them.
“I want to have this” CJ said showing a mini-plane on his hand.
“Well, who has money?” I asked.
”I have 5 dollars.” Elijah said.
“He has 5 dollars we can borrow from him” Ryan said.
“Me, too, I have 5 dollars but it’s at home.” Dylan said.
“Ok how much is the toy?” I asked.
“$6.50” they said in chorus.
“So, do you think $5 is enough for you all?”
They all moved their heads sideways.
“You have money can you buy these for us instead?” Dylan looked at me.
“I don’t think I can do that.” I said but I was tempted to do so.
“Ahh” they said in chorus.
“Ok which one is important to you now, food or toy?” I asked.
“I’m hungry.” Elijah said.
“Me, too!” again in unison
"I guess we’ll just have to spend our money on food then.” I said.
“Yeah,” the group said in chorus.
We never got to the meal part though because it was time to leave. But they had lunch back in school once they got there.
As for me, I thank God for His strength and wisdom. I did not regret having the four boys with me today. At their tender age of 5 and 6, they’re still lovable despite their shortcomings.
And even though my digicam didn’t function near the end, it accidentally fell on the floor in one of our photo sessions, I still had fun.
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