Monday, March 23, 2015

SOLSC 2015 #23: What are those spots?



Each day during March, I am participating in the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC). All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day for thirty-one days. My slices will be primarily about teaching preschoolers. Check out the Two Writing Teachers  website for lots more reflections on teaching. Thanks especially to Stacey, Tara, Anna, Beth, Dana, and Betsy for hosting this writing challenge. 

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We were working at the sink together, rinsing paintbrushes, when he inquired,


"Ms. Ingram, what are those spots?"

"What spots?"

"Those spots on your hand. My grammy has the same hands as you."

"Oh, these spots, these brown ones? I'm not sure…I think they are called age spots; I wonder if your grammy has age spots like me?"

"She has 'em on her hands when she makes pancakes and I see them when we go to the park. I see them on her. They don't wash off." 

"No, they don't."

 "Do they hurt? My grammy's don't hurt."

"Oh, no, they don't hurt. They just show up, as time goes by, as I get older."

"Will I get them, too? How old will I be when I get them?"

"Well, I don't know. "

"Will I be four?"

"I think you will be more than four. I don't know if everybody gets them or just some of us. I don't know."

"My Grammy doesn't know either."



I remember noticing these same spots on my own grandmother's hands,
many, many, many years ago.
These spots snuck up on me! It's really pretty amazing.
I had not noticed.

Ah, but preschoolers - they don't miss a thing!

7 comments:

  1. I love the simple innocence of childhood. I noticed them on my grammy...and now I have them too...I call them spots of wisdom....that's what we have oozing out!

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  2. My grandmother had these spots and well and my mother has her mother's skin and I know it is only a matter of time before I see them on her.

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  3. They seem to show up one day, you can't hide them either! One day between hair color I was writing a disobedience note for a junior high girl, she was standing over my desk and ask, "How did you get that in your hair?" I asked her what she was talking about. She said. "that silver, how'd you do it?" I had to laugh. The tension of the situation was gone.

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  4. Conversations with preschoolers are the best! Age spots, not so much.

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  5. Inquiring minds want to know, it seems that is a topic he has asked before and yet he can't find anyone with the answers. I miss the voice of inquiry.

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  6. My very own sister told me the other day my hands look old. It's a good thing I really love her! I loved the "when I'm four" question. So funny

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  7. My very own sister told me the other day my hands look old. It's a good thing I really love her! I loved the "when I'm four" question. So funny

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