Pre-School Family Event

The PTA planning committee organized the annual family event for the pre-school last Saturday. During my first Beginner English class of the second term (the adult class that I usually cook with), Chihiro and Tizuko reviewed the schedule with me. I had seen the papers in Ridge’s backpack and had begun to get the general idea, thanks to the many clever illustrations drawn by a person with more artistic talent than me. Still, it turned into quite a wonderful English lesson for those ladies to have initiated a conversation about Saturday.

Ridge and Holt awoke very excited on Saturday morning and Ridge tried to convince me that we had to go right away! Though it was only 7 a.m. he was certain that we were going to be late. He and Holt rode their bikes down the street about five blocks to the Training Center (where we played mini-volleyball last year). As we arrived, the kids and adults were already grouping up into their pre-assigned teams and the kids were being given color-coordinated hats. We were on the team with blue hats. After warming up to a song that the kids commonly sing, we lined up to begin the first game.

Holt on his bike
Waiting in line

The first relay race (every race was a relay race) required two parents to drag their child very quickly across the floor on a blanket. Then, one parent and child carried a dishpan with a balloon in it back to the finish line. The next team then did the reverse, eventually bringing the blanket back to the start line so the whole process could be repeated with the next contestants. Ridge and Holt loved flying across the floor!

For the second game, we had to race to a group of picture cards. These cards then determined which activity we would do next. Aaron and Ridge picked the card with a bucket and ball, so Ridge had to throw the ball for Aaron to catch. Holt and I had to put on a pair of XXXXL pants and run together to the line of bread. When each team reached the bread, we had to pull a bag off using only our teeth.

Aaron catching Ridge's ball
Michelle and Holt
Michelle and Holt, 2

After a short break to allow everyone to eat their chocolate filled bread, we played the third game. In this one, the parent/child team raced to the middle of the floor. The child had to stand inside a hula-hoop and throw a ball for the parent to catch with a bug net. Then, they raced together to the end, and the parent had to carry the child back to the finish line.

The last group of games was child-only and adult-only. The kids had a simple baton-passing relay race. The adults had to race out onto the floor while skipping rope. When we reached the end, we then had to run back while balancing a balloon on a paper fan (the kind you might fan yourself with).

Everyone had a fantastic time and it was really great to see all the families. Older and younger siblings had been included in the races as well. In fact, one sixth-grader (Kaori, our neighbor) paired up with her mom, whom she (Kaori) then carried on her back across the finish line!
After all the games, we then moved en masse back to the pre-school where each member of the opposite sex took up their self-appointed positions: moms inside with the kids, serving food; dads outside drinking beer and cooking barbecue. The kids played and had a great time, while the parents very obviously enjoyed hanging out and chatting with each other. I still can’t get used to the idea of not hanging out with my spouse, though. The only time I ever saw a man inside was if he was delivering food. The only women who went outside went to get more beer (that’s where the keg was).

We hung out until long after lunch. At about 2:00, the head teacher gathered the kids and declared that the event was over. Everyone cleaned up, working like a well-oiled machine. The kids lined up, said the thing they always say at the end of the day (I don’t really know what they are saying, but Ridge does!), and everyone moseyed on home. It was quite the exciting day for us all!

September should be bringing more excitement. September 7th is Kamiokoppe’s shrine festival and September 11th is Nishiokoppe’s. Then on September 17th is Nishiokoppe’s village festival (i.e. just for fun – it’s not religious) and September 24th is the middle school’s culture festival. What a busy month!