My Two Writing Teachers colleagues and I are hosting the 14th Annual March Slice of Life Story Challenge, in which teachers from around the world participate in posting a story per day.
When Jackson was in preschool, he invented something he calls “The Banana Team.” It started with Lego minifigures. He’d line them up, all in various costumes and configurations and teams with names like “Jackson’s Men,” and “Puppy Boys,” and “Banana Team.” Then, at school, he started referring to himself and a few of his closest friends, as the “Banana Team.”
Over time, we started finding funny banana-themed things for him. A short-sleeve Hawaiian-style shirt covered in a banana print against a bright red background. A banana-shaped plush stuffie. Last summer, a friend of his gave him a tank top covered in bananas.
When he went to kindergarten last year, he often asked about the other members of the preschool Banana Team, and tried, I think, to recreate the Banana Team with new friends… until the pandemic hit and school switched to remote learning. He often wore his banana shirts to school. I think he knows they are great conversation starters.
This morning, Jackson came downstairs to breakfast wearing both banana shirts. They still fit! Picture: a child’s size 6 short-sleeve button-down, bright yellow bananas against a bright red background. It’s worn open, unbuttoned, over a grey tank top also featuring bright yellow bananas all over it. This is paired with maroon sweatpants, slightly too big for him.
“What’s up dudes?” he said cooly as he hopped up onto a stool for breakfast. Then laughed wildly with his sister.
His teacher sent me an email later in the morning.
“J is cracking me up today with his banana shirts. At one point this morning, he took off his first banana shirt, showed off his muscles, and said “It’s time to work out” and started doing push-ups.”
This note from his teacher meant a lot to me. Jackson relies really heavily on approval from adults, other kids, and his older sister. He’s often afraid to make mistakes. He’s sensitive and bottles up a lot of his big feelings. I often wonder how he’s really doing at school. Is he happy? Is he confident?
If he’s wearing banana shirts and cracking up his teacher, I guess he’s probably doing okay.