By Sarah Schrock
Tears trickled down the cheeks of some wide-eyed kindergarteners at Methow Valley Elementary on Monday (Sept. 10). Many kinder-moms too were on heightened emotions (I am sure there were a few dads shedding a tear or two, too) as they dropped off their little one for their first day.
It’s a sensitive endeavor for all parties when the first or last leave the comfort and regular rhythm of home. Maybe they are saddened by leaving a younger sibling. For others, it’s their baby, their last one, or only child, leaving the house, opening up a whole new way of life for parents who have had a little one at home for years.
Some kinder-kids roll with the transition without much fuss, but inevitably the change catches up. I remember that last year my kindergartener loved his first week. I was relieved, having weathered the transition with ease. Then the second week arrived, and he said plainly, “OK, when do I get to go back to Little Star?”
Adapting to change can take time, but who better to adapt then kids, since that’s all they’ve ever known is change. One of the big changes at the elementary school this year, in addition to a suite of new teachers and school-wide switch up of classrooms, is the cosmetic transformation of the recent remodel. My now first-grader said, “Oh Mom, you are going to love the new carpets!”
The new, modern carpet tiles with graphic stripes evoke a sleek new appearance. Dark grey flooring in the multi-purpose rooms, new classroom desks, a new library layout, and black chairs add to the cohesion of the new color scheme. The atypical black chairs stand in contrast to the primary colors that usually rule the roost at school. Perhaps there’s some color research out there that guided this decision, maybe it’s just the trend in interior colors. Either way, it tones down the chaos a bit, creating a more high-tech feel.
Speaking of trends: Each few years, a trendy new dance move enters pop culture. From the twist to moon-walking, the Roger-rabbit and now, the floss dance.
Have you seen kids doing this new jig lately, where they swing their hips left and right while their straight arms alternate in front and behind their body? If not, look out, because the floss is coming to a kid near you. It has become an almost subconscious habit among kids, who bust into the floss at any moment. In fact, last week I saw a kid at the bus stop, flossing, as he waited. There was no music, no headset, just flossing to his own beat.
I finally asked my 9-year-old, who breaks into a floss at random times, what the story of the floss was. He knew of course, but if you are ignorant to Internet sensations like me and have no idea where this dancing epidemic came from, here’s what I learned.
A kid named Russell Horning made a quick video at church camp a few summers ago of his dance moves. His friends liked it, so he started posting them to Instagram. One move, the floss, became super popular almost overnight with over 1 million views, and the “Backpack Kid” was born. His signature dance move, known as the “backpack move” or the floss, along with wearing a backpack and donning a stoic face, caught the eye of singer Katy Perry, who invited him to dance with her on “Saturday Night Live” last year. And voila, he’s famous.
Like most trends, it likely to fade. Remember fidget spinners a couple years ago? Ours just went into the give-away box over the weekend. So, don’t worry, if there’s a kid flossing near you. It, like all fads, it bound to fade.
