herding sheep

the elementary age kids are singing with my Sunday school class (preschool, ages 2-4) for the Christmas program at church. we're singing 2 songs & the kids have done a great job during practice. we play games like: sing loud enough that i can hear you when i go all the way up to the choir loft or sing loud enough that you hurt my ears. or sing with your outside voices or sing very quietly & pretty. hopefully this will get them to sing loudly loud enough to hear them & not me (!) at the program!


here's the conversation that occurred while practicing this morning:

me: all you little kids in my class are sheep.
me: anna, you're mary, ariel, you're an angel, you 3 are wisemen, you 4 are shepherds
brian (age 2): i'm a sheep
me: david, you're joseph
brian: i'm a sheep
heather: i want to be a shepherd
me: heather, you're a wiseman
heather: i don't want to be a wiseman. i want to be a shepherd
brian: i'm a sheep
me: we can't have 5 shepherds & only 2 wisemen. you need to be a wiseman
heather: i WILL NOT BE a wiseman. i WANT to be a shepherd
brian: i'm a sheep
me: ok, emma, can you be a wiseman?
emma: no, i want to be a shepherd
me: wyatt, please stand up!
wyatt: i'm tired
brian: i'm a sheep
me: amelia, put your shirt down, we don't want to see your bellybutton!
me: ok, abigail, can you be a wiseman instead of a shepherd?
brian: i'm a sheep
abigail: yes, i'll be a wiseman
me: thank you abigail. heather, you are a shepherd
heather: (changes the pout on her face to the biggest smile i've ever seen!!!)
brian: i'm a sheep!!!
me: ok, now let's practice our songs!
wyatt (age 3): i just want to practice my nap!
brian: i'm a sheep!!!!!

...........and it's the most rewarding thing i can think of to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love these kids!

oh, angy was supposed to be a sheep but she wanted to be an angel. i told her she'd have to wait til next year. she was ok with that, but then when there came an opening for a wiseman, she jumped on it!!!!!

so instead of 8 sheep, we have 6.

and one of them had better take a really good nap before the program!!!!!!!!!