F is for Frustrating Fish

While I read the book Blueberries for Sal, Peter used pattern blocks to make the word for.  This proved very difficult, because he was so nervous about the story that he kept having to get out of his chair to hide behind the couch.

Then we made a fish out of ripped and crumpled construction paper.  I thought this would be a nice, easy, low-mess craft, but it ended up being very frustrating for all parties concerned.  

Inexplicably, Peter couldn't rip or crumple construction paper even after I demonstrated many times.  What kind of kid can't rip things?  Elliot kept trying to eat the construction paper.  I decided to bail on the whole thing and tried to distract the kids to other activities, but then Peter started crying about not finishing the fish - even though mere minutes before he had been crying about having to make a fish.  Kids!!!