WAW w/Exit Affair or WW? - Divorced Anyway (5)

[BL42]

Just got back from a parent/teacher conference with ExW & S6's 1st grade teacher...

S6 is doing well overall. He behaves in class, socially making friends, academically Math is a strength but he's a reading level behind so that's an area for us to work on with him. I was a bit concerned he's behind the curve there because although it's only first grade I don't want him to constantly be playing catch up and get "tracked" behind others. ExW made the comment to me in front of the teacher that she grew up differently than me and was always struggling academically and still turned into a productive member of society (I bit my tongue of course lol). It's true my sister & I were very strong academically growing up whereas ExW and her brother were not. Part of that though I attribute to upbringing with my stable home environment where reading was encouraged whereas ExW's parents did not seem to stress academics and w/Ex-MIL running all around town and the D she bounced from one parent or grandparents house to another (and that's a concern I have for my kids now). Anyway S6's teacher commented that although S6 is behind, he is progressing and gaining confidence and we'll have a better sense at the end of the year, which relieved my concerns a bit.

I raised the subject of his emotional adjustment in school. Trying to tactfully bring it up by saying "S6 has gone through a lot of changes over the past year" and asking if he's doing well emotionally, and whether activities/assignments such as a coloring / writing a story about their families/home life caused him to get upset. The teacher said he did seem a bit teary eyed at the beginning of the school year, but she hasn't noticed anything lately which would be cause for concern and made the comment "they usually save that for you guys at home".

ExW & I were sitting next to each other in chairs sixed for 6yos across from the teacher. No clue how she felt obviously; I felt a bit uncomfortable, but tried to keep it on the inside and not let it show and keep my focus on S6's progress. The discussion at the conference went very smoothly between the three of us though and everyone was adults about the situation.

The major awkwardness came afterwards when ExW & I were leaving S6's classroom and had to walk down this long quiet hallway just the two of us. Neither of us said anything to each other, and eventually I picked up my pace a bit and started walking a bit ahead. I was heading to an exit closest to my house (I live nearby) on the other side of the school. She kept following me, but then realized she passed the main entrance and had to turn around and circle back to go towards the exit for the parking lot. Very awkward and uncomfortable.

Anyway, S6 seems to be doing well in school so that's most important thing.