Education – Page 3 – Writes for all Mommies

children, gratitude, happiness, humor, kids, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Role Models

14/04/2011 WFAM

Lately I’ve noticed that T.Puzzle has taken a genuine interest in learning to read. He is also attempting to write letters and numbers. He is highly motivated because he wants to do everything his big brother is doing.

As long as he seems happy to learn these skills, I’m happy to help teach them to him. In this instance having Full Speed as a role model for reading and writing success is a positive influence on T.Puzzle.

On the opposite end of siblings-as-role-models spectrum brings to mind a story my Mom told me many years ago. My older sister simply refused to learn how to tie her shoes (for the record, she has since learned and is quite successful at it). When my Mom asked her how she planned on getting them tied she replied she would wait until I was a little older and I could tie them for her.

Lucky me.

As you can see, there are pluses and minuses to having an older sibling.

children, happiness, humor, kindergarten, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Motor Out, Baby!

02/10/201002/10/2010 WFAM

Full Speed loves kindergarten. He is reading, enjoying math and attempting to write. His writing is more like hieroglyphics than the actual written English language. I’d like to say what he lacks in style he makes up in enthusiasm (not so!). Sitting at a table and practicing handwriting is pretty excruciating when all you’d rather do is get up and run.

I know he can do it. He knows he can do it. He just doesn’t WANT to do it.

I’m trying all sorts of activities to keep him interested in strengthening his fine motor skills. Lacing objects is great because it uses all the same muscles as writing and hones visual perception (or something like that).

I even have T.Puzzle in on the action. His fine motor skills will be off the chain when he hits kindergarten, or will they?

Check out how it all went down as my boys attempted to lace a wooden slice of pizza:

[wpvideo w7GeYYHe]

I found it highly entertaining. At that moment I could care less about proper letter formation. All I could do was laugh.

So I did.

children, humor, kids, kindergarten, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Kindergarten: Take Two

20/09/2010 WFAM

Full Speed is embracing his change of class. I hope it continues to go smoothly for him.

[wpvideo fFYGbowu]

I’m trying to let this transition unfold naturally even though my Mommy instinct is screaming for me to micromanage the heck out of it. As soon as I caught wind of his move I wanted to personally escort him to his new class, meet his new teacher (interviewing her at great length of course), set up a detailed and daily email dialogue with her and the principal of the school and actually attend kindergarten with Full Speed at least for the first week (or two)in his new classroom.

Instead, I am taking deep breaths, pretending I am a rational human being and letting the staff of the school handle this change as they see fit.

All I can do is ask Full Speed where his new classroom is (okay, so I asked him like twenty times!) and since he repeatedly gave the same answer and seems to know where he is going, drop the kid off like every other kindergarten morning before us, wave goodbye and say, “Have a great day, Full Speed!”

Now, if only I could somehow manage to jury rig a video surveillance apparatus to his backpack…

children, kids, kindergarten, life in pictures, mommyhood, motherhood, parenting

Changes

18/09/2010 WFAM

I understand there are laws that govern classroom size.

I understand that moving kids three weeks after school starts to a new teacher and classroom is ultimately in the best interest of the school.

But, really, did it have to be my kid?

Does this look like a kid who is happy to be moving to a new room?

I believe that eventually many wonderful things will happen with this transition. Full Speed will learn valuable skills about handling change, he will meet new friends and he will love his new class as much as his old. Maybe even more if we are lucky.

However, when life is teaching us lessons, it would be helpful if there was a nanny on stand-by to intervene at the inevitable angry outbursts of a five-year-old when change is upon us.

Any volunteers?

children, kids, kindergarten, motherhood, parenting

The Big Bird Blues

07/09/2010 WFAM

We had a great holiday weekend. Somehow three days didn’t seem like enough. I guess that’s a good sign that Mad Dog and I actually enjoy our time with our kids.

I don’t know if it was the longer weekend but whatever adjusting I’ve done over Full Speed and his start of kindergarten seemed to go out the window. I was feeling very sad last night as I thought about this morning’s drop-off. He still is doing an awesome job and seems to love all the newness and challenge of it. Good for him, bad for me.

157433060306 — Full Speed when kindergarten seemed lifetimes away.

I’m sure I’ll adjust and by that time he will be moving on to first grade and I will be moving myself towards more emotional binge eating.

As for T.Puzzle his recovery time is winding down. We see the eye doc tomorrow and while playgrounds and tae kwon do will still be off limits, he will most likely return to his preschool this week. During his time at home I learned he no longer likes Sesame Street. This may not seem like a big deal but to us Moms, it means the end of an era. I still have not been able to erase it from our DVR.

Kindergarten and no more Sesame Street, it really is the dawn of a new age.