Our Days

Resumes.  They are hard to make, aren't they?  You know the spot in the resume where you're asked to list the  job duties that you have?  Yeah, that was always the hardest.  I know I'm busy at my job, and I know that I do a lot, what is it that I do, exactly?  I spent 6 years working at the Hospital, and I couldn't tell you what I did.  I was always busy, always working, but what the heck was it that I did?

I was asked by a fellow Momma  for some advice as to what sort of activities she can do with her son ( my future son in law; Sara's future husband), activities that are structured and enriching.  Seems like something I could easily list, but NO, I had to sit and actually think about it.  

I'm very proud of my children, and I'm very proud of the fact that they LOVE to learn.  I'm not a teacher, per say, but I think that as a Mom, you are a teacher of sorts.  Admittedly, I knew nothing about how to teach anyone anything, so the task was (and still is) daunting at times.  But here is what works and has worked for us.

My kids love art.  They love to create things.  They love to use their imagination.  So, I've been known to sit them down with a piece of paper and crayons and ask them to draw a particular subject.  I do the same.  When they are finished, we compare.  I let them explain the 'whats' and the 'whys'.  I praise them and then we continue with another subject.  

I make worksheets.  Letters and number worksheets.  Sometimes its for them to trace, sometimes it's simply to help them with recognition.  I change it up.  A favorite is making alphabet index cards and going through the letters while singing the alphabet.  We've done that for years now, I started when Jack was very young.

We sing.  A lot.  We sing kids songs, nursery rhymes, etc.  We dance, too.  Oh, do we dance.  Our day is usually started with some kind of music.  I actually turn a lot of my "lessons" into a song.  They tend to retain a lot of that info when it's sung.  It also gives them an appreciation for music, which I think is really important.

We count.  We count EVERYTHING.  We notice the colors of everything.  Every day is a lesson.  We don't take it too seriously, it's all about having fun.

Oh, and I let them watch TV. (insert taboo Mommy topic, here)

Dora taught Emma how to talk, and Word World taught Jack his letters.  I will say it to the day I die.  Now, I don't let them sit and stare at the screen blankly, I watch WITH them.  I make it a lesson. I talk to them about what they are watching.  I'll have them repeat things that they hear.  I'll even use it as a teaching tool, referencing a show or a character throughout the day.  The TV, to me, is not a babysitter (except when I'm behind on laundry and need those few minutes to catch up) it's a teaching tool.  I also think character recognition makes learning more fun (say I use a "Blue's Clues themed worksheet, they know and love Blue, so they are more interested) and it makes it easier to concentrate. 

Please remember this is MY OPINION.  MINE.  MY BLOG.  MY OPINION.  MY KIDS.  Okay, just had to get that out.

So, that is that.  I hope this was helpful, Aly.  You really just need to move to NJ so we can have playdates. Just sayin'...

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