I try to capture some of what we do during our days. But lately I try to not take out the camera as much. Just be. Just allow us to read or eat or talk about/play with letters without distraction. I have been taking a bit of a break from intensely sharing here because I want my kids to always be number one.
I have felt a bit worn, to be honest. I want to be excited and grateful for my time home with them. And that has required slowing down. This is good, it is right. We still paint together and sit at least once or twice a week, working on a specific letter or number. We also gather each morning to read our Bible Story and do an activity or role play something that we read. We love this time.
We are living more in the moment — letting the time come for learning. Bringing out paper to write just one letter if John is asking. Reading about trains all day and making railroad tracks through the house and creating elaborate stories about the cow pushers and tunnel builders.
Just these gracious kiddos and their sometimes too-tired mama. Our days together are played in, the children are loving on each other more, wrestling more, fighting less, May is getting stronger as she grows. This is such a welcome turn because I don’t have to be a hound dog on top of every move. They love to play independently and together quite often. It is a joy to witness. And not push anything that may seem “artificial”. I set up little learning invitations and areas based on interests, but I’m trying not to push.
One thing I am working with John on is giving him work to do. He WANTS to do chores. Especially if I express it may be “too heavy” or “too hard” to do :)
John learned to sew! His precious Hippo had holes in his legs and he asked me to repair him. Then, as I got my little sewing box out, I asked him if he wanted to do it himself. He was ecstatic and more than up to the challenge. When he has a task in front of him, he can concentrate and stay focused for as long as it takes to complete it.
We worked on some of our Preschool Notebook Pages…. Here is O for Orange!
And more sewing…. here is John creating a small blanket for his Hippo. He got bored of this after about 10 minutes, but we will pull it out again in the future.
John and May both enjoyed painting with watercolors this week….
Imagine my excitement when I saw this creation in John’s room. He got markers out and actually drew on the large paper that I had set out for him! A first! I believe that he drew a town and those are cars in a parking lot. The other various tubes and rocks are part of a car workshop.
More drawing creations. So proud to have this recorded…. Kind of look like cells or microbes or amoebas…..
Here is John poking a simple letter sheet with a pin. This activity is not for younger children. I feel comfortable enough that John will not “mouth” this — but you have to know your child!! I am not advocating for this activity with a small push pin (all we have). I know that some places may sell a large pen-type push pin, which I would recommend if you are trying this activity :) Anyways, all that aside, John was SO EXCITED to do this!! He did Ll and then Mm!! So proud of his little fine motor and concentration skills!! He then destroyed the paper a la the egg cartons for Tot School Letter H — what can I say, that’s my boy ;)
We had snow just a couple weeks ago — here is some of the last of it!! I combined some snow with a tray of blue-colored water and our Arctic cloud dough sensory bin. May loved exploring on her own…. as John usually doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. I like that she can have these sensory experiences uninhibited by his influence or disturbance :)
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