Baby Blue Eyes and I began the exciting journey of home-schooling Kindergarten today! Over the past week, I'd been testing his skills with a few computer games and other tools I've used for the other gang members and discovered that he wasn't quite confident enough in his letter or number identification to begin an all-out phonics and math curriculum. So yesterday, while picking up tons of school supplies for the rest of the gang, I allowed him to pick out some "pre-K" level reading readiness and math readiness workbooks. I'm particularly partial to the Fisher Price Little People workbooks - I used them for the three older kids with great success in my pre-K and K curriculum; and I love the lingering sense of innocence and childhood that Little People embodies. We still have a ton of the toys out and almost all of the videos that came with the sets - and occasionally Baby Blue Eyes will sit and watch them when there's a toddler visiting our home.
So anyway, I specifically stocked up on a bunch of pre-K materials to give him opportunities to build his confidence and to work on his "good study skills" from the ground up. We also stocked up on Winnie The Pooh pre-K work books. (I checked, and am happy to report that Tigger makes quite a few appearances in these books - yippee, hooray!) At home, I pulled out a couple books on tape from when LadyBug home-schooled. I set him up today at the kitchen island, with his books and pencils and crayons and turned on some light classical music on behind us. I told him, "This is just our first day, so let's take it slow and get used to working together like this, okay buddy?" With a big grin, he said, "Yeah, SURE, Mommy!" and off we ran! He whipped through 19 pages of matching, patterning, and picking out what didn't belong. He succinctly described exactly why a pear does not belong with a basketball, a golf ball and a tennis ball. He connected dots and worked maze paths and kept smiling and asking for more. Finally, I got interrupted by another mom I'm helping for our school's upcoming Basket Auction. When she left, he was still asking for more. It was so darn cute, I couldn't refuse. So we sat down and made a binder cover for his "Home School Book," complete with his name and a cute puppy picture on the front. He watched me make a couple progress/tracking charts. Then, I had him listen to a story on tape till the rest of the gang got home for snack time.
Finally, he dragged all his stuff back out to show off to Shaggy, Dr. Doolittle and LadyBug. In their own way they all congratulated him on his first day. But I have to say, the most exciting thing he has to report about his first day of school is the treat that Aunt L'il Sis brought him: "A First Day (vanilla) Frosty!" Between the 1 1/2 hours of undivided Mommy time and the creamy, sweet treat from his aunt, Baby Blue Eyes is LIVIN' LARGE in the Gang House :) All in all, a very satisfying day for both of us, wouldn't you say?!
So anyway, I specifically stocked up on a bunch of pre-K materials to give him opportunities to build his confidence and to work on his "good study skills" from the ground up. We also stocked up on Winnie The Pooh pre-K work books. (I checked, and am happy to report that Tigger makes quite a few appearances in these books - yippee, hooray!) At home, I pulled out a couple books on tape from when LadyBug home-schooled. I set him up today at the kitchen island, with his books and pencils and crayons and turned on some light classical music on behind us. I told him, "This is just our first day, so let's take it slow and get used to working together like this, okay buddy?" With a big grin, he said, "Yeah, SURE, Mommy!" and off we ran! He whipped through 19 pages of matching, patterning, and picking out what didn't belong. He succinctly described exactly why a pear does not belong with a basketball, a golf ball and a tennis ball. He connected dots and worked maze paths and kept smiling and asking for more. Finally, I got interrupted by another mom I'm helping for our school's upcoming Basket Auction. When she left, he was still asking for more. It was so darn cute, I couldn't refuse. So we sat down and made a binder cover for his "Home School Book," complete with his name and a cute puppy picture on the front. He watched me make a couple progress/tracking charts. Then, I had him listen to a story on tape till the rest of the gang got home for snack time.
Finally, he dragged all his stuff back out to show off to Shaggy, Dr. Doolittle and LadyBug. In their own way they all congratulated him on his first day. But I have to say, the most exciting thing he has to report about his first day of school is the treat that Aunt L'il Sis brought him: "A First Day (vanilla) Frosty!" Between the 1 1/2 hours of undivided Mommy time and the creamy, sweet treat from his aunt, Baby Blue Eyes is LIVIN' LARGE in the Gang House :) All in all, a very satisfying day for both of us, wouldn't you say?!
4 comments:
Hey, I read where you are doing a basket auction. Could that be Longaberger baskets. I sell Longaberger baskets.
That is awesome! I believe that he is loving the structured time with you, isn't he now?!!!
Enjoy! Ah, who am I kidding, I already know you will enjoy every minute with him!
I'm glad I could make his day even sweeter! happy homeschooling!
Years ago in the Philadelphia Inquirer there were letters that were sent in regarding childhood memories. People who are now in the later stages of their wrote in that while they do not remember what they received for Christmas, or what they gifts they got on their 10th birthday they do remember time spent with their parents. One wrote in saying she will never forget going fishing with her dad, another wrote in that she will always treasure the times when she got to help her mother bake. Kids remember things that we sometimes take for granted. What I say to mom’s is this……….put down the vacuum, the laundry can wait until tomorrow…………but today sit down with your child and talk to them, take them fishing, throw them a ball, show them how to make the family secret recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Children are just young adults…….they really are people with interests, hopes, dreams, ideas and the list goes on. Take your child on an adventure….even if you don’t leave the house.
T….I am sure your little one is soaking all this time in and will remember this for the rest of his life. He is a lucky little man to have a mom that loves his so. What a great way to spend your first year of school!
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