SKILLS: Sharing Imaginary Friends

      One day while cleaning I heard strange voices in the kitchen. Upon further investigation, I saw that Aubree had drawn faces on each of her fingers. Raulee was wiggling each of Aubree's fingers around pretending they were different people using all sorts of crazy voices. Aubree's role was simply to stand there and watch the puppet show. She was seriously entertained. And so was I.

SKILLS: Making a Canine Recliner

Our new dog is the chillest dog in existence. Even when the girls are screaming and jumping around she just quietly looks around. I found Raulee watching tv with her the other day.

After doing some more cleaning I found them like this:

I swear this dog could win awards.

SKILLS: Illustration Laceration

A few days ago, Aubree excitedly ran in the house to show me how she could write her name.

On her skin.

???????

      I haven't read much about four year olds and self inflicted wounds so I wasn't sure what to think.  I congratulated her on spelling her name and let her go back outside.  I guess I should've realized she would naturally want to share her newfound skills with her sister.

     Raulee's tattoo session was cut short and the dagger-like weed was then confiscated.

Fostering Creativity

     There are literally endless possibilities when you are attempting to foster your child's creativity. Some only see messy paint projects (and the hours of cleaning up that would follow) as creative. Or perhaps you've never been accused of being "crafty." Or perhaps you're just busy and can't see yourself finding time to drag out art supplies, undertake a massive art project, and scrub the dining room floor afterwards. In these instances, I urge you to talk to your child. And listen to them. Genious, right?
     Of course everyone talks to their child. And everyone listens to their three years old's ten minute soliloquy about the bug he just squished. Or you at least nod your head and say, "uh huuuh," a few times. I'm referring to the kind of talking that puts your child in a position to think. Use your imagination to help them develop their own. While it is true children are very imaginitive already, it is important to train them to think about their surroundings in every way possible. Train them to challenge ideas. An effective way to do this is simply to ask questions.

     For example, allow your child to help you with the dishes. Make sure you have them wash their hands first--stray boogers and bug legs are unwelcome in this activity. Catergorizing silverware is a great precursor for math. The same goes for laundry. Have them sort by color or size or item (pants, shirts, socks, etc). This is a game for them. In this example, I would begin by pointing out where each item should go. Then they're free to go. Of course, some knives will be in the spoon slot and some forks will be dropped, but she's learning. They will make mistakes. They will roll all over your laundry that was just neatly folded. (one of Raulee's favorites) Evaluate whether or not you can stand to have your clothes a little wrinkly when they're placed in the drawer.

      Now you're busy with the bigger dishes and she's feeling important since you assigned her a task. The only thing left to do is talk. One question I may begin with is: "Is silverware really silver?" The point is to get her thinking. "What would happen if we didn't have any silverware?" "Why are some spoons bigger than others?" "Could we use silverware that was made out of noodles?" "Why not?" In the picture above, Raulee is holding a melon spoon. This could lead to a discussion about which fruits we use utensils to eat. You can lead the discussion or let them lead. See where it takes you. Sometimes we will become so engrossed in a conversation that it leads us to the computer to look up pictures or learn more about whatever we're talking about. Don't make it a lecture. Make it fun. If they see that you are interested in learning they will also value learning.

     I must also point out that you will not feel like doing this every second of every day. Silence is, at times, really golden. One or two good ten minute conversations a day will have you teaching your child things you forgot you knew and, more importantly, open your child's eyes to the possibilities surrounding them.

      Something to think about: What is a household chore that could (safely) involve your children?

   

Motherhood

A stay-at-home mother in an unstable marriage.

A working mother in an unstable marriage.

A physically disabled mother.

A single mother with a full time job.

A stay-at-home mother in a stable marriage.

A working mother in a stable marriage.

      At some point in the last four years I have played all of these roles. Scary, really. I have had to rely on very different aspects of my personality through each of these stages. Being disabled for a period of about nine months and being a single parent involved a lot of letting go. They involved allowing other people to care for my children and longing to be able to do more. Participating in an unstable marriage involved a lot of pretending. And grief.
      You probably don't need too many guesses to find which role I enjoy the most. I'm currently blessed to be able to stay at home full time with my children. It is not something I take for granted given my past. It is something that causes me to randomly cry tears of joy and appreciation, particularly when I hear the struggles of my friends and family trying to balance children and workloads.
      My own mother divorced when I was twelve. At that time my brother was eleven, and my sisters were eight and five. She had a full time job (or two) until I left the house. She never remarried. Money was scarce. Life was hard. Although we didn't have the clothes or the haircuts that other people did, we did have eachother. Although we didn't have food, electricity, or running water at times, we did have eachother. Although she was not at home a lot, she did what she could. And that is why I am the way I am. I have the utmost level of respect for my mother because she saw what she had to do and she did it.
      The constant in each of the above mentioned scenarios is that I wanted the best for my children while struggling through all of them. And, yes, I am implying that a stay-at-home mother in a wonderful marriage can have struggles, too. Everyone does.
      The most amazing thing about parenting is seeing the world around you through a child's lens. It allows you to forget your past and enjoy your present. It's refreshing. And it's a lot of fun.


      Something to think about: Has your mother played a role in your parenting? Have you allowed this to affect you negatively? Positively?

And Away We Go

Who should read this post?

Homeschooling Mothers

Mothers with young children

Mothers with 'old' children.

Mothers. Period. I can learn from you no matter how long ago you were changing diapers.

Wives.

Anyone who has ever cleaned a house.

Anyone who has ever cooked a meal.

       Thanks to some positive encouragement, I have decided to blog again. My plans are to continue posts about the girls and their bizarre behavior, and also to expand into some other topics I'm interested in. One of the big ones will be homeschooling, as I have decided to start Aubree in Kindergarten in August. Juggling housework, a homeschooling Kindergartener, a homeschooling preschooler, a new dog, and a new husband should provide plenty to talk (vent?) about.

       In the beginning, I will be sharing a few activities we have done (or are doing) to encourage other mothers with young children to take advantage of teachable moments. Children learn best in an open, loving enviroment and who could possibly be better at providing that than their open, loving parents? As things progress, I would like to post questions I have about homeschooling, parenting, and life in general. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated.

      And let's just get this out there: I have been accused of being a nerd. More than once. I love to read. I have been reading about parenting and homeschooling since before my oldest was even thinking of being conceived. This by no means makes me an expert, but it does, in my opinion, make me informed. However, no matter how many volumes of books I read I believe I will never quite be informed enough. I like to learn new ways of doing things. Always. I am dedicating time to this blog in hopes that I will learn some tiny bit of information from one of you that will help me improve my life. Whether that be a homeschool organization technique or a way to never have to dust again (please!), I will enjoy learning from all of you.

      And just in case you have forgotten what they look like....

My girls.

My inspiration.

Aubree Age 4

Raulee Age 3