We're off from school. Know what that means?

So of course in an effort to prove to myself that I could be a preschool teacher I set about the task of teaching Sean how to use a scissor. I put my most kid friendly CD on to set the mood. Gathered both kids and their various scissors (spring loaded for Sean and regular safety scissors for lady M) set everyone up at the table and set to work.

After I got poked in the eye, I realized I am not Jessica (Meredith's most fabulous teacher from NYC) and I needed to start smaller.

First teach him to squeeze his fingers together fist style thumb up. Then teach him to squeeze his fingers together in the scissor. Then hold the paper in one hand, while squeezing his fingers in the scissor onto the paper. Then while holding the paper yourself.



One thing about teaching Sean how to do things is that I take nothing for granted. That's not true. I do take for granted that he seems to learn quickly, but something like scissors brings me right back. LOL

Each activity/task is a process. And when you have a kid whose only true learning issue is coordination, you figure out real quick that you have to teach every single detail in order for him to put it together. Who knew cutting a piece of paper had so many steps?





I'm proud if him. He really caught on. Now with practice he can have some more control. No one wants to lose an eye to spring loaded safety scissors. That's just not a cool story.

Thankful on this Thursday

On this Thursday, I'm most thankful that my children are finally starting to get along. I'm thankful that they're both in relative good health & I'm thankful that Meredith can & wants to teach Sean.

 

 

And while I'm thankful that Sean is really mobile these days, I'm not quite prepared for all the trouble it looks like he's going to be getting into. Poor Brewster has no idea what he's in for when Sean learns how to get himself up on that chair.

My role as teacher

Today at Meredith's school, I great pleasure (insert eye roll here) of speaking with another mom who told me that being a stay at home mom is so easy. She also went on to ask why I didn't have my kids enrolled in more "things", more classes. You know, because all I do is stay at home.

In the course of the same conversation bragging about how much money she spends to make sure he kids get the "best", she told me, again, how she was going to be spending $30k for pre-k for each of her kids because she wanted the best for them. Then she went on & on about how her 4 year old had to interview for the school. Yeah..... that shaking you felt was my jaw hitting the ground from shock.

As I rolled my eyes so far into the back of my head I could see my brain, I started to think about it. Why in the world would anyone spend $30k for a pre-k class? That to me is just insane. I also kindly pointed out that my kids don't need to be enrolled up the ying yang to experience life. I told her that her kids must miss out on a lot by not doing "stuff" and just being kids.

The more I thought about it the more I felt empowered by my knowledge that it doesn't take money to make sure my kids have the best. It takes love and experience to give my kids the best.

My role as their mother is to be their 1st teacher. My role is not to teach them to do great things. My job is expose them to things that make them see how great they already are. And no one needs to pay me $30k to do it! I mean it would be nice to have an extra $30k, but......

So she can spend $30k for pre-k. And she can continue to enroll them in class after class. I'll continue to spend my $2.25 (or whatever the MTA decides to charge) for a train ride & expose my kids to the world!