Last year marked Maddie and I’s first year homeschooling. This year is our second year and at four years old she is technically read for kindergarten. While we could jump in with both feet with kindergarten we, Mark and I, are going to do what she is ready for. One of these moments came in the bathtub while she was playing with her bathtub crayons. While Mark was getting the twins ready for bed after their bath, I went in to wash Maddie’s hair. She had written a M and A on the bathtub wall, but beside it she had written cat. She said; “look mommy I can read”. What she didn’t realize is not only could she read, she was beginning to know how to write on her own! After her bath she got ready for bed and while she was doing that I got out to Bob books, which is a series of beginner reading books. She read two of them on her own with only a little help from me on a word we have not gone over yet.
Maddie is so excited to be one step closer to reading on her own.
There was a lesson learned in this for me. To watch and to beaware of what Maddie is ready to learn and to move on it. I can attempt to force her to learn but unless she is emotionally and mentally ready, there’s not anything I can do to push her to be ready. All I will end up doing is scarring her and defeating her potential to love learning. After all it is much more pleasant for us to accomplish something or strive for something if we love doing it. I want Maddie and the twins to have a love for learning but shoving something they are struggling to grasp in their face doesn’t help. So with the help of the Holy Spirit I am going to wait, watch, introduce concepts, then wait for the light bulbs to go on and then build upon the light bulb moments.
I am so thankful that I have a source higher than myself or anyone else to go to when my kids are struggling with anything weather it be math, science, emotions, friends, or just life. Praise the Lord there is one higher than ourselves!