“Mommy, how does that baby get out of your belly?”
“Um… the doctor does it.”
“But how?”
“Um.. I push the baby out and the doctor helps me.”
“Oh! Okay. Neat.”
**************************
This morning we are off to the girls’ school for parent-teacher conferences. I always get really nervous before stuff like this. Performance anxiety or something, I guess. I hope it goes well – its always fascinating to hear about what your kids are like when you are not around.
I’m a little concerned about Grace, who doesn’t seem to know her letters very well and cannot write her name at all. (Ellie could at this age. And, yes, I know I’m not supposed to compare them.) She’s so stinking independent too – she won’t let me help her and she won’t trace her name because she wants to do it all by herself. So I’m not sure how I can teach her. Maybe her teacher has some ideas.
Speaking on schooling, we’re sending Ellie to public school next year. And if one more person looks surprised and says something like, “Wow! Really? You’re going to give that a try?” I may have to hit them. We are in one of the best school districts in the entire freaking country. (Seriously!) I hardly think we are risking her future by not homeschooling or sending her to the private school down the street that costs $15,000 a year.
Sheesh.
About Melissa
what about sand? hear me out on this one. get a small rubbermaid container & put some sand in it. have gracie practice her letters in that. might just be crazy enough to work. obviously she’ll be using her fingers, and not a pencil, but she’ll (hopefully) start to recognize the letters. i also had a friend who did this with whipped cream (or shaving cream). and yes i know i have just suggested things that have the potential to make a huge mess, but it just might make it fun enough for her to want to give it a try. just promise me if you do it, you’ll take pictures!
my dear, the truly dreaded question is how that baby got IN THERE!!!!!! gracie will be fine – her intelligence is not confined to linguistics or mathematics, which is the traditional approach. rather, she has a highly developed sense of giving and loving and she is also very performance driven. when her time comes, she will be ready. not a minute before. i really like the sand idea. i’ve also heard this done with large blocks or small pebbles as well. i think this suits her style. love you!
YAY PUBLIC SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!! Good choice mel:o)
Oh, how the baby got in there was easy – they don’t even ask that. God made the baby. Duh
Being homeschooled for my education I always got the same question if I was going to homeschool my own kids. honestly, I never considered it and now that I am a teacher I kind of look at it that I can always teach my own, but the 22 I get each year don’t have the luxury. As long as you there supporting them, instilling your values, and staying in touch they will be fine. Parent involvement is a huge indicator of a child’s success both socially and academically!
hey, after baby #3 is born, will you still be girlymamma?!?!?
We all turned out alright and we went to public school. Actually I turned out much better than some of the people I know that went to private school. And I dress better. All those years of practice because I didn’t have to wear a uniform. Your girls will thank you.
Love your blog girlymama. Over the years, we have wrestled with many issues regarding our own kids’ education. I am recommending link to a book which, aside from touting a particular educational approach, makes some interesting observations on how young children learn. http://www.montessori-science.org/Montessori-Genius/Lillard_Montessori_Science_Genius_Ch1.pdf
I wholeheartedly support public schools. They’re a fundamental of democracy. Duh.
You made a great decision… I have actually had students whose parents pulled them out of private/parochial schools to send them back to public schools… it goes on a case-by-case basis, but if you live in one of the best public districts then BY ALL MEANS send them there.
For the record, I can say that my private school friends in high school had a lot more sex (and KINDS of sex) and did a lot more drugs (and KINDS of drugs) than those of us in public schools.
My parents chose not to send us to parochial schools for the same reason you are sending your girls to them; this was really unusual bc we are the only people in four generations of my family to attend public schools.
Enough rambling, time for bed.