Comments on: The Mother I Wish I Was http://iamthemama.com/2010/01/28/the-mother-i-wish-i-was/ Crazy life of a mom to 3, Realtor's wife, and nursing student. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:21:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: J http://iamthemama.com/2010/01/28/the-mother-i-wish-i-was/comment-page-1/#comment-1110 J Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:06:26 +0000 http://iamthemama.com/?p=1048#comment-1110 My daughter will be four in April and has known her letters and numbers for at least two years. Try putting the focus on repetition and NOT on \"teaching\" him. It\'s a lot easier to pull out an alphabet book with letters (and pictures that go with each letter) and read or look at it often. I knew that my daughter recognized her letter the day that we were in the check out at Walmart and she spelled out the word restrooms! I have struggled with teaching her to write her name for over a year and she wrote it a few weeks ago completely on her own without me prompting her to do it. It is ALL about repetition. If you start by setting time aside each day (breakfast or snack works well because they are already sitting down) to talk about the weather, day, month and maybe a particular letter and words that start with that letter you will probably see results very quickly. My daughter will be four in April and has known her letters and numbers for at least two years. Try putting the focus on repetition and NOT on \”teaching\” him. It\’s a lot easier to pull out an alphabet book with letters (and pictures that go with each letter) and read or look at it often. I knew that my daughter recognized her letter the day that we were in the check out at Walmart and she spelled out the word restrooms! I have struggled with teaching her to write her name for over a year and she wrote it a few weeks ago completely on her own without me prompting her to do it. It is ALL about repetition.
If you start by setting time aside each day (breakfast or snack works well because they are already sitting down) to talk about the weather, day, month and maybe a particular letter and words that start with that letter you will probably see results very quickly.

]]> By: Sarah Ivy http://iamthemama.com/2010/01/28/the-mother-i-wish-i-was/comment-page-1/#comment-1109 Sarah Ivy Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:30:03 +0000 http://iamthemama.com/?p=1048#comment-1109 Um, you are doing MORE than an OK job Melissa. You love your kids and are way more dedicated to them than most parents. Public, home or otherwise, your kids have you and Donnie and that's what they need most.......parents who love and cherish them! Hopefully these words will provide a little encouragement for what is hopefully a passing thought and not how you will choose to view yourself for too long. Many days I feel like I'm barely hanging on and though I'm home still feel like I don't give my kids enough of me. But the truth is we're all doing the best we can and just look at the product? Healthy, well adjusted, beautiful kids who love their parents. The end :). Um, you are doing MORE than an OK job Melissa. You love your kids and are way more dedicated to them than most parents. Public, home or otherwise, your kids have you and Donnie and that’s what they need most…….parents who love and cherish them! Hopefully these words will provide a little encouragement for what is hopefully a passing thought and not how you will choose to view yourself for too long. Many days I feel like I’m barely hanging on and though I’m home still feel like I don’t give my kids enough of me. But the truth is we’re all doing the best we can and just look at the product? Healthy, well adjusted, beautiful kids who love their parents. The end :) .

]]> By: Kelly http://iamthemama.com/2010/01/28/the-mother-i-wish-i-was/comment-page-1/#comment-1108 Kelly Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:46:41 +0000 http://iamthemama.com/?p=1048#comment-1108 I think he'll probably be okay. Today's kindergarten classrooms are adept at taking the unschooled child and turning them into reading and writing machines. (That sounds worse than it is.) Also, he's on the young side. I've found that 4-5 is the age when my boy blossomed academically. Every child is different, but he was too immature to be a "pupil" until that age. Also, his birthday is in Dec so he started school a year later than most in his age group, which helped tremendously. All this to say -- you're doing fine. The only way to muck up a kid is to not love him. You love him and you do the best you can, and that's enough. I think he’ll probably be okay. Today’s kindergarten classrooms are adept at taking the unschooled child and turning them into reading and writing machines. (That sounds worse than it is.) Also, he’s on the young side. I’ve found that 4-5 is the age when my boy blossomed academically. Every child is different, but he was too immature to be a “pupil” until that age. Also, his birthday is in Dec so he started school a year later than most in his age group, which helped tremendously.

All this to say — you’re doing fine. The only way to muck up a kid is to not love him. You love him and you do the best you can, and that’s enough.

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