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ABCJLM week 5

This week was Week 5 using preschool curriculum from ABC Jesus Loves Me. The material is still wonderful...but this week felt like a complete disaster! There's nothing that makes me want to hold up my white flag faster than a preschooler who let's her stubbornness get the best of her.


But then, my stubbornness kicks into high gear before I can raise that flag. "Yes, this is homeschool," I think, "but I still expect things to go smoothly." So, I push through my lesson plans with renewed vigor.


This effort isn't met by pleasant excitement. Nope, it's met by a lip stuck out so far you could tap dance on it.


"I just want to play, Mommy," G says. "Fine," I say...while inside I'm fuming over the time I put into lesson planning...


And then the doubts assail...Maybe I should just quit. Is it too late to enroll G in preschool? Who am I to think I could succeed at this?


So Day 1 ended. G went to play. I went upstairs to calm my spirit (and to get J out of her crib. She has added another *interesting* element to our homeschooling...but that's another story.)


I vowed Day 2 would be better. We did get off to a better start. But soon, out came the pouty face. Immediately I went on the defensive. "This is no different than going to school," I say. "You'd have to learn to follow directions if you had another teacher. You have to do the same here." Checkmate.


HA! G was dead-set on her argument that she wanted to use animal stickers on the letter B, rather than balls. "Nope. We used animals for A. We are using balls for B." Pouty lip. Here we go again. Again I went upstairs to re-group. She followed me a few minutes later.


We sat on the floor in the bathroom. I asked her why she didn't want to do school. She said she wanted to use the animal stickers. That's what this whole thing is about. She wants to do her own thing. She has her own ideas. And that's fine. I want her to be creative...but, she also needs to follow instruction. And I need to decide how flexible I want to be...do I continue with formality, or do I resort to being really loose in my efforts?


Oh Lord, give me strength...courage...wisdom...patience...did I mention strength!


Despite our problem areas, we did accomplish a few things this week...


We played with blocks...blocks start with...B:

Gracelyn is learning to take pictures...she took this one of her house.

We learned about Noah's Ark:

The rainy weather was perfect for Noah's Ark.


And we made a Fruit Loop Rainbow:

Gracelyn did more snitching than anything...but we had fun :)

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Comments

  1. I have felt the same way when we're doing workbooks or some other more school-ish activity, and Sydney wants to do it her own way. I struggle with letting her have freedom vs. teaching her to follow instructions. My preference would be for her to always follow instruction, ha! But I know there's a need to allow creativity also. Anyway, it looks like you are doing a wonderful job, and I know how you feel with the stubborn girly. I'm guessing Gracelyn will only have fond memories of these times no matter how you feel!

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  2. It looks like you're doing a fantastic job! We did the same lesson this week. Your rainbows look great. My kids ate more glue and cereal than ended up on the rainbows. :)

    With the battle of the wills thing, I *try* to only engage in the ones that matter, although I'm pretty stubborn too, so it still sometimes ends badly. It's easier said than done. Perhaps just saying "great idea!" and talk about animals that start with the letter B while you're putting those very much non-B stickers on the poster. :) Or perhaps do balls and animals.

    Hang in there! It's worth it and you CAN do it! :) Some days the best thing to do is move on and try again later.

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