I knew having a strict routine would really help me feel better with the "blues" I've been feeling and my lack of energy. So, early on I made a school chart for Emma and I to follow. The chart includes reading a story, letters and sounds, animal sounds, ABC's, shapes, activity, dot to dot, counting, read or watch something educational, vowels, Bible time, music and science. The last memories I had of myself being in school as a young kid were starting school at 0900, working until 1200, lunch break, back to school at 1:15 and I was done when my work assignments were complete for the day. I really thought Emma's schedule would go basically the same.
I was very energetic and enthusiastic Monday morning of our first day of school. I felt prepared. My chart was hung on the wall, stickers were organized in my roll away table with easy access to Emma's little fingers. School subjects were placed in separate organized piles and placed neatly in a tub on top of the roll away table. Educational kids books were in the drawers of the table that Emma could get to when it was time. I rolled the table up to the bar and Emma and I sat down for our first subject: Read a story.
I decided we could read through Aesop's fables because they teach good morals. But the book did not have pictures and I think Emma was too young to care why the dog wasn't letting the ox eat it's hay. I tried not to get discouraged as the first subject was not going over well. I decided to move onto a different subject and the next story would have pictures and be more interesting for her. Next was letter and sounds. This was better because I already had flash cards that Kim had sent me. And, boy, were they helpful! We did letters A-E. I felt like Emma cared more about the picture on the flash card than what sound the letter was making but I tried not to let that discourage me either. I knew from previous experiences that Emma listens even when you think she's not and especially when you wish she wasn't (ha ha) so I knew what I was saying was sinking in somewhere to be used at a later time when her brain thought it was necessary.
Emma was starting to get antsy so I decided it was time to move on to animal sounds. Mom had given us some "sounds animals make" flash cards so that was very helpful and fun for Emma. We were only 3 subjects in and Emma was having fun but she was not acting like she wanted to do anymore. I could tell she wanted to get down. I tried to get her settled down for her ABC's, but I was starting to get stressed from her wanting to play and goof off rather than listen to what I was saying. I finally realized I could not expect her to sit down for several hours. I asked her if she wanted to take a break. She said no, but after I explained what taking a break meant she said yes.
She helped me make dinner which I felt was just as educational. After preparing dinner Emma wanted to put more stickers on her chart. She gets to put a sticker next to each subject that she completes. I told her she had to do more school before she could have more stickers. So, that encouraged her to sit back down for 30 more minutes. We worked on shapes, counting and reading an educational book. We read about what to do when you're scared of the dark. Emma loves completing a subject and getting star stickers, courtesy of Jammy, for her completion.
The next day I woke with a head ache so school did not go according to plan at all. I had to understand that I can not always stay on schedule. I'm mostly excited because Emma loves learning at this age. I'm also excited to learn with her. Of course, I already know these easy subjects but as she gets into the harder stuff it will be fun for me to learn again with her.
The taking a break part made me lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually impressed with how much you were able to do with her just in one day. Keep it up tiffers, sounds like alot of fun :)
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