So while the adoption is moving along, there’s always life moving right along with it.

Today was parent-teacher conference day for both Gab & Pierce.

We went to Pierce’s teacher first…I wasn’t sure what to expect. Anyone that knows him knows he’s either fire or ice, black or white, angelic or…well…not so much  😉

I was pleasantly surprised that his teacher said he’s doing very well. He listens well, pays attention, raises his hand, asks for help when he genuinely needs it, is kind to others, shares well, etc. I loved hearing that!! I know he’s smart and he loves to learn. But to hear it from the teacher is amazing. She was surprised he’s never gone to school/daycare/pre-K of any kind.  I had to laugh a bit and really wanted to say, “Yeah, well, there’s other ways to teach a kid…like the mom teaches the kid!”

So the boy earned a donut.

Then we went to Gab’s school…the middle and high schools do conferences differently than the elementary. They just do a walk-in-whenever thing. We wandered around and talked to a few teachers, and I’m proud to say, I was bored slightly. Why?? They said the same thing…”She’s got an A, doing great, pays attention, does her work, studies seriously, etc…”

So it was a great day! I hope they’re as proud of themselves as I am of them.

First off, thanks for your well wishes for my burn. TMI, but it’s scabbing over..not real pretty. And I am absolutely not doing hot wax again!

My parents left WY yesterday, so they should be here tomorrow. My dd has outdoor school next week and the school asked for parent volunteers to be chaperons for the kids. I didn’t think it would be good to leave the baby for 4 days and 3 nights so I asked my mom if she would want to go with dd. She was excited for the opportunity and is now on her way! (I didn’t wait ’till last minute…I talked to her in May when I learned about this.)

Dd is very excited. Instead of classrooms and regular lessons, the kids (just 5th grade) go to a camp and study the outdoors, like botany and zoology. They also have summer-campish activities, like canoeing and archery. It’s a great opportunity and I’m thrilled she gets to go. Our county hasn’t done this in 20 years and only 2 of the 6 elementary schools in the area got chosen to go. She just happened to be in the right grade, the right school, the right year! Couldn’t have been luckier.

Meanwhile, my dad will be hangin’ with me and the boys while they’re gone. I’m sure the 4 of us will get in some kind of trouble.  😀

I was reading a great blog today that had a post that sounded so familiar!

I don’t know a mom who, at the beginning of the school year, vows to do it all. We want to be friends with all the other moms, we want to make sure the kids have everything they need before they need it, and we have to do this effortlessly (or at least, to make it seem that way to everyone around us). And, the more kids you have, the higher the stakes.

Eventually we get burnt out. We fry our brains. Sometimes there’s not much left to fry, but it happens anyway. Do you know how the moms that seem sane keep it together? They say no.  “I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make the meeting this week. Hopefully I’ll catch the next one!”

This sounds so simple, but so hard to do. We feel if we say no, we might be failing someone or something. We’re not living up to “society’s” expectations. (And you remember who “society” is…read “I am They.”) We also don’t want to fail ourselves. BUT, isn’t it better to set reasonable goals than to let ourselves fall? I definitely think so. Sanity is priceless! 🙂

Summers go by entirely too fast in our house.

Gab’s starting to settle into her classroom and new teacher. She’s excited for this new year; she got the teacher she wanted and it’s her last year of elementary! There were a couple girls she got catty with last year, but she’s happy they’re in the other class…makes both our lives easier!  She’s still planning to be in band, AEP (academic enrichment program–an advanced group), and soccer. Another busy year!

Two more years and it’ll be the Pierce’s turn! 🙁

She went outside yesterday to get on the bus and Cooper (dog) was already out. He watched her like a hawk, pacing the yard, squeaking and barking a little. We have never seen this side of him, so it was very interesting. When the bus picked her up, he freaked! He was squealing, squeaking, barking, then ran to the door. I let him in and he kept it up for awhile. It was obvious he was trying to say, “She’s gone! Come out!” So while he may not be a foaming-at-the-mouth-bite-your-head-off guard dog, he certainly keeps an eye on the kids.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to this new year…we’ve got some great things planned!

Pierce will be 3 next week and I hear people around me talking about preschool already. Why? What’s the rush? Why do parents feel the need to get the child out of the home and into school at 3 years old? Isn’t home supposed to be the ultimate learning zone? Are parents just anxious to push the child to get ahead by putting him in school earlier? The child should be learning everything at home that they would at a preschool.

I’ve heard the “she/he needs the social learning” excuse. Maybe some kids do. But, in general, they should be learning how to share toys, take turns, talk nicely, sit still, etc., from their parents. Then it’s simply second nature.

I’ve also heard “it’s structure that my child needs from a classroom”. HUH? Teaching structure starts at birth. It’s called a schedule. A child wakes up, eats breakfast, maybe watches a favorite show (besides Spongebob), plays with mom or dad, then it’s snacktime then naptime. Nap’s over; lunch, clean-up if the room/house needs it, outside play, inside crafts/learning, then dinner. Dinner’s over, then play with family, and bedtime routine. Each of my older kids has thrived on these types of schedules and can predict how their own day will go. Routine and structure provide security and stability, and therefore, a happy and independent child.

“What about learning numbers, shapes, colors, math, and alphabet?” Well, as a parent, we should know all these things; we pass them on to our children. Pierce knows his alphabet, his colors, can count to 15, backwards from 5, up to 10 in Spanish, his shapes and a few other words in Spanish and Chinese. He also knows how to clean his room by himself. He didn’t learn on his own. As a family, we’ve taught him these things.  We’re in the process of teaching him math.

I’m not bragging; I’m proving a point. That’s why he won’t be going to school until Kindergarten and maybe not even then.  Paul and I have toyed with the idea of homeschooling for a couple years. I believe that it very much depends on the child’s readiness to sit and focus. Typically it’s later in boys than girls. And there’s pros and cons to it as well as many “if..” scenarios. If I, as a parent, am determined to do it. If the schools don’t pass my inspection. If my child doesn’t drive me crazy! 😛

I don’t think homeschooling is for everyone, just like preschool isn’t for everyone. Each is an alternative. I don’t think someone is a bad parent for putting their child in preschool. I do know, though, that I’m going to keep my little kids at home and little for as long as possible.