We are officially starting our Kindergarten year tomorrow. Lovebug is so excited that she begged me to give her school work to do today! In preparation for this day, I’ve spent the last couple months trying to get Little Bear on a decent schedule so that I could plan our days better. Homeschooling, errands, therapy sessions for both kids, church choir, field trips, play dates….how do I work it all in? My plan was to get Little Bear to nap at regular times each day so that I could focus on homeschool during the morning nap, and other activities with Lovebug during his afternoon nap.
He doesn’t seem to get it. Or he gets it so much more than I can imagine and is having fun with me. Normally, he is such a sweet, happy boy, but this midmorning time is a bear. He doesn’t want to play on the floor, not in the jumperoo, not in his bouncy, not in the highchair, not with a goat, not on a boat, not with a fox, not in a box. Sam I am! He doesn’t even want to be held! I’m all for babywearing, and have a Beco Butterfly that I adore, but that he only really wants to be in when we are out and about. I’ll be honest, I’ve had days where the sound of his crying has sent me fleeing outside to the patio, iced tea in hand, for some fresh air, peace & quiet, and a caffeine boost.
I’m learning though, and I’m catching on to some of his preferences that I will try this week. I’ll let you know how it goes.
My point is, I don’t know how this week is going to go yet. I know what it was like to homeschool last year when I had one in Pre-K, and 2 toddlers. Honestly, the toddlers were easy to entertain. Give them a snack and some stickers and they are good to go for a while. Post it notes are cheap entertainment and easy to clean up! There is no negotiating or conversing with a baby, though. He doesn’t understand “if you’ll sit here and play with your ducky for 5 minutes, I’ll come read you a book next”. He’s too young to be enticed with a tray full of Cheerios or pudding finger paint. Actually, I’m sure he’d be enticed by those, but I’m not I’m not ready to give them to him just yet.
I’ll be honest…lately I’ve been dreading this because I know how easily she gets distracted, and I worried that the constant caring for the baby while trying to teach her would just be too much for both of us to handle. However, a couple things lately have changed my perspective on that for the better. I realize that it will be a good experience for her. Sure, we may not always get every academic done in a day, but she is learning invaluable lessons about patience, helping others, putting others first, being a mommy, responsibilities, organization, and flexibility. I couldn’t pay for this kind of education.
So, we’re going to be flexible. If we need to strap Little Bear in the stroller and walk to the park so that the fresh air makes him sleepy and do Lovebug’s storytime there, so be it. If we need to get in the car and drive till he’s asleep and then do math in the car, we will. I already use one trick…I have her read her read-alouds to the baby. He’s happy because he’s mesmerized by her, and she’s happy to do it because for some reason she doesn’t worry about reading a word wrong when she’s reading to him. 2 birds. 1 stone. Done.
I’ll be back after the week is through to let you know how it went.
