I had Nathan signed up for preschool this year, but the $50/month chunk of change wasn't sounding so good to me, so I called and cancelled and decided I can teach him some things at home. Well, I think that preschool would really do both of us some good - him for the learning, me for the sanity - but it's really hard to justify spending that much money just so I can send him off.
Anyway . . . I told Nathan I was going to teach him preschool from home this year. He was pretty excited. I planned on starting doing extra things with him after Labor Day. So, yesterday he came upstairs with Samantha's old backpack on his back and said with a big grin, "OK Mom! I'm ready for school!" I knew he was pretending that he was going to school, but he just looked so cute and excited and I decided to play along.
I told him that he would be going to pretend school in just a minute. I got a few things out of the cupboard for him and started talking to him in my "school teacher voice". In a very orderly fashion I told him to find a hook to hang his backpack on, sit quietly at the table with his arms folded, and then wait for the rest of the class so we could get started. He went and hung his backpack on the pantry doorknob and very quietly sat down at the table with his arms folded! I've never seen this side of Nathan! It was so cute!!!
We continued playing teacher and student. I got him to write his name (which he was SUPER excited about) and then I got out the paints and let him try painting a little. He was very respectful and obedient the whole time. At the end of "school" I told the "class" that I would call their tables to get their backpacks and sit back down. His table was the green table. I called a bunch of different colored tables to get their backpacks. When I said, "OK . . . now green table go and get your backpacks" he hurried over to where it was hanging, put it on, and sat in his seat. Then I had him line up behind me with his backpack on and we walked to the front door like he was headed out to meet his parents. Then I went in the house and left him outside.
When he came in the house to be home from school, I was back to being his mother. I asked him how school was and what he did at school and he sat and told me ALL about it. Then he said with a quirky giggle, "Mom, it's funny. My teacher looked just like you. And she had the same clothes as you."
I guess if this works to get him excited about school, then we will be doing this a couple of times a week!
10 comments:
I love that. ha ha...he is funny to say that his teacher looked just like you!
Let me know what days you're teaching and I'll send my kids over. It's not a true experience until there are a few extra kids to fight with!
Good job to Nathan. He's really ready to be a student!
That's soooo fun! Glad you played along...life's too short not to, right?!?!
That is really cute. I want to do that with my kids! If you ever need some ideas or fun stuff to use for your lessons, let me know. I have a basement full of teacher stuff! PS. Thanks for the breast pump advice.
That's darling! Although I was thinking $50 for preschool sounds pretty good...the cheapest I found here was $97/month (for 3 days/week). We opted for the one run by the school district, which is every day, for $100/month. We were hoping it would be free (long story), but no such luck.
Hope you both enjoy "school"! Maybe you could find another mom with a child the same age and trade doing school sometimes. Just a thought.
That's cute he was so excited and obedient. It's fun to see your own kids get so excited for something like that. I hope it continues like that for you. That will be so good for him.
I'm doing a preschool co-op with some other mothers for Lahela and their kids this year. We take turns teaching once a week (which was all I wanted for a three-year old). It will be fun.
Hey Renee, there are a couple other mothers and I doing the co-op thing once a week. You are welcome to join us, if you want. Just let me know. Right now we have 4 kids, two of them are mine. We just live down the street.
That is really cute, though. There is nothing better than a mother sitting down with her children and working with them.
I'm so jealous. I used to do some preschool stuff when I did daycare and it was very hectic, but I miss it. I especially miss having a preschooler. I'm glad you are enjoying your time with your kids. They grow too fast. Oh, by the way Jedd and Stockton were both Preschool drop outs because they wanted to stay home with mom and they are both doing great in school! I'm sure Nathan will do better than ever by having his mom be his teacher.
That's very sweet. None of our kids did preschool. Part of it was the money, but the bigger part of it was that I was never ready to send my 3 year old away from me. I always felt like they would have plenty of time to be "at school" later. I was right. They all do extremely well in school in all areas and I don't regret the no preschool thing. In fact, it KILLS me to think that in a couple more years I will have to send Matthew to preschool. I wish I wouldn't have to, but ultimately I think it will be better for him. Although, I keep the option open for me to reconsider when the time comes.
That is soooo cute! I think Nathan is such a cute little boy. I don't know how you get so creative. It'll be fun if he seems to keep up the "pretend school" like that.
Post a Comment