Anything I Can Do She Can Do Better

 

It was funny, the moment I realized that I had given birth to my spouse's best friend. I mean, we all need one so why not? But sometimes when Carl and Camille are off in "imaginative play" land, I can't help but feel like I am failing somehow. They are like peanut butter and jelly. Carl has endless hours of dolly diapering and lego building up her sleeves where I would rather work on a puzzle, go hiking or teach her to cook and sew. They crack each other up all the time and Camille is the apple of Carl's eye. It is cute and I wouldn't have it any other way but between loads of laundry I do get a pit in my stomach at the thought of losing my connection with my only child.

When we decided to take Camille out of preschool and teach her at home I thought "now this is my moment to shine!". I was always an enthusiastic student. My mom bought me a learning program when I was three and it was my favorite toy. I loved the grease pencils and the cellophane overlay, the dotted letters and numbers to trace and then the blank lines that followed them to show off my newly acquired talents. Surely, this was a place that I could wedge myself in and show Camille that I have more to offer than beverages and snacks at the appropriate time and a clean house in which to creatively display her various projects.

The first few days were a little challenging but still fun. Realizing that the lessons are planned in five to ten minute intervals to keep the little wanderer's attention was interesting. I loved seeing how much she already knew and watching her face light up when she discovered something new. In my reverie, I envisioned an idyllic experience from which I could draw on for many a inspired blog post. I would become that Waldorfian educator. Ushering Camille into a new way of being: creative, calm and extremely intelligent. My utopia was destroyed the first day Carl was home while school was in session. She offered to teach so I could work on some sewing. I took her up on it because I figured I really need to get this clothing business off the ground even if it only happens in three hour snatches.

As with everything Carl puts her mind to, she was a huge success. From my work table, I heard them laughing together and Camille responding to the lessons without a lot of cajoling. It is her way. That is the only way to describe it. Carl has a way. She is quiet and attentive. She has no agenda. She is non-confrontational and easy. Let's face it, that is what an energetic kid is going to respond to. At that moment I realized that we all have our role to play. Mine is to keep things on a schedule and organized which is valuable too. I am still going to be the main teacher at Lucile Preschool but at this school, the substitute teacher is more fun. I'm okay with that as long as she knows that I love her with all of my heart and soul even if I am a little boring!

Our One Room Schoolhouse

Life is funny how it works. One minute you are biting at your fingernails because situations seem to have spun out of control and all of a sudden the smoke clears and you realize that all those plates had to shift in order to create a new mountain of opportunity. That is kind of what has happened in our lives lately. Several months ago, my chief source of work just sort of evaporated and left me wondering exactly what to do next. Then Camille started having some issues at her preschool and we realized that until she was eligible for the transitional kindergarten program at our local Spanish immersion school, that I could just keep her at home with me. It's exciting, this notion of reconnecting with someone we have been watching grow and transform before our very eyes with only a fraction of input from us. So there we were, standing on the edge of this uncharted territory wondering what to do next.

I started researching preschool curriculum out there and really stumbled on a goldmine for those of us who are of this planet and not super heroes. The program is called Mother Goose Time and is an all inclusive preschool package that comes in a school bus box each month. The idea is brilliant! Every day is laid out for you with reading, math, science, social skills and art included in daily bags.

The whole concept really takes the worry out of homeschooling little ones. It's not that I am unwilling to put in extra work researching lessons and projects but the reality is, after "school" all day, preparing meals and maintaining the house...WHERE'S THE TIME? This program is a Godsend and with interesting themes and adorable illustrations, it was a no brainer for me.

Our January box finally arrived and I was just as pleased as I thought I would be. I set about building a school room in our dining nook in the kitchen with all of the posters and projects included in the box. This thing was loaded with good stuff! So much so, that I had to kind of pull back a little since it still has to function as a family space once the school bell rings. Camille took to the idea right away and started inventing her own projects with the scraps that lay about. Anything could happen, but my crystal ball is telling me that this is going to be a very fun and fulfilling seven months for all of us!

oxo-n

We're Back With New Adventures!

Years fly by here in Momland. Camille has sprouted several inches, put on a few pounds and added 200 or more necessary and sometimes amusing words to her vocabulary. She is more quirky and hilarious with every passing day.

She just finished her first year of what we loosely refer to as preschool and sadly, we have not been too impressed with the results so we decided to save some money and try our hands at home school...yes, you read right, HOME SCHOOL! I never thought I would have considered it but we are in desperate need of a little reprogramming with love and kindness before she joins the real world of public school. So off we go! I am planning to capture the highs and lows of this journey, if I can fit it in between sewing for my new business and teaching the future president of America how to read.

oxo-n