Mommy WARS!

So, lately I've gotten comments from people about Kira's reading. I've pushed her. I am using her to show what a great mom I am. It's a bragging right. Etc, etc, etc. So I am going to set the record straight. Yes, I pushed Kira to read. I worked with her everyday this summer because I knew that she could do it. Here's the story.
The past two years Kira did preschool. By the end of the second year, they were learning sight words and doing simple reading. Sounds great, right? Wrong. Kira wasn't getting it. She had built up a wall, every time she was asked to read a word, say cat, she would look at it and say, "I can't." One of the worst things you can ever hear your child say, especially at 4. It wasn't that she wasn't capable of reading, I would say, "Let's sound out cat. What sounds are in cat?" "C-A-T." That's rights. Now what says, "C?" "A?" "T?" "Great job! You just spelled cat!"
Being able to be her teacher helped me to see what I was already starting to notice. She is an auditory learner. There are some things that she just has a harder time with. Being able to recognize that has taught me a lot. It has shown me that conventional school isn't the best place for her, right now. Anyways, monologue over.
Back to her I can't attitude. Being a book lover, I want my children to grow up with all the characters in books. I want her imagination to soar. I want her to keep a flashlight under her bed for the times when it's bedtime and she can't put the book down, then hide under the covers to finish just one more chapter...OK, maybe one more. When she said I can't, I saw a child who would eventually learn to read, but one who would always have that nagging thought in the back of her head that it's to hard, or this is boring, or even worse, that she wasn't smart enough. I knew that we needed to get rid of the I can't. So we worked every day. It was wonderful to see her confidence soar as she tackled harder and harder words. To see that I can't attitude turn into an I can.
So yes, I taught my child to read at 4. But I didn't do it for bragging rights, (yes, I will brag on her, but if it isn't about reading it will be about something else...) I did it because I love her and I want her to reach what I know she is capable of. And I know that she CAN!
Go ahead and think what you will, while you are worried about my child and my parenting, I'll be focused on bike riding, story time, baking together, tickle fights, snuggling, etc, etc, etc. Sorry world, I don't care about the 'mommy wars.' I care about my children. They are my world.

Poor sick baby!

This weekend Rora has been so sick. Yes, im the Mom that takes pictures no matter what, and nothing is sweeter than a sick baby. I hate that she's been sick, but Kira has been so sweet to her. She has been snuggling up with her on the couch reading to her. I love that Kira is serving her sister. It's so wonderful to see the love my girls share. Thankfully, Rora is much better today, no fever and almost no nasal drainage!

Happy Labor Day!

What is the first thing you think about when you think of Labor Day? Of course it is camping. That's exactly what Josh told Kira they could do Sunday night (in the backyard.) Of course, that was before he checked the weather report and learned that it would rain all day Sunday and Monday. (It's raining right now...) Never fear, there is a livingroom fort to the rescue! They intentionally put a gap so they could watch a movie (without the tv overheating...) They snuggled up and watched Mary Poppins before falling asleep.


Of course, this is how my bed looked in the morning. See that tiny space for me on the left...yeah...


I am sure that today will be filled with adventures in the fort! I love that Josh is such an awesome Daddy! I sure love my life! Happy Labor Day everyone!

100 lessons later

In May Kira started this book with much trepidation. Today she finished it! She went from saying, "I can't read." to reading! It's been great to see her confidence soar.




The best part for Kira was passing the book on to Rora...of course, we should probably wait until she is big enough to carry the book around before we start. ;)



I had to include this picture just so you know that she is wearing underwear...she doesn't run around completely naked. :D




We are taking September off from schooling, Kira will only be reading 20 minutes a day until October when we start homeschooling! She is so excited to start 'home kindergarten.'