It's letter F week - Levi's verse is Proverbs 17:17, A friend loves at all times. We went to the library this morning (the earlier you go, the less pandemonium because there aren't nearly as many people) - also found that if I have Levi help me drop the books in the return slot, it keeps him busy and quiet(er). And if I explain to him that if he's wearing his Fire Chief jacket (which he does every waking second), he needs to be brave like a fire chief - and do brave things like step over the crack in the floor to get into the elevator - then it's a bit more peaceful too. So we checked out several books about friendship and also about farms, and of course fork lifts (I'm tired of reading fire truck books, so I quietly skipped past those). It was still loud and slightly chaotic - especially now that Luke is not only walking but trying his hand at RUNNING already, so isn't the least bit interested in staying in his stroller for very long.
If anyone reading this blog is homeschooling, sort of homeschooling, thinking about it, or whatever - or just wants something productive and peaceful to distract their kids at any part of the day, I have found this: I think I explained not too long ago that I set up a morning challenge for Levi each day. Honestly, I think it's the most productive part of the day for him as far as learning something. Each night I set out a puzzle or something. He breezes through the kitchen in the morning and just asks, "Can I play with that?" and of course I tell him yes. If he asks for help I give it, but otherwise I try to just let him figure it out. It might be word puzzles, shapes, numbers, whatever. Sometimes I set out several puzzles and mix all of the pieces together in a box, and he has to fish them all out and figure out if it's a number, color, or letter, and put it on the correct puzzle. Anyway, it keeps him busy and engaged, and I can make breakfast and help him if he needs it, and maintain some peace in our mornings - which were previously fraught with whining and fighting over toys. It's fun to come up with new challenges too, but thankfully there's Pinterest for that.
This morning we had a little geometry challenge. :) I drew a train and cut out corresponding shapes from construction paper. I did assemble it with all the shapes in their correct spot initially so he could see what it was all about. Then I took them off and told him to build the train himself. He wanted to glue it together, so I gave him a glue stick. He matched some shapes, and others he didn't - but as one very wise and experienced teacher friend pointed out: it's all about the process, not the product. He was very proud of his train at the end. :)
Luke's in a very happy mood today; I think being able to walk has made his life so much more fun.
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