Oh, boys. You gotta love 'em.
I have had to re-adjust (after a short period of only 3 1/2 weeks!) my approach to homeschooling. Something deep inside me says something like this: in order to be actively listening you must be both quiet and still. This had become an issue which was making my 3 and 4 year old say something like this: I don't like school. Whoa! We're less than a month in and already you're hating it! I did laugh - but really!?!?
But then I remembered: Young children, especially boys, will sometimes learn better (and definitely be happier) if they are allowed to play or draw quietly during story time. As long as they don't interrupt.
Well, this has helped for the last few days... but we are still having issues (Ethan, 3) with interrupting. Every forty-five seconds or so. It makes it interesting. In his defense, he does listen pretty well (usually, if no sugar was consumed in the previous 6 hours) at bedtime when you're cuddled up on the pillows.
I have made myself notes on the next two weeks' parent's guides to "Let them play quietly or draw while I read!" and am trying to do more activities and fun things to get them to love it. That's the whole point of this endeavour - and its a mighty valuable one.
Yesterday's "fun thing" was to string pony beads onto some cord. They have loved this! Ethan made about a 14" piece that he said was for Jesus! Precious boy.
Today, we've had to put the beads away, yesterday's fun thing is today's not so fun thing, and they were scattered across the floor twice before noon.
Oh, boys. You gotta love 'em!
I have had to re-adjust (after a short period of only 3 1/2 weeks!) my approach to homeschooling. Something deep inside me says something like this: in order to be actively listening you must be both quiet and still. This had become an issue which was making my 3 and 4 year old say something like this: I don't like school. Whoa! We're less than a month in and already you're hating it! I did laugh - but really!?!?
But then I remembered: Young children, especially boys, will sometimes learn better (and definitely be happier) if they are allowed to play or draw quietly during story time. As long as they don't interrupt.
Well, this has helped for the last few days... but we are still having issues (Ethan, 3) with interrupting. Every forty-five seconds or so. It makes it interesting. In his defense, he does listen pretty well (usually, if no sugar was consumed in the previous 6 hours) at bedtime when you're cuddled up on the pillows.
I have made myself notes on the next two weeks' parent's guides to "Let them play quietly or draw while I read!" and am trying to do more activities and fun things to get them to love it. That's the whole point of this endeavour - and its a mighty valuable one.
Yesterday's "fun thing" was to string pony beads onto some cord. They have loved this! Ethan made about a 14" piece that he said was for Jesus! Precious boy.
Today, we've had to put the beads away, yesterday's fun thing is today's not so fun thing, and they were scattered across the floor twice before noon.
Oh, boys. You gotta love 'em!