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Monday, July 29, 2013

Why This Mommy Decided To Get Schooled.

Why This Mommy Decided To Get Schooled.  
     Okay.  Now what?!  I read all the books on development during pregnancy, sleep training, and the anecdotal "make-me-laugh" books by celebrities with babies.   The What to Expect i-phone App gives you a little glimpse of Word Pictures, a track of where your child should be on average, but that just wasn't cutting it for me.  Baby Center offers their weekly advice and is a gathering of the minds and a cyber group where we can compare and contrast thoughts on what we are going through as parents.  I found that with each article I read, I was bogged down with different voices and many times these mommy cyber-hubs become stomping grounds for a virtual yelling match.
     As my search into educational programs for my little girl became more serious, I decided to take things to a whole. 'mother. level.   When it comes to life forms, there are always a number of scientific theories on developmental growth.  It will always be a study and never a definitive because there are so many variables with children that differ among the individual and environment.  Having taken my daughter to a number of classes offering different styles of learning, I was most intrigued by those programs that were yielding, what I observed to have the greatest impact on her social and cognitive growth.
     There was a program in New York City that had a great indoor playground space where we had an experience that made my question clock start ticking.  The lack of any structure at all and a teacher who waited for children to approach her resulted in many children being left behind.  I watched as my daughter tried to make a connection with another child using baby dolls.  The teacher rinsed brushes and then turned and sang a song with zero participation from her class.  As I watched the teacher with her stained apron and a vaguely absent look on her face sing from the corner, behind a desk, to a room full of 2.5 year olds, I wondered...how much glue did she sniff this morning?  We decided not to have Sophie continue in Ms. Sniff's class, but instead found an eclectic blend of classes and play spaces for our 6 months in NYC.
     The question that this experience caused me to raise to myself was, "What am I looking for in an educational environment for my daughter?"  The answer was...I don't know.  I was actually quite embarrassed by the fact that I wasn't privy to the new sciences or developments on education or school preparedness.  Well, I wasn't going to waste anymore time wallowing in my embarrassment.  There's no time like the present to start finding answers.
     Of course, there is the checklist of top schools or "feeder" schools (for those in a big city private school market).  This list only yielded more questions for me.  Why?!  Why are these the best schools or programs?  Is it because some celebrity kids went there?  Is it because it was a great school 20 years ago?  Is there something in the water?
     I had to go deeper.  I reflected on my own childhood.  30 years ago, there just weren't the options that we have today.  The social skills and cognitive learning that we acquired in preschool was often times a happy accident and less a calculated journey to what we now call school-readiness.  I was grateful that it was easy enough to acquire information about milestones from popular parenting websites, but I felt that there was much more to this nut.  I was merely scratching at the shell.
   I'm not sure how many times I read it before it really sank in, but here is the idea that sent me on my newest and most empowering journey yet.  I, as her parent, was her first and greatest teacher.  A while ago, a friend who works at a school in CA had asked if I would be interested in subbing.  I brushed off the idea because I thought I wasn't interested.  All of the sudden, I realized that maybe I needed to be. Maybe I don't need to make a career out of it, but I realized as we began to walk home from Ms. Sniff's disaster that I could acquire this knowledge simply to improve the quality of life and education for myself and my child.  I found a program with some classes that interested me through the UCLA Extension program and before I could blink, I had enrolled.
     What was this strange sensation?  My heart beat quickened.  My palms were sweaty.  This isn't what empowerment was supposed to feel like.  Ahhh.  Self-doubt, my old-nemises.  Long time no see.  What am I doing, I thought?  I've already graduated college.  I'm going to make a fool of myself.  How do you even attend a class online?  This is a joke.  I'm not going to really learn anything.  Arghhh.  I'm just wasting money and time.
     Log In.  As I signed in for my first classes, I began reading from the textbooks about Early Childhood Development and understanding the science of cell make-up, the forming of the child and the various theories and practices that have become widely used and appreciated in the world of Early Childhood Development.  Old Pouty Self-doubty had to retreat to some untapped recess of my now fully engaged mind.  The new information was exciting and I found that it wasn't simply acquiring the information that brought me enjoyment, but rather the fact that I could now, with life experience, bring something special to that information.  Nothing is more empowering than literally feeling yourself blossom from that Miracle-Gro blend of information and experience.
     Since beginning the continuing education classes, I have been able to help our family better define what is right for us in regards to school choice and we have an approach to "at-home" learning that works in tandem with what they do at the program where Sophie is now.  In September, I will have completed my Teaching Certificate through the UCLA Extension.  You don't have to become a teacher to access the information that I found so helpful through my continued education, but there is a world beyond what can be attained through "gut-parenting."  In this article, I mean to champion those who are out there who want more for your kids and are paralyzed or suffocating under a wealth of to-do lists and shoulds.  You don't need someone to tell you what you should do with your child in every circumstance and situation.  There is no perfect playbook.  What we can do is know our kid, know ourselves and teach them to reach...for greatness.

Have you ever thought about going back to school?
   

   

Friday, July 19, 2013

Spyglass Party Craft for Your Pirate Crew!


Mermaids and Pirates!
     That was the theme for Sophie's 3rd birthday party this weekend.  I'm a big fan of having a craft available for the kids to create at birthday parties.  Last year, we did mini canvas paintings for Sophie's Rapunzel themed party.  This year we decided on a spyglass craft for treas-arghhh hunting.  I, for one, think they turned out pretty darn cute.  They were a hit with our crew of 3 year old pirates too!  Here's how we did it.

Supplies
Toilet paper rolls
Paper coffee cups
Knife
Medium brown spray paint
Dark brown spray paint
Yellow 1inch wide ribbon
Hot glue gun
Glue
Tons of your favorite stickers

Directions For Parents.
1.  Cut a hole (smaller than that of the diameter of the toilet paper roll) in the bottom of the paper cup.
2.  Hot glue toilet paper roll to bottom of cup.
3.  Spray paint with Medium brown first, then with dark brown to add textured look.
4.  Hot glue ribbon in 3 places around either end of craft and in the middle.

Directions For Kids.
5.  Use letter stickers and other favorite picture stickers for to decorate the craft.  We suggest spelling your name with stickers first and then follow up with your favorite stickers.  Happy treasure hunting!

Tell us your favorite craft experience.  There are many more birthdays to use all your wonderful ideas!



Sunday, July 14, 2013

Turbo: Family Summer Movie Must-See

     Race, Race, Mooove.   Turbo opens today and is the perfect afternoon activity.   And if your first question, like mine, is what age of child should watch this...the answer is 1 to 100.  The content is funny, driving and an ultimately positive message for kids.
     We saw a screening the night before Sophie's 3rd birthday and the message of "Don't give up" obviously resonated with her.  At the end of the night, she looked at Daddy and me and said with a gravely serious expression "My birthday is over, but there will be another one.  I'm not givin' up!"
     That universal truth sank in with a 3 year old because this movie encourages freedom in imagination and gives us a license to dream.  There are sweet truths brought forward by our unlikely hero following his heart and we all need to be reminded that success is in the colorful journey, not just the ending.  
     The characters are more bright and distinctive than anything you will find on MMC.  The crew of snails have a humanity...an ability to move you and make you laugh. During one of the touching scenes where two brothers journey to understand each other, the reflection in the eyes of one brother, layered with the glistening of emotion you would see in an Oscar winning Streep performance, gives uexpected weight to these characters.  
     One thing is absolutely for sure.  You. Must. Have. This. Soundtrack.  As I looked in front of me, I saw little heads bobbing up and down to the driving music of this racing movie.  The music is infectious.  How can you not feel cool when Snoop is chanting his lyrics and the beats are crazy good.  I will be using this as my summer anthem now, thank you.  So when you see a Chrysler Town and Country Touring Van roll up next to you, with a car seat in the back, and Snoop on my speaks...you'll know it's this mommy feelin' oh so fly.
     Don't take it from me though.  My 3 year old is the real expert and she says seeing Turbo in the theatre is "so so much fun!"
     www.turbomovie.com

What is your favorite family summer movie?