I like reading other blogs because I like to hear about what other moms are doing and thinking. I read one today that really made me think and evaluate my parenting, my philosophy of parenting and other random things that I could not relay fast enough to my husband at dinner tonight. He thinks I am a little crazy I think, reading other people's blogs, but it can be so addicting and so helpful even!
Anyways, this mom was fielding questions from her blog readers and someone inquired about her plans for educating her children. She has 2 boys, 1 girl and pregnant with a boy (and the oldest is 3.5 years!) She qualified her answer first with her experience in education: attended a private Christian elementary and middle school, public high school, a Bible college, majored in education and taught in the public school for 6 years. She admitted to not having made her mind up completely as to what she will do but she did mention taking this training course while she was a teacher that addressed different learning styles (meaning boy vs. girl). Have you noticed how most elementary school teachers are female and typically teach with that bent towards girls and how they learn? It is only natural to teach how you would want to be taught. I think about this as I parent 2 boys. I don't like wrestling or bugs or dirt but they do and I think I need to be okay with that.
And then John and a good friend were talking several nights ago about how boys are being neutered (for lack of a better term) in the classroom because their teachers can't appreciate how boys think and operate. There are positive ways to channel their need to compete, race, exert physical energy, etc.
And this blogging mom also made a point that traditional schools are just, by nature, very inefficient. The learning that takes place at school for 7 hours a day can take place in half that time at home. That is just the nature of traditional schooling, so many kids to one teacher, passing periods, disruptions, etc.
So all of that had me thinking and evaluating what I think is best for our boys. I have not made any decisions today, though I tend to overreact and make everything an immediate crisis! :)
Then to top it off, Burrito gets a note sent home today that he was wrestling with another boy at school during circle time and continued to do so after the teacher gave a warning. He lost his candy privilege for the day. When I picked him up from school, his teacher said that he was a little sad today and that she sent a note home for me. I was thinking that he was missing me and didn't want to be at school. Ha, silly me, I should have known better! The note said he was "very remorseful," which I think is a nice way of putting that he had a meltdown when told he was not to receive a candy treat at the end of the day.
This school thing just feels so new to me, which has probably attributed to my overreactions about education in general. It doesn't help things that John is a teacher. Makes it a little complicated.
Tell me to relax. Tell me this is just the beginning.
Okay, on a lighter note. I thought I would include this picture of Noodle eating pizza the other night. I think he enjoyed it, don't you. And last night, while eating spaghetti and meatballs, my darling hubby thought it would be funny to smear spaghetti sauce and noodles all over his face to match our two sons. The boys were rolling in laughter. Man, I wish I had a picture of that one!
Two other funny stories:Remember how I told you that Burrito calls bras "overalls?" Well, we were at Walmart last night and we somehow ended up in the bra section. So both boys run over, start smashing on the padded cups and yelling "Overalls!" There was a lady not too far down the aisle from us and I'm pretty sure John wanted to disappear!
The other story is about Noodle. John was on the computer the other day and I was fussing at him about it because he was reading the Olympic news before viewing it later that night. I don't want to know what has happened so that it is exciting when we are watching. And I don't want him to know either. So I said, quite chidingly, "John get off the computer!" Not realizing that Noodle was even paying attention to our conversation he suddenly yelled out, "Dad, get off the puter!" We both just died laughing. So remember Noodle when you are working on your puter! :)
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