Finding Motivation To Get Out Of The House

Even though I'd rather just sit on the couch all day (which I am never allowed to do when my sweet little one is around, nor would I want to, really), yesterday I put a plan in motion--a plan designed to force me to get myself and the little one out of the house and have some fun. I met up with a couple of mommies whom I met in Captain Adorable's gymnastics class last year. We met at open gym (small fee for an hour of being allowed to play with any and all equipment at a local gymnastics facility) and then had lunch together. At open gym there can be no socializing because the children never all want to do the same thing. However, at lunch we got to sit and chat for quite a while (I think a whole hour) which was really nice.

I got the scoop on a local preschool and learned about how one of the mommies taught her oldest child to read at 2 and a half! She is a kindergarten teacher (or was before babies) but still, obviously the main energy behind that was the child himself. As regular readers of this blog know, I learned to read at 3 and I want very much to teach Captain Adorable to read as soon as he is ready, so I was all ears while she told me about their experience! So far my only new plan is to make some index card alphabet flash cards and try them out now and then. I will not be disappointed if Captain Adorable does not take to this and I will continue to read to him on a daily basis no matter what. He can already identify several letters (O, M, and G, and sometimes others as well) and I've made no effort whatsoever to teach those to him. The feeling I get from him is similar to when we first started working on colors--interest but getting frustrated fast. I will not be pushing him--the last thing I want to do is create stress around reading, which is something I deeply love and want very much to share with my child. I want to give him the gift of literacy, which will carry him through a lifetime of entertainment and learning. No way am I going to get heavy handed and eff it up right at the very start!

His current favorite book is Monkey Monkey Monkey by Cathy MacLennan, a recent gift from my Mom. :) It is such fun to read, which is good because sometimes I have to read it 4-5 times a day!