Math time

From the adventures of bunsy and her tumbleweeds

From the adventures of bunsy and her tumbleweeds

Doing this math program with Atticus has really been fun. We started it shortly after arriving in Qatar because there was nothing else to do. I wasn't sure if we would find space for the kids at the schools as most of them are already filled by the beginning of summer. We've since secured them spots in a school but I'm still continuing the math. Anyway, I love how he behaves a little better for me when we are doing our "Math lesson". I've had to give him about two lectures about how he needs to not be so silly during our lesson and when he decides to be good, which is most the time now, things go really well. He is still silly sometimes, like today, he told me that the days of the week should have different names. Oneday, Twoday, Threeday, Fourday, Fiveday, Sixday, and Sevenday. I asked him how many days he would choose to have in his week if he could make his own calendar. He decided that a seven day week was still a good plan. When we put little bear counters on a grid he wanted to line them up close together, but the point of the lesson was for each bear to have its own square. He said,"But then they'll be selfish."

As a mother, I started out thinking that a parents role is to provide structure and discipline and if the kid acts up, you correct it immediately. You are even allowed to be mean if you need to be. Now that my kids have gotten a little older and I have three instead of one, I've drastically changed my opinion. Now I think a child needs an example, a soft word, love, and plenty of free time to explore and learn what they are interested in. Even though my opinion has changed, it doesn't mean I implement it. It's hard. Any mom knows its hard. Anyway, I've been very reluctant to give my children any sort of extra structure precisely because I am such a structured person. I really don't want them to end up as rigid as me. However, I've seen what a little structure can do for my oldest son who is very hyper active. Just doing this little math program has shown me that he is normal. He can learn, he is smart, but he needs a structured environment. So for him, going to school is a good thing and I feel really good about it.