I'm not an all-natural and organic mom. I'm not gluten-free, dye free or anything else "free." We watch TV, and my child loves Elmo, Clifford, Daniel Tiger and Arthur - all TV characters. We don't ban technology in our family; we play with iPhone game apps and the Wii. I don't have homemade meals on the table every night for dinner, and my dishes are not always done. Some days, we wear our pajamas all day long. I'm just not one of "those" moms.
But my child knows her ABC's - not just the song; she can identify all of her letters and words that represent each letter. She can count to 20. She can sing several songs word for word. She can identify almost every "main stream" animal that comes across a page in her books, on TV or in her puzzles. She will spend hours and hours a day reading books. She loves to play with shapes and puzzles and working them all out on her own. She can operate an iPhone better than I can. She absolutely loves being outside and kicking a ball around.
Our life isn't perfect, by any means. As I type this, I can still hear A crying in her room following the most recent temper tantrum. I'm no Pioneer Woman; 90% of my meals are "semi-homemade." But I have learned that it's not what you keep your children from watching, eating or doing. It's the balance you strike in your family. You obviously can't depend on PBS to teach your children everything they need to know in pre-school, but you can watch Sesame Street once a day and count with them, recite and sing the ABC's song, and point out various colors and shapes. You can't expect your children to get all their nutrients and vitamins from processed and fast food, but a happy meal for a special "date night" or a Jr. Frosty after a rough Dr's appointment demonstrates moderation, and teaches them that these things are special treats and not everyday events.
It's all about balance. You have to teach your children that learning is both important and fun, that food is for creating memories with family as well as making "big strong muscles," and that life is more enjoyable when you're not so much worried about what others will think.
Our life isn't perfect, by any means. As I type this, I can still hear A crying in her room following the most recent temper tantrum. I'm no Pioneer Woman; 90% of my meals are "semi-homemade." But I have learned that it's not what you keep your children from watching, eating or doing. It's the balance you strike in your family. You obviously can't depend on PBS to teach your children everything they need to know in pre-school, but you can watch Sesame Street once a day and count with them, recite and sing the ABC's song, and point out various colors and shapes. You can't expect your children to get all their nutrients and vitamins from processed and fast food, but a happy meal for a special "date night" or a Jr. Frosty after a rough Dr's appointment demonstrates moderation, and teaches them that these things are special treats and not everyday events.
It's all about balance. You have to teach your children that learning is both important and fun, that food is for creating memories with family as well as making "big strong muscles," and that life is more enjoyable when you're not so much worried about what others will think.
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| One of life's simple pleasures - finding a good spot to read a good book :) |
Kara, you are right on!!! My youngest (33 now) and I watched Sesame Street everyday at 11:00 on PBS. That is a learning program but also so much fun!! He, like Miss A, learned his ABC's along with help from MOM, and loved to read. He could read at the age of 3. Yes, that is truth. Not just little words but parts of the newspaper. We also worked with phonic cards and he quickly learned how to sound out the words. Everything needs balance....learning and making it fun at the same time. Your advice is good!!! Keep at it...love your blog..... :)
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