Noah’s first sentence
Noah read his first sentence today. It was the always popular: A fat cat sat on a rat. I used a technique I got from the Ruth Beechick book and it clicked with him. He was really excited that he read it and later on that day he was talking about it (he kept saying to me, “Hey, Mommy, a fat cat is sitting on your rat!”) and I said, “Congratulations, Noah, this is a big deal and I’m proud of you.”
“No, congratulations to you, Mommy,” he answered.
“Not to me, you’re the one who read that.”
“But you’re the one who taught me.”
“Actually, Noah,” I said. “You taught yourself, I just gave you the tools but you’re the one who flipped that switch in your head.”
The great thing was that we did this one simple activity and he got all excited and that was it, we didn’t need to do more. I didn’t need to drill him or make him go fill out a worksheet. And I got to see the light in his eyes when he got it.
There’s this great luxury (and burden) of time in homeschooling. Time with your kid, time to dawdle, time to come back to something over and over again.
I told my friend L. that I feel like someone who just gave up smoking because I’m sort of this crazed homeschooler right now. I’m wild-eyed and wringing my hands but at the same time I keep saying, “Why isn’t everyone doing this? This is so great!”
I am flipping insane. Aren’t you glad you aren’t married to me?
Speaking of my husband, Brett got in a car wreck today. He’s fine, the other person is fine, the cars are fine (but cosmetically challenged). The thing that’s worrisome is that he thinks he fell asleep going through an intersection. He went across two lanes and doesn’t remember it. He thinks that the car fumes may have conked him out because it’s the first time this year that he drove with the windows shut. If that *is* the problem, I hope it’s a new one because Noah and I drove all winter in that car and I’d hate to think that I was slowly asphyxiating my son. Thank god Brett’s fine, though. And the guy he hit was really kind about it.
OMG! Get that car checked asap! So scary to hear about-glad B. is fine, but sheesh how scary. ALWAYS keep a window cracked in a car, i do this even in the coldest climes. /nag.
SO wonderful to hear about your home schooling days!!
I love your line about aren’t you glad you’re not married to me - lol! I say that often to people and they all get these *nodder* heads-lol!
Oh, man…those first words are the best. It was so exciting when Monk cracked the code.
I hope your car is not deadly.
Yikes about the car! Glad Brett is OK - that must have been horrible!
just echoing what the others said–glad brett is safe.
that is a fabulous story about noah. he’s right–you must be somewhat proud! i hope that we homeschool because i bet it does feel so great to watch as they learn something that huge.