The Bookshelf

Last Sunday was Bay to Breakers, the yearly race that deluges the city with people barely clothed or in crazy getups, usually not running… and drunk.

We stayed home.

I was able to tackle this project I had been meaning to do for a while. Phoebe had learned to crawl and loved getting into every book on the bottom shelf. I knew I was running out of time and soon she would be pulling herself up. I had to get a handle on the overstuffed book and random paper dumping ground.

While I was organizing Ella found her old workbook from preschool.

Ella had a rough last 5 months of preschool. She had been graduated into the upper level there and the teachers were just not her cup of tea. I suppose making a child terrified if they don’t make an exactly correct “a” is not really workable for a 5 year old. Go figure!

What was great about finding the workbook is that it was an extra copy that had not been filled out yet.

Before she was even able to consider opening the book, we had to talk a little bit about what had happened with that teacher. I let her know that something like that does not need to happen again and it was not ok someone made her feel this way. This seemed to put her mind at ease and we got down to business.

The workbook overall is great, but some of the pictures and words really need clarification. How is a little kid supposed to know the “taxi” is a “cab” and the picture of a little black tube is a “sub”?

We sat down together and went through it. We had a chance to clear up the things she didn’t know. She got so excited that she was actually able to understand it and her genuine desire for learning returned.

For the rest of the day and many times this week I have found her sitting quietly working on her book.

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I really wish I had done this sooner. It’s not like I wasn’t aware this was something that needed to get sorted out. I guess just like the shelf, I was stuffing things so they would be somewhat out of view and putting my attention on things that were likely way less important than my daughter’s education.

The upside of having waited is that she had advanced enough in her communication skills to be able to express to me what had happened and tell me the things she didn’t understand. She had gotten to the point were she was able and willing to fix it.

I am glad we did.

 

 

 

 

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8 responses

  1. You are an awesome mommie to help Ella sort this out, and Ella is awesome to sort it out too! Love the organized bookshelf!

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