10.06.2006

A Mother's Heart is Her Child's Classroom

Two weeks ago I started a little home pre-school with two friends from church (who have docile little girls the same age as Calvin). We have it twice a week and rotate weeks between each house. This was my week to teach and I decided that I like taking Cal to preschool but I don't really like teaching it. Which may bode ill for my ambitions in the homeschooling direction.

Except I bet for homeschooling I don't have to clean like a madwoman the night before just so the other moms are assured that their children won't catch a disease or stick to the floor when they come or so their three-year-olds will be impressed with my housekeeping abilities.

(Incidentally, my biggest stress last weekend leaving the boys with someone at home while D and I enjoyed a weekend away was cleaning the house top to bottom before the babysitter came. What is that?!? My house isn't that bad, really. And what does she care...she'll be too busy with my boys to notice the linen closet is in disarray. Just like I am on a daily basis. Right? But the cleaning must be done.)

Last night the cleaning didn't happen and I felt really embarrassed this morning.

And then I taught this week about our five senses. Today was touch, smell and taste. The part I was most excited about and thought the kids would enjoy the most (being the mom of tactile-driven boys) was the touching table - full of objects to touch and squish and smear and smooth, etc.

One of the little girls started crying and seriously shrunk away to the other side of the room, when I told them to touch the jell-o and see what it felt like. And she had to wipe the tiniest drop of shaving cream off her pointer finger immediately after very tentatively touching it.

Calvin said the shaving cream felt like a cloud. That's my boy. Willing to get a little messy and poetic at the same time.

What I do like about this preschool situation is seeing Cal in a little bit of a social mix. He is very solicitous and big-brotherish to the "guests" (they are younger, but one is not littler than him) and very anxious for them to be comfortable and welcome and to show them his toys and books. Sometimes (OK, a lot of times) he is overbearing, but it comes from a good place and I think as he grows a bit and starts noticing social cues (if boys ever do that - wink), it will tone down a bit.

Anyway, today his effort to show Amelia around was introducing her to one of his favorite books - a science story about the birth and first few days of a dolphin, how it's mom takes care of it, how they swim in pods, etc. During their bit of free play time, I heard Cal tell Amelia, "Come sit here, and we can read this book. And I'll show you the page where the shark comes out of the murky depths."

The completely blank look on the little girl's face as she followed him to the couch anyway combined with Calvin's earnestness were priceless.

15 comments:

Blogger profile name said...

Your son sounds like a sweet and precocious child, and you will probably have a ball homeschooling him. They are so excited about learning new things at that age (and yes, you don't have to worry about cleaning your house for anyone). :-)

smart mama said...

the co-ops can be stressful- it's nicer when your classroom is just your classroom and you close it up at the end of the day- oh and the janitor cleans it- and its easier to teach other peopels kids when you're just teacher and not someones mom and friend

Katrina @ Callapidder Days said...

So cute! And I just love the little poet in him. :)

Emily K. said...

Sometimes I read about your boys and it reminds me of my boys and I think they would get along very well. I know that if someone invited Asher (my 4 1/2 y.o.) to hear about *murky depths*, he'd be very very excited. So funny too, about the docile girl recoiling at your jello invitation. No one loves their boys as much as I do, but oh! for a docile, tidy child!

rena said...

Wow, he's quite the linguist!

Unknown said...

How fun for you and him. I love molding eager little minds. Today I taught my 5 year old daughter the phrase, "A place for everything and everything in it's place."

Anonymous said...

"the murky depths" bwahahaha

are there any calvin lists lately? besides the fish name?

Jan/lost-strayed-or-stolen.blogspot.com said...

I bet that little girl hears"don't get dirty" a lot.

T.S. Eliot said...

What a great story! And good for you for joining the homeschool co-op. Thanks for letting us be the little fly on the wall. I love your calvin-isms.

Gina Conroy said...

Don't give up on homeschooling just yet! Homeschooling boys is a challenge, but it's doable. Remember I have three boys. My girl readily sits at the table to do "school." Yet, this only happened this year when she turned four.

Lana said...

I love our home preschool co op too and I also clean up...do 5 little boys care? No. what's wrong with me?!

Pam said...

It always sounds like such a good idea at the time doesn't it? :) too funny. Sounds like you are doing a great job and that YOU are just what those tidy little girls need!

A little jello never hurt anyone!

Super Happy Girl said...

OK, this is too weird: this is the 5th blog I left a comment in (on, at, never know which one to use) and then it doesn't show up, what's up with that!?
>:(
I left you a comment, I really did. This is the Vast Blog Whine Conspiracy or something.

It was something about how brave and good you were to homeschool other people's kids (along with your own).

Tammy said...

What a fun endeavor this sounds like! Try not to stress about cleaning perfection...I've done that, too, before company and I understand...but it's just not worth it! (I'm still learning!)

That was halarious about Calvin wanting to read her the book and show the shark coming out of the "murky depths"! Sounds like a child prodigy you have there! :D

Katherine@Raising Five said...

Murky depths. Gotta love that guy!