Homeschooling Preschool

So far Homeschooling preschool with Riley has been going rather well. We have covered A,B,& C and so far and she can write them also. She has learned how to spell her first word which is PAPA! She picked up the P writing the B and once we told her how to spell it she got very excited and writes it on everything.

She ASKS to to preschool and when we are done for the day she asks to do more! I have to say it's pretty amazing that I'm the one that gets to be there and teach her these things and here her say "Look Mommy I did it!"

Riley is a lot like me when it comes to learning new things she gets upset if she can't do it right away and then gets a attitude with me about it. But she also knows how to do things and the pretend that she can't which I don't understand either. I guess it is called being 3!

I ordered a curriculum off line called Mother Goose Time. I did a lot of research on it and picked it over the other ones because it had great reviews. I have to say I'm disappointed in it! They only cover the letters for one day and I'm upset by the lack of Fall/Halloween theme. It's Bugs and Crawly things for the month of October.

I told Zach I would send it back if it wasn't for the fact I'd be out 20 bucks for shipping. We will use it for October but I'm also going to include a program I used this month from Preschool Palace. They haven't posted Octobers Lesson plan but I hope they will soon or I will just use there last year's one.

I seem to have a problem finding a curriculum that has it all! The monthly themes along with the Letter and Number learning. Riley already knows all her letters it's the phonics she doesn't know yet which is work on mostly and writing them. We can go though 3 to 4 days worth of lesson plans in 2 hours and she still wants to do more. So I need something to fit her speed which I'm most likely going to have to tailor one too her.

My choice is made!

Well it's 2:15 in the morning and I have finally made a decision. on wither or not to send Riley to preschool. My decision is not too! There are many reason's why I have decided this.

1. The Super Small Class Size (One of the main reason we were going to put her in preschool was to get social interaction with other kids. Well with no girls her age and from what I saw of the other kids they were no where near her in speech.)

2. I feel that it will hold her back from learning because she is so far ahead for her age.

3. Money plan and simple

4. IBS- I'm so afraid of having an attack and not being able to pick her up from school.

5. Travel in the winter- So not my cup of tea

6. Germs! She gets sick and then I get sick and she will miss days that we are paying for!

7. I want her home with me! I feel like I have missed out on so much of her life because I was sick or in a bad mood and I'd like to change that!

8. Why pay someone else to teach my child when that is what I did in school. I should be doing it!

9. I don't like the idea of not being able to see with my own eyes how she is learning.

10. I'm thinking of Homeschooling her when she start School so this will be a good trial.

11. This was it this was the butt kicked OK I'm done going back and forth! I logged onto there website and they had the rest of September's "Lesson Plans" up. There was no teaching! It was a story and free play and gym time so why I am I sending her for that? In the 4/5 Classes they were seeing if they new letter and number recognition and going from there. Riley knows that stuff and she's 3! No thank you I can do better at home!

We will go to Story time at the Library, There is a indoor play gym I can take her too that's only 3 bucks to play with other kids. We can do the other free stuff at the library and I will make a Lesson Plan and teach her. I will set up play dates and we will go on "Field Trips". I will get to spend more time with my baby and be there when she learns new things!

Zach took tomorrow off and I will be working my butt off to get some Lesson plans done and see if I can find a Felt Calendar. and a weather display before I go and order the preschool kits.

I have made my choice and I'm happy and excited about it.

I hate football!

I hate football I mean I really really do! It interrupts are whole lives on Sunday. We can't do anything till after the game is over or we have to be home by the time the game comes on! I mean COME ON really why! Cleveland SUCKS we are never going to win so what's the point of watching it! I don't make the word stop for a TV show I DVR it and then go back and watch it! I didn't even do that when Buffy was still on I would tape it and watch it later!

I HATE the sound of football on the TV it drives me insane!! AND I don't understand why he has to watch it up stairs! He has a whole big basement with section couch and a 61 inch TV so why does he watch it upstairs! And it's just not the 4 HOUR games it's the pregame and after it too! I drives me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Riley and I are going to have to find a hobby or something to on Sundays from now on!

It's September!

Riley's party didn't get cleaned up till Monday and I'll tell you what it was much more work cleaning it up! It was HOT and sticky and I, ME MYSELF cleaned up the inside and out and loaded everything in to the van. I was a very cranky person that day that's for sure! The rest of the week was relaxing though I didn't have to worry about getting something done. So that was a nice change of passe.

Friday I dropped Riley off at my parents because we were going to go visit a friend on Saturday. Zach and I had a very nice evening at home got some take out watched Supernatural (It's our new DVD series we watching because we started watching it when it first came out but lost track and got to far behind so we borrowed Season's 1 & 2 from my sister and we just finished season 1.) and took a very nice walk. The weather had cooled down considerably and it was SO nice out!

But of course in being a IBS victim! (That's what I'm calling it now more on that later.) I ended up having an attack at 3 am in the morning till 4:30am when we were to leave at 6:15am. I just needed an hour more of sleep to feel better but Zach didn't want to wait that long worried about the time so I didn't get to go with him. I slept till 11am then watched the Hannah Montana movie (Cried a lot durning it!) and then cleaned out the van. Zach got home at 2:30pm which was way sooner then I thought. I didn't think he would be home till 6:30pm. I then cleaned his car out and we went and picked Riley up about 4pm.

When we got home Riley was sleeping and we were watching TV in the bedroom. I got up to go to the bathroom and caught my little toe in the bed frame. It hurt so bad! I was certain I had broken it! I broke one of my toe's once years ago smashing it on the tub as I got in and this hurt worse then that! My foot started hurting but after about an hour it started feeling a bit better and I braved touching it and it didn't hurt. I was sore walking around and after dinner I took a hot bath and it felt tons better! Riley just laid on the bed and watched TV all night. Zach had a head ache and was laying down and fell asleep and Riley was just laying on my pillow with Zach's arm draped over her hold his hand watching Dora and whatever else came on till I told it was time for bath and bed and then took a half hour to wake Zach up.

Sunday we went to the Zoo and then went and rented movies after dinner none of which we have watched yet. Monday one of my Friends and her 3 kids came over for a play date and while Riley "napped" we watch I think 3 or 4 Supernatural. Then we went over to my sister Jennifer's for a cookout which Riley had a blast playing with her twin cousins. I got to hold and feed baby Valarie which is Brian's (My Brother In Laws) Sister's new baby. Riley wouldn't look at the baby or come near her. I don't know if she was just too busy or just didn't want any thing to do with her!

Tuesday morning we got up Early (For Us) so I could drop Riley off at Papa's while I went with Jennifer to take the twins for there check up. I wanted to do a test run of the way we will go to pre-school but there was no school today so I didn't get the idea of how much traffic there would be. Riley has orientation on Thursday and then start Tuesday the 14th.

Wednesday Riley and I had a shopping trip. We drove out to Avon and went to Walmart, Old Navy and Target. Riley got to eat Burger King on the way out there and watch the Jungle Book. I never let her eat in the car so it was a special thing. We spent lots of money and got all her winter clothes. New socks for everyone and Mommy got new shirts and a few pants because none of her clothes fit and not because I lost weight either!

Today was the Orientation. She said there and colored nicely with the other kids while they went over the hand book. They have sure a small enrollment that they are combining the pre-school and pre-K classes during free play, Gym and Snack time. This ok because at least Riley will have other kids on her level to talk too. They blend Reggio and Montessori education principals. Which is learning though play and teaching a child at the level they are at which is really good for Riley because other wise she will be bored.

There are no little girls her age in class and the boys that are in her class are SO much smaller then her and do not speak as well as she does at all! Riley threw a huge fit when it was time to leave. I was quite embarrassing and she kept it up the whole way home.

I'm having mixed feelings about her starting pre-school on the one hand she really needs the social interaction. Which upset me that the class size is SO small. But she just turned three and I don't know if she has the emotional capabilities of handling pre-school. While Riley excels in learning to the point you for get she is 3 she really lacks in self control. she cries and throws fits when she doesn't get her way and she has a very hard time listening and paying attention when you are asking her to do something. So I just wonder how she is going to handle a school setting and to be honest the amount of money we are paying isn't helping either!

But like most things only time will tell.