Just because school is out for summer doesn't mean we aren't learning. My young author, pictured here with one of his three (not four) favorite sisters, is constantly teaching me. I've learned that there is something to the idea of waiting to teach certain skills until a child shows readiness. Child #3 is currently reading on a 2nd/3rd grade reading level. This past year, as a Kindergartner, he read and did language arts on a 1st grade level. Part of his curriculum was to write short stories and learn spelling and grammar by correcting his mistakes. Well, after a few attempts at this, I gave up in frustration because he hadn't developed the maturity to create stories in his imagination. I skipped these lessons for the rest of the year (and didn't feel too bad about it anyway. What Kindergartner in public school is writing short stories?). And then last month a light went on in his head and has been burning brightly for the world to see...
This wonderful child has created a whole series of books! They center around a frog and a trout that go on adventures in the ocean. Other characters join in on the fun when the frog meets and marries a girl frog and they have babies. Each page is carefully and colorfully illustrated. Here is an excerpt from Frog Talse: The Honted Casl [sic]:Everybody was scared. Except Nuwyith. ... They went to a castle. A very scary frog was there. They went in. Pete knew that he is evil. So Pete got out.
I've corrected spelling. And skipped the part that doesn't make sense (something about a dedly trawt). I can see I have a lot of work to do with Child #3 and spelling! He sounds every word out (or awt as he spells it) phonetically as he writes it, and sometimes the story unfolds so quickly in his mind, his writing can't keep up and words go missing. So reading these magnificant stories requires a lot of mind stretching for us old folks who have been reading for a long time. But I'm not too worried about spelling yet. I'd rather he be excited about writing stories than worried about spelling every word right and see this as work. Besides, you should have seen how many words I spelled wrong as I typed this post (thank you spell check). Between the story writing and the obsessive alphabet writing and race car drawing from Child #4, we have gone through an entire ream of copy paper since the beginning of summer. Thank goodness for back-to-school sales on paper!
Now, who wants to know which sister didn't make Child #3's favorite sister list? If you guessed Child #5, you are correct! Only a parent could truely love an obnoxious bratty two year old princess who is currently fast asleep half naked after a temper tantrum that left her with a bloody nose (she stuck her finger in it too hard in defiance) and wet pants. And the parent who truely loves her is at work today, leaving me to deal with her!
