Grandparent preschool do's and don't with a toddler!!!

Our little Haleigh has turned 3 in May and technically she is old enough for pre-k, but she had a traumatic winter and spring and refused to master the potty until just this month. There has been a lot of changes in her life, I thank God that the one change hasnt been that she has been taken away from us. This little gal has wrapped her fingers around my heart since the first time we met. It was she and I who have endured through all the trauma. We actually turned our lives upside down and returned from the big city of Cincinnati, just to be here for her. The day we moved back she was there and has been every since. After a few short months she was living with us and my mommy skills came in hand.Teaching her how to crawl, walk, talk, you name it, it was me. Daddy had her 3 weekends a month, but daily child care was ultimately left up to me. It was me who stepped in and helped/taught/nurtured/became the mother figure to her when her mother wasn't capable. I spent lots of sleepless nights through teething, we fought over what foods she would and would not eat, I rocked her until I couldn't rock her anymore. It was me who taught her how to brush her teeth, that a nice clean face and feet were essential before we climbed into bed for her bedtime story and that after lights out daily recaps were a necessary way to end the day.  Along the way we had a color of the month, and learned what words went with every day encounters. 

I have taught her that a daily dose of sunshine is necessay and in doing so we've walked a trillion miles in her stroller-just to keep her calm and happy. I wouldn't have it any other way. Honestly, I think she feels the same way. So it is only natural that when I babysit her now for her Daddy and Stepmom, that when her siblings return to school we initiated Grandma Pre-school!

To set it up you need several things:

A corner of the world to learn in, 

Her own desk, all her tools handy.

Plaster your house with learning posters, at eye level and use them every chance you get!

Provide a fun learning life skills area! 

And ample room to run, jump, swing, and burn off some of that toddler energy! 

The hardest part is getting into a routine...she used to running the schedule and being bossy.

With her classmate, Emma always close by.

She should be fine. They will learn together, side by side as they have since the beginning!

She arrived on the first day with her backpack filled and was ready to learn, for about 40 mins. We managed to finished 2 matching pages, sang our alphabet (using the actual animals instead of the letter) counted our crayons and markers, seperating them as we went. Then drew a few pictures, attempting to work on writing our name.....but, a dozen H's and just 5 little a's and she was done, so it was off to run play and build some sandcastle's! 

Things I learned from our first day-GO WITH THE FLOW! Do not be rigid in your schedule. Priovide lots of time in between each structured activity. Encourage, ENCOURAGE, ENCOURAGE!!!!! The more praise and applauding you do, the more positve results your will get. Give them a little of the teaching control. I actually told her we needed to teach Emma the months, so now we say them loud and clear to Emma everytime we climb the stairs. If we can get the order of them down, we will begin to work on the significance of each month. Don't expect miracles, baby steps are perfectly fine. Don't push them, let them guide you. If it's ipad time, help her select learning ap's and play along. Any kind of learning is learning. If their hungry, feed them and let them help. Someday this little person is going to be an adult and will need to master these skills as well.

Haleigh and I have got this! We will be soo ready for real school, that all the teachers will be shocked!

School starts again!

Starting anew. Begininning again. School has restarted for the season! Excited parents everywhere have prepared for weeks. They have bought the backpacks, notebooks, pencils and sneakers. It seems summer flies by and we are sending them off to the care and watchful eye of teachers. My newsfeed is flooded with first day pictures of smiling little faces doning their new shoes, backpacks and eyes wide ready to take it all in. If only their enthusiasm lasted all year. Here's our big 2nd grader ready to tackle the year!

      He was soo excited days before. Ready to learn all that is 2nd grade.

 I will remind myself to reblog about school as the year carries on. How wonderful is it to be excited to learn and explore, here's to a great year Trenton and all those other kiddio's who have gone back with the same enthusiam.

Changing the rules, etiquette & not giving in!

Who did it?! Who do we blame? I don't know how they did it, but, I know why.

Greed, selfishness and plain old fashioned narcissism.

Growing up we had rules to live by. I know I taught my children these. And, in pretty sure all my friends did the same with their children. 

Curious what those were? Let me enlighten you-

1. Always be kind. You can attract more flies with honey than vinegar.

2. Use you quiet voice inside, and be mindful of others. Do not swear, scream or throw a temper tantrum in public.

3. Always be honest. The truth will set you free. Did you know your brain remembers detailed facts of the truth? If you lie and make up stories, your gonna slip up, tell the "story" wrong and you will be caught!

4. Always be considerate of others-personal space, their stuff, their needs.

5. Always mind your manner-yes mam' no sir to any adult. Use please and thank you-EVERY time.

6. Respect your elders-that would be anyone 10 years older than yourself.

7. Be grateful, for any gift you receive, deed bestowed upon you, and any opportunity that may have come your way. This includes the roof over your head, the furnishings and belongings within that house as well as the food on the table, the clothes on your back and every other thing in your life. Who told you it's not important to take care of your stuff? We're not going to replace it a half dozen times because you didn't take care of it or simply walked off and left it.

8. Treasure your stuff. People work hard to give you things, so take care of these things, they may not (and probably aren't able) to be replaced.

9. Smile and say "Hello" if you make eye contact with someone. It's called being POLITE. (Google it if you don't know what it means, and apparently you don't!)

10. Wait your turn....good things come to those who wait. The world doesn't revolve around you. If by some chance you are standing in line at the grocery store with a buggy full, by all means let the person with 2 items behind you go on ahead. 

Lately, I have noticed even more how rude, ungrateful, narcissistic, brash and selfish society has become.

We were taught if you want something, work for it. Don't expect handouts. If you are blessed, share the blessing. How could anyone think they are the most important thing in the world, that they are a priority?!

Since when do we throw baby showers for every child you choose to birth? Our parents, as well as ourselves, only had ONE baby shower. You kept the items-baby blankets, sleepers, cribs, strollers, and stored them if you planned on ever having any more kids. What? Having a girl after your first was a boy? Well, if somebody wants to buy a frilly pink dress, that's very nice of them, but it's NOT their responsibility. It is YOURS! Sorry your little princess may have to sleep in dump truck Jammie's, it won't hurt her one little bit! 

What about birthday "gift" bags? Is it really necessary to reward someone for coming to your child's birthday party? Total nonsense if you ask me!

Who decided to change the rules? Why were we not informed and don't think for one minute we would've agreed to it. We as a society need these things. If everybody dismisses them we will fail as a nation. 

I refuse to budge! I will always use my manners, be kind, generous, giving, considerate and gracious...wanna join me?

Where,oh where, have the Golden Rules gone?

Binging!

Yes, my husband is wonderful! You know why? Well, he has us subscribed to Netflix AND Amazon Prime! 

I'm an all in or all out kinda girl-bet you didn't know that?! Ha! So, give I am connected that means on my day off, I'm totally into binge watching! And Emma's pouting on Haleigh's boppy.

First it was Veronica Mars-staring Kristen Bell. I highly recommend it! It's about a ex-sheriff turned private eye's daughter and her uncanny ability to solve even the most traumatic teenage mysteries.

Then we turned on X-files! Sadly, I must admit that I have never seen the last 15-30 minutes of every episode. During its regular run, I worked at CAMC in the Cv surgery department. That meant rising at 4:40am, every scheduled workday, plus, every other weekend on call and weekly required call I stayed exhausted and by Friday night, sleep deprivation caught up with me and try as I might, I always fell asleep before 9:00pm and completely missed every single ending! I have truly been enjoying this binge.

I've got my Emma, plenty of Dr. pepper & popcorn. It would be better if I had David here....hopefully, he'll be back for a nice long weekend. (It happens to be a grandkid free weekend too!)

Wonder what my next binge will be? Any suggestions?

Naps, they are a blessing!

They've played, ran, talked and just hung out every second they could. This particular day they were having a discussion on naps....hay is totally not about them, yet she always takes at a 2 hour nap. Emma, well, she loves them! 

If not for naps, hays demeanor because toxic, loud, whiny and just down right unbearable!

Being "three" is hard! Admit it, learning and absorbing every thing around you every second of the day is taxing to say the least. Hay wakes refreshed and ready to face the evening. Naps are such a blessing! This grandma is not giving them up. Most days I nap with them, but, every now and then I use the quiet time to shower and get refreshed.

See, she wakes up happy! So that means everybody else is to! 

Someday she will out grow them, and, Emma & I will be sad. Someday she will also be a grown up and will wish she could be made to take a nap again....I just hope that times slows down, because I'm enjoying every second we get with her!