I forgot how taxing work is. My whole body ached after I got home from work today. Especially my feet. Me feety no likey. But I also forgot how good it feels to contribute financially to the family. I mean, I get a paycheck tomorrow. A paycheck! Me! With my own name on it and everything. That is pretty dang spectacular.
I said "dang" there because apparently, "darn" is a bad word. Trey told me so. And he knows that because his grandfather told him. The grandfather who died when he was a baby. Yeah, him. He told Trey that he shouldn't say "darn". Or so Trey says anyway. (For those of you who don't know my family geneology, Trey has a grand total of three grandfathers and they are all still alive and well. He has never lost a grandfather. So, take from what you will.)
And working around all this fried food is harder than I thought it would be. I've worked really hard to eat healthier and fresher over the last year and a half or so, and I've really grown to love and crave fresh vegetables and fruits. But there's something about deep-fat-fried tater tots with creamy cheddar cheese in the middle that is so darn, I mean dang, tempting! And why does crispy fried chicken smell so good? Why??
And Trey thinks I smell dang delicious. He told me that, too. Not in so many words, but that was the point he was trying to get across.
Oh, and I punch in with my fingerprint. How flippin' fancy is that! (Trey's dead, not-dead, grandfather hasn't said anything against "flippin'", at least not that I'm aware of, so I hope it's okay that I use that there.) I feel like a secret agent! Just, you know, one who wears a chef's jacket, an apron, and who is covered in chicken breading. One of those secret agents. Yeeaahh...
Good night.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Thursday, October 8, 2015
My Recipe for Whole Wheat Pancakes
I am a rule follower. I love rules. My mom might disagree with you, but that's just because I had a hard time obeying a 10:00 curfew as a teenager (Who wouldn't? Seriously). But other than that, I like having steps laid out before me and an exact process to follow. It keeps me focused, and it greatly reduces the chances of me failing if someone else has worked out the kinks before me.
I hate failing.
By the way, I'm a major perfectionist. In case you couldn't tell.
This rule-following love of mine applies to a lot of things--school projects, work, housework, and recipes. I used to have a really, really, really hard time deviating from a recipe. If I didn't have every single ingredient for a recipe, then I wouldn't make it. Even if it was something simple like green onions. I might have yellow onions in the fridge, but the recipe calls for green, so I'm just going to have to wait to make it until after I go shopping again. Kinda crazy, huh?
As I have learned more about cooking and have actually come to really love it, I have become much more relaxed about following each recipe with exactness. If I dont have celery for egg salad sandwiches, that's okay. They'll still taste great without them. If I don't have white pepper for a quiche I want to try, oh well. I'm sure black pepper will work just fine. I have even, on occasion, been know to be a little creative. Once I was making meatloaf, and after I had my meat and half the ingredients mixed together, I realized that I had no eggs. Instead of freaking out and scrapping the whole thing, I thought, What do I have that's the same kind of texture as an egg and will help hold the meatloaf together? Honey! And you know what? Even though honey wasn't included in the recipe, it held my meatloaf together just fine, and the loaf tasted delicious, too!
(Some of you might be wondering, if having each ingredient was such a big deal to me, why wouldn't I just run to the store and get it? But I gotta tell ya, if there's one thing I hate more than making a recipe without all of the ingredients, it's making a trip to the store for just one little thing. So no, that wasn't an option.)
So knowing this about me, you can imagine what a huge step it was for me to alter a recipe until I got it just right and made it my own. But that's what I did with this pancake recipe. I found a recipe for whole wheat pancakes, and I liked how healthy it was, but there was something just not quite right about it. It took me months of experimenting with it, but I think it is just about perfect now. The key is the vanilla! It makes a huge difference in the sweetness of the cake without adding more sugar. If you happen to try it out for yourself, let me know what you think!
Whole Wheat Pancakes
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp honey
2 eggs
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and honey. Add eggs, melted butter, and milk and whisk together until well-combined and lumps are gone.
Pour onto greased griddle and cook until the top becomes dull-looking. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Serve with maple syrup, apple syrup, or applesauce.
Enjoy!
I hate failing.
By the way, I'm a major perfectionist. In case you couldn't tell.
This rule-following love of mine applies to a lot of things--school projects, work, housework, and recipes. I used to have a really, really, really hard time deviating from a recipe. If I didn't have every single ingredient for a recipe, then I wouldn't make it. Even if it was something simple like green onions. I might have yellow onions in the fridge, but the recipe calls for green, so I'm just going to have to wait to make it until after I go shopping again. Kinda crazy, huh?
As I have learned more about cooking and have actually come to really love it, I have become much more relaxed about following each recipe with exactness. If I dont have celery for egg salad sandwiches, that's okay. They'll still taste great without them. If I don't have white pepper for a quiche I want to try, oh well. I'm sure black pepper will work just fine. I have even, on occasion, been know to be a little creative. Once I was making meatloaf, and after I had my meat and half the ingredients mixed together, I realized that I had no eggs. Instead of freaking out and scrapping the whole thing, I thought, What do I have that's the same kind of texture as an egg and will help hold the meatloaf together? Honey! And you know what? Even though honey wasn't included in the recipe, it held my meatloaf together just fine, and the loaf tasted delicious, too!
(Some of you might be wondering, if having each ingredient was such a big deal to me, why wouldn't I just run to the store and get it? But I gotta tell ya, if there's one thing I hate more than making a recipe without all of the ingredients, it's making a trip to the store for just one little thing. So no, that wasn't an option.)
So knowing this about me, you can imagine what a huge step it was for me to alter a recipe until I got it just right and made it my own. But that's what I did with this pancake recipe. I found a recipe for whole wheat pancakes, and I liked how healthy it was, but there was something just not quite right about it. It took me months of experimenting with it, but I think it is just about perfect now. The key is the vanilla! It makes a huge difference in the sweetness of the cake without adding more sugar. If you happen to try it out for yourself, let me know what you think!
Whole Wheat Pancakes
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp honey
2 eggs
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and honey. Add eggs, melted butter, and milk and whisk together until well-combined and lumps are gone.
Pour onto greased griddle and cook until the top becomes dull-looking. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Serve with maple syrup, apple syrup, or applesauce.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Making Tents
Okay friends, the time has come. I finally have the time to share my General Conference story that I've been getting you all excited about. So here it is--
On Sunday afternoon during the final session, my kiddoes decided they wanted to build a tent. You know, the sheet draped over the backs of chairs indoor tent. Usually I do this for them, and then they grab some books and have a good ol' time reading in it.
But you know, they're now four and three years old, and they've seen me make sheet tents quite a few times now, and I think it's time for them to figure out how to make their own. Plus, quite frankly, I was trying to listen to the talks being given and to gain some spiritual inspiration, and I didn't want to be bothered with it, dang it!
So I told them that I knew that they could do it themselves, and that I wanted them to at least try first. If they gave it a good effort and still needed help, then I would help them.
Ally and Trey went and got the sheets and pulled the kitchen chairs out into the living room. With just a couple of suggestions from me while sitting on the sidelines, they had their tent up in no time! And they got a whole pile of books and enjoyed their tent...for a little while. But you know how kids are and how long those silly sheet tents last. About two minutes.
I was really into the talks and wasn't paying a lot of attention to what the kids were doing, but I did notice they were really struggling to put the sheet back up again. Once it fell down, they couldn't get it back up. And they did ask for a little help a couple of times, and again, I made some suggestions, but they just couldn't make it work.
The next time I looked up, they were sitting in the middle of the chairs, reading their books, and the sheet was wrapped around their bodies like a blanket. I guess they gave up on the whole tent idea.
My heart went out to them then. Their little "tent" looked so sad, and what they wanted was so simple. But they tried their hardest and just couldn't figure it out, even with a few hints from me. They needed me to take a bigger role in their project and get more hands-on and physically help them because I have made several sheet tents throughout my life and know how to do it and make it stay. I started to pull myself up off the couch, but then I stopped and really looked at them.
And I saw that they were happy. They weren't freaking out and crying about their failed tent. They weren't pulling on my arm and begging me to fix it. I had asked them to figure it out, and they did to the best of their abilities. I then had the thought, If they wanted my help, they would ask for it.
And that is when revelation hit me. This week's "ponderizing" scripture came to mind: "Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," (Doctrine and Covenants 4:7). And a light bulb went off in my head, and I thought, That is how Heavenly Father feels when you don't ask for help but He wants to give it to you.
Wow. What an amazing glimpse into our Father's mind. I now understand that scripture on a much higher level than I ever have before. He is sitting there watching me settle for mediocrity. Whether it's with how I'm raising my kids, my relationship with my husband, finances, my work ethic at my job or in my home...whatever it may be, I often sit there with my sheet of mediocrity wrapped around my shoulders and decide to just be happy with it. To just accept it. All the while He is watching me thinking, I know what she's going through, and I know how to help her get to where she truly wants to be. But you know, she's satisfied, so who am I to butt in and tell her her life's not good enough? If she wanted my help, she would ask for it.
Often times I feel like I'm seeking His help and guidance. I go to church. I listen to and read conference talks. Occassionally I read the scriptures. I pray with my kids. And I get little snippets of inspiration from Him, little hints and suggestions. But I don't think I really take them to heart and implement them in my life. I don't take the time to truly understand what He's saying to me. And I definitely don't get on my knees, pour my heart out to Him with all of my worries and anxieties and sincerely ask Him to help me. I don't ask Him to come into my life and get more hand-on with what I'm going through. I don't ask Him to guide me in every little thing I struggle with. I don't ask Him to show me how to be a better mother, wife, budgeter, more organized, more patient, more loving, kinder, gentler...all those specific things in which I feel I'm lacking.
This is the hardest and most important time of my life, raising my little ones, and I'm trying to do it alone. I used to put more effort into finding out His will on who I should date than I do now in trying to teach my precious babies how to be kind to one another or to know the Savior and learn to love him at this young age. Why? Why do I leave Him out of this work that I prepared my whole young life for and that will have the biggest effect on the future for not just myself but for my whole family? Why do I do this?
I'm not sure what the answer to that question is, but it's not really important. What is important is that I change. And that I start today by getting on my knees and asking my Father in Heaven how to teach my children love and respect for themselves and for others. To ask how I can become a better communicator with that man in the next room that I love so much. How to balance all of the demands of my time including making time for myself and for Him. Because He has been where I am. He knows what I'm going through. And He knows how I can make my life better. I don't have to settle for mediocrity. All I have to do to gain answers to my questions is to simply ask. And He will help me. Just like I would have helped my kids had they asked me to get up and make the tent with them, so will He come into my life and overcome my trials with me.
On Sunday afternoon during the final session, my kiddoes decided they wanted to build a tent. You know, the sheet draped over the backs of chairs indoor tent. Usually I do this for them, and then they grab some books and have a good ol' time reading in it.
But you know, they're now four and three years old, and they've seen me make sheet tents quite a few times now, and I think it's time for them to figure out how to make their own. Plus, quite frankly, I was trying to listen to the talks being given and to gain some spiritual inspiration, and I didn't want to be bothered with it, dang it!
So I told them that I knew that they could do it themselves, and that I wanted them to at least try first. If they gave it a good effort and still needed help, then I would help them.
Ally and Trey went and got the sheets and pulled the kitchen chairs out into the living room. With just a couple of suggestions from me while sitting on the sidelines, they had their tent up in no time! And they got a whole pile of books and enjoyed their tent...for a little while. But you know how kids are and how long those silly sheet tents last. About two minutes.
I was really into the talks and wasn't paying a lot of attention to what the kids were doing, but I did notice they were really struggling to put the sheet back up again. Once it fell down, they couldn't get it back up. And they did ask for a little help a couple of times, and again, I made some suggestions, but they just couldn't make it work.
The next time I looked up, they were sitting in the middle of the chairs, reading their books, and the sheet was wrapped around their bodies like a blanket. I guess they gave up on the whole tent idea.
My heart went out to them then. Their little "tent" looked so sad, and what they wanted was so simple. But they tried their hardest and just couldn't figure it out, even with a few hints from me. They needed me to take a bigger role in their project and get more hands-on and physically help them because I have made several sheet tents throughout my life and know how to do it and make it stay. I started to pull myself up off the couch, but then I stopped and really looked at them.
And I saw that they were happy. They weren't freaking out and crying about their failed tent. They weren't pulling on my arm and begging me to fix it. I had asked them to figure it out, and they did to the best of their abilities. I then had the thought, If they wanted my help, they would ask for it.
And that is when revelation hit me. This week's "ponderizing" scripture came to mind: "Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," (Doctrine and Covenants 4:7). And a light bulb went off in my head, and I thought, That is how Heavenly Father feels when you don't ask for help but He wants to give it to you.
Wow. What an amazing glimpse into our Father's mind. I now understand that scripture on a much higher level than I ever have before. He is sitting there watching me settle for mediocrity. Whether it's with how I'm raising my kids, my relationship with my husband, finances, my work ethic at my job or in my home...whatever it may be, I often sit there with my sheet of mediocrity wrapped around my shoulders and decide to just be happy with it. To just accept it. All the while He is watching me thinking, I know what she's going through, and I know how to help her get to where she truly wants to be. But you know, she's satisfied, so who am I to butt in and tell her her life's not good enough? If she wanted my help, she would ask for it.
Often times I feel like I'm seeking His help and guidance. I go to church. I listen to and read conference talks. Occassionally I read the scriptures. I pray with my kids. And I get little snippets of inspiration from Him, little hints and suggestions. But I don't think I really take them to heart and implement them in my life. I don't take the time to truly understand what He's saying to me. And I definitely don't get on my knees, pour my heart out to Him with all of my worries and anxieties and sincerely ask Him to help me. I don't ask Him to come into my life and get more hand-on with what I'm going through. I don't ask Him to guide me in every little thing I struggle with. I don't ask Him to show me how to be a better mother, wife, budgeter, more organized, more patient, more loving, kinder, gentler...all those specific things in which I feel I'm lacking.
This is the hardest and most important time of my life, raising my little ones, and I'm trying to do it alone. I used to put more effort into finding out His will on who I should date than I do now in trying to teach my precious babies how to be kind to one another or to know the Savior and learn to love him at this young age. Why? Why do I leave Him out of this work that I prepared my whole young life for and that will have the biggest effect on the future for not just myself but for my whole family? Why do I do this?
I'm not sure what the answer to that question is, but it's not really important. What is important is that I change. And that I start today by getting on my knees and asking my Father in Heaven how to teach my children love and respect for themselves and for others. To ask how I can become a better communicator with that man in the next room that I love so much. How to balance all of the demands of my time including making time for myself and for Him. Because He has been where I am. He knows what I'm going through. And He knows how I can make my life better. I don't have to settle for mediocrity. All I have to do to gain answers to my questions is to simply ask. And He will help me. Just like I would have helped my kids had they asked me to get up and make the tent with them, so will He come into my life and overcome my trials with me.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
"Ponderizing"
For those of you who didn't see Brother Devin G. Durrant's talk during General Conference, "ponderize" means to ponder on and memorize a verse of scripture. He challenged us to "ponderize" one verse a week for a month, a year, 20 years...however long we would like to. He promised that great power will come of doing this as we turn our thoughts towards our Heavenly Father and His Word and away from the negative things of the world. In essence, if we put more of the good in, it will push more of the bad out.
I want to start with a challenge to "ponderize" a verse each week until the end of the year.
This week, my verse is Doctrine and Covenants 4:7 "Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
Hopefully, I'll be able to write more about why I chose this scripture tomorrow. It's a pretty neat story. I think you'll like it.
I want to start with a challenge to "ponderize" a verse each week until the end of the year.
This week, my verse is Doctrine and Covenants 4:7 "Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
Hopefully, I'll be able to write more about why I chose this scripture tomorrow. It's a pretty neat story. I think you'll like it.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
General Conference
Is it just me or was General Conference a-maze-ing this weekend? For the first time in my life, I watched every session, I stayed awake through all of it, and I heard several lessons that seemed directed straight at me. I even took notes! And I felt the Spirit very strongly several times. It was a wonderful weekend, and my heart is full and my mind is peaceful. I want to share more about it, but I don't have the time right now. So this is all from me tonight. Until tomorrow, friends!
Jewel is a Miracle Worker
Since I started my new job, bedtimes have become a little ridiculous around here. Mind you, we've never been very good about it. It was the worst when Brian was working nights. Since he was used to staying up all night, I would stay up with him for as long as I could on his days off. Which meant I slept in late. Like, 11:00 or 12:00 late. Which meant the kids slept in late. Which meant we had a late nap, like at 5:00 or 6:00 in evening. Which resulted in a late dinner. We're talking dinner at 9:00, even 10:00. So the kids went to bed at midnight or later...yeah, it was bad, guys. Let's just say, I was not in a very good place in my life at the time, and the working graveyard shift thing just perpetuated it.
Anyway, we overcame that trial, Brian now works days, and we have had a fairly normal routine for the past year. And for a while, we were getting the kids in bed and asleep by 9:30 or 10:00 at the latest. Still not great, but it was pretty consistent and much better than before.
But since I've started at Ridley's, things are getting out of whack again. Brian and I share a vehicle, and the last two times I've closed, he has dropped me off then picked me up with the kids in tow. Well, I didn't get out of there until 9 or 9:30 which meant the kids were still up and running about when they should've been in bed. I guess I didn't think it would be a big deal since it only happened a couple of times.
WRONG!
Last night was the worst of it. I put Trey and Ally to bed at about 10:00, and those little munchkins were the most awake they had been all day, I think. They absolutely refused to calm down and try to go to sleep. They thwarted all of my tactics, like trying to separate them, and laughed at my threats. Even Grayson was bouncing off the walls (and by "bouncing off the walls", I mean "crawling around the house, laughing at Trey and Ally, being absolutely adorable, but also refusing to go to sleep")! So I did the next best thing which is to ignore them. If I stop giving them the attention they're trying to get from me, then they'll usually stop harrassing me, stop playing "the game", calm down, and finally fall asleep.
Yeeaah. No. It was so not happening last night.
They were in their room banging stuff around, tearing apart their dresser, throwing Apple Jacks all over their clean clothes, when Brian had finally had it.
Now, I hate it when the kids wake Brian up. He works long hours behind the wheel of a very large, very heavy semi-truck, and needs his rest so that he can be alert and aware of his surroundings in order to come home to us safely every night. But sometimes, after I've done everything I can think of, the only other thing that will get their attention enough to where they take us seriously is for Brian to go in there and give them a good butt-chewing. They know that when they have waken up Daddy and made him get out of bed, they have crossed the line.
Did that work last night?
No. No it did not.
So there we are, at 1:00 in the morning, Brian is completely awake by now, and we're sitting on the couch with our heads in our hands asking, What the heck are we supposed to do??
You wanna know what we did?
We watched an episode of Season 5 of The Walking Dead.
And then we went to bed.
Trey finally fell asleep in his room sometime while we were watching the show, and since Ally had lost her partner-in-crime, she came out and laid on the couch with Brian. It didn't take her five minutes before she fell asleep.
What a bunch of ridiculouness.
So tonight, before he went to bed, Brian said, "I don't care what you have to do, but make sure they fall asleep tonight. 'Nap Time' them if you have to."
And sure enough, he called it. Tonight had the beginnings of being just as bad as last night. Trey was watching a movie in my bedroom with Brian, but he kept coming out to see what we were up to and to scrounge for food. Each time he came out, Ally would wake from her getting-sleepy stupor and think it was time to play. And after her bedtime story, song, and prayer, she snuck out of her bedroom and went into my bedroom where my sleeping husband was and started chatting with Trey! That's when I said, "Oh no! We are NOT doing this again tonight!"
So I busted out a new secret weapon--a lullaby disc by Jewel. Ally's choices were to either lay on the couch and listen to the music or go lay down on her bed (we don't have a cd player other than the computer, but Trey had that and he didn't want to listen to the music with us, so I had to use the DVD player instead. That's why she was on the couch, in case you were wondering). We listened to about 3/4s of the cd, and she fought it, and came up with excuses to get up, and asked to watch her show, but then she finally assumed "The Position"--she laid down on her side. Five minutes later, she was finally out. And Trey has been in the room watching his show the whole time I've been writing this, so I think it's safe to assume that he has finally given it up, too.
(Sigh of relief.)
Thank you, Jewel! You saved the day! And I really like your cd, too, by the way. 😊
Anyway, we overcame that trial, Brian now works days, and we have had a fairly normal routine for the past year. And for a while, we were getting the kids in bed and asleep by 9:30 or 10:00 at the latest. Still not great, but it was pretty consistent and much better than before.
But since I've started at Ridley's, things are getting out of whack again. Brian and I share a vehicle, and the last two times I've closed, he has dropped me off then picked me up with the kids in tow. Well, I didn't get out of there until 9 or 9:30 which meant the kids were still up and running about when they should've been in bed. I guess I didn't think it would be a big deal since it only happened a couple of times.
WRONG!
Last night was the worst of it. I put Trey and Ally to bed at about 10:00, and those little munchkins were the most awake they had been all day, I think. They absolutely refused to calm down and try to go to sleep. They thwarted all of my tactics, like trying to separate them, and laughed at my threats. Even Grayson was bouncing off the walls (and by "bouncing off the walls", I mean "crawling around the house, laughing at Trey and Ally, being absolutely adorable, but also refusing to go to sleep")! So I did the next best thing which is to ignore them. If I stop giving them the attention they're trying to get from me, then they'll usually stop harrassing me, stop playing "the game", calm down, and finally fall asleep.
Yeeaah. No. It was so not happening last night.
They were in their room banging stuff around, tearing apart their dresser, throwing Apple Jacks all over their clean clothes, when Brian had finally had it.
Now, I hate it when the kids wake Brian up. He works long hours behind the wheel of a very large, very heavy semi-truck, and needs his rest so that he can be alert and aware of his surroundings in order to come home to us safely every night. But sometimes, after I've done everything I can think of, the only other thing that will get their attention enough to where they take us seriously is for Brian to go in there and give them a good butt-chewing. They know that when they have waken up Daddy and made him get out of bed, they have crossed the line.
Did that work last night?
No. No it did not.
So there we are, at 1:00 in the morning, Brian is completely awake by now, and we're sitting on the couch with our heads in our hands asking, What the heck are we supposed to do??
You wanna know what we did?
We watched an episode of Season 5 of The Walking Dead.
And then we went to bed.
Trey finally fell asleep in his room sometime while we were watching the show, and since Ally had lost her partner-in-crime, she came out and laid on the couch with Brian. It didn't take her five minutes before she fell asleep.
What a bunch of ridiculouness.
So tonight, before he went to bed, Brian said, "I don't care what you have to do, but make sure they fall asleep tonight. 'Nap Time' them if you have to."
And sure enough, he called it. Tonight had the beginnings of being just as bad as last night. Trey was watching a movie in my bedroom with Brian, but he kept coming out to see what we were up to and to scrounge for food. Each time he came out, Ally would wake from her getting-sleepy stupor and think it was time to play. And after her bedtime story, song, and prayer, she snuck out of her bedroom and went into my bedroom where my sleeping husband was and started chatting with Trey! That's when I said, "Oh no! We are NOT doing this again tonight!"
So I busted out a new secret weapon--a lullaby disc by Jewel. Ally's choices were to either lay on the couch and listen to the music or go lay down on her bed (we don't have a cd player other than the computer, but Trey had that and he didn't want to listen to the music with us, so I had to use the DVD player instead. That's why she was on the couch, in case you were wondering). We listened to about 3/4s of the cd, and she fought it, and came up with excuses to get up, and asked to watch her show, but then she finally assumed "The Position"--she laid down on her side. Five minutes later, she was finally out. And Trey has been in the room watching his show the whole time I've been writing this, so I think it's safe to assume that he has finally given it up, too.
(Sigh of relief.)
Thank you, Jewel! You saved the day! And I really like your cd, too, by the way. 😊
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Why Trey is Four Years Old and NOT in Preschool
I've been asked quite a few times over the last couple of years if Trey will be starting preschool soon. It's a valid question. Most parents nowadays do choose to put their kids in preschool at three or four years old, even when there's a stay-at-home parent in the household. But I feel that a big reason why they do this is because our society tells them to. All the propaganda we as parents are surrounded by day in and day out tell us that our kids have to do more, learn earlier, be smarter, and if we don't provide them with those opportunities, then we are doing our kids an injustice. We are failing as parents. And none of us want to feel like we're failing at the most important job we were put on this earth to do
But you know what? Propaganda aside? I think preschool is completely unnecessary.
Now I know what you're thinking: Big whoop. Good for you. So you have an opinion about something. Who are you to write a blog post about it? What makes you a credible source when it comes my childrens' education?
So let me make this perfectly clear--I am no expert. I am not an educator. But I did study secondary education in college and I did learn a thing or two about childhood development. So I kinda know what I'm talking about, a little bit. More than others, anyway.
One thing I learned, probably the most important thing and definitely the thing that had the biggest impact on me, is the simple fact that kids need to be kids. They need to run and play, dig in the dirt, use their imaginations. They will learn far more from that at this age than they will from sitting and being drilled with information all day.
Case in point--This time last year, I bought Trey a preschool workbook because he loved to color and he showed an interest in numbers and letters. So I thought it would be fun for us to sit and work on it together throughout the year.
Well, he absolutely loved it! He begged me to work on it with him every day, and we would do it for literally hours at a time. I would get tired and ask him if we could take a break, and he would insist on doing it some more. I couldn't believe it! A big, fatty book from Costco that I thought would take us months to complete I think lasted a week, maybe two. So I bought him more and we did several books over the next couple of months.
But even after all that work, Trey still didn't know his alphabet. He still couldn't count to ten. He didn't learn those things until he needed to know them. He learned to count to five after he got a board game for his fourth birthday and needed to count the spaces. He also learned to recognize those written numbers from that game. This past summer, he rediscovered his foam letter puzzle that we gave him for Christmas one year, and I think holding a 3D version of the letters is what finally helped him realize that those letters can be put together to form words. He loves having me spell things out with them, and he can recognize most of them now and almost knows the whole alphabet song.
Another case in point--While I was trying to teach Trey from those workbooks, my then two-year-old Ally picked up on a few things as well. She could count to ten better than Trey could, minus 5. She always skipped 5, but she could count all the other numbers in order every time I asked her to. But when I asked her to actually count physical objects, she couldn't do it. She's still working on it actually. So even though it seemed like she was learning, what she was really doing was memorizing a little jingle.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that doing those activities with Trey was a bad thing or a waste of time or anything negative like that. He enjoyed them and definitely learned something from them and we had a fun time working on them together. But what I am saying is that to put them in a classroom where they are expected to learn those things by a certain time because that's what their peers can do, or worse, because that's what some politician said they should, that's what I think is unnecesarry. I think, at this age, they should learn what they want when they are ready to. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. The Finnish don't even start teaching their kids to read until they're six years old and are interested in it, and according to one of my college professors, the Finnish are the best readers in the world. So I think us Americans could take a leaf out of their book and not put so much pressure on our little ones, or ourselves, for that matter.
Now, I have a confession to make: even though I feel very strongly about this and am very firm in my beliefs, I too, have doubted. I've felt like a rebel, going against the grain just because my own pride is at stake. I've had to ask myself, am I keeping Trey out of preschool because that's what's best for him, or just because I don't want to go back on my word and do something I've said I wouldn't do?
I do feel like he's lacking socially. That's my only concern about his development. But I also know that the biggest obstacle kindergarten teachers face in teaching their students is dealing with those who are behind with their social skills. I don't want Trey to miss out on learning just because he hasn't learned how to sit still, follow directions, and keep his hands and feet to himself (although, after reading this article, I wonder if that isn't more the teacher's problem than the student's?).
So after talking with my hubby, I took him in to our public preschool and had him screened. It's government-funded which means no cost to me, but they only take students who need extra help with their development. And I am pleased and proud to say that he passed with flying colors. He was borderline with the Self Help section which included social skills, but he did great with everything else.
Which means, even without daycare or preschool or me drilling him every day with flashcards, he is right where he needs to be. And with a little more exposure to new social situations, he will be ready for kindergarten next year.
I'm not saying that nobody should put their kids in preschool. I'm not saying that this path is right for everyone. But I am saying that if you don't feel quite right about it, are having a hard time affording it, are feeling pressured into it, or just think it's plain unnecessary, you're not the only one. And if you choose to not put them in preschool, chances are, they'll still develop just fine. Heck, it might even be better for them. So don't feel guilty about it. You know what's best for your kids. Trust your instincts, and do what you feel is right. Even if you're going against the grain, it's all going to be all right.
But you know what? Propaganda aside? I think preschool is completely unnecessary.
Now I know what you're thinking: Big whoop. Good for you. So you have an opinion about something. Who are you to write a blog post about it? What makes you a credible source when it comes my childrens' education?
So let me make this perfectly clear--I am no expert. I am not an educator. But I did study secondary education in college and I did learn a thing or two about childhood development. So I kinda know what I'm talking about, a little bit. More than others, anyway.
One thing I learned, probably the most important thing and definitely the thing that had the biggest impact on me, is the simple fact that kids need to be kids. They need to run and play, dig in the dirt, use their imaginations. They will learn far more from that at this age than they will from sitting and being drilled with information all day.
Case in point--This time last year, I bought Trey a preschool workbook because he loved to color and he showed an interest in numbers and letters. So I thought it would be fun for us to sit and work on it together throughout the year.
Well, he absolutely loved it! He begged me to work on it with him every day, and we would do it for literally hours at a time. I would get tired and ask him if we could take a break, and he would insist on doing it some more. I couldn't believe it! A big, fatty book from Costco that I thought would take us months to complete I think lasted a week, maybe two. So I bought him more and we did several books over the next couple of months.
But even after all that work, Trey still didn't know his alphabet. He still couldn't count to ten. He didn't learn those things until he needed to know them. He learned to count to five after he got a board game for his fourth birthday and needed to count the spaces. He also learned to recognize those written numbers from that game. This past summer, he rediscovered his foam letter puzzle that we gave him for Christmas one year, and I think holding a 3D version of the letters is what finally helped him realize that those letters can be put together to form words. He loves having me spell things out with them, and he can recognize most of them now and almost knows the whole alphabet song.
Another case in point--While I was trying to teach Trey from those workbooks, my then two-year-old Ally picked up on a few things as well. She could count to ten better than Trey could, minus 5. She always skipped 5, but she could count all the other numbers in order every time I asked her to. But when I asked her to actually count physical objects, she couldn't do it. She's still working on it actually. So even though it seemed like she was learning, what she was really doing was memorizing a little jingle.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that doing those activities with Trey was a bad thing or a waste of time or anything negative like that. He enjoyed them and definitely learned something from them and we had a fun time working on them together. But what I am saying is that to put them in a classroom where they are expected to learn those things by a certain time because that's what their peers can do, or worse, because that's what some politician said they should, that's what I think is unnecesarry. I think, at this age, they should learn what they want when they are ready to. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. The Finnish don't even start teaching their kids to read until they're six years old and are interested in it, and according to one of my college professors, the Finnish are the best readers in the world. So I think us Americans could take a leaf out of their book and not put so much pressure on our little ones, or ourselves, for that matter.
Now, I have a confession to make: even though I feel very strongly about this and am very firm in my beliefs, I too, have doubted. I've felt like a rebel, going against the grain just because my own pride is at stake. I've had to ask myself, am I keeping Trey out of preschool because that's what's best for him, or just because I don't want to go back on my word and do something I've said I wouldn't do?
I do feel like he's lacking socially. That's my only concern about his development. But I also know that the biggest obstacle kindergarten teachers face in teaching their students is dealing with those who are behind with their social skills. I don't want Trey to miss out on learning just because he hasn't learned how to sit still, follow directions, and keep his hands and feet to himself (although, after reading this article, I wonder if that isn't more the teacher's problem than the student's?).
So after talking with my hubby, I took him in to our public preschool and had him screened. It's government-funded which means no cost to me, but they only take students who need extra help with their development. And I am pleased and proud to say that he passed with flying colors. He was borderline with the Self Help section which included social skills, but he did great with everything else.
Which means, even without daycare or preschool or me drilling him every day with flashcards, he is right where he needs to be. And with a little more exposure to new social situations, he will be ready for kindergarten next year.
I'm not saying that nobody should put their kids in preschool. I'm not saying that this path is right for everyone. But I am saying that if you don't feel quite right about it, are having a hard time affording it, are feeling pressured into it, or just think it's plain unnecessary, you're not the only one. And if you choose to not put them in preschool, chances are, they'll still develop just fine. Heck, it might even be better for them. So don't feel guilty about it. You know what's best for your kids. Trust your instincts, and do what you feel is right. Even if you're going against the grain, it's all going to be all right.
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