School

Lately, Henry has expressed great interest in school. He wants to learn and he really wants to play with other kids. I think part of him thinks that school is basically just recess. When we walk around our neighborhood, we always stop outside of the elementary school and watch the kids play for a few minutes. Henry is very insistent that he will be 10 on his next birthday. For some reason he has gotten it into his head that when you are 10, you get to go to school.

While Henry dreams of growing up, I like to play a little game where I guess which group of kids I would be a part of if I were back in school. Would I be with the small group of giggly girls hanging from the monkey bars? The boys climbing up the slide? Would it be the two girls deep in conversation on the swings? Or the  large group of boys and girls spinning each other around and around on the tire swing? For those of you who are wondering, I would be deep in conversation on a swing. But I digress.

I have never been one for organized entertainment. I prefer my child to be able to use his imagination and entertain himself, though I think that's just my excuse for being too lazy to come up with anything. But after Henry kept asking me if we could do school, I researched a few ideas and we now hold school a few times a week. 

Henry's favorite activity is "cutting." I got him a pair of scissors so that he could practice cutting in a straight line. Really what it turns out to be is Henry making confetti all over the living room floor. But he sure does love it. 

Yesterday we went on a walk and collected leaves and so Henry could glue them on a big piece of paper. Once again, this ended in Henry cutting the leaves to tiny pieces, leaving his artwork looking a bit like a mowed lawn. He was so excited the whole time. I tried to explain the idea of green leaves that change color and then fall off trees, but that went straight over his head. So instead we just listened to music and drank hot chocolate. What can I say I'm a pushover kind of teacher.