Parent Teacher Conferences

I'm writing this more for myself...

We had our first round of parent teacher conferences for all three kids.

Sam--we had no idea what to expect. During the three years that our girls went to preschool, not once did any of the teachers come up to us to discuss the girls' behavior. But within the first month of school, one of the teachers chased me down to talk about Sam. Apparently, he gets time outs often and doesn't always listen to the teachers. He is one of the youngest kids there and the teachers seem to really enjoy him being there. He is always giving and getting hugs from the teachers and making them laugh. But he is such a clown that he doesn't buck up when he needs to be focused.

During his conference, we learned that he is actually doing quite well in his academics. He knows all his letters and has already learned about 10 phonetic sounds of the letters. His understanding of numbers is also very strong--he can identify 1 through 10, put them in the correct order, and even count objects to a specific number. He likes to chirp in answers when questions are asked to the class, even when he has no idea what the answer is. He definitely throws tantrums and loses it when he is upset but he's two so it is age-appropriate (unfortunately). All in all, we were all pleased with how he is doing. When we watched him during observation (he didn't know we were watching him), he was having a good time doing the montessori activities so that makes us happy too.

Elysha--Her teacher just raved about her artistic abilities--the attention to detail, the composition, the spatial relations--she was saying this it was all a precursor to writing. We flipped through her journal, which she did in preschool too, and it was just so cute. It's nice that she draws happy pictures, where the sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the people are smiling. She is great at writing her letters and writing phonetically. Her teacher thought she was at a first grade level in her writing abilities. What I am noticing about Elysha is that she is really making breakthroughs in her reading. I feel like she is realizing all that Joey has access to by being able to read, so she has been working harder to really read.

For some reason, though, Elysha keeps getting out of PE. She always claims to be sick or sad or miss me or Chang. So the teacher has been allowing her to sit out, or she tells her to take the class mascot (a stuffed animal crab) for a walk around the play yard. Elysha is our little hippie child. She would be happy to just turn in circles with a crown of flowers around her head and skip around chasing butterflies. When she is on the soccer field, she gets distracted by pretty much everything but the game. We are starting to think that perhaps, team sports is not for her. =) We think she has more natural skills than her siblings but she just doesn't have that "killer" instinct to go after the ball or run fast or play hard.

She is also a perfectionist which is both good and bad. She works hard on her drawings, but when it isn't exactly as she envisioned it, she gets so frustrated. But her drawings are just so beautiful and thoughtful. In some sense, this is why she is great at math. There is only one right answer and so arriving at the answer doesn't disturb her. She's right and done--end of story.

Joey--Where do I begin? She has really bloomed this year. Last year, even though she did extremely well academically, she had some issues socially. This year, she doesn't have these issues anymore. She has her group of friends, she gets along with all the kids in her class, and she has this confidence about her that is almost palpable. Chang thinks it has to do with her experience with her drama club last year. I agree that it is in part because of mini-players. But I also think she came into this year with a greater sense of who she is.

She is in a 1st and 2nd grade combination class which is perfect for her. Even as a 2 year old, she insisted on being grouped with older children, believing that she was capable of doing the same level of work. She was able to write her name when she was only two--but I don't think she even knew the alphabet. She just remembered what lines and curves made her name. So in her class now, she is trying to keep up with the 2nd graders. It has been a great challenge for her and she works really hard to get to their level.

Her teacher said she is reading and comprehending at a end of 2nd grade level. She is a really strong writer. Her spelling could be better but I am already amazed at how well she spells considering how poor it was just a year ago. But stylistically, she is a great writer. It is interesting, nicely paced, with a definitive beginning and ending. Her teacher said that out of a high score of 4, she judges her writing to be 3+.

In math, she is also excelling. I had discussions with her regarding placing Joey in 2nd grade math because of Joey's complaints that her math class was too easy and boring. But we talked about it and agreed that it would be better to keep her in the higher level 1st grade math class. Even though it is easy for her, I would rather she have a solid grasp of what she is learning. Every day, the students do a "mad minute" math quiz in which the have to solve 30 problems in 3 minutes. After a student gets a perfect score five times, she can advance to the next level. Joey is on the fourth level.

Her teacher was saying that she is such a joy in the classroom. She said she is the complete student--she excels in the classroom, she is well liked by her peers, she is generous and kind--always willing to give and receive help. I talked to her about having Joey identified as gifted when she is in 3rd grade (the process begins in 2nd grade). She said that she has already has it in mind to have Joey tested as highly gifted at the end of 2nd grade by the Raven test.

Needless to say, we are so proud of all of our kids. It is every parents' dream to hear that our children are excelling, but also that they are happy, liked by their peers, and enjoy their learning environment.

Brain Puking Blog Post

Sorry for the long silence. I'm not sure why I haven't been writing. Probably because I am still tired. The kids have been sleeping better though we still get the occasional early morning cry from Sam. I've taught Joey how to tell time so she knows to not come into our room before 7am. Elysha continues to sleep blissfully until she gets woken up. I don't know what it is but I am exhausted.

I've decided to keep the kids home with me for five weeks. If I put the kids in school all summer, it would cost over $6000 for two months. So it makes fiscal sense to have them home with me. I think I can handle it (I think I can, I think I can). I have already devised a daily morning and afternoon schedule for those five weeks in order to keep myself from freaking out. It consists of hikes, beach trips, museum trips, library trips, as well as cooking classes from Chef Mommy and Korean classes from Uhmma (just the alphabet and basic words would be awesome). If the kids and I come out of July alive but absolutely nothing accomplished, I will still consider it a success. If you hear a sudden burst of song August 2nd in the morning, it will be me singing hallelujah, the kids are all in school!

Another part of my fatigue is probably all the playdates I have been hosting. I still feel like Joey has yet to really find her groove with her friends at school. I am getting the sense that the person Joey likes the most in her class doesn't feel the same way about her. So I am trying to help Joey build stronger connections with other classmates but that means hosting two to three playdates a week. Of course, if I host one playdate for Joey, then I feel obliged to do the same for Elysha. It's such a foreign concept to me that I have to work this hard for my kids to have friends. Growing up, all of the families in our little cul-de-sac had kids around the same age. After school, we would all hang out on our street and play kick ball or ride bikes. Or I would just go over to my best friend's house who lived a couple doors down from me. There was no organization for playdates. Everyday was a playdate.

I'm sure I had homework in elementary school but I don't remember ever doing any. But everyday there is the stress of getting Joey's homework done and then practicing piano and hopefully reading a little bit. All this while trying to not completely ignore Elysha and Sam, as well as do the dishes from the day and then cook a dinner that would make Jamie Oliver proud. I think I just feel worn down from the daily routine. Not to mention Chang's upcoming birthday, and converting our office to a guest room, and an impending visit from my sister in law, and errands for my mom, and dealing with my dad.

I hope I don't sound depressed because I am not...though after writing all this I think I should be! As much as my life drives me insane, I know that I am still blessed. I have a good life and my complaints are trivial in the grand scheme of things. But I am still counting down the days until August 2! I will finally get a break and (gasp!) be on my own for the first time in almost seven years. I can't even wrap my head around the idea of it but I am sure I will get used to it really quick!

Parent Teacher Conferences for Fall 2009

We went through another round of parent teacher conferences for the girls. It is interesting to hear their teachers' perspectives, especially as the girls get older. I see how their personalities are becoming more defined. And of course, because I like to overanalyze everything, I think about what this means for their future in terms of academics, social development, sibling dynamics, etc. (This post is boring but I want to remember what the teachers said and my reflections of the girls upon hearing the teachers' observations--sorry!)

Joey has been doing really well in kindergarten. It took her a while to get comfortable with the other kids. Her teacher said that for the first few weeks, she wouldn't go outside and interact with the other kids. She would come back into the classroom and ask to help her teacher. I was very eager to help her make friends so I organized a playdate with a girl who Joey mentioned was nice to her. Suddenly, I had other girls' moms asking for playdates with Joey and now Joey has her group of friends. Yay! The teacher also mentioned that Joey is well liked by her classmates and gets along with them.

The teacher gave us a list of skills that kindergarteners need to master by the end of the year. Out of the list of 21 skills, Joey has two that she hasn't mastered. She couldn't read 5 of the 54 "sight words" and she needs to improve in her spelling when writing. The teacher was saying that she was hoping that Joey would take on a leadership role in the class but Joey is hesitant to be in the spotlight. That sounds about right. Even when Joey was two years old, she always hated being the center of attention in a large group setting. Among friends and family, she's comfortable--but bring in just one or two strangers, forget it. That's like me now, but I think as a kid, I was a lot more outgoing.

I'm really happy that we decided to start her off in kindergarten. The kids learn a lot of the culture, work ethics, and teacher expectations in kindergarten. While Joey would probably have fared decently in first grade, we are on a much more gradual learning curve. I've been supplementing her homework since it is so basic which has been forcing me to become more involved in their academic development. Darn--I guess I could only hold off for so long. And I guess that nerd gene is alive and well in me too. One thing I am loving is Joey's piano lessons. I am learning how to read music which I never learned to do in my 20 years of piano lessons.

Elysha is so different from Joey. They are both smart. But Joey has this innate desire to please others. Elysha could not care less. This is her teacher's observation. This is the same preschool teacher that Joey had so she was also marveling at how different the two girls are.

What cracks me up about Elysha is that she doesn't seem engaged while a teacher or parent is speaking (okay, cracks me up when it is someone else, really irritates me when it is me that she is rolling her eyes at). She doesn't appear to listen to you when she is talking but she gets it. She's definitely not a teacher's pet, but thankfully, she isn't a problem student either. She's going to be one of those kids who doodles on her notes in class and listens to music while studying but will perform just as well as the student who takes copious notes. She won't be gunning for extra credit, though, that is for sure.

Elysha doesn't challenge herself and would be happy to draw all day. But when her teacher asks her to do something, she is compliant. Elysha's reading has improved dramatically within the last two weeks. Things finally clicked for her and she is able to read the BOB books with no problem. She's at that stage where she is trying to read everything around her.

Elysha has no problems being the leader and speaking in front of the class. Now that she is one of the older children at her preschool, she has taken on a leadership role--she likes to help the younger kids but also likes to keep up with the kindergarteners. I don't know that she "competes" with Joey so much as she uses Joey as a pacemaker. She wants to keep up--Elysha gets upset when she can't do things as well as Joey--but we just keep reminding her that when Joey was her age, she could not do x,y,z either. Elysha used to get really upset but I think she is understanding better that it is a process.

We talked about Sam entering preschool next summer. He just seems so young compared to the girls at his age. I wonder how much of it is gender/personality vs. me coddling him. I wonder if he will be ready next summer and as excited as I am to finally be able to pee without Sam playing with his cars along the bathtub, I really wonder if I will be ready next summer to let him go. You would think that I would be singing from the rooftops "Freedom!" But a part of me thinks that I will be crying while I am getting a pedicure (because I will be finally taking care of myself after almost seven years of letting myself go to pot).

Back on Track

Sorry for being so bad about missing out on the blogging world these last couple of months. I don't even remember what made the summer so crazy except that the girls were home for about a month. Yeah, I guess that would make my life pretty crazy having three kids home with me 24/7...

I completely quit Savvy now that I helped them transition over to their new format. It's strange not having anything other to do except just the normal household stuff. I feel like I have so much time on my hands now.



We've had to wake up earlier so that we can get Joey to school on time. I don't know if it is due to lack of sleep but we have all been really cranky. By the time the kids go to sleep, I am so tired that I just completely veg in front of the TV while eating ice cream. I have discovered the CW shows and I am officially in love with America's Top Model. I find it completely fascinating but I'm not sure why. Maybe it is because I enjoy hating these vapid pretty girls and their petty catfights...but that doesn't explain the tears of sympathy I shed for the girls who get kicked off, and why I am so looking forward to watching the new episode tonight!

Sam had a verbal explosion and he talks like crazy. It's really cute and a huge relief that he can communicate his needs instead of pointing his fingers and grunting. But he also says things like, "That's funny Mommy!" or "Stop it, Daddy!" or "I want ice cream."



We ran out of formula and I decided it's time to say good-bye to the bottle. I thought it would be a difficult transition since the moment he sees his little 4 oz bottle of formula at night, he would grab it, open the cap, start drinking it, go to his sisters and say good-night (and give them a big formula-tasting kiss), and then grab his blankie and a book, climb up the glider and get ready for bed. He loved his bottle and honestly, I loved giving it to him. It was my way of hindering his development and keeping him my little baby. Obviously, he was ready to move on because he hasn't had any problems with the adjustment. Now it is just the thin but super-absorbent line of diapers that keeps Sam in babyland. But that is something I would be more than happy to be done with so we'll start working on potty training. I have no idea how to potty train a boy so this will be a challenge I'm sure.



Joey has a loose tooth! She is so excited. "I'm going to get A LOT of money from the tooth fairy!" she exclaimed. Without looking at her I said, "Mmmm, maybe not a lot of money. Maybe just a quarter which you can put in your piggy bank and put towards your college savings."



We have also been working on Joey not sucking her thumb since August. For the last few years, she has said that she wanted to stop but it was hard for her to commit to it. I finally broke down a bought a thumb guard and it worked really well. Within a week, she didn't need it during the days. At nights, however, she pulls it off and sucks her thumb. But since her tooth came loose, she said that she stopped sucking at nights too because we told her that it might make her tooth come out too early and it will hurt. So Joey might have finally stopped with her thumb sucking which is a major achievement. She found her thumb at three months and has sucked it non-stop since then.

First Day of School Memories

Joey started Kindergarten camp today at her new elementary school. She has been counting down the days all summer long. She was so excited this morning and when I picked her up, she looked really happy. I wanted to hear all about what she did and here is what she told me:

The other kids lied--but she didn't because she knew it was wrong.
The other kids called one of the teachers names and laughed--but she didn't laugh because she thought it was mean.
The other kids are a lot shorter than she is--she thought they were four but then realized that they are all in kindergarten too. "I'm really tall."
She doesn't have to know how to read or do math yet (looks like I may have to sign her up for Kumon after all).

Okay, so I have a goody-two shoes for a daughter. And she may not become the most popular child in the class since she won't participate in rude behavior, she's freakishly tall, and she is advanced in her studies. I am okay with that, and I'm trying to encourage her to find a friend in class that is as prudish as she is so that she will be a good girl all through adolescence and not date until she's 25. But I also love that she appears to have a strong distinction between right and wrong and isn't afraid to stand up for herself.

The other day at the park, these boys were making a game out of running away from Sam. Joey perceived it to be mean and told me what they were doing (these boys are about Joey's age). I told her it was just a game and that it was okay. But she went up to them and said, "Please don't do be mean to my little brother." The boys listened to her and stopped their game.

We got the girls desks at PBK. Ever since I mentioned getting her a desk for kindergarten, Joey has been waiting with bated breath. Chang picked up one desk and assembled it today. It was like Christmas in August. I was talking to my mom about Joey's excitement about school. She asked me if I remembered how excited I always was about the first day of school. I do--I remember lying awake at night going through the next day in my head. Who would be in class? What would my teacher be like? How excited I was about my new Hello Kitty pencil case or my new burgundy backpack. Even in college, I could never sleep before the first day of classes. I always loved getting my backpack ready, laying out my favorite new outfit, trying to figure out a new hairstyle--I get a big smile on my face just thinking about it now. I guess I should get Joey and Elysha a new outfit for the first day of school. That would make me, I mean them, so thrilled!

Parent/Teacher Conference

Chang and I met with the girls' preschool teacher the other day, and she confirmed what I have known all along--my girls are freakin' geniuses.

Joey is reading really well and comprehending what she is reading. She has mastered addition, subtraction, multiplication, and is currently working on division. And if I drop a box of toothpicks on the floor, she can count them in six seconds.

Elysha is reading (at age three) and, according to her teacher, is academically, socially and emotionally advanced for her age. The teacher told us that Elysha is very motivated to excel because she wants to catch up to Joey. The teacher also thinks she will be the new leader of the Pink Ladies once the older girls graduate.

Because Joey is advanced academically, really tall for her age, and her birthday is not too far from the cutoff date for kindergarten, I am considering getting her tested for skipping kindergarten. I keep going back and forth because I am really worried that she will be bored in kindergarten and then become a slacker like her mama. But at the same time, it might boost her confidence being at the head of the class. And these days, everyone holds their kids back so I'm sure there will be kids similar to her at our local elementary school. The preschool teacher told us that she would write a note recommending that Joey skip kindergarten. But if we decided to not pursue it, then at the very least, she really wants us to make sure her kindergarten teacher knows that Joey is advanced so that her academic needs are met.

I'm not writing these things to brag. I am just really uncertain what to do. The thought that makes the most sense to me is leaving it up to Joey. The only person I know who skipped kindergarten, ended up going to Harvard and was a National Merit Scholar in high school. Her little sister, who was always trying to catch up, went to Harvard as well. Hmmm...what to do? what to do?

Green Eggs and Ham and other Milestones

I just wanted to remember this stuff...

My friend was talking about doing a mother/daughter book club and I thought that only real book that Joey could possibly read is Green Eggs and Ham. So that evening I told Joey that I thought she could read it by herself. At first, she gawked at the idea. "It's too long!" But then she got excited thinking about the challenge and said enthusiastically, "Okay!"

She ran to get the book and began to read. I had to help her with a decent number of words but she did it! I was surprised that she sat there and persisted through the whole book in one sitting.
I am really proud of her and I'm sure it won't be long before she is reading Twilight.

Elysha brought home her first set of letters (red letters) that she phonetically mastered a couple of weeks ago. When it crosses my mind, I go through the letters of the next set (blue letters) because it would be nice if by the end of her first year of preschool, she knows the sounds of all the letters. I feel that since Joey is self-motivated, I don't need to worry about her as much with school work. Elysha, on the other hand, needs more attention. I am slowly realizing that I need to give it to her. I don't think it is a matter of mastery. I think it is a matter of helping her realize that she is as capable and competent as her sister. I hope this won't be the theme for the rest of their lives. Because they are so close in age, I think that Elysha thinks that there is no difference between her and Joey. So when she sees Joey excelling at something, Elysha believes that she should be able to do it to at the same level of aptitude. When she can't, she gives up.

Sam is starting to speak a little more. He says hi and bye while waving, he says nigh-nigh for bedtime and of course uhmma (mommy in Korean). He does the few sign language words that I've taught him though with milk, he just refuses. He finds it more effective to grunt and point wildly until I give him what he wants. He also appears to be saying, "what's that?" and "all done." The one word that he has definitely mastered is "uh-oh." His comprehension, on the other hand, is really good. If I tell him we are going outside, he will run to the door and grab his shoes. If I tell him to sit down so I can change his diaper, he will find a book to peruse and then plop his big bootie on the changing pad. And when I tell him that I'm going to turn on the TV, he gets all giddy with excitement, runs over to the TV and starts giggling.

Time is just flying by and because I am a planner, I am looking forward to sending Sam off to school so I can get on with my plans for myself. However, I feel like Sam is getting so big so fast, and all he has done for his first year of life is watch me run errands or organize the house or work on the computer. I have made a mental commitment to do something fun for him every morning. I have made a mental commitment to work with Elysha more on her work. I have made a mental commitment to challenge Joey more. I keep thinking it is just one day...I can work/play with the kids another day. But I don't want to keep putting them off.

So Sam and I danced together today.

End of school year stuff

Another school year has come to an end so I just wanted to post some pics of the girls:

Joey with most of her school mates.

Here is Elysha with her favorite person in the whole world--teacher Heidi. She has been with Elysha when Elysha started going to transition classes and was her teacher for gym for the last year or so. We even had teacher Heidi come to Elysha's party because Elysha loves her so much. I feel bad that Elysha has to say good-bye to JAG but at the same time I cannot wait for her to go to school with Joey.

One pick up, one drop off, and 6 glorious hours of time with just Sam. I plan on going to the Y and exercising and losing these last 15 pounds, and finally getting to more serious projects with my front yard and my garden in the back. I also bought a crock pot so I can cook during the day and not have my kids sit in front of the TV for an hour everyday while I am cooking dinner and feeding Sam.

Parent Teacher Conference

It still makes me giggle to think that I am already attending parent teacher conferences. But at the same time, I love hearing another person tell me how wonderful, intelligent, and unique my daughter is--and she's a trained professional! So, at age four, Joey likes to gab with her friends while doing her work; she is generally liked by her classmates but fights most with her closest friends; loves to dance; is reading; can add and subtract; and shys away from the spotlight. She reminds me of myself in lots of ways. One thing that I wish I can change in her is her unwillingness to try something new because she thinks it will be too hard for her. She gets that from me too. We are so afraid to fail that we would almost rather not even try. But when we set our mind to go for it, we do it whole-heartedly. Joey's teacher said she will do something repetitively until she feels she has mastered it. Then she is willing to move on.


It just blows my mind how much children are very much born with certain personality attributes. Of course, Joey is my first-born so it is very possible that these attributes are learned behaviors. But Joey was like that with walking, talking, potty-training. She would not make attempts at things until she was ready. But when she did, she mastered it very quickly.


I see a lot of Chang's personality in Elysha. She is just such an easy going child. But when she is upset, Lord have mercy! And, just like her father, the girl has such natural athletic ability. She seems to be good at anything she does, without even trying too hard.


With Sam, both the grandmother swear that he has their child's personality. My mom says that I was the easiest baby. Chang's mom said that Sam is a good-natured baby, just like Chang!

Preschool Dropout

On Sunday night, Chang was getting the girls ready for bed. When they were whining about going to sleep, Chang reminded them that they both had school the next day.

"Oh Man! I'm tired of going to school!" Our burnt-out four year old replied. The girl doesn't even have homework yet and she is already complaining about going to school!

I'm fairly certain that Joey enjoys going to school. I am so impressed that she is learning to add and subtract, she is telling me about Vincent Van Gogh, and she brought home her third book to read to us. Maybe Montessori schools are more academically oriented than necessary for her age but I think she's having a good time.

"Mommy, did you know Da Vinci painted that one girl, um..."
"You mean, Mona Lisa?"
"How did you know? Do you know Da Vinci?"
"Mommy, did you know that Milton is dead?"
"Mommy, that's Martin Luther King Jr. He says that he has a dream."

I'm a little curious to see at what grade I'll have to start looking up information to help her with her homework. I hope I'll make it through elementary school...

Spring Break

Joey was home last week for Spring Break so we had a few outings such as Paradise Cove, Knotts Berry Farm, and the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana.

Joey sliding at the Peanuts Playhouse

We got annual passes for Knott's since we are in OC every weekend visiting Chang's mom. We've already been here three times in two month.

We stayed in a hotel Friday night so the kids could swim in a pool...and because we all love sleeping in hotels.

Then we met a school friend at The Discovery Science center in Santa Ana on Sunday.

There was a Clifford exhibit which the kids loved.

And the kids made imprints with their bodies. As much as I love Joey, I was happy that Spring Break was over and she would be back in school. 2-1 ratio is better than 3-1!

Elysha started school!

On Monday, my second baby started school. She is only attending twice a week at a school different from Joey's. On those days, I spend about two hours in the car with all the pick up and drop offs and I get about 2.5 hours of being with just Sam. On Monday, I tried to do a Mommy and Me yoga DVD but he got fussy a quarter into it. So after nursing him, he passed out and I had to wake him up 1.5 hours later to go get Elysha. It was amazing, being home and not having someone shadow me constantly. I was so productive. I finished my DVD (first time working out since Elysha was born--it's not a typo--I haven't worked out since Elysha was born--once a week pilates for about two months and then I got rock-hard abs back. ha ha, more like I lost enough weight to get back into my clothes and gave up on the muffin top), made a few work phone calls and worked on Elysha's baby book.

The teacher who teaches Elysha also taught Joey briefly and she can't get over how different they are in personality. Joey is slow to warm up and gets shy easily. Elysha jumps right in and doesn't look back. The first day I dropped Elysha off, she went right in with no problems and barely looked at me as I walked away. Joey cried many mornings and I had to do the stoic mom act. Drop her off and walk away without emotion. There are times these days, that she still holds my hand and doesn't want me to go.

Elysha is such a strong girl. She knows what she wants and she doesn't yield. Chang and I are having a hard time with her but there is a part of me that is okay with it. This girl will not be pushed around because she will just push back. She often gets Joey in trouble and is unapologetic. She is either going to be a future psychopath or a future president. I'm grateful that she is this way as the middle child. She won't get lost in the shuffle and will make damn sure that her voice is heard.

Joey is reading!

Well, sort of. At her school, if a student is ready, s/he is allowed to take home a book. I think they practice reading the book with a teacher and then they take home the same book and read it to their parents. Joey has been learning phonics at school and has been showing some interest in reading. So I got her some sight reading books. Instead of the word, there will be a picture in place of it. She was doing a good job with those.

I am proud of her and really love the school because they really encourage a love for learning. They had an open house the other day where the students could show their parents what they were learning in school. Montessori uses these learning trays or activity carpets where a student chooses what s/he wants to do on her own. And every activity something is learned--whether it be fine motor skills, counting, phonics, drawing, etc. Joey wanted to keep doing activities during the open house so she clearly has a great time. Without any prodding from me, she is learning to read!

Elysha is learning the alphabet because of all the PBS she watches! I had no idea she knew the alphabet but as she was watching Superwhy about 2 months ago, she was shouting out the letters. I guess younger siblings almost seem to learn things by osmosis.