Clean rooms and education....

As a mom, I strive to teach my children everything. Like reading, writing, playing, sharing, being nice to others, taking responsibility, helping, etc. I think this is essential in parenting. There's no handbook that gives you direct information on how to do this, or what to do if you battle. Cause you bet I'd have that handbook read cover to cover about 10 times. Either way, I find teaching my children responsibility the biggest challenge of all.

As a teacher, I am very aware of the correlation of home responsibilities and school performance. Studies show that students that are given chores, responsible for the condition of their bedroom (in early elementary years) and help around the house with other things, perform better in school. They are more responsible with their homework, behavior in class, demeanor around other students, and listening skills. Organized learning environments coincide with a structured home environment. Of course there are exceptions to all the rules. But typically this is the norm.

Where does this leave me? Between a rock and a hard place!!! :) As I ponder my daughter's impending first year of elementary school, I wonder if I've done enough to teach her responsibility. I know that she will academically perform, but that is only one aspect in life. Socially performing is a whole 'nother gamut. A structured home environment is my ultimate goal, only slight of controlling. Trust me, I've lightened up! ;)


I'm not a mom that requires her toys be put in the exact spot I've allocated for them. Now if I'm cleaning her room, they will go where I deem they should. However, if she's doing it, I'm not going to complain if she has her doll and dressup bins interchangeable. We go through her room about once every couple weeks to reorganize and get her stuff separated. She's definitely getting better at sorting her toys. She likes being able to find her things when she wants to play with them. But getting her to do it on her own is a HUGE challenge. She does have one chore so far. She's responsible for cleaning her bathroom and the downstairs half-bath every Monday. She does a darn good job! But when it comes to her room, she whines, cries, fights, and eventually just does it.

I think it's a confidence builder as well. She feels proud of herself when she cleans her own room. And that is where requiring your kids to have home responsibilities will help them at school. Little successes like clean rooms, bathrooms, or other home responsibilities flow into the confidence with classroom performance and academia.

Peace.

Staring at Strangers

Do you ever wonder why it's okay for children to stare at random people and not adults? Mason did just that today at dinner. We went to our local grease pit, The Noisy Goose, for a good ol' fashion heart attack on plate meal and Mason just STARED! It seemed though that when we would try to get him to stop it drew more attention the fact that he was staring at everyone.

I mean I'm personally interested in all those people too. If I could stare and not get dirty looks I would. But I would most definitely draw the line at the cutesy phrases and hand gestures that people do to him as he's staring. Okay maybe I would accept the cutesy hand gestures. Those are much better than the more volatile hand gestures one could give. I guess the smiling faces would be okay too, because the dirty looks would just add to the weirdness of the situation if I were staring.

Not to mention that when Mason stares, he points, yells, and sometimes throws food. Yes, even at random people. But the catch at dinner tonight wasn't even Mason. No it came from my own daughter. Yes even 5 year olds still stare, AT THE OBVIOUS. A fellow with a lazy eye was sitting in the booth in front of us, quietly looking at his menu with one eye and the other eye .. well it wasn't. And she, in all of her innocence and with a very audible tone said, "What's he staring at???"

Peace.

Screaming Monkeys

It's not often that someone can say they've been around and/or lived with screaming monkeys. And to be quite honest, I'm not sure why anyone would CHOOSE to live in such a volatile environment where the noise level is beyond the recommended decibels by the FDA and all doctor associations. However, in this circumstance, I don't have a choice. :)

Mason is a screaming monkey. He is seriously one of the loudest children I have EVER come across. I know this could be blamed on simple breeding patterns and then one might blame the parents. But I happen to know the parents, very well. They are for sure not screaming monkeys. Something must have happened in the incubation period somewhere between birth and handing him to his momma. Perhaps he was exposed to a rare form of bacteria that changes the genetic components of his body??? There could be argument for this. Scientific arguments. I may have to research this.

This morning while he was eating, mixing, playing with his breakfast, Mason was screeching a pitch that shouldn't be audible by mankind. Though I definitely could hear it, it drove my Mo-dog NUTS!! He started howling along with Mason.  I am not completely sure how this noise did not wake my sleeping daughter. I'm very sure that the noise coming out of Mason's mouth could make the likes of Mariah Carey look like she's singing bass. :)

The amazing thing is, he is understandable while using his high pitch ranges. You most definitely can make out a screeching "MOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMAAAAA!!!!!" Oh yah, for sure. Perhaps that is the ONLY word he can screech at that level. I don't know. But what I do know is I am going to invest in some headphones to mute the noise.

Peace.