Sometimes she even goes out in public like this. Mainly because I don't care if it means she'll get ready faster (the girl is the slooooowest person alive), but also, she's still little enough to not care what other people think about her. Which I love.
We had her parent teacher conference this week. First off, let me tell you how fantastic her teacher is. She's been teaching 1st grade for a while now, and she knows her stuff. Her room is full of awesome stuff for the kids, but not overly packed so it's overwhelming. She is enthusiastic and Elisabeth comes home daily talking about what they're learning in class. And, the best part, she obviously loves having Elisabeth in her class. The first thing she said when we walked in was, "Elisabeth is just fabulous!"
Elisabeth is doing well in her subjects, which we knew from the work she's brought home. She's a good student and friend, which we also knew because she was born that way. The girl has a huge heart and makes friends at the McDonald's play land, for goodness sakes. But the thing I found very interesting during the conference was the fact that Mrs. B kept complimenting us on "obviously talking to Elisabeth, answering her questions, and taking her places". I was flattered. But, also saddened.
I've been teaching for a long time. I know that there are lots of parents out there who honest to god, do not take their kids anywhere with them or even talk to their kids. And it's sad, because these kids don't know every day information, like basic household items, because they've never been told. I can't begin to tell you how many parent/teacher conferences I've been to where I was on the teacher end asking the parents, "Do you take them grocery shopping with you?" "Do you talk to them while you're doing laundry, in the car, at someone else's house?" "Do you read to them?". So many of them would kind of stutter or try to explain why, in fact, they are not interacting with their children. Some didn't even realize that they needed to. It's one of the many things I would change about pre-parenting education. As in, I would implement pre-parenting education starting in high school. And then more in college. And during pregnancy. It's so important to know how babies and children develop, and it's not something everyone naturally know. If you aren't someone who is going to do research before you have babies, how are you supposed to know that your kids first and foremost teacher is YOU?
I am a natural gabber. I remember being little and getting check marks on my report card for excessive talking. Dude, I talk to myself when no one else is around. The main reason I bring my kids grocery shopping with me is so I don't look insane while I rattle off my grocery list and prices to myself. But, I also talk to my kids because that is how they learn. It's how we all learn.
How will a kid know how to behave and act in a store if he's never taken to one and shown (in a patient, calm manner) how grocery stores work? How will a kid ever know the difference between fruits and vegetables if you aren't telling her what she's eating? Learning colors, sounds, animals, self image is all things that can be done in day-to-day interactions with your child.
Now, I'm not saying that I am this crazy mother who insanely drums colors into Julia's head whenever we're in the produce aisle (cause i've seen those moms too...and their kids are itching to run as far and as fast as they possibly can). But, when Julia points to a watermelon and screams "APPLE!" (because she obviously wants to eat that giant apple immediately due to her starving nature), I say "That's a watermelon." And maybe after the millionth time I say it, she'll eventually equate the word watermelon with the actual fruit.
I realize that Evan and I are both dorks. We still LOVE things like history, science, literature, CBS Sunday Morning. Our kids are just going to think everyone gets excited about museums and books and continued education. They will assume everyone's parents are always either in college or talking about going back. It's one of those things we'll be passing on that will actually be a benefit to them (unlike the weird mannerisms that they will eventually realize only their super odd parents do).
So, we're doing something right, I guess. Which is nice to hear. Because some days, it sure doesn't feel like I'm doing anything right in the mommy department.
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