First Day of School

 No school day would be complete without a hearty breakfast. The kids and I easily polished off nearly a dozen blueberry muffins fresh from the oven. Normally breakfasts are eggs or oatmeal, but this was a special day. Andy did not mind the change of pace at all.

I would have preferred to purchase the curriculum that I've been drooling over for months years, but with the pay-cut we took when we moved, it just isn't going to happen. Since we are just beginning preschool, I feel pretty competent about putting together my own thing. We're going to work through the alphabet and start learning phonics using Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. For now I'm going to do a letter a week (depending upon what pace he needs) and read lots of books.

 Today we read Chicka Chicka A, B, C , The Lady with the Alligator Purse, and The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. We practiced identifying the letter 'A', the 'aaaaa' sound, and made an alligator. 

While they worked on some fine motor skills tasks, I read the Beatrix Potter story to them.

 All in all, I had Jack's full attention for over an hour, and after that he was asking to do the pattern blocks. I had to say no to that since Andy is a climber and I can't keep him off the kitchen table! We compromised with a trip to the library for more 'A' and 'B' books. It was a nice, relaxed first day of school. No tears, no pressure. He loved it and I have high hopes for the year.