learning

I found this little bookmark recently (in the bathroom, of all places!) and I just could not go without capturing it with a photo. I'm sure the bookmark itself will not last long (Is it even still around? It may not have survived the move.) but I am so thankful for the love of reading that was the inspiration behind this little handmade gem.

I realized this weekend how much I take my girls' love of reading for granted. They were both early readers and have always had an insatiable appetite for books. They each have their own tastes (Daisy loves mysteries and books in a series, Hazel is a huge fan of comics and can read the same favorite chapter books over and over again) but they are able to use reading for enjoyment as well as learning and exploring every single day. Because it has always come easy for them, we haven't had to think about it much and it has just become a part of life.

I don't know how reading will be for the other two kids. Stella does not seem as interested in letters or reading as Hazel was at her age, but she has not been in any kind of preschool environment like Hazel was either. I am feeling a bit nervous about the uncharted waters of the complete home learning experience, since Stella will be our first child not to attend school from the start. Her age peers will be attending Kindergarten in the fall this year- while we stay at home baking cookies, playing in the yard, going to the library, and spending time with our friends. This will be the first time I will truly watch my child learn to read at her very own pace, without the influence of classmates or teachers or homework.

Will she love books and reading as much as her sisters? I hope so. But each child is different and there is the chance that she and/or Lyle will struggle with it instead of enjoying it. As I watch the parents in our circle of home-learners go through these stages before me, I am hoping to learn from them. I want to support my children and encourage a love of reading with patience, allowing them to learn on their own time line, without concern for what is "normal" or "age appropriate". But I also want to be ready to offer the help they need if and when that day comes. This is one of the challenges of learning at home- finding the balance between allowing the child to develop freely when they are ready and knowing when to look for more. But it is far outweighed by one of the many blessings- that a child who learns at home is able to get the focused, individualized attention they need, every single day, whether they are accelerated or challenged in any specific areas.

So even though my days often feel overfull and disorganized, I am thankful to be witnessing firsthand the love for learning (and books! and worms! and spanish! and computer chat! and choo-choo trains! and baking! and dressing up! and writing!) that my kids have. It is an honor and a joy. And I realize I am learning right alongside them every single day.