Hoping everyone had a nice Valentine's Day! I've never been one to get into all the sillyness of the holiday. Like everything it has become so commercialized and overdone. It is crazy. We keep ours simple and sweet. The best part of my day was getting a beautiful hand made card from Dean that says "Your the best Mom in the world" and an" extra big squeeze hug" from Reed. Reed was so funny he said to me "Mommy, I decided not to make you a card this year and do something different. So I decided to give you an extra big hug." lol!!
Dean rode his bike to school this morning for the very first time! I was close to tears watching him ride away. He is getting so grown-up. I was hesitant about letting him ride his bike, but he has been asking for awhile now and he is very responsible. It is not him I do not trust it is other people and the traffic that I worry about. His school is not that far though and he does not have to cross any major streets so I finally decided I need to let him do it. He was so funny because he says "Mom, your'e not going to follow me are you?" I didn't follow him, I did however go by the school to make sure his bike was there!!!
We have had much on our minds contemplating school next year for Faith. Age wise she will be ready for Kindergarten (turns 5 in June) We are not sure though if she is ready for it. Academically she is more than ready. She is very bright and eager to learn. And no it is not just her proud Mommy saying this:), her teachers at preschool have said this as well. Where she is still behind is in her motor skills and her social skills. Motor skills do not concern me as much as her social skills. She is very social, it is using the correct social skills where she is still lagging behind. She is probably more on a 3 year old level socially than a 4 year old. We did decide to hold her back in preschool. Instead of putting her in with the 4 year olds we put her in the older 3 year old class and I am so glad that we did this. The class fits her so much better socially. One of the areas she needs to work on socially is expressing herself more and her own feelings. She still does alot of imaginative play and talks more in a make believe way. I do not feel this is a bad thing, as I think children need to experience all the development stages. Our first year with Faith (she was adopted at 10 1/2 months) we really experienced a newborn stage with her. She was extremely behind in all areas. Could not sit up, she would not use her hands, etc) Instead of getting caught up right away I feel she has been experiencing each developement stage so she has progressed a little slower than others her age. I just want to make sure we are doing everything that is best for her! I want her to feel confident and comfortable in what she is doing. I hear different opinions on holding children back from Kindergarten. Their are some that feel if you are in any doubt it is best to hold them back. Then their are some that feel the only way the child will learn these skills they need is to put them in the environment to learn them. I don't think there is any right or wrong answer. I think we as parents just have to do what we feel is the best thing for our child. Right now I feel that holding Faith back a year might be the best thing for her. (Her preschool teachers feel this as well) I get emotional saying that not because I feel there is anything wrong in holding a child back, but because I want to be possitively sure I am doing everything that is best for her. I want to make sure I am not in any way holding her back for any of my own selfish reasons. Yes, the thought of sending her off to Kindergarten next year saddens me. I missed almost an entire year with her and I am not ready to let her go. I got emotional sending the boys off to Kindergarten as well, but I was always ready for them to start. I knew it was time. With Faith it is different, I find myself not ready to let her go. It makes my heart ache to even think about it. I do not want these feelings I am having to play any part in why we would decide to hold her back. I want the reason to be because we truly feel that she needs more time to grow and mature into the beautiful person she is becoming. With all the early school registration we are feeling a bit pressured in making a decision right away, but we will take our time in deciding what I pray will be the best thing for her.
Here are some pictures of Faith I took of her yesterday on Valentines Day.....................
Wishing Daddy a happy Valentines on the phone. (he was on a business trip and did not get home until late)
Faith with her Valentine doll I got her. (Faith does not like dolls, but I thought she might like this one with it being all soft like a stuffed animal. She does like that it has her name on the hat.)
I love my ladybug Valentine card from Mom and Dad!
I think I'll try on my cowboy hat now............
3 comments:
Faith is so beautiful!!
Ooooo, she's gorgeous!! I can relate to your school "issues", my "E" will be 5 yrs old in April and could care less about learning! I'm going to see how the screening for Kindergarten goes for him. As far as Mia, well I can see she is behind (she did spend 19 mos in a SWI) and she still acts infant-like. I wonder how she will do with catching up in the next year or so...
Like you said, you know your child best - there is nothing wrong with holding her back!
I think we are the one who knows what is best for Faith and if you think she needs another year, I would certainly wait. Since she is already in pre-school you have a pretty good idea where she fits in with the other kids. If you think she will be more comfortable starting at 6, that is what I would do.
She is beautiful. Looks like she enjoyed Valentine's day!
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