About 15 months ago, I embarked on an exciting (and exhausting!) journey called motherhood. Being a mom is something I always dreamed of and I can’t imagine anything more fulfilling (or challenging!).
Prior to becoming a mom, I was an elementary school teacher. I taught first and second grade for seven and a half years. Like motherhood, I feel like my occupation was also always my destiny. Growing up in Massachusetts, I used to “teach” the neighborhood kids on a blue Little Tikes easel in my parents’ basement. I still remember some of the “lessons” I created. My mom was a teacher, my grandmother was a teacher… I guess you could say I was born with it in my blood.
When I decided to stay home with my daughter, L, I never felt like I was giving up my career because I knew I would still be teaching, just in a different a way than in the traditional classroom setting. I wouldn’t be instructing 20+ little learners, for six hours a day. I would be solely focusing on my daughter and her educational (and social and emotional) needs, 24/7/365. All moms (and dads, too!) become teachers in a way when their children are born, right?
I’ve loved applying what I know about early childhood development and what I’ve learned as a teacher to help guide my daughter through infancy and now toddlerhood.
I’m excited to share with you some of what I do with her. The activities that I create are to enrich her everyday experiences. Nothing is formal; everything is flexible and fun!
I start with an outline for the week. I simply think about ways to connect what we’re doing in our everyday lives with age-appropriate learning and skill growth. I keep five areas of development in mind: fine motor, gross motor, sensory, vocabulary/ language and social/emotional. I mindfully incorporate activities throughout the week to enrich these specific areas of growth.
For example, if I plan to take L strawberry picking on a Friday morning, I think about other strawberry-related activities we can do or books we can read in the days leading up to our big outing. I think about sensory bins that I can create, or vocabulary that I can introduce ahead of time. I like to plan and think in themes like this (most of the time, but not always!). It helps me stay organized and focused. It helps her form strong connections and deeper understanding of the world around her.
Next week, I’ll dive into a real example and show you what this actually looks like. I’ll save the details, but I’ll give you a hint and say we’re taking a trip to the aquarium with some friends next Friday!
I hope you follow along to find (and share!) inspiration, information and innovation! :-)