Living in the Moment

Have you ever had one of those days when you’ve planned to get some school work done, but the kids have a completely different agenda? That was my day today. I tried devotions. I tried reading a book. I tried singing songs. It was just not going to happen today no matter what. Instead of force it, I chose to follow the lead of my kids. I find that, sometimes, there can be more learning than I could have imagined when I follow what they are doing. It is amazing to see them in action!

Today my little one was completely engrossed in a pretend play scenario and wanted nothing to do with me. I tried to engage in the game by asking questions, but I was just not invited in. (It’s sad when I’m rejected by my kiddos!) I could not find a way in. So I watched. I listened, and I learned.

Here is the scene. Earlier in the morning the kids spent a long time setting up the doll houses, cars, and little people. After we dropped my eldest off at school, my little one picked up where they had left off. The little people were driving around in their cars to go to their school. When they arrived, the people parked the cars in a parking lot. Then they had to line up. They all took turns going down the slide. They also went inside the school to play. After school was over, they went into the school bus to go home. Everyone took turns in the bathroom, and they went to bed. There was a lot of narrating of the actions like, “Back up.” I also heard, “Line up.” I heard sounds of the people eating their lunches, too.

What did I learn from observing this scenario? My little one was processing our routine. My eldest goes to a Montessori school in the morning, and the driving, parking, and lining up all relate to what our morning looks like. We also go to the playground to have lunch. There is plenty of turn taking there, and the slide is a favorite activity for the kids. We come home for naps after the playground. This was an exercise in building memory skills and “doing it myself.”  I know that the routine makes sense and that someone is actually hearing me when I encourage turn taking. I also know that my little observer has taken in an incredible amount about how we do things like park the car and get ready for naps. Now I know for sure that her receptive language has really developed. It is so interesting to see this kind of play and get a glimpse of what is happening in that little mind!

Have you sat back to watch your children play independently? You might be surpirsed by what you learn from observing and what they have learned from you.

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