I bought the kids workbooks for the summer. Do you remember me asking about it on Facebook? I ended up getting to huge ones from Costco – a grade one book for Laela and a grade three book for Dekker – and then a cute little pre-k dry erase one for Rowan. I admit, I felt a bit silly after asking about workbooks because, while I try to be very confident in my decisions, I fear judgement as much as the next guy. I was nervous people would think I wasn’t going to let my children play during the summer, or that I was putting these crazy expectations on them. I knew I wasn’t going to do those things, but I was nervous of judgement. 

Thankfully, I didn’t receive any ❤️ Thanks, guys. 

Also, even if I was judged, those people would have been proven wrong!

A couple of days ago, Dekker asked to work in his new book. I was super excited, because I thought he would be my tougher sell. He was excited! And because monkey see, monkey do, Laela asked for hers too. Together, we made a plan that we would cut the corner off of a page once they had finished it and I had checked it over. Its informal, don’t worry. I’m not being brutal. But I do want them to learn what the book teaches, and I also kind of want to encourage them to be neat with their writing.

Dekker has amazing perseverance. We learned quickly (thank you for clarifying, Jerilee!) that the odd numbered grades are usually when new concepts are introduced. Dekker’s workbook is filled with new concepts. Even the first page – counting up and down in groups of 3 – was within his grasp, but had never been practiced or taught at school. They would give a larger random number and ask him to count up by 3, and he’d have maybe 6 blanks to fill in. He can do it, and he did, but it was a stretch. Further into the book was full multiplication tables, division, etc. Totally new stuff. And while he resisted complaining, I could tell me was disappointed. Nothing fun in that book, either. Just black numbers on a white sheet. Merp. No fun for someone whose neighbour had a FUN book!

Laela, one barstool over, was crushing her grade one book! Her book was so much more fun, with drawing shapes and matching characters and things like that. She was a little annoyed with how much tracing their was, but she’s a bit ahead in reading and writing, and the book safely assumed she wasn’t. It makes sense. She finally quit to find something else to do after she finished page 20. 

We didn’t crack Rowan’s book out yet, because I still had cold feet on the one we bought for him, but he was happy to play at the island while they worked. Solly was doddling hard through breakfast at this point still. And Wavy… well she really wants to be one of the big kids.

Brady was able to find Dekker a grade two workbook that same day. It was along the same lines as Laela’s grade one book, and he was SO excited! He abandoned his Lego instantly and grabbed a pencil and his book. He worked for a couple of pages, but soon encountered an activity that was a slightly easier version of the one he had worked through in the grade three book. He started it, but it had lost its charm long ago, and he opted to pack it back up for the day. Still though, I was so happy we found him something that would work better for his age. 

Brady also picked up a new book for Rowan, and I’m definitely happier with it. He’s already taken to tracing some letters and writing them across the page independently. He loves doing school work with his older siblings 🙂 Its RIGHT up his alley!

I’m so happy my kids like learning! I hope I can help foster that in them as they grow up.