Case in point? Handwriting. He does a good job of writing his own name in that it's recognizable. Recently, he started writing the "Z" like a "Z" instead of an "S". That's great!! However, writing numbers has proven to be a challenge for him. Last Saturday, we went to a program that teaches kids how to use the Soroban (Japanese abacus) and the requirements to begin the program was that the child be 5 years of age and know how to write his numbers up to 100. I kept thinking in my mind, "Fat chance . . . he won't even write the number 3." So the days following, I was all about writing numbers. He got frustrated. The tears started. So I closed the books. And I just had to re-evaluate the whole situation and my motivation. See, there's no rush to get him into the program at 5. He can start at 8 or 9. But me, being who I am, I felt like he should be ready to go by 5. Ready now. That's just not fair to Z1.
I'm at this point where I am easing up --just let him color and do other things to sharpen his fine motor skills like using the mouse and playing his beloved games because I see he's struggling with the handwriting and getting frustrated. I do not want him to be frustrated at all. I found this article and from it I can derive that he is doing okay because he is strong in some aspects like doing puzzles and he does hold the pencil correctly and maintain it.
So I'm really going to back off. If he picks up a handwriting book, that's cool. I'll work with him on it and really support him with it. If not, so be it.
I'm also going to get serious about doing science consistently with him. We read a book called Ducks Don't Get Wet and there was an experiment in there with feathers and oil to show exactly how ducks stay dry. We'll do that tomorrow hopefully. That's the last I think we'll do about birds. I actually learned a lot about birds myself. Like the largest bird in the world is an ostrich and the smallest is a hummingbird.
I asked what he wants to study next and he said airplanes. This Friday we're going to a library in a different town. We'll start our search for books and other supporting media then. I'd really like to take him to a local airplane hangar. I think that would be so cool.
More than anything, I am learning to just stop comparing Z1 to anyone else. He's got his own life situation (which involves having a toddler baby brother) and his own personality (including strengths and weaknesses). My goal is to completely appreciate who he is as a person and as a learner. So that this journey will be fun and fulfilling. A joy.
