When we first found out we were having a boy (almost 5 years ago) I was warned by my husband that raising a boy will be nothing like raising a girl. I only had one sister....so I really had no clue. I had to trust him...he should know he is a guy right? He said that I get to be "mommy" until they are old enough then he is to be turned over to dad. Totally get it now. Totally get it. Easton is almost 5 and Weston is 3 and the only thing they want to do is hang out with dad. They don't care where it is or what they are doing..as long as they get to ride in his truck and be with him....life is good. One slight problem...not whining or complaining here at all because I absolutely LOVE my job...but I am with my boys all day while my husband works outside of the home. Even though I do joke on some days...hey why don't you take one of the boys to work with you...he has only said yes a time or two...I am responsible for teaching them and raising them when dad is at work.
As Easton is showing more interest in learning new things (educational related...math, reading etc) I am finiding out that he learns much more differently than the girls did. With the girls I could sit down with a book and read and learn new words. They were ok with coloring pretty pictures of rainbows. Easton not so much. At the beginning of the year I pulled out some of the same things that I did with the girls at his age...he had very little interest. Let's just say he is a barrel of energy and NEEDS to be moving. Sitting down doing schoolwork is not his cup of tea. I am sure the time will come where I may have to redirect him, but he has so much energy bundled up...I need to just work with that. I can't imagine having him sit at a desk all day or even for 1/2 of a day or even for a single hour. That just isn't him. I also have the energy x2...Weston is right there with him most of the time. If you haven't raised 2 boys close in age together...you have no idea. None.
Some things that I have noticed with Easton that works with his extra energy is to play games where he has to run from one side of the room to another. He wants to be running...but sometimes we just can't be outside when it is 10 degrees out.
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| The boys seeing who can jump the highest...while I was eating breakfast... |
For reading, I might write words on flashcards and hide them around the room. I call out a word and he has to run around and find it and then bring the word to me.
For math I lay flashcards out and blocks with the answers. Sometimes I put the two close together...sometimes I put them across the room. I tell him it is a race...he loves races...so he goes as fast as he could.
Sometimes we just play games. He loves BINGO, Boggle, or hide and go seek type games.
For reading there are some great aps for the ipad. He likes to read books and play educational type games. That is ok with me...as long as he is learning and is enjoying it.
He LOVES building things, so a lot of times I tell him to go build a tower as big as he is or build a gun out of xyz.
He also loves shooting nerf guns, so I might have him do an addition problem or spell a word and for every problem he gets right he gets to take a shot.
I know a lot of friends are struggling with their boys (and girls) if they are teaching them at home...or helping them with homework in the evenings. Maybe what you are doing isn't working...try something new. Maybe they need to be moving like Easton does. Maybe they will only be interested if there is a game or some type of competition involved. Maybe they are just not ready or not interested in learning what you or their teachers are ready for.
Remember EVERY child learns at their own pace and no two children are exactly alike! Have fun with them while discovering what is the best way that they can learn new things!
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