R is for RED... in case you were wondering which letter we have begun. R is also for Rice, Race Cars, and Roads. I followed the easiest guide to making my own colored rice - thinking red rice would be so lovely glued to a nice paper Rr... and we could hang it up and see how we are making progress in our phonics. Then I remembered that I am teaching a 4 year old boy... who can already recognize the letter and could care less about paper and glue. He wants to smash and dominate.... and fill-up and dump. So I bagged my teachery idea and went with the messier one.
Ivy loved the rice too, of course. She kept telling us that her rice was green... and I think she really dug the sound it made as it plonked all over the dining room floor. She would spill some on purpose and just wait... listening to the music of it. She went from cup to ladle... fist full to funnel full... and had a blast filling, transferring, and dumping. Her rice became a tea party as we took turns pretending to sip, a springboard into language as she said "crunchy" and "sprinkle", a place to play and loose time as the snow and ice piled up outside as high as her mounds on her tray.It didn't take long for the table to get in on the action... collecting all the leftovers as the children pushed and spilled so freely. And as most children would do, Gavin decided that the table rice was free game... his to claim. I think it's born into the men - take what is before you and claim it for your own until an authority tells you your limits. The limit was Ivy's tray - and that breech quickly followed. I don't often parent with repaying, but this time it occurred to me - that perhaps Gavin didn't know what if felt like to be robbed of something so precious. I thought for a moment after he greedily grabbed a huge handful of Ivy's rice, and had him freeze. Then he watched as I pointed out his error... and proceeded to take an even larger handful from his tray. (May I also add that I began to feel a bit of annoyance rise up in me at this point. We were all having such a fun time of exploration! I didn't want to be interrupted to parent... but then the Holy Spirit whispered my role and as I submitted I knew He would lead me to parent appropriately.)
Oh the anger that began to boil in Gavin... how little ones hearts are so transparent. They haven't yet learned to hide sin in their lives. What an opportunity for me to speak to that part in the heart... focusing not on the behavior, but on the greed and self that drives it. How his red face quickly softened as I helped him identify his sin... acknowledgement and humility before forgiveness. These are the terms we used and I am so thankful his heart truly gets the truth. To use these moments to feed and train the soul. It is such a blessing to be the one home, sharing with my children about the moment by moment need of a Savior in their lives.
The anger I see in my son is a daily struggle in my own life too. Such little things that go differently than my plan, such minor changes throw me for a loop... and at times I get caught in this selfish place of frustration. But I am learning, just like my boy. I am learning to fight with the weapons of thankfulness and joy. I am practicing new reactions to those situations as I continue to grow and experience sanctification. I am thankful that my Father catches me red-handed and doesn't let me go free until I have sought forgiveness in humility and truth.
Here are a few more pics of our celebration of all things R!
Gavin matched halves of rainbows in a number game. I have learned that paper activities go over much better if presented stuck to the wall (or in this case, the mirror)! 3D is always more active and engaging - more of the body is involved - therefore, more learning! (BTW - the rainbow game was from confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com)
Hooray for Rice! What a blessed day!
Is that rice on the white pretzels? Looks like it. Lots of fun with R???
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