When we were doing our Christmas shopping last month, I stopped to get Norah a cookie (and to get myself some caffeine in the form of a diet soda). Norah picked one with colorful sprinkles because it was "pretty." She's had the same cookie before and there has never been a problem. It was just so much fun for her to eat a cookie with sprinkles, she never paid attention to the taste. This time, however, she took one bite of it and said, "Yuck! This isn't as good as the cookies you make. I don't want it." I was so flattered by the idea that I make better cookies than Mrs. Fields, I confess, I couldn't scold Norah for wasting the cookie. I took a bite of it, just to check, and sure enough, I think it was true. My cookies are better than Mrs. Field's (or, at least better than Mrs. Field's sprinkle sugar cookies). Norah also said, "Next time, I want to get a cookie like the ones you make." Awww... my baby is growing up! She's giving up sprinkles for substance. That's a big step for a little girl!
"...the child should have a set time everyday to read for fun. Begin with half an hour for first graders, and build up to an hour of reading time daily... This is an important part of the child's education: it improves his reading skills, teaches him the habit of sitting still with a book, and reminds him that reading is fun... free reading ought to be spent on literature at or slightly below the child's present reading level so that he can simply enjoy himself. The easier reading will help him increase his speed." The Well Trained Mind: The Guide to Classical Education at Home by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer
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