Norah drew this picture of herself and her dad running the bases together. He will often practice t-ball with her when he has free time. I wouldn't say we pushed Norah to play t-ball, like some parents are known to do. But, we figured she had to do something and she hadn't expressed a strong desire for or against anything in particular. Our neighborhood park runs a top-notch t-ball program (people come from all over town to play here) and the games are all five minutes from our house, so baseball was a real no-brainer for our family. But, that's just what is working for us right now. I think this picture proves that it's not about what you do with your kids, so much as that you do something deliberate (like t-ball) to spend constructive time with them and make opportunities to form lasting impressions in their minds. I will, of course, keep this drawing forever. But, even if it happens to get ruined by some accident, I love knowing the real memory will be locked safe in Norah's mind forever.
"...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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