Preschool Atelier

I hosted Joy School again this week. The theme of the unit is "the Joy of Imagination and Creativity" so I thought I'd go to town with some big messy art ideas that I've been wanting to try. So we mostly didn't follow the curriculum guidelines, which is fine. It gives me plenty of alternatives for Wednesday when we have Joy School again because -- believe you me-- I am NOT up for another day of big and messy art!!

I really love teaching Joy School (I do!) but it doesn't leave me exhilarated. It leaves me completely and utterly drained. I don't know how real preschool teachers manage it day in and day out. I guess they don't have to do it in their own home for one thing.  But for me it is completely exhausting to deal with even just 6 rambunctious little characters.

When I was little I attended a wonderful preschool that serves as my inspiration when I think about the type of formative early learning experiences I'd like my kids to have. I know that the situation is different (teaching at home in a small co-op vs. organized preschool comprised of the progeny of Nobel-aspirant scientists) but the experiences I had there made a huge impact on me. I think about the VERY cool things we did (amazing art projects like Japanese fish printing; building wooden boxes with real saws and hammers and nails; ice skating on the flooded tennis courts every week in the winter) and I think...do I take the time/make the effort to let my kids have these great experiences? Do I trust them? Do I let them EXPERIENCE the whole big messy world, or is it too much trouble to clean up/put back on track when things get a little out of control? I think about those teachers -- Mrs. Proudfoot, my teacher when I was 5 -- lacing up 12 little pairs of ice skates and think how did she do it??? She must surely be a SAINT. I really want to be that kind of person but even doing messy art with 6 little kids for 2 hours makes me want to sleep for the rest of the day.

Anyway, I hope the kids had fun, it certainly looked like they were. And it doesn't even look that messy, but this is just the beginning. I put the iPhone away as the paint really started to fly. For the record, I tried to set up three "stations", the first was fly-swatter painting, the second was painting with beaded necklaces, and the last was at the easel with different kinds of brushes and sponges.

   

Part of my stress can be attributed to Elliot trying to drink the paint water at every opportunity and there not being a working spigot to wash up outside. Somehow, despite my best efforts these little hands touched every surface in our house from the back door to the bathroom. Thank goodness for washable, non-toxic paint!

Easter Pics

We got a new camera, which is great...except I don't know how to use it. I guess I could read the manual--Ryan has, eager beaver overachiever --which is why he is the only one taking pictures these days.  So while I unproductively sit and wonder how I'm going to figure out how to use the camera Ryan has enjoyed having the camera to himself and not having to hear my unsolicited opinions about family photography.

 

This is an actual picture Ryan took last night of water dropping into a bowl of water. Pretty cool. Ryan wants to credit Tim Embody for his photo equipment and help.

But he has also taken some great pictures of what I find to be MUCH more appealing subjects...Oliver and Elliot. Here are some from an Easter egg hunt last weekend at a friend's house and our own little Easter egg hunt this morning at home.

            

And this is my favorite one of all. Man, I love this kid. He is just so dear. He has taken to showing his love for me by picking me "beautiful yellow dandelions." He brings me handfuls of them and asks "Do you love me?" I tell him that of course I love him and that his flowers make me so happy. Since he picks just the blossoms (no stems) I can't  exactly put them in a vase, but he wants me to keep them, so we float them in bowls of water. It's not exactly a Martha Stewart arrangement, but you can't beat the sentiment. 

Actually Oliver doesn't always feel so loving towards me. Sometimes he gets really angry with me and tells me that he  a) wants me to "go to jail for all night long" or b) will "put me in a volcano" neither of which sound particularly appealing. He also tries to lay down ultimatums (or give "consequences" in the current parenting parlance), but his early attempts are laughably pathetic. He doesn't really understand that the "consequence" should be something that impacts the other person, not himself. So he will say things like, "Mom, if you put me in time-out I will not play with my toys ever again!!!" Or "If you make me go to bed I will never do anything fun again!" I love that he imagines that somehow HIS not having any fun would be punishing for ME.