Mommathon

I usually write about books that I think are outstanding or books that are favorites in our house. After reading this book that Liam picked out at the library I knew I had to write about it. It is THE WORST book I have ever read to one of my kids and I have read a LOT of books. I am assuming that some adult besides the author read the book before it was published. How did so many people read this book and decide that it was worthy of publication? Baffling.

All last school year I went to class one night a week. There were about six other women in my class and almost all of them are reading specialists. What that means is that they work with struggling readers all day long every day of the week. These women were awesome! The things they knew, the strategies they used with their students amazed me. They were always going to conferences and workshops. These women were definitely professionals! They also intimidated me. Here I am at home with my kiddos all day while the world of education continues on without me. Which is fine, but I definitely am not the expert these women were in the field of struggling readers, especially the youngest students. Going to class was always a bit intimidating. Here these women are getting their degrees so they can have a degree that matches the job title they already have. 90% of what we were learning they already knew because it is what they did all day at school and most of them could have taught the class. Then this week I saw a mom of a student I worked with last fall. She said she had been meaning to call me and tell me how much her child has improved and she wanted to thank me for everything I did for him. She said they had been using some of the ideas I gave them to work on at home and she could tell they were really working. That made me feel so good. I know I know what I am doing. I also know I don’t know half of what those other teachers know, but I am getting there.

Over the past few weeks, Colm has discovered the world of board games and card games. He LOVES to play Go Fish, it definitely ranks up there among his favorites. Thomas the Train dominoes is a favorite, too. It is so much fun now that Colm and Liam can play games together. On a side note, who in the *%$& created Candyland? Really. I have never seen a game that can cause such crying and fighting. You get all the way to the top and then, BAM, you get the wrong card and now you are back to the start. That is NOT fun…games are supposed to be fun.