Lots of people have asked me what I do with Sariah while we're homeschooling, and/or what I'm doing with Sariah as far as preschool. A few days before we started school, I moved all Sariah's toys into the schoolroom, telling her it was so she could play while Dallin and I worked. She very matter-of-factly informed me that "I will NOT be playing. I am going to do ALL the school that Dallin does!"
For the first week or so, she did. Now she's content to join us when she wants to, or go off and make a mess play when she wants to do that. She is right there with us for our morning circle time (prayer, scriptures, songs, etc.) and movement/games time. At this point she has usually had her fill of being with us and will find things to do to amuse herself. The bouncy horse she has on the back patio (which she has named Belle) has been washed with the hose numerous times. I'm pretty laidback, and I figure a slightly larger water bill and a change of clothes is worth it for a little girl who is pleasantly occupied. When we really need to get something accomplished and she's competing for attention or trying to distract Dallin, we go for 1) playdough, 2) a nice warm bath in the tub, or 3) turning on the faucet and letting her play in the sink. Are you noticing a theme here? Water will pretty much distract Sariah any time!
Alot of times if Dallin is doing seatwork, Sariah will come and join him. I gave her her own "main lesson book" to just color in. She also likes the huge pieces of newsprint we have. She has her own crayons. She likes to model with beeswax when he does. (Actually, it would be more correct to say that she likes to eat the beeswax.) And the other day she played Spelling Bingo with Dallin and me and WON. Yeah, that went over well with big brother.
We have special things just for Sariah too. She gets her own story time, with her own candle to light and blow out. This one above was this past week when we did the lovely "Star in the Apple" story. She usually gets up before Dallin, so I try to take advantage of that time to snuggle and cuddle with her. And I often will read books to her while Dallin is having his silent reading time.
But there are really so many things that we can all do together, even if Sariah's version of those things has been modified. Baking, painting, coloring, jumping rope, field trips--she's there!
The Waldorf method does not advocate academics for young children. That actually matches what I've felt for many years should be the case. I went against those feelings in Dallin's case so he would be ready for kindergarten. This time I have no such pressure! It is very freeing! I don't know that I'll make Sariah wait till the age of seven like Waldorf purists advocate. But I will be watching her cues and her own personal readiness very, very carefully! And when she does seem to need certain things, I'll be bringing them to her very gradually and very slowly, a little at a time.
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