Pillow Fort

This is Madison's at-home movie theater experience.  She's in there somewhere... seriously, do you remember the days when we could make pillow forts, and block the world outside?  This Fortress of Solitude is a nice quiet place to get away, and actually pretty funny to Mommy and Daddy.  We were just walking by the couch, and there was this pile of pillows, with the sound of "Jessie" playing underneath all those pillows.  Or it could be "Bunk'd."  Madison loves those characters, and pretty much goes to this show time and again.  If she could watch season two of Rebels all over again, she would.  And there was a time recently where it was nothing but "Phineas and Ferb."  But back to "Jessie" we go...

We had ballet today, although it was our shorter day.  Daddy did not have to teach this morning, as his students had a break.  This was great, because Daddy got a break.  It's a different thing, preparing for a class with these college students.  It's certainly worth it though, and they seem to be enjoying it.

Meanwhile, Madison is doing so well in school.  We got more grades back, and things are just so amazing.  She's such a stellar student, and we hardly have to lift a finger.  We do help out where we can, but she's independent in a way, and wants to get things done on her own terms.  Math is one of those subjects we don't even touch.  She just does her homework in the car, and she's done.  And because it is this common core way of teaching, we're sort of handicapped in our ability to help her out.  Still, she's doing really well with it.  Now obviously with other topics, we're more able to assist. History, science, and language arts are easy to talk about.  Although grammar has changed over time here, where punctuation rules have shifted since Mommy and Daddy were in school.  Which was not long ago, of course.

We have science kits that we like to do from Tinker Crate at home, and we also show historical videos, particularly if there's an important date on the calendar.

But the one thing that she does without stop is this:  read.  She always has a book with her.  The latest is a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book called "The Ugly Truth."  She's always reading books in the car, at home, or on vacation.  That is, at least when she's not watching "Jessie."

Obviously there is grace over this household.  But one thing I would suggest, and it's one thing I heard while I was in college, is this:  read.  Have your child read whenever possible.  Reading opens up a whole lot of questions, skills, and of course a world of imagination.

It's the kind of imagination that leads you to make a big pile of pillows...