Getting Started

In three days my baby will be turning one! Hard to believe, this year has just zipped on by. He's nowhere near school age, or even preschool age but I figured it was time for me to start planning. I've started reading the blogs of people who participate in Tot School and am amazed at what some of those tot's are accomplishing. The participants list their ages and none were 12 months, I think the youngest was 15 months, but even then it was hard for me to see Xander being ready to do some of those activities in just three months time. I had the dual anxieties of worrying that I wasn't doing enough with him so that he would be ready and worrying that he would have a leap in abilities and I wouldn't be the least bit prepared.

I don't want to push academics at this age, I really don't believe it's necessary. I do, however, want to be prepared to expose him to lots of activities. Tot School emphasizes that the activities you do with your child are supposed to be fun not forced. So, to deal with anxiety number one I plan on being more aware of exposing him to things, making sure I read to him several times every day, and seeing how he does when introduced to craft supplies, and other tot school things. Right now he puts everything in his mouth, chews board books, and will rip apart any paper he gets a hold of (catalogs, magazines, dh's brand new book!). Of course he's not going to learn how to properly handle these things if I don't expose him to them, my bad. It's just so much easier to only have him around things I know he can't destroy or choke on if I do something like blink. :D

To deal with anxiety number two I plan on preparing some activity trays (Montessori style), making up some file folder games, lapbooks, etc... First up are some felt hand puppets and a flannel board. Oh wait, actually first up is the little guys birthday! Got to go wrap gifts and clean the house before the relatives arrive.