Monday, June 9, 2014

Birthday Party

Last year M and some other girls at the homeschool group were big into birthday talk.  It was January and I was tired of it.  Then it was February and I was done.  I told M that if she didn't stop talking about birthday plans there would be no birthday party in June.  She kept talking about birthdays and the consequence fell.

Our standard birthday party is to have pizza at a park and invite everyone we know.  So last year M got to go to BK with Dad, G and P.

So this year there has been minimal birthday talk.  We did make invitations 2 weeks ago.  They were pretty simple, and M colored in the big 7 on each invitation.  Then she passed them out to people at church.  I'm so proud of her for inviting her teacher and Sister R.  Sister R has no children but does have a dog named Bear and we visited her one time.

I love that she has friends of all ages.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Ok, it's not just hard work

M is very good at the piano.  People tell her this every time they hear her play.  They assume it's talent, like she sat down at the piano and just could play.  "She's got musical, and musically trained parents, so of course she's going to be able to play."

When people attribute her skill to talent, I want to protest, and claim that effort got her where she is.  I certainly want M to understand that work leads to improvement. 

Talent + no effort = anxiety disorder

Talent + work = I can do this

She's a little girl and would really prefer to be on a soccer team, go to dancing lessons, be in gymnastics, karate, or a pet...  We just haven't given her those options.

And she's homeschooled so she doesn't have any friends or distractions.

But even with all that in her favor, it is a special kid who just goes into the front room and practices every day.  A special kid who picks out primary songs by ear with I, IV, V, I chords in Alberti Bass, for fun.

She's a special kid.