Taking little moments to teach

My kids, B who is five and E who is 2 are constantly asking questions. Some questions are frustrating, like the repeated "why" to everything I say. Other questions, such as "why does E have two butts?" Catch you off gard and make you really think how to answer without laughing or making them more confused. I can't say I've answered every question my kid have asked or that all of my answers are right but I try. I try to teach my children. 

    I'm trying to take little moments to teach my children. Not only to ebb there ceriosity but to teach them how be better. Teaching a child is hard. I spent four years getting a degree in elementary education and I still fill inadequate in teaching my children most days. Through trial and error I feel like I've taught my kids a little.

    Planning and preparation to teach a class or lesson works great. Planning how to teach you children always ends in frustration. Spontaneously teaching my children works wonders! Making a mess with my children teachs more than I realize. Laughing with my children, teaches me. 

    

While making jack o lanterns  this year we made a mess. We gutted the pumpkins and saved the seeds. We talked about what seeds do and how we can take these seeds and grow new pumpkins next year. We also took some seeds and cooked them to eat and talked about how different parts of plants are used.  We had a wonder time and now my five year old is excited to garden in the spring.

I found a catapiller in the yard and took it in to show my son. I just thought it was fun But it turned into moments of teaching. We learned about the catapiller. We taught every one around us too, poor guy went to preschool for show and tell. I had to teach my son about giving up something he loved so the catapiller might live. It took a week and a few tears, but my son finally let the catapiller go in the garden. 

We make messes some times just to clean them up. My house constantly looks like this. Yet we work together to clean it up. I try to help clean things up with my kids. Sometimes it's easier to do it after they go to bed. Sometimes I'm frustrated enough that they have to do it themselves.  Yet when we work together we laugh together, we encourage each other, and we love each other more. 

Who knew a five year old could pull in a dumpster.

Who knew a two year old could feed a turtle.

Who knew little boys loved to unload weeds at the dump.

    Teaching kids is all about letting them help, letting them try, and loving the mess they make in the process. I'm not always good letting go and letting the mess happen but I try. My kids suprise me in the end. I can honestly  say my kids teach me more than I teach them.