We try to come up with projects at home that will educate and motivate our kids without being boring. Over the summer, we challenged the four older kids to keep journals. The idea was to have them write something every day. They could write, draw, tell stories or just keep track of events. Every so often, we would have a notebook check. Whoever did the best job since the last check would win a prize. The prizes got bigger as the summer went along. The grand prize winner at the end of the summer received $100 in cold hard cash. Quite a jackpot for a kid going back to school!
We started a new notebook project with slightly different rules for the school year. Each day, they must write three sentences ~ no more, no less. Hopefully, they will learn to look at their day and evaluate what was important to them during that time and record it. Each nine week grading period we will start over. During the first notebook check, I was planning on giving the change from my purse to the winner (about $3.00 at any given time). But all the kids did such a great job, I decided to get them all something small to motivate them to continue. I went to WalMart and purchased an $.88 item for each of them. For the three older girls: lip gloss. For Bleu and Johnny: plastic frogs and dinosaurs. For Butterfly: a little pony with hair to comb.
Here is Butterfly's response to her prize:
Me: And Butterfly gets a little pony!
Butterfly: That isn't My Little Pony.
Me: No, but isn't it pretty? Look at the pony's hair...
Butterfly: (keenly aware of the difference between the real thing and my cheap imitation) It is a donkey.
Me: No. It is a beautiful pony with hair to comb. You love little ponies.
Butterfly: (sighs) I do love ponies. But this isn't a pony. It is a donkey.
Me: Oh. You don't like donkeys?
Butterfly: Yes, I do. It is okay to love ponies, and it is okay to like donkeys. But it isn't okay to call a donkey a pony and pretend that is why you like it.
ah, wise little Butterfly!
Posted by: Alice | August 25, 2004 at 01:30 PM
LOL
Posted by: Mieke | August 25, 2004 at 01:52 PM
LOL She is so smart!!!
Posted by: Angela | August 25, 2004 at 11:59 PM
Wow! I want her on my team!
Posted by: Amber | August 26, 2004 at 03:33 AM
ROFL!
Posted by: Angie | August 26, 2004 at 04:34 AM
LOL! Great post!
Posted by: RG | August 26, 2004 at 06:01 AM
She's one smart kiddo!
Posted by: Katie | August 26, 2004 at 06:49 AM
Butterfly is so funny. Love the conversation!!
Posted by: Donna | August 29, 2004 at 01:30 PM
LOL! A kid after my own heart.
Posted by: NotDonnaReed | August 29, 2004 at 01:38 PM