Thankful Thursday - Another (Finally!) Eager Learner

Ever get struck in the middle of a crazy, hectic day by overwhelming wave of gratitude for being able to share a special moment with your kids? Well, that’s what Thankful Thursday is all about. Each week, I’ll aim to share a special moment that I would have missed had my kids been away at school . . . and I’m counting on all of you to share yours, too. It will give us something to reflect on during those other six crazy, hectic days!

 

I love that my past few Thankful Thursday posts have been about my little girl. It's easy to get caught up in all the amazing learning the oldest is doing, but somehow, the second time around, even the greatest of feats seem a little less novel. Add to that the fact that she's not as enthusiastic of a learner and can't be pushed, and sometimes I really do spend more time focusing on Noah.

 

But something has happened with Ava recently. Maybe it's her age, or perhaps it's the consistency of being back in the classroom for a few weeks now.  Whatever the cause, I'm seeing an openness to learning that has never been there before. She's always eager for school, and I'm seeing a more positive attitude emerge. I think a lot of her previous negativity was based in self-doubt (and the frustration that her brother was always 2 1/2 years "ahead" of her), and I'm hoping that was mainly a phase that is on its way out. 

 

I've spent the past year alternating between worrying that she wasn't doing what Noah was doing at her age (reading, writing, etc.) and reminding myself that all kids are different. In hindsight, I think my real worry was that she didn't seem to want to learn. Maybe this was a way of differentiating herself from him, but in any case, I'm thankful that it seems to have passed - and that homeschooling afforded us the flexibility to let her progress at her own pace.