Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The mistakes of motherhood

weThis is my second sleepless night in a row, so I may not be very coherent.

Anjali's teacher sent back a note asking us to send stuff back to school on how to save the oceas - pictures articles etc, as the children are learning about underwater creatures this term. Anjali, Sophia and I decided to make a "Save the Ocean poster A la fancy nancy"

Anjali started the project with great enthusiasm. She taped two sheets of blue construction paper together - representing the oceans, Some blue wavy lines of glitter glue on top - for the waves, some golden glitter glue at the bottom, representing the beach, some small seashells glued to the paper, and a beautifully colored and very expressive fish on the paper. She began to write with black felt

"Sav the O"

And then I made a mistake

"Mom, how to spell ocean?", she asked "O then sh right?"

I should have let it slide. But I didnt want her to take a piece of misspelt work to school (Please note that yesterday i let her take a piece of artwork for her teacher taped up like a scroll which said "To Mess Kim, I ride a hors namd after a fare tale cretur. The nam is cald pinokio") and decorated with hearts. So i am not too stuck on spelling. I read the books. (I put a post it on the sheet with a correctly spelt translation though)

But it broke my perfectionist heart to think of oceans spelt as oshens or something so i said

"O-C-E-A-N-S"

Anjali began to write. At A, she made the mirror image mistake. We cancelled the word and began again. Another mirror image mistake at c. She has been practicing her alphabets over the holidays and mirror images were rare. I guess it was the pressure of getting the spelling correct that triggered it.

The kid broke into tears and I kept telling her that making mistakes was ok. But we decided to stop the work for the evening. This morning, she took the paper up again and spelt "ocean" properly with help and made me wish that I had let her stick to her spelling.

But she didnt take up the project with as much enthusiasm - maybe because she had just woken up. We shelved it for later.

She went to school as usual, and I returned home to whip up a batch of playdough for the kid who may otherwise drive her dad crazy during the day. But the playdough was only a moderate success since obviously, its usage required faculties that were currently under recuperation.

Maybe when Anjali is back from school, they may look at it again. We are having a playdate in Veer's house this evening and may take the playdough with us. Igts so easy to whip up that I dont know why I dont whip it up more often

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