Why consistancy is KING and why it is at times one of the hardest thing to maintain!

We have all heard the saying Repitition is the mother of all skill and this is very true for early learning, particulalrly when you are teaching your child to read. Getting it to happen when there is so many other things that need to get done and maybe a child who is refusing to do anything but reading or maths or any other activity even if you have set it up to be fun.

Consisitancy has always been on of the hardest things for me to maintain, because I am not a stay-at-home mum as much as I would love to be. I had to return to work (for only financial reasons).  This is where I started to lose my consistancy with DD1 as I would come home from work tired and not wanting to do anything let alone be joyous about teaching her. My attitude towards early learning had changed because as much as I wanted to do all of it (reading, maths, encyclopedia knowledge, music, so on and so on) I could not teach joyously because it had almost become another chore I had to do for the day. I don't know if many of you had felt this way but I certainly did after a loooong day at work and still a million things to do when you got home.

I had to find a way to not only change my attitude but find a way that I could teach both joyously and still bond with my dd1. So I made a number of power point presentations and downloaded a whole heap from the brillkids website and I also started using their software more consistantly and I made time to do it when I was not so tired and I could enjoy it with her. I also had to change how often I was showing the presentations. Doman states 3x a day for best results. I could not do 3 times a day and felt under a lot of pressure to do so. I had to change how often I showed the presentations to 2 times a day which were at breakfast and in the bathtub. This was where we were both at our most relaxed states and I could enjoy the learning time with her. This was one of the ways I was able to gain some consistancy back. It was not at the optimal level that I wanted but it was better than nothing at all. DD1's reading flourished and bit by bit is improving everyday.

Now DD2 is here the consistancy has gone out the window. These early days have proven to be chaotic with new routines and back up through the night, I have lost alot of consistancy with DD1 and she also does not seem as interested in doing lessons and would much rather play with tea sets and blankets all day, draw and stamp. I feel guilty also that alot of time is taken up with the care of DD2 and my time is divided between both the girls and I can't give DD1 the same time I would like.

How do I plan on remeding this problem:
1. I would like to buy another 2 sets of little table and chairs and set different activities up on them and allow dd1 to select what she would like to play with than I play with her and teach her at the same time.
2. Return to using software to teach her again and use it to a) When she is on the potty to distract her from being on the potty b) when she is most relaxed at breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon snacks and in the bathtub.
3. Use more hands on materials that she enjoys using. 

It has been one of the hardest things to maintain because not all the time my DD1 has wanted to do learning. which is frustrating but golden rule no 1 must always be followed never force it on your child so at times it has been weeks before she has wanted to resume something or gone back to something we have started weeks prior.  Or she has been unwell and unable to teach.

I truly believe as long as you can find a way that suits you and your child's learning style and it is something that you can be joyous doing and your child is having fun and it is something you can do consistantly then keep doing it. I put myself under so much pressure to do everything the Doman way that I almost ended up hating it. So I decided to change things to suit me and that helped my DD1 to because I am sure she picked up my stress levels and new that I was not enjoying it so she began to not enjoy either.

I hope my own story helps you to change things around to suit you. I always think honesty is the best policy rand I hope my journey helps you on yours.

Thanks for reading

Kimba