Spend time with your children!!! (2nd entry)

I know… I know… parents always like to brag about how smart their kids are.  It is part of the excitement of watching your child grow and learn new things.

Nathan and I have taught him how to play and be creative.  We have showed him shapes and colors and all sorts of things.  It really really shows.  Kyle is always trying to carefully pronounce his words and use full sentences.  I know it surprises to strangers to see and hear this little 3 year old when we go out.

My inlaws spend a lot of time with Kyle and recently went to a family reunion and saw a lot of other kids Kyles age and older.  It surprised them to see how different Kyle was.  Kyle knows how to play well with others and talks a lot more then these kids did and knew more. 

Plus my son has one heck of a memory and blows us away all the time with what he recalls and knows.

Last night for the first time he sat down with a book he’d never seen with Nate’s mom.  the book had stickers of marine life in the front that matched pictures in mini collages in the book.  apparently while looking for a certain animal he was remembering all the other ones he was seeing.  so when he got the next sticker he would know where to turn to and put it.  He was done with this book in minutes and didn’t want to stop.  It amused me that he knew the difference between a squid and an octopus.

He is a smart little guy.  I am glad Nate and I take the time to sit with him and listen to him tell us stories and play.  I can tell we are doing well as parents because he is such a happy kid and he is learning reasoning and other development skills.  

While tv shows can help develop a child, it still can’t replace one on one time with mama and daddy.  This is something Nate and I make sure we find time for everyday.  No matter how busy or tired we are.  Hey if we all are sick, we will lay down and snuggle and read a book or watch something on tv together.  Yes I said tv, if you are there helping explaining what is taking place and re-iterating things, it helps make it interactive for the child to absorb and learn.

When Nate comes home from work, he tries to spend at least an hour before bedtime just with Kyle.  I know it means a lot to Kyle and yes to Nate.  It means a lot to me that he makes Kyle a priority and puts him first before unwinding after a long day. 

Oh I am rambling I know.  heh I got some coffee in me.  If anything I hope parents find more and more time for their children and at the same time by doing so, the child learns how to go off and play alone and let their imagination run wild.  Nate and i will be watching Kyle from the corner of our eye as he is coming up with all sorts of things to do with his toys.  It is always a lot of fun to see what his little mind comes up with.