Everything I know I learned from TV

Yeah it's Thursday!
Sister #4 Stalee

I live by two of my sisters Rindi and Sunee. We all have a child that will be going into kindergarten next year so we decided to do a preschool together. We switch houses and teach one letter a week. It is perfect and our kids love it. As I was preparing the preschool lesson today, a memory came to my mind….



I was taking my middle girl Lucy to her Kindergarten assessment at the beginning of the year. I was nervous for her because I knew that she was not as prepared as my oldest girl Kamree. My husband had lost his job the year before, so I went to work full time. Teaching preschool at home went out the door and we were in no place to pay for preschool. Clint (my husband) did his best to hold everything together. He was a great stay at home dad, in fact some things he did a lot better than I do. He even learned how to do a pretty decent pony tail.

So we were sitting in the kindergarten room and the teacher starts to ask Lucy some of the questions. I kept hearing things like, good Lucy, that is great, you are so smart. I heard the teacher start to say some nice things about me and how I must read to her a lot. Now in my defense I do read to my girls, almost every day and I try really hard to be a good mom. I heard the teacher ask Lucy a punctuation question and after Lucy answers the teacher replies, “Wow Lucy you are the only child to get that answer correct. I can tell your mom works really hard with you and you are very smart.” I was so proud. I had been feeling really guilty, like I had failed Lucy the last year. Just as I was relaxing I hear Lucy start to say, “No, I learned that from a TV show called Word Girl. I love to watch TV!!!” AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Now I will be the first to admit that there are times that my kids have watched a little too much TV. I have had those moments where a good half hour to an hour break is just what I need. I was so embarrassed and I didn’t know how to recover my reputation as a good mom. In fact I have spent this whole school year trying to prove to her teacher that I am an involved mom and really do care about Lucy’s education.

I guess it was good that I didn’t get credit where credit was not due. I am, although, thankful that there are good shows out there that educate and entertain our little ones. Sometimes life comes in and throws us a blow that you did not expect. My husband got his degree and was working at a very good job. Life was going along swell and I guess I thought it would only get better. Well the day that the bank he worked for was taken over by the FDIC and he came home with no job, my views on life sort of changed. You can prepare all you want and sometimes bad things still happen. Looking back I would not change a thing. We all grew closer and learned to appreciate each other’s roles more. We also learned that we need to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. When you have no control over the situation in your life, the only thing you can do is pray and have faith. After an entire year, he found a good job and I now get to stay home and make sure Maggie, my youngest, learns from me, not the TV.

So whether you are tired, pregnant, have to work, overwhelmed with life, or you just need a break, rest assured that Word Girl has your back. The only suggestion I have is maybe keep that between the two of you.
I’m just sayin Stalee