My 2nd-grade son who doesn't want to go to school cooks a meal by himself from start to finish for the first time!

My 2nd-grade son came home after the first period again today.
Well, he came home, or rather, I went to pick him up. It was so hot.

Anyway, I finished reading this book.

It was just full of things I could empathize with!!

While raising questions about current school education, the author realistically faced the challenge of how to interact with her own child, struggled with her own chronic illness, and managed to get through the six years of elementary school.

What I felt consistently was the importance of letting children do what they want to do, when they want to do it.

I personally believe that a child's autonomy and spontaneity are major factors in promoting their brain and physical development, so I thought I was letting them do what they said they wanted to do.

However, when I looked back on it this time, I thought, couldn't I just let them do what they want to do even more?

This is because I felt that I was getting ahead of things the child seemed to want to do.

I've heard that parents these days tend to be overprotective.
For example, when a child is putting on shoes at daycare, the parent brings the shoes to the entrance, puts them on for the child, carries their bags, and does everything for them.
That might be more efficient and take less time.
However, it could also be said that there is a risk of depriving children of experiences.

There is also a view that a lack of experience in "doing things for oneself" is one of the factors causing children's fingers to become clumsy.

Ouch.
It makes me feel painful to think that when my children were in daycare, I might have been depriving them of "experiences" without realizing it, using my busyness as an excuse.
And I felt that this bad habit was continuing with my elementary schooler.

So, today.
My 2nd-grade son suddenly said, "I want to eat coleslaw." Apparently, the coleslaw he had at school lunch was very delicious.
Until now, I would have looked up the recipe, prepared all the ingredients, given him instructions while he worked, intervened by saying "that's wrong," and so on—I was the one looking up all the answers and setting up the environment.

Of course, that kind of help might be necessary for a toddler.
But before I knew it, he was already in 2nd grade.
He's grown bigger, can write, read, do math, and even go to the park by himself (I'm impressed by how much he's grown).

If he's grown that much,

—I thought he might have the power to accumulate that kind of experience on his own.

Thinking that, this time, I limited myself to saying, "Hmm. That sounds good, why don't you try making it?" (I really tried hard to resist saying all sorts of other things!!!)

Then he said,

I was a little surprised.

He can go?! Has he ever gone shopping alone before...? My husband, who was listening to this conversation, and I were both surprised.

And today, after coming home from school (he only went for the first period), he went to My Basket by himself and really bought it!

I also had him pick up the bread and milk I was planning to buy today (lol). I'll take any help I can get.

What surprised me even more here was that he didn't know where the cabbage was, so he asked a staff member himself and they showed him!

Since he was little, he's been a shy boy, and he would almost never talk to someone he's meeting for the first time. I was genuinely happy to see that when it's something he wants to do, he can go this far!

Then, after seeing him start to prepare it,

was all I told him.

Then my son went to the computer and opened Chrome. He can't type in Romaji on the computer yet, so after I set it up for voice input, he searched for 'how to make coleslaw' himself and started watching one of the YouTube videos that came up.

After watching for a while, he started working with his hands.

He peeled the cabbage leaf by leaf...

And started slicing it into thin strips.

'This is taking forever~. Is it okay if I stop about here~?'
He was about to give up halfway through, so I told him,
'Wouldn't it be faster if you stacked them?'
and he managed to cut every last leaf of cabbage!

You cut so much! Amazing!!

After that, he cut the carrots and mixed in the dressing. I told him about the part the video didn't explain: 'adjusting the seasonings while tasting it.'

Done!!!

For my son, this was the first meal he made entirely by himself.

'It's delicious~~!!' he said happily while eating, though he also mentioned, 'The carrots are a bit hard...' I think he was able to experience for himself why it's worth the trouble to slice carrots into thin strips.

Through this event, I came to understand well that if it's something he truly wants to do, he can tackle anything on his own without adult intervention. And also that that experience becomes his own learning.

Therefore, adults should focus on watching over them.
I realized once again that it's just right to offer a little input only when asked for advice or when they are feeling down.
I realized this anew.

The other day, something that left an impression on me while listening to someone involved in Montessori education was...

is what they said.

My son's actions this time fit this exactly, I thought!

I thought my child was clinging to me, but maybe it's the other way around.
Maybe I am the one clinging to my child.

Well then, that's all for today.

Thank you for reading until the end!

hona

#DailyNote #DailyPost #DailyUpdate #EarlyChildhoodEducation #Education