My Literate Kindergartner

Homeschooling is never easy, but there are some sweet, sweet rewards, let me tell you! A few days ago Daniel, my kindergartner, was sent to his bedroom for timeout. Following a few minutes of his grumbling, it got quiet in there. The timeout bell rang ten minutes later, but he didn't emerge from the room. I figured he had started drawing at his desk, so I went about my business and left him alone.

Much to my childish delight, he soon brings me a piece of paper on which he wrote:

I m go to sed I sed up hil

Translation: I am going to sled. I sled up hill.

He read it to me and I started jumping for joy! Picture me getting all teary-eyed, while at the same time laughing and dancing him around in circles. After this celebration, I calmed down, then sat him down and pointed out all the things I loved about it.

He's been writing two sentences a day for a while, during our school time, but this is the first time HE decided to write something, on his own. I am usually right there beside him, reminding him about finger spacing, sounding out the whole word, putting periods, etc. I was just so impressed at how well he did without any direction! Even more, I 'm so pleased that he feels writing is a worthwhile activity! Teaching comes with many pleasures, but none are sweeter than the first time a child reads or writes for pleasure, all on their own. To me, that is the very moment they truly become literate.