A few months ago, I wrote about our approach to Ellie’s (and Mark’s) education – basically ignoring it.  About a month later, Nik, Ellie, and Mark were sitting outside enjoying a unseasonably warm December afternoon when Ellie asked to draw.  So I brought them out some markers and paper and Ellie asked Nik to write down everyone’s names.  She especially thinks it’s fun to write all our names (like Nik, Niko, Baba, Laura, Baba, etc).

Then she took the marker and wrote this:

“Elle”

That’s right – she wrote her name. We just about fell over and then we were walking around grinning like fools! 🙂

Since then, she has continued to write her name (usually with lots of horizontal lines in the capital E and always skipping the “i”).  Often, she does it upside-down, but quite accurately.  I guess she’s watched us write her name enough times from the other side of the paper that she can do it upside down too.  And recently, she’s started pointing out every capital E she sees, “Hey, it’s an E!”  So clearly, she’s on her way to literacy and it’s so exciting to watch her teaching herself!

Earlier this week, she told me that she wants to learn how to read.  But then she also already thinks she knows how to read.  She likes to read books to Mark.  Mark’s favorite book is Goodnight Gorilla.  I usually have to read it to him at least 3-4 times before he’s had enough.  So I’m grateful that Ellie likes to read it to him too!

It’s a very long movie, I know, but I love watching her read the whole book and especially watching her put her arm back around him after she turns each page!  So no need to stick it out to the end if you don’t want to! 🙂

It appears that if I announce something on my blog, the opposite comes true.  I announced that we weren’t a tummy time family and then Mark spent MONTHS on his stomach before he learned to sit.  His stomach was absolutely his favorite place to be.  Now I’ve announced that we’re not teaching Ellie anything and so she taught herself.

ANNOUNCING:  my new blog venture

For a small fee, if you’d like something to happen, I’ll be happy to make some kind of pronouncement to the opposite effect and I will guarantee that you’ll get the results you desire!  Any takers? 🙂