Dominoes

          So people keep asking how I made my decision not to send Daphney to a free preschool. I mean yes it is hard to say "no" to free! And it is difficult to explain so I often I just want to give the easy answer- that my kids are simply too fun! I am keeping her home to play games with me is not really the reason but it is funny how true it is even if not the initial reason.

          This is a picture of Daphney and I playing dominoes where we were trying to find the threes and we just kept drawing and drawing and for the longest time we could not draw a three to save our lives.

   Cute picture not a cute story:

           I had a lot of patience while teaching her and I let her self discover correlating colors and patterns trying to let her be in charge of her learning. Problem is she is now becoming good and deciding stupid moves and strategies that don't make since; like focusing on one impossible domino that "has to" be played next so even though she has other ones that can be played she would rather draw! And she has to show me her whole collection of doubles all the time. I am a terrible mother and hate knowing what dominoes they have because I like to crush my kids in games and when I know how to let them win my conscious gnaws at me and that is annoying.

This time she began to parade her ridiculous collection of doubles that was sure to beat me and i asked her not to in which I got the age old question of "WHY?".

"-because that is cheating; just go please!"

"What is cheating?"

 "It is nothing.... Just not honest for me to see your tiles and makes it not as much fun for us. Okay, just play now!"

That was the end of that and yes she did win again using some crazy strategy but with no more flashing of her GREAT dominoes.

           After the game my daughter stole a cookie off of the oven that I had told her not to eat and then lied about it. We had to sit down and have a talk about the importance of not lying even when we have accidents or are thoughtless. I reinforced the need to be honest no matter what happens and to my amazement she quickly responded "but mom you are not honest! Remember mom you cheated?!"