Observing Ages and Stages

Strawberry picking with six children can be. . . interesting. I had fun just observing the children and the different ways they responded to the job at hand. Let's begin with the oldest two children, Adalie and Chandler. These two are six years old and, in my opinion, very mature. They both seemed to greatly enjoy picking, and they prided themselves in the amount of berries they discovered. They lasted the entire hour and a half while we picked, and when the day was done, you could not see the bottom of their box of berries. They worked hard and were excited by the outcome. The middle two, Kylia and Lucas, are four years old. They had fun, at the beginning, but quickly tired and were ready to go home before the picking was complete. They didn't eat a lot, didn't pick a lot, and got to a point where they just didn't know what to do. For the two of the them, picking berries was not as exciting as it first seemed. The youngest two, Zoie and Kyla, were hilarious!! They found joy, not in the berries, but in the dirt. The dirt between the strawberry bushes, it seems, is perfect for washing your hands, legs, clothes, and anything else you desire. It's also good for throwing, and sifting between your fingers. For a good thirty minutes the two of them sat in the dirt and laughed at how dirty they were getting. When they were tired of the dirt they munched on berries, (which ended up as dusty as their bodies, and then went into their mouths). After a handful of berries they went back to the dirt. They kept themselves happy and entertained for the entire time we were there.

Today, it was fun to observe the different ages and different stages of my children. They are all so unique. I love their personalities. I love watching them interact with other children. I love being their mama!