He Is a Reader! (despite my many failings)

I have been holding out on calling my son "a reader" until I felt like he hit a stride with reading fluently, could pronounce words bigger than c-v-c combos, and could critically engage with the story that is unfolding as he is reading.

He is a reader!

Yes, he still struggles with remembering sight words or that he just read the word "roar" on the previous page, but he is reading!

I hate/love that hindsight is 20/20. On this road to reading, I feel like I made some serious mistakes as well as many loving decisions. We'll start with the terrible first:

1. I had high expectations that he would LOVE the act of reading.
2. I expected that he would learn to read with the same ease that I had with reading.
3. Working through our phonics book felt too much like "school" on too many occasions.
4. I audibly worried about his reading, probably too much.
5. Instead of just answering him when he would ask, "what does this say?" I would encourage him to sound it out himself nearly every time.
6. I talked too much on the Great Importance of Reading and, as a result, pressured him on occasion.
7. I got into a FIAR rut early on, in which I had him label maps and color stupid things because it was related to a FIAR book.
8. I got in the way sometimes of the natural road to reading.

Now that I feel horrible about myself as a parent, let me go over the good choices:

1. I have read to him from the moment he was born, as a loving act, to bond, to lull him to sleep, to share stories with him. We still cuddle up and share books.
2. We have read all sorts of books (and everything counts!): board books, picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, comic books, poetry, non-fiction, horror stories (Goosebumps, for example), etc.

3. I've let him see me enjoy reading and audibly admired his father for reading for fun.
4. We've gone to dozens of library shows and seen magicians, puppeteers, farmers, clowns, etc.

5. We attended library storytelling mornings for tots.
6. We've signed up for summer reading programs at the library every year since he was born.

7. I've made scavenger hunts for him, which he so enjoys.
8. I've patted his back, hugged him, kissed him, congratulated him, supported and waited for him as he has learned to read.
9. I've spent hours scouring YouTube for funny phonics videos that I knew he would love (especially Cliff Hanger videos!).
10. I thought about his love for Legos and helped him "build" words with tiles.

11. We played with words.

12. We live in a book-friendly home. Books spill out from shelves, are stacked on a desk, color the coffee table, and peek out from every imaginable spot.
13. I've kept myself open and tuned in to what engages him, whether it be a kind of book genre, learning style, or learning obstacle.

What I Know Now That I Wish I Knew Then:

• just enjoy the road to reading and worry MUCH less, if at all.
• don't push a boring old phonics book.
• find fun and personalized ways to practice reading.
• don't air out worries, ask if he "likes reading," or cringe if he just shrugs his shoulders.

Where We Are Going from Here:

My goals are to continue reading to him aloud, from a vast array of genres and subjects. I will read all the fart books and joke books he wants since he clearly enjoys them. On that note, I will keep finding personalized ways for him to learn and allow him to find those things for himself by giving him space, without any nagging worries, to explore and figure himself out. We will continue to play with reading, join summer reading programs and watch those who love to entertain and educate at the library. I will continue to proudly watch him grow and help him discover who he is and what makes him happy.

Mamatography 2013 Week Ten: Keeping the Fun Rollin'!

I am taking part in the Mamatography 2013 Challenge with Momma Jorje and Diary of a First Child to take a photo every day of our day-to-day life and post once a week.

Fresh from our Disneyland vacation, we wanted to keep the fun rollin' (literally!). On Sunday, we went bowling.

Aidyn kept working on his short vowel reviews.

He kept the fun swirlin' with a tornado project.

And we visited the Fresno Chaffee Zoo and the Forestiere Underground Gardens, which you can read all about here!

The weather is just starting to warm up here in California, so we're expecting more fun field trips and outings on the horizon!

Adventureland: Indiana Jones and India Unit Study

With the excitement over finally reaching the required height for the Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye ride at Disneyland, Aidyn has been intrigued by the adventurous archaeologist and his harrowing journeys.

He has seen all three of the original Indiana Jones movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom, and The Last Crusade.

*Disclaimer: The Indiana Jones series range from to PG-13 to PG ratings, and some scenes are not "appropriate" for younger viewers;therefore, I make no claims that all children should or could watch them; however, we have always had dialogue with our son about fiction/non-fiction and special effects, and when we provide context to something, Aidyn is usually capable of understanding it well enough to not be afraid/sensitive.*

He loved all three but The Temple of Doom in particular. We began reading the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom chapter book, but the language was a little out of reach for Aidyn, so we switched our unit study to India, the country in which Indy has his adventures in the film. To be fair, the movie could generate some flat stereotypes about India and its people, so I sought to find relatable books and stories from India to introduce us to its character.

(The book Monsoon is upside-down so it looks like Noosnow! Haha!)

The Road to Mumbai by Ruth Jeyaveeran follows two companions, Shoba and her monkey, Fuzzy, as they travel to a wedding in Mumbai. In trying to find the wedding, they pass many inhabitants of India, including a camel named Ismael, a boy named Anil who sells coconut water along the roadside, silent monks, and women in beautiful saris, among others. This story is a sweet presentation of India's rich and colorful culture. Aidyn particularly liked the way the monkey was trying to sneakily discourage everyone from crashing the wedding.

After reading The Road to Mumbai, we found Mumbai on our wall map and traced their journey on the map provided at the back of the book.

Monsoon by Uma Krishnaswami plops readers right into the hot, dusty and windy climate of India as a young girl and her family wait with anticipation for the monsoon rains. Even though she fears the monsoon rains will cause a flood, she eventually understands the importance of both the dry season and the torrential downpour of rain. She learns to have patience, to trust her Nani's experience, and to read the skies for signs of the monsoon. This gorgeously illustrated story is a vivid portrayal of the climate in India, which differs from ours in California.

I was a bit wary at first of reading The Story of Little Black Sambo, a "banned" book, to Aidyn as it has a controversial history, but after picking up this Christopher Bing-illustrated version, with its beautiful and magical artwork, I knew I could not pass it up. We're so glad we didn't! The Story of Little Black Sambo, also known as The Story of Little Babaji, is a fable about a boy who trades his grand pieces of clothing and umbrella to the Bengal tigers who threaten to eat him. Eventually, the tigers, who concern themselves with fighting over which is the grandest for having such clothes, erupt in anger and stubbornness, allowing Sambo to not only escape but to profit from his quick thinking.

After reading the story, we talked about fiction vs. non-fiction and the fanciful elements that make the story magical.

What I loved about the illustrations were the collage-type artwork preceding and following the story. The antique postcards, journals, and maps contain the feel of Adventureland, a piecing together of old relics, maps to adventures, and personal diaries of explorers.

For more factual information about India, we read India (Globe-Trotters Club) and learned about the geography of India (their two major rivers and tall mountain peaks), how India "crashed" into Asia millions of years ago (forming the Himalayas), the modes of transportation in India as well as Ganesh, the Hindu god of wealth and wisdom who keeps travelers safe, family life in India, how they dress, how and when they do school, and how to use our fingers to count the way they do.

 To learn more about the dangerous wildlife, we watched Deadly Dozen: India on Netflix. Here is a clip about Bengal tigers from the same show:

Inspired by the big cats in this episode and the ones illustrated in The Story of Little Black Sambo, we each drew a tiger. Here's Aidyn's:

Aidyn also watched an episode of The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones in which he and his parents visit India and he befriends a kind Indian boy who teaches him to play cricket.

We also did a couple of brainstorms as we learned more and more about India.

Before moving on from India, Aidyn placed their flag on our world map.

 Aidyn also watched one of our favorite short films, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.

And yesterday, as a wonderful capstone to our India unit study, we watched Life of Pi. What a remarkable film. As soon as the credits rolled, Aidyn asked to see it again. Here is a trailer below:

And now we're off to The Jungle Cruise to learn about different animals and their habitats (including the savanna and rainforest biomes). Check back next week!

Field Trip Report: Fresno Chaffee Zoo and Forestiere Underground Gardens

This weekend, we visited the unexpectedly chilly city of Fresno. Usually, Fresno, being splat in the middle of California, has people sweating and donning sunglasses. Despite the cold breeze and threatening rain clouds, we visited the Fresno Chaffee Zoo as well as the amazing Forestiere Underground Gardens.

What is wonderful about this zoo is that it has exceptional viewing areas and observation towers. Here, we were able to observe two elephants having hay for breakfast. We watched them gather hay with their trunks until making a pile, and then they scooped it up and into their mouths.

Experienced, kind and informative docents were sprinkled all over the zoo, ready to talk and share personal insights into the animals. When we visited the orangutans and siamang, a docent told us which one was the mother and which were her children, their names and the meaning behind them, and a bit about orangutans in general.

When we neared the Bengal Tiger exhibit, a docent informed us that she was pacing the fence because she knew that it was almost lunchtime. She and the male tiger had come from San Diego Zoo, and the Chaffee Zoo hoped that the tigers would produce a litter soon.

Again, the viewing area for these African animals was open, expansive, and made us feel super close to these beautiful creatures. Here, we saw the giraffes being fed.

Prairie dogs of North America!

We learned that when giraffes are born, they are already six feet tall! Here, Aidyn stands at just under four feet. He was amazed that he is shorter than a newborn giraffe.

The only thing you gotta watch out for at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo is the random hippo that hungrily emerges from the bark chips to gobble young zoo-goers.

Overall, we had a blast at this zoo. Admission was only $7.00 for adults and children (2-11) and seniors (over 62, I think) were only $3.50. They also have a rotary playground next door as well as a storybook land, both of which we did not go to because the weather turned, but they both seemed sweet and enjoyable.

Before heading home, we visited at the Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno. We had stopped at "the best kept secret in Fresno" before, but it was closed. This time, it was open and we promptly signed on for a tour.

It is an historical landmark and, from what I read, was featured on California's Gold with the late Huell Howser.

Here's the basic story:

Baldassare Forestiere, the second oldest son in the family, was denied property by his father (it traditionally going to the first-born son), but Baldassare had a dream of owning a citrus empire. He moved, by himself, to America in the early 1900s, dug tunnels in Boston for his first job, and eventually moved out to California to start his citrus farm. Property in Orange County was too pricey, but there were unbelievable deals in the Central Valley; therefore, he purchased 80 acres of land in Fresno, Ca, and got to work on his lifelong dream.

But, once he ran a shovel into the ground, he struck hardpan soil, a rock-infested soil that his trees would definitely not be able to grow in. Even though he was disappointed, his dream crushed, he tried to make the best of the situation. Once summer arrived, he met with the suffocating 100 degree heat of the summertime and sought a way to escape it.

He dug tunnels. Lots of them.

He made himself a network of underground tunnels in which to live, hide from the heat, and host small gatherings of friends with the hopes of eventually turning the property into a resort. He began experimenting with plants underground, using the soil he had extracted from the uppermost hardpan soil. The hardpan itself he used to build strong walls and ceilings.

What is there now is an intricate tunnel system with beautiful trees reaching for the surface, a cool getaway from the shine and heat of the sun, and relics to this innovative man's 40-year labor of love.


*Disclaimer: All pictures taken are property of Forestiere Underground Gardens and my own personal pictures of the property. They are not used for commercial purposes but rather to report on our field trip.*

Here is Aidyn by an orange tree, above ground (with soil extracted from that hardpan soil), prior to our tour.

Aidyn, his grandma, and I waiting on a bench above ground.

Here is Aidyn in the Trinity Courtyard, below the surface.

Beautiful home-style touches.

Aidyn and Grandma by a citrus tree underground. Every tree has an open ceiling so that it benefits from the heat of the sun without being damaged by the frost of winter.

Aidyn, sitting on a planter, ready to descend into the dark tunnel in the background.

Baldassare even put a bathtub outside!

His bedroom.

A second bed, for guests, presumably.

A gorgeous view of one of the open ceilings. Even though Baldassare was technically underground and enjoying the cooler temperatures, he could still enjoy the sunlight.

Heading out of a tunnel and back to civilization.

While at first I was a bit shocked at the $15 price of admission, the tour was worth every penny. We had a jovial and informative tour guide who was obviously passionate about Baldassare Forestier's story and life's work. Seeing this man's creation and walking through his tunnels is inspiring; it teaches us to be flexible with our dreams and work hard to develop our passion. This little gem is often missed as people coast by on highway 99, with only a small historical landmark sign mentioning its existence. But it is worth the turn off Shaw Avenue and the admission cost.