Lifelong Learning

   There are so many things to teach our children.  Around here, school gets woven into our day and our family life.  There are things we study as a family (like our Egypt unit) and other things that individuals are learning. 
   Right now, Guapo has been working on quite a few things that make him a happier baby and us happier Mami & Papi.  He's begun to sleep all night (which is much better than "through the night" which only means from midnight to 5am!)  Of course his night might not begin until midnight (like last night), but once he's asleep he stays that way until a respectable hour.  He's also been learning how to sit by himself.  This allows him to play more as well as keep an eye on Bonita & Chulo, which is endlessly entertaining.
   Chulo is continuing his year-long battle with potty training.  (Has it been that long already?!?)  It's a battle we thought he had won last May, but it seems that was just a trick and the arrival of a new sibling combined with extra attention for his sister (ie. homeschool) completely reversed any progress that had been made.
   Of course, learning to use the potty or to sit up doesn't seem very interesting or challenging to someone who is learning to read, write, and "play with numbers" (AKA math.)  Bonita is struggling with showing respect to her brothers as they practice their lessons.  They in turn have devoted themselves to providing her plenty of opportunities to practice being respectful when you really don't want to.  They are such good brothers!
   I am trying my best to learn when it's okay to just let the kids be.  Bonita's style of playing with Guapo is only annoying me, not him.  Chulo's constant questions are typical and good from an almost 4 year old.  Guapo's desire to be held as much as possible is fleeting and soon he'll be all grown up and too big for such silliness, just like his siblings.  I've also been trying to let the kids find their own solutions to their disagreements, but it's so hard not to step in.  As long as they are not hurting each other, I've been trying to stay out of it.  When things get out of hand, I try to remeber to ask "are you showing love & respect right now?"  Of course, I'm still learning, too, so I mess up, forget, and jump to conclusions.  But I am trying and pray that I'm making progress day by day. 
   I can't really record the progress of all our lessons, but here are a couple of clips of Guapo learning to sit up by himself.