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Nature or Nurture?


 All of our kids are so different from one another.  Sometimes it takes me by surprise.  They've all been raised in a pretty similar environment, but each one has a very unique personality.  

Sawyer had an early command on language.  Fischer just squeaked until he was almost three.  

Fischer notices things.  He is very attuned to details.  Carter can't find her favorite sweater even when she's standing on it.  

Carter had an early grasp on humor and knew she was being funny before most of our kids understood what a joke was.  

Emerson is a nurturer and when she's on her own, she is probably the most responsible of all four kids.  

They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, and it's interesting to see how those play out as they get older. 

Recently, somebody asked me if we were going to put the girls in preschool.  My knee jerk response was, "no."  We didn't do preschool with the boys, but let them lead the way on what they were interested in learning.  We provided opportunities, but didn't push it.  I preferred to have them at home with me, and it worked for us.  But the girls are different, so I gave the question some actual thought, and my response was, "Heck, no!"  I just couldn't do that to their potential teacher or classmates.  

If we put them in preschool, Carter would likely cut off some little girl's ponytail.  Emerson would quietly glue all the books shut.  Together, they might find a way to get on the school roof or encourage other kids to jump off the top of the playground structure.  No.  We will not be sending them to preschool, unless it's run by a juvenile detention center.  

Lately, we send them outside to play and they come back looking like this:


We aren't neglecting them or ignoring them, but occasionally, we do have to run to the bathroom.  That's all the time they need...  

Last week they snuck a glue stick into their room at naptime.  You want to know what I found when they woke up?  Sticky, brown cheeks, legs and arms because purple glue and grey wool blankets make brown.  The boys never did that.  

Our kids are all very different from each other, but with their powers combined, the girls are a whole other level.  Preschool is not for them, and we are already praying they don't get kicked out of kindergarten.  Wish us luck.  

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