Disappointment

This is why it's good to keep track of your good days: so that the bad days don't crush the whole program!
We've had two bad days in a row. Hmm. Now that I think about it, I think I was just ornry yesterday, and that the kids did participate. Ff week started with Fathers- Father of our home, Heavenly Father, Father of our ward (church), and I left room for Founding Fathers (of our country.) We cut out pictures of home, church, heaven, nation, Dad, the bishop, etc. They did pretty good. I suppose I lost them when I tried to teach them a new song. I tried to use our pictures for the song, but they just didn't get it. It wasn't a catchy tune and probably had poet statements too vague for a 2 and 5yo to appreciate. They didn't stay with me on Hh-heaven and Holy Ghost day either. I think my presentation is all wrong and maybe Mondays should be something else entirely, given that it's Monday. Last night while make notes for future Mondays I decided that teaching gospel principles shouldn't be guided by the alphabet. I'm going to give them what they need instead: stories of Jesus and apply them to our lives.

Today- Ff-Flag was rather a disaster. Normally, I can say, "Put the toys away, it's preschool time." But 2yo wouldn't give in, and refused to learn the pledge of allegiance. (She's been talking since she was one. I think she could handle it.) She did sing the ABC song that the 5yo refused to sing.
So we get out the construction paper and 5yo is upset that we're not cutting the white paper. Instead, he made a beautiful marker squiggles page and announced that he was making a puzzle. He then cut it into six pieces, mixed them up, got a little frustrated, and then put his puzzle back together. I think he's ready to lead his own preschool. I was very proud of him, but he never did make a flag. 2yo had a great time with the glue stick, but never did lay any stripes on it. 5yo thought it was cool that I poked holes in the blue paper, but declared that they didn't look like stars and lost interest. I tried to tell them about the rules of handling the flag and folded my paper flag like you're supposed to, but he didn't care that it looked like a tricorn hat that they wore in the revolutionary war.
Put on 'America Rocks' video from the School House Rock series and thought that was going to be great, but had to turn it off during 'Mother Necessity' when the kids started getting in trouble and the TV always goes off when they get in trouble. But visually they should have seen the flag several times and I mentioned the founding father when they came on so it wasn't a total bust. I'm still excited for our trip to the capital on Friday.
If I could do this day over again... I would have made several different flags from our nations history and told stories about each one. Then let them glue on the pre-cut pieces and have provided star stickers. Maybe we should try again on Friday. Or maybe next Tuesday after we've been to the capital. I used to use 'listen' and 'sing' signs in primary music time. I could try those for when I want them to repeat me. Then maybe I'd show only a few 'America Rock' segments. Harder with VHS. I should break down and get the 30th anniversary DVD.
Tomorrow? Fingers, counting, songs, froggy finger puppets, should probably make an F with craft stick, haven't done that this week. Don't know if I mentioned that in Ee week. Don't have time to make PVC pipe flutes, we'll see.