Writing Our Name

Jackson has showed a HUGE interest in writing his name recently. He has known how to spell his name for a while now (actually, I just realized he didn't know there was an "A" in his name until we started learning to write the letters in his name. When we got to writing the "A" he asked me where the "A" was in his name. When I asked him to spell his name, I realized how he had missed is - Jay CKSON is what he would say. Really fast. Once we slowed it down he realized where the "A" was).

He really, really, really wants to write his name. But, like most other things he does, he really, really, really does not want any help. He is still one very independent child. When he doesn't want your help, he DOES NOT want your help. But - learning to write is hard. I told him this and told him it would take him lots of practice but that I knew he would get it. But, he wanted to be able to do it right away - by himself - without any help. You can imagine how that went over. He actually did pretty well figuring out what shape the letters were to be but would write them backwards or upside down and would get so frustrated when he realized it didn't look right.

I finally remembered some things I used to do as an Early Interventionist - working with little kids - and broke out the pudding. Chocolate pudding. He LOVED it!!! (What almost 4 yr old wouldn't love writing with pudding????) He would trace the letter I had written in the pudding and then we would "erase" that letter and he would do it "all by himself" (as he says about 100 times a day). He got it after just a few tries!!!!! And was so proud when he could sign his "J" and "A" on his card to Lee for Father's Day.