What to do with Mandi?

The pediatrician told me, "You're going to have your hands full with this one." Mandi was a 6 month old who could crawl, jump on the bed, and get my keys out of my purse with no thought at all. At 7 1/2 months, she could go from a squatting position to a standing position without holding on to anything and then stand for several minutes. She did this repeatedly for a full month before she took her first steps at 8 1/2 months.

I knew she was ready to potty train, when at 26 months, she informed me, "Mom, I'm pooping. You got any wipes in the car?"

If she wasn't pouring her own juice, she would tell me after I offered her a drink, "Mom, now you say, 'Mandi, which juice do you want?'"

She won a coloring contest at 2 1/2 and loved rhyming words at 3.

When she started kindergarten, she completed her handwriting book in 2 days and went from not knowing all her letter sounds to reading at a second grade level in about 4 months.

In first grade, she started writing poems, wanted to start cursive writing, started playing the piano by watching me, and amazed people with her golf and baseball ability.

Now, in second grade, she finished her English book by Christmas and was advanced in her math skills, but she was getting bored with our routine.

So, over Christmas break, I came up with a new plan for Mandi. One that involved time and space for her to create and learn as quickly or slowly as she needed. As we are beginning to implement it, I hear her saying things like, " Oh, I have an idea!" or "I like this book better than that one. Can I read it again, Mom?" or " Before we studied the continents, I wasn't that interested in them, but now I am noticing them every where."

And yesterday, she was so excited that she learned to play Amazing Grace on the piano in one day! Today she learned to sing and play the first verse and is now determined to learn every verse. I know she won't stop until she does.

She is enthralled with Monet right now and wants to do a painting of water lilies and wants to go to Paris to see Monet's garden.

Can you guess that WE are having fun in school again?