Teaching: When to Start & Why | Part 1

Hey everyone! In this episode, my sister Samantha and I dive into the world of early childhood education. As a mom, I've been wondering when the best time is to start focusing on learning with my little ones. Should I be working with them at home? Getting them into playgroups? Enrolling them in preschool or daycare? It's all so different from when we were kids and went straight into kindergarten!

Luckily, Samantha is a former pre-k teacher, so she's got the inside scoop. We chat about how her perspective has changed now that she has her own kiddo, and how schools expect so much more from kids these days. We also dish about our own experiences growing up as twins and navigating the social scene in school together.

Throughout our convo, Samantha drops some serious knowledge about child development, the importance of learning through play, and how to best support your child's education both in and out of the classroom. We keep it real, talking about the challenges of being a working parent and making sure your kid doesn't slip through the cracks.

So join us as we laugh, reminisce, and try to figure out this whole parenting thing together. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or just curious about early education, there's something for everyone in this laid-back and informative sister chat!

Hope you enjoyed this episode!

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Jessica & Samantha

Transcript

Samantha 0:05

And then if a kid is getting two different ones, they're getting confused because they're like my teacher is telling me this is, and then like they, and then if a, and then if a mom or a dad is going C says you know C or something. It's just like who knows you know. And then like they're like the letters make two different sounds. So if they're really focusing on one sound and not the other sound, and it's maybe not the more common sound, which one they're learning with the smaller words now you know like, or they're trying to teach them to read before they know the sounds, because that is hard to they need to know.

Samantha 0:43

That's why it's so important for them to go to preschool, because they will learn the sounds, because in kindergarten now they're basically starting to read.

Jessica 0:51

Well they are. And you know what? What's crazy?

Samantha 0:53

Well, you can't read, sorry, real quick. You cannot read until your kid knows their sounds. I'm sorry, it won't work.

Jessica 1:04

Hi everyone, and welcome to a brand new episode of she's Got it Together. I'm your host, jessica.

Samantha 1:09

And I'm Samantha. Each week we peel back the curtain on what it really looks like to have it together.

Jessica 1:15

From the messy moments to the milestones, we're here to share it all.

Samantha 1:19

So grab your favorite drink, get comfy and let's dive into today's topic.

Jessica 1:27

Okay, today we're going to chat about education and your little ones, and by education I kind of mean like when do you think we should start, or when should you start working with them at home or getting them into a group or some type of preschool slash daycare like all those things. Because I know from when I started my kids, it was like right off into kindergarten. It really wasn't anything pre anything, it was just kindergarten. So I see now like it's very, very common to have them in like a pre K program or doing things at home, or I mean like Montessori does the different things much earlier. So I'm curious, sam, since you are the teacher here, what you think about all this and kind of you know where are you with Bo? Even? Like, what are you thinking? Have you thought about it yet?

Samantha 2:24

Yeah, I mean I've thought about it and I mean just from like my background, like as a teacher I was a pre K teacher I might have like a different opinion than some people, but I think my opinions changed a little bit since I had Bo, because, like now that you know, when I was a teacher I'd be like, yeah, like get them in like a three year old program, get them in, you know, pre K, take them, you know, and then if you can like do young fives and then do so like that was me from, like my teacher had on when I didn't have kids, and so then now that I have Bo, I'm like I just want him home with me all the time, don't?

Jessica 3:07

want to do that at school.

Samantha 3:10

Well, and I feel like, unfortunately, like school has changed so much, like and that is one thing too that, like you know, if it was like back when I was in like elementary school, I feel like things were a little easier Like there wasn't you know as much like like we were in the alphabet in kindergarten. Right, and like you were gluing Cheerios on the letters and like stuff like that. Now it's completely different, right.

Jessica 3:38

Yeah.

Samantha 3:39

So schools changed so much from like an education and like curriculum standpoint but then there's just so much going on in the world you know now with schools and shootings and violence and like all that stuff which puts another spin on it Right.

Samantha 3:53

So like I feel like my opinions have changed a little bit on that too. So, like with Bo, like I was all like before I had him, I was like, yeah, like probably get him in like a half day, like three year old program, a few days a week and then definitely pre K like all day, you know right. And then, like you know, kindergarten, his birthdays in October. So I'm all about no matter what, he's going to go to young fives because he's just going to be too young and like developmentally like he won't be ready, even if he like seems ready, like there's going to be a point where there's going to be a point where he like hits like a developmental block in some grade, at some level, because he's just developmentally not ready, because he's going to be younger than a lot of the kids there. So I already know, like I'm like he's going to young fives.

Samantha 4:46

But then I was like I really don't think I want to put him in a three year old program. I want him home with me while he's still so little and I can work with him at home. Like I know what to do, I have the tools. So, luckily, like I can work with him at home if I want to, and then I will probably like take him to different like programs at the library or things like that, have him engage with other kids, that you know, just take him to other activities but not have him like necessarily enrolled in a like structure program. But then once he gets to like preschool age, I'll definitely put him in preschool and then usually like, depending on the program, you can do full day or half day. So I feel like we'll probably decide that when the time comes, because he is going to go to young fives I know that already. So that's like basically kindergarten, it's just at a little bit of a slower pace, and then they can kind of cater it per kid like what their needs are, and then so I mean I could do like half day preschool with him if I wanted to, and then he's in full day pre or like young five, I mean, you know, is like nap time, when you do right well, even me even me as a teacher like the majority of the learning is in the morning, then they have lunch, they have nap, they get up, they do a lot of like the free play, which they do learn a lot during that too, and just like social, emotional skills and things like that, which is very important, yeah, so

Samantha 6:14

I mean that that's important too. But your main, like curriculum focus tends to be in the morning a lot of the time, because that's when they're, like, most aware and fresh and they're not tired. And, like you know, as the day goes on, like behaviors come out, like people are ready to go home, like your patience is thin, you know.

Samantha 6:35

So I mean I really haven't. I mean, and obviously like this could change when the time comes, like I have another baby coming so maybe I am gonna want him you know more help and having him in a program if that's more helpful for me.

Samantha 6:48

I find a lot of times like parents need like a source of daycare, so that's why they will put them in a program a little earlier and like if you need that, that's totally valid, but if you don't like, for me, like I work from home, I can keep him home, or maybe I'll have a babysitter come to the house a couple days a week if I need help, or something like that, instead of putting him in a program or something but I feel like it's just all like personal preference and like what your experiences have been in school, I think, play a role in it.

Samantha 7:20

Like just like today's like society and what's going on with school. A lot of people are choosing to homeschool their kids now, or they like go in with other families and hire a teacher like, and they like teach their kids, you know. So there's a lot of different ways school looks now and so I think right now I'm totally fine, keeping him home with me as long as possible, and then I think once he gets to be like four, like he'll be. That's the other thing. No, it's like he'll turn four in October. So if he'll still be three, if I like put him in a preschool like too early, so then. But then he turns, you know, five and has to do young five. So it's like he would have to do preschool a few months at three.

Samantha 8:14

Yeah, and so yep, unless I like really get him, yeah. Yeah, so he's end of October, so it's like right you know the timing with him. You can either push him when they're a little earlier or keep him back a little bit and like right now how hard school is and the just amount of things that they're expected to know. I'm fine keeping him.

Jessica 8:38

Yeah, like just like he's not gonna start, can you see how he is, too, when he gets to that, yeah, or closer to see, like, is he, you know, learning like he should be? Or, you know, are there things that he needs to be working on more? I mean, yeah, I noticed that with both my girls. You know, they're very different and obviously mm-hmm.

Samantha 8:57

Taylor, when I feel like they can be like super ready in one area and then they're not in another. So even if you keep them and I know I don't even like to say hold back, because they're not being held back, they're just like they're just starting school at a development- age, but it's like in between anyways.

Samantha 9:14

So yeah, you're in between, so you can either choose to send them early, when they're not necessarily ready, or you could wait till they are ready and then you and some kids are ready, but that yeah, 17, because you, that was early this is another thing was our experience was we were so young when we graduated high school.

Navigating Early Education Choices

Samantha 9:33

We were 17 and we you know, and so it was. There's just we were, went all the way through college, not 21, right, being super young. We drove later than everyone else, like we weren't 18 with everyone else, like it was just hard because you are so young and just like the maturity level when you graduate high school and go into college. It's like you're just maturity levels not there. And we went to community college the first year because our parents knew, like you are not ready to go off to a four-year college, like no, so that's the other thing. It's like he will be graduating High school at 17 and be later than Sid and I, like we were August, he'd be end of October, so he's even younger.

Samantha 10:21

So there's just so many things that can happen like you could get. You know, we know they're probably gonna be drinking at college. So it's like you're worried about being safe, like my peas getting in trouble, like you have so much more of a window of time where you're not like the drinking age or you're not 18 and you're doing all these things. But then on the flip side of it, okay, he's gonna be the oldest kid, most likely are one of the oldest kids in his class. He's driving first. He's 18, his senior year of high school, you know. So you have more adult problems that you could get into, because you are an adult, are 18, but at the same time He'll be, hopefully. And then you know I boys are more immature, you know, like they need more time, so it's like, okay, he's just gonna have more time to. You know, grow up a little bit, get that maturity and then, like, go into adulthood ready, not like us where we were, like these little babies that were not ready for the wild.

Jessica 11:20

You know you're young.

Samantha 11:21

Yeah. So it was just. It's just like my experience and then like a lot of people, I think One there wasn't a lot of young five programs available before and it just wasn't done like if you thought they were ready and they yeah, like if you thought they were ready and the school let him in like they took him. You know, there wasn't as much. There wasn't as much like Thought about a young fives program or making sure they're like necessarily ready to mentally or socially or whatever it is. Now there's a lot more Programs, free.

Jessica 11:54

Young five says a lot more awareness, and I just remember now I feel like to well of the grade levels, almost well before.

Samantha 12:02

It's like you can't get into, like not everybody can get into young fives, just cuz you want to get him in young fives, like you have to have a young birthday there has to be like a developmental. You know, you know something. There's a reason and there's only so many spots in a young fives program so it's like public schools, like you know, obviously with other.

Samantha 12:22

It's different yeah and I have no. I have no idea how any of that works, cuz I've only ever done public, so I don't know. But like, as far as like young fives goes, it's like usually before they go to kindergarten, like you, if you've gone to preschool, there's usually like a recommendation from the preschool teacher and then you go to like the kindergarten round up, you know, and then they they'll test them to see where they feel like they can go, but ultimately it's the parents decision where they go. And then you know, based on room and birthday and developmental need, like you may or may not get into young fives, or you can go to Another program, maybe at a different school, if this was full, and but then you gotta like transport and that's like a whole other thing.

Jessica 13:09

there's no bussing here, but there's bussing here and so it's another thing though would you want your young, young child like that on the bus? I mean, we did, mom took us, we, but you didn't do like, yeah, fives or young for.

Samantha 13:26

I think it just depend well. Well, with my school, with pre K, there was no bussing, like parents had to drop them off. But in fact I don't even know necessarily how that works with tuition, whether they Right the bus or not. I know with, like the special education kids, they wrote the bus and they had bussing. Our program didn't. But anyways, it's like we were going to kindergarten and mom was worried about us riding the bus and then we like said no, we're writing the bus to school on the first day. So she followed in her car to the school to make sure we got in the school. So yeah, I don't know. I mean that's the other thing. I probably would drive him if I could and then, you know, maybe as he got older and more aware, I would. But I mean kids, kids do it all the time.

Samantha 14:15

There's people there to help them they have tags on their back pack, but it's just that, really, yeah.

Jessica 14:21

well, it's like relinquishing control.

Samantha 14:22

I mean, that's like your baby that you have like taken care of and kept safe and now you're letting other people do that and it's hard and I think At this day and age it's even harder just with like how the world is and, unfortunately, like how much stuff has been happening in school where kids are supposed to feel safe and parents are supposed to feel safe sending their kids to school.

Samantha 14:45

So I think that's like another element of it that makes it a little trickier. But yeah, I don't know, I think right now I would just do preschool for him and then whether it be a full day or half day, I don't know, depends on, and if he really likes school and wants to go, like yeah, I'll send him. I'm not going to keep him home with me just for selfish reasons, but I know that like I might want to, but again like yeah, but then it's. You know it's hard when you know like some people have different opinions and think kids shouldn't go to school until their kindergarten, like they're still babies. They don't. They don't need to go to preschool, they don't need to go to a young program Missing that child period, like you're pushing it too quickly, almost it's such it's so hard.

Samantha 15:33

Well, there's such great benefits to sending them because they do learn so many skills earlier and like they are, you know, more socially mature. But then on the other side of it, it just depends on like the kids in the class of this type of school you're going to, because then they're surrounded by other kids and maybe don't have great behaviors, and then they're seeing those behaviors and then they're coming out at home Because they're learning different things at school and they're exposed to more at school. So then there's like that part of it too. But I think you just kind of go with like how you're feeling and then how your kids personality is and things like that. And again, you know, if you try it out and you're like this isn't working, doesn't work, then you can just pull them out, you know, until they are ready. But I remember, like my husband Brett, he Would cry every day getting dropped off at preschool, like just cry, cry, cry all day. So you will know his mom told me but.

Samantha 16:35

He got to the point where CJ just stopped taking him and he stayed home with her and she's just like it wasn't worth it. He was crying, he didn't want to be there. I didn't necessarily want him to be there either, so he just stayed with me and then she had an extra time with him. So she has, like another, like you know, perspective on it.

Jessica 16:54

Like you know, their babies they don't need to go until they're going to kindergarten, because Our baby Hayden to, because we had her in full day let's see full day preschool but she didn't like the nap time so we ended up going back to the half time or the half a day because she would lose it at nap time and that was. That was the stressful part for her. Some, I don't know.

Samantha 17:19

It can be hard for kids to sleep in a different area and I mean I had kids that had trouble with it. But then, like you just kind of stick it out, you might do extra things like with them during that time because, like kids at like my pre K age, like I had kids that were four and five, so some were growing out of naps, some still needed naps. I never made anybody sleep but if they like they still were expected to do something quiet like they had they couldn't, they had like certain things they could do. But I wasn't ever gonna like you can't like force anyone to sleep.

Samantha 17:52

But they're not, but they're also like they weren't gonna be disruptive for the other kids that needed to sleep. So it's like hard when you're navigating that, but then also like I would have parents that would say, hey, can you wake them up because they won't sleep when they get home, and I'm like I can try, but if they're not getting up, I'm not like shaking them awake to wake them up because they clearly need to sleep. So I'm like you know I can do my best to give them activities or to like make them not sleep, but if they fall asleep I'm not gonna wake them up, because that's what I'm sounds bad, but one that's not my problem and I'm not waking up a baby that, like me, clearly needs to sleep.

School Expectations and Parenting Challenges

Samantha 18:37

Yeah, and that you know they're gonna be crying like that's gonna ruin the rest of their day.

Jessica 18:42

I understand your struggle, but it's like the whole classroom environment would change after you know.

Samantha 18:49

Well, it's hard because it's like I can try to like hey, wake up, wake up. I'm not gonna like there, you know out, I'm not gonna, I'm not you only do so much one that thing.

Samantha 19:00

It's like I'm a teacher. I could only do so much. I can't Magic make your kids stay awake if they're tired. I can't shake them awake. I'm like that's just part of being at school. If you need them to not sleep, start on the weekends like maybe Transitioning them out of their nap. You know, it's like there's certain things that, like you just have to figure out, and part of that is a nap time at school. It's a requirement, you know, for our program was to have a rest time, and so it's like you know there's certain things that you can accommodate and that you can't.

Samantha 19:31

Yeah and I know like it gets tricky, as, like a teacher and trying to help the parent and then not having their night be crazy in the kids up till 10 because it took a nap till one or two. It's like you know, there's always so much we can all do. But as far as bow goes, I really don't know. I'm pretty sure we put him in a preschool program, yeah, but definitely young fives, because it's birthday and then our baby girl, she's gonna be born in August, so that's basically like around my birthday, so like me. So, honestly, I probably will do the same for her.

Samantha 20:08

And I was thinking. I was like, if I don't put her in young fives, but I do put bow and young fives, they'll only be a great apart. Yeah, otherwise it'd be two grades apart and I'm like, yeah, so it could be fun if they were only a great apart. Also scary, though, because then you have kids in college, like right after the other, and it's like, yeah, money, money if they want to go to school, I guess, but like in some capacity they'll be doing something, but yeah. So I was thinking about that too, but I'm like, gosh, I just remember being so young and yeah great, it's just 17.

Samantha 20:44

We graduated. We weren't 18 till the end of the summer, yeah, and then it's a new 18. Like you're still not even mature, like you are still like a baby. So I mean.

Jessica 20:54

I turn 18 in January, the year I graduated, so I was you know.

Samantha 20:59

Yeah, which is, you know, pretty normal. I would say like a lot of them Our friends would turn 18 like halfway through the year. Some of them were like December or whatever, but it's like Our year. A lot of kids like that I knew were younger too, because I think that's just like how it was. Like I said, they didn't really push young fives or have young fives programs around, so it was like Sid and I were August, like our friend Chris and she's July or June, and then like there was some October birthdays in September, birthdays in there. But still like I'm like now they expect you to know so much at school, like it, just as a pre K teacher, all the stuff that they were expected to know just at the end of the year was basically a kindergarten, yeah, if not more than when I was your alphabet you know, like all your sounds, vowels, like you know, obviously recognizing shapes but it's like not even the basic stuff.

Samantha 22:02

it's like they wanted them to be able to Like identify a shape, explain why or how you know that is a shape, and then be able to do like 3D shapes and then Like obviously, writing, not only recognizing their name, being able to write their name, last name would be a perk. I mean they even wanted them to know their phone number and address. Going into kindergarten. You know that's which is developmentally like does it really make sense? And then like even rhyming, like rhyming is not a developmentally appropriate like kids can rhyme at that age. But it's like not Not intentionally, almost Right, Just kind of yeah. And then you know every kid's are different. Some kids just are a little bit more ahead than others. But like it's just like they want you to know identify all of the letters, uppercase, and like lowercase, all of the sounds, multiple sounds too, because some letters have two sounds. So they want them to know all the sounds. And then even like the vowel sounds and like what a vowel is.

Jessica 23:05

And, like I would say, and they want you to identify vowels like consonants and vowels you need to do that.

Samantha 23:09

Yeah, I mean Well, and then just being able to like socially, be able to interact with kids and solve problems and be able to share and take turns and as like an only child.

Jessica 23:21

You know what I mean. Like, if you.

Samantha 23:23

That's why they want them to learn that in school. So that's why they tell them put them in a three-year-old program, put them in preschool. Go to the library every week, do groups Like. That's why they.

Jessica 23:34

They just put so much extra on parents. I mean, I get it, but then it's at the same time. It's like if you're a working parent that's hard, you know, like if you're Well and the flip side of it.

Samantha 23:45

They put a ton on teachers now because parents don't or can't do it, so then they expect you to also like parent their child when you're just trying to teach them. So there's like two sides of it. There's the teacher side of me is like they put way too much on us to just like do things that you should also be doing because it's your child.

Jessica 24:06

Right.

Parenting and Teaching Letter Sounds

Samantha 24:06

But then the parent side of me understands, especially if you have more than one kid. Like just the day-to-day if you're working you have things to do, like it's hard. So you have to like intentionally make time and you don't have to like sit down at a desk and do flashcards and stuff like that. You can literally be in the car driving and be like oh like tree that starts with tea and like just like you know, you just have to like do things when you can in the car eating breakfast, have them tell you the letters on the cereal box, like there's just so many things that you can do, but it's just knowing, it's knowing how to do those things that was my next point was going to be.

Samantha 24:45

I'm like I know, but it's not everyone knows.

Jessica 24:50

I know a lot because of what you've said, but at the time I didn't necessarily know for especially with Hayden, you know. I mean that was 15 years ago, 14 years ago, but I didn't know what she needed to know or what you know, like how I didn't think in a teacher, I didn't have that teacher.

Samantha 25:08

Well, right, you wouldn't, and most parents wouldn't, you know? Yeah, well, and that's the thing. Unless you're actively searching for something online or talking to the teacher, or if you have a teacher, that's helpful, that's always nice, but it's like, sometimes they're just like, you know, I'm done, I'm done teaching, but I think that's the other thing too. Is there's more stuff available now? I mean, go on Pinterest.

Jessica 25:29

A lot of stuff there.

Samantha 25:31

But the thing is just like people sometimes just don't do anything because they don't know what to do, and then that's totally valid. You know well, and sometimes I think people think, yeah, I just have to show them flash cards and they'll know the alphabet.

Samantha 25:47

But that's how we learn, you know right hooked on phonics and everything oh my gosh, hooked on phonics. We had that Well, even just like singing songs and things like that is super helpful. But yeah, unless you know what to do, like you just don't know what to do and then you don't do anything and then you're just like I don't know. I'm trying to be the best parent I can be, but I just don't know what to do.

Jessica 26:10

I don't know what they should learn or not know yet, and the things that I could foresee with all of this is especially with the sounds of letters teaching them the wrong sounds.

Samantha 26:24

And that is a big problem.

Jessica 26:27

I feel like it has to happen all the time, because the way that we learned is not necessarily the same way that they learn now, and you wouldn't think that it would be different with, like, the alphabet and sounds and just different things like that, but it is. And I did that with Taylor I can't remember which one, there was two of them I was doing and I had her do a lot of stuff.

Samantha 26:50

There's different gestures based off of the different program you're doing, so that can mess kids up if a parent's doing one at home and a teacher's doing one at school.

Jessica 27:02

There's different motions that go.

Samantha 27:05

So that's why it's good to communicate at conferences or through apps or whatever People are using nowadays to communicate with their teachers. It's like ask them, and usually the teacher will provide information on the curriculum at the open house or whatever but it's like get on the same wavelength as what curriculum they're using and how they're teaching them the alphabet, because we would always do a song or a gesture that went with the alphabet.

Samantha 27:35

We weren't just singing the alphabet, there was a gesture like D says D like a deer, like you're putting like the A, like you know, and then like for C and you're doing like the C. So there's different things that you do. And then if a kid is getting two different ones, they're getting confused because they're like my teacher is telling me, this is C. And then if a mom or a dad is going C says you know C or something, because it's just like who knows, you know. And then like they're like the letters make two different sounds. So if they're really focusing on one sound and not the other sound, and it's maybe not the more common sound, Right, which one they're?

Jessica 28:16

learning with the small words now, you know like yeah.

Samantha 28:19

Or they're trying to teach them to read before they know the sounds, because, yeah, that is hard too. They need to know. That's why it's so important for them to go to preschool, because they Will learn the sounds, because in kindergarten now they're basically starting to read.

Jessica 28:37

And you know what? What's crazy. Well, and then?

Samantha 28:39

you can't read, sorry, real quick. You cannot read until your kid knows their sounds. I'm sorry, it won't work Well, so that's why it's so important to know your sounds.

Jessica 28:49

So with Taylor, we didn't know how far she was behind. She went to kindergarten. She went to, you know, first grade. Then COVID hit and then that's when I homeschooled for the bit, because I discovered that Taylor didn't know her basic sounds and she didn't know them. So I literally had to bring her all the way back to like kindergarten and before go from like the basics all the way back up, because she was not doing well in first grade, like the teacher was saying well, you know, she doesn't like to read out loud, she doesn't really do any of those, she spells kind of odd. But they never caught that. She just flat out didn't know the sound.

Samantha 29:27

It just surprises me that they didn't test her on her letter sounds and realize she can't name her letter sounds.

Jessica 29:34

She don't know all her letters, like she couldn't tell you every single letter in the alphabet properly, like consistently she would have, yeah, which sometimes Especially like these, and the thing is though, like usually at the beginning of a grade.

Samantha 29:48

They like do an assessment of where your kid at like kids at like. We would do an ASQ assessment. They even do these at the doctor for your kids to, to see where they're at. But we also would test their letters, their sounds. We had different, you know, checkpoints throughout the year where we would see where they're at, what letters they need to work on, what sounds they need to work on. So it's like, though, how did she? Awareness should have been there. Yeah, how did she slip?

Jessica 30:15

and that was two grades at two different schools Because we moved so interesting that and One other piece of this is her kindergarten teacher Taught her completely different than her first grade teacher and how, like the sounds and just the style of how they learned it was very different and I can't remember what it was called, what one did, but it was like Night day for Taylor. So I think that helped cause this breakdown. But Taylor can cover the stuff up so well like she can. Well, that's the other thing. She's so tricky.

Samantha 30:49

Yeah, it's just very clever. Well, that's the thing that gets parents to, is they will think their kid knows a letter Right or a word, and it's memorization. That's all it is, because if you mix, if you mix up the letters, it's not in like ABC order if they can't identify it, they don't know it, they just know. Oh, I'm singing the song a, b, c, d. You know right, they don't know it. You need to mix them all up and then give them uppercase and lower case.

Jessica 31:20

It's like they need to know.

Samantha 31:22

You know the letter. It's like you got to mix them up and you know, you know, right. That's the thing that gets parents the most is they're like my kid can read they know them and it's like no, they've just memorized that that is a cat. And they're looking at the picture and like C A, t Is cat like kids can memorize very well and it's hard sometimes to know, like as a parent, like Even as a teacher, sometimes too, like it's hard because they, you're like, oh, hmm let me make.

Samantha 31:53

Right. And then it's like you have to also like not not believe them, but you also have to give them challenges where they're not Able to necessarily do something perfectly, because then you can figure out like okay, they know that that's a C and a T and that there's a picture of a cat there and they can figure out cat. But if you put cat with like a dog and they still said like cat, it's like that doesn't say, you know yeah so it's like their kids are tricky man.

Samantha 32:23

They can get you a slide, very, very slide, and we're gonna stop there this week.

Jessica 32:28

Be sure to tune in next week where we're gonna share some juicy stories of Sam's College days, so don't miss it. Thanks for joining us today, and she's got it together. It's been a real journey, sharing and lapping with you all.

Samantha 32:41

We hope you're walking away with a smile on your face and a bit more confidence in your step.

Jessica 32:46

Remember, you're not alone in this crazy ride called life. We're all in this together, one day at a time.

Samantha 32:52

Don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review and, of course, share this podcast with all the incredible women in your life. Join us next week for more stories, more laughs and more real talk until then, keep embracing your unique journey and remember You've got it together more than you think. You have more. You've got it together more than you think. Thank you for watching.