Leapster Explorer

Spencer is absolutely in love with the present Santa brought him, his Leapster Explorer. I am not one who really is much an advocate of gaming. In fact, I am rather opposed to it. It really depends on the day. I justified the Leapster because both Camie and Danielle have one and it is somewhat educational. And although I really don't like gaming, must my whole family suffer? Maybe. But I have to give a little. I don't like television and we still have one.

When my children turn the nice ripe age of four, I begin reading lessons with them. If you want to know more about that, I have other posts. To motivate my children to work hard and complete their lessons, I have incentives. Or you could call them bribes. Either way I get great results.

Spencer has really done well with the reading lessons. I wondered how he would do since he was a boy. Many have told me boys are so different and although my girls were able to do the reading lessons with success, I may find it quite different with my boys. Spencer has actually been easier.

The incentive I have with Spencer is when he finishes 20 lessons, I buy him a new game for his Leapster. I got him a game after 20 lessons and then another one after lesson #40. When he finished lesson #50 he was so excited and I couldn't figure out why. He kept reminding me on lesson #49 and then #50 and would bring me the lesson book and sit down next to me and do a lesson while I folded laundry. He was quite persistent. And then he asked if we could go get his game. I was confused until I realized he thought he had earned the game. He had only finished one row (of 10), not two. I think he went to his room and cried when I told him he hadn't quite earned it. I even got on Amazon and ordered it because I felt so bad for him.

Evan kept me strong. I told Evan the situation and he asked if I had gotten the game for Spencer. I told him I ordered it and he made me feel like I could wait it out for the original plan of 20 lessons per game. So I did. This week Spencer finished 10 lessons! Several days he did 2 lessons! That is unheard of! I was starting to worry that too much information was being thrown at him too fast. But he did really well.

We finished the last lesson tonight, #60, and he proudly earned his game. He has been playing it for the last two hours and Evan finally had to take it from him so he could go to sleep. Knowing Spencer, he will wait up until Evan falls asleep and go get his Leapster and go hide under his covers and play for another few hours.

It is so rewarding to see Spencer work so hard for something. He is such a smart and determined boy. And the games are educational so if he happens to play all day while I tend to a crying baby, fold and put away mountains of laundry, or pick up toy after toy after toy, it is okay. Right? He is learning . . something.

And if we keep going this way, he may be an almost deadhead from gaming, but he will know how to read.