Lil Ruffin, our three-year-old, learns that learning is fun with the family. How do I get to teach her with two older kids?

Here is our daily routine with her. It is not considered as a regular schedule but it varies much depending on what she wants to do for the day.

After breakfast, Vibrant Bea and Fuzzy complete their morning chores. Part of their daily chores is clearing away the dining table after meals and tidying up the kitchen. Then, they take turns practicing on the piano and taking a shower, it usually takes them an hour to do all these before we can finally get settled for our first lesson.  Lil Ruffin and I have a bonding time while waiting for them. I read to her and we get to sit down with 4-5 books on our laps. Then, I would print out anything she chooses from her file folder on my desktop - these are downloaded freebies and printables suited for her - nothing formal or structured. She, then, decides if she wants to paint, cut or color the print out or all of these. Or she may skip that and play with clay, puzzles and blocks instead. She has a basket and a box in her desk where she can find all these interesting things she uses for her activities. She has a stack of colored old magazines we got from airlines and airports. She loves looking at the pictures and cutting them, pasting them on old notebooks and always , she would request me to pin up her "obra maestra" with a magnet on the fridge door. Of course, I would always gladly oblige.

She gets good with some educational video before lunch and an hour's nap after. When she wakes up, she plays with some toys and then plays some with neighborhood children when her sibling are done with their lessons so she can be accompanied by Vibrant Bea and Fuzzy.

I learned the hard way until I realized that if I give a lot of time for her in the morning before I attend to the older two, she is more cooperative and even takes an active part in our learning sessions later. Before, Lil Ruffin used to distract us because she also wish to vie for similar attention her siblings get. Often, she would scamper on everyone's lap, climb on shelves and tables and sing aloud while I am in the middle of a read-aloud. Now, with a productive headstart with her makes everything a lot better and sweeter for all of us.

I just couldn't miss this without taking a shot. She cut the printout unaided and started coloring the figure herself.  She did the whole thing on the floor in the same room where we were studying. You see, I did mention about her desk, but she just loves to do things on the floor or the big couch in the living room.