With each of my children, it has been such a special moment the first time I caught them reading to a younger sibling. Because not only are they reading a book on their own, but they're confident enough to read it to someone else. And even more, it shows love and care for their younger siblings, to sit and read to them. I just love that moment.
I always love seeing my olders read to my youngers ... but the first time I see them do it is so encouraging. It just confirms that I have taught another child to read, that I *can* do this thing called homeschooling.
This past week, it was especially encouraging to catch C (who will turn 8 any day now) reading Little Bear and Friends to her little brothers for the first time ever. She has also been reading little board books to 14 mo L. She and I have worked so hard to get to this point. She took over a year longer than her sisters did to learn to read, and she's been teased by some kids at church, too.
Every time I hear her reading, or see her reading to herself, I tell her "C, you are a good reader! You are doing great and I'm so proud of you!" I am trying to build her confidence, so she'll read more often, and continue to improve. I want her to stop thinking of herself as someone who can't read, and realize she IS a reader! Before that, I had worked on getting her to think of herself as someone who is learning to read, not as someone who can't read.
I have 3 readers now, and it's time to work on phonics with 6 yo J more. Reading is so important, and I love teaching my children to read.
Blessings,
April
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
"Mom, do you ever ... ?"
Last night, I was lying down with 3 yo M, trying to get him to sleep. It was very late, and he was wired. I was tired and dozing already, though.
He asked me, "Mom, do you ever tink about someting?" (He can't say "th" yet.)
I didn't answer because I was dozing, and still processing the question in my mind ... so he said it louder.
"MOM!! Do you ever TINK about SOMETING?!?!"
*giggle*
"Um, yes, M. I think about lots of somethings. More things than you can imagine or understand."
I love 3 year olds. I wonder what "something" he was thinking about when he asked me that.
Blessings,
April
He asked me, "Mom, do you ever tink about someting?" (He can't say "th" yet.)
I didn't answer because I was dozing, and still processing the question in my mind ... so he said it louder.
"MOM!! Do you ever TINK about SOMETING?!?!"
*giggle*
"Um, yes, M. I think about lots of somethings. More things than you can imagine or understand."
I love 3 year olds. I wonder what "something" he was thinking about when he asked me that.
Blessings,
April
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
How to make a dramatic exit ...
The all-church picnic is just a few blocks from your house, so you decide to walk. The diaper bag, stroller, bag of food and toddler are parceled out between the children, and off you go. You arrive just a minute or two late, and your children scatter to play with friends. You carry your food to the table, and then find a bench to sit with the baby and watch the other children.
After a few minutes, you realize the 3 year old is missing. You finally spy him hiding back by a tree, looking shy and overwhelmed. You (and an overzealous older sister) manage to draw him over to the picnic area. You bring him to your bench, and settle down to watch the children again.
After a few minutes, the 3 year old begins to cry that his tummy hurts. You comfort him a little and suggest that maybe it will feel better after he eats. He says he's hungry, and you hope that is the end of it. As you try to visit with others, he continues to complain about his tummy. You quietly ask him if he needs to go potty. No, he doesn't.
So, you set the 13 month old down and ask her 11 year old sister to watch her. You rock the 3 year old on your lap and he settles down.
After a few minutes, you realize you can't see any children. You put the 3 year old down and find the children. All except the baby. So you question the 11 and 10 year olds, and they tell you the 7 yo has her. You remind them that the 7 year old isn't really able to watch her well. You quickly search and find them. The 7 year old is trying to keep the 13 month old from crossing the alley, and you remind your 11 year old again not to delegate child care duties you give to her.
Just as you get the baby back to the picnic area, they call everyone to pray. The 3 year old begins to cry louder that his tummy hurts. You bend down (with the 13 month old on one hip) to hug him and try to shush him during prayer. Then he begins to say rather loudly "I tink I'm going to pook." You try to shush and comfort him (while changing positions so he's facing away from you now) but he continues to say this. And finally, before the prayer is over, he's throwing up in the grass at your feet.
You place the baby back in the stroller, clean up the 3 year old's hands and toes with a wet wipe, pour your drink onto the vomit to try to wash it away. Then, one by one you tell your other 4 children that you are leaving with the little two and Daddy should be there any minute. Then you find an adult and let them know the same thing. And finally, you start walking home, hoping not too many people saw your son throwing up in the grass by your picnic table. You also hope no one ends up stepping in it.
You meet your husband just one block away, and he decides to take the 13 month old back with him. So you and the 3 year old come home alone. He gets to eat applesauce and crackers, while you scrounge for leftovers and hope some of your pasta salad comes home with your family.
Thankfully, this 3 year old has not thrown up again ... yet ... and he does not have a fever. But, just in case, he has a pallet on the living room floor, and a bucket.
Now ... I'm not sure how you can duplicate this particular dramatic exit. Especially since this 3 year old was fine before you left the house. But, if you do desire to make a dramatic exit sometime, you can keep this method in mind.
Blessings,
April
After a few minutes, you realize the 3 year old is missing. You finally spy him hiding back by a tree, looking shy and overwhelmed. You (and an overzealous older sister) manage to draw him over to the picnic area. You bring him to your bench, and settle down to watch the children again.
After a few minutes, the 3 year old begins to cry that his tummy hurts. You comfort him a little and suggest that maybe it will feel better after he eats. He says he's hungry, and you hope that is the end of it. As you try to visit with others, he continues to complain about his tummy. You quietly ask him if he needs to go potty. No, he doesn't.
So, you set the 13 month old down and ask her 11 year old sister to watch her. You rock the 3 year old on your lap and he settles down.
After a few minutes, you realize you can't see any children. You put the 3 year old down and find the children. All except the baby. So you question the 11 and 10 year olds, and they tell you the 7 yo has her. You remind them that the 7 year old isn't really able to watch her well. You quickly search and find them. The 7 year old is trying to keep the 13 month old from crossing the alley, and you remind your 11 year old again not to delegate child care duties you give to her.
Just as you get the baby back to the picnic area, they call everyone to pray. The 3 year old begins to cry louder that his tummy hurts. You bend down (with the 13 month old on one hip) to hug him and try to shush him during prayer. Then he begins to say rather loudly "I tink I'm going to pook." You try to shush and comfort him (while changing positions so he's facing away from you now) but he continues to say this. And finally, before the prayer is over, he's throwing up in the grass at your feet.
You place the baby back in the stroller, clean up the 3 year old's hands and toes with a wet wipe, pour your drink onto the vomit to try to wash it away. Then, one by one you tell your other 4 children that you are leaving with the little two and Daddy should be there any minute. Then you find an adult and let them know the same thing. And finally, you start walking home, hoping not too many people saw your son throwing up in the grass by your picnic table. You also hope no one ends up stepping in it.
You meet your husband just one block away, and he decides to take the 13 month old back with him. So you and the 3 year old come home alone. He gets to eat applesauce and crackers, while you scrounge for leftovers and hope some of your pasta salad comes home with your family.
Thankfully, this 3 year old has not thrown up again ... yet ... and he does not have a fever. But, just in case, he has a pallet on the living room floor, and a bucket.
Now ... I'm not sure how you can duplicate this particular dramatic exit. Especially since this 3 year old was fine before you left the house. But, if you do desire to make a dramatic exit sometime, you can keep this method in mind.
Blessings,
April
Friday, May 4, 2007
ElCloud Summer School Plans
Most years, we finish our school year in late May or early June (usually after the other area schools). Then we do nothing for the summer, other than swim lessons and the library's reading program. And usually, by the middle of July, we're all tired of summer break. I'm usually tired of the restless bickering children with not enough to do. So we start school in late July or early August (before the other area schools).
But this year, I've decided to plan some light summer school instead. I've been "itching" to "row" Five In A Row, volume 4 again. The oldest two girls "rowed" it once before moving to Beyond Five In A Row -- before we switched to Tapestry of Grace. But the younger children have never "rowed" FIAR vol. 4. I've been wanting to "row" it again, but not wanting to set aside Tapestry of Grace to do it.
Well, I have a plan! At first, I started to wonder if my children would mind "rowing" FIAR volume 4 through the summer. But we've never done "summer school" before, so I wasn't sure. I just pondered it quietly. Then I realized that 6 yo J needed to spend some one-on-one time with me learning some things that he hadn't picked up through the usual "trickle down effect" common in homeschool families. So, I was thinking of different things to teach him through the summer, and it just evolved from there. Summer school for everyone, although it will only be a short half hour for the older girls, and the boys separately. And it will be flexible. I'm sure there will be days we don't do any lessons.
I pulled out a calendar, and my FIAR vol. 4 last week. It looks like we can "row" all but two of the vol. 4 books this summer. And since there are two winter vol. 4 books, I'm going to save those two for a December break from Tapestry of Grace. Usually, I have split the children by ages. I grouped A and R together, and C and J together in schooling. But this summer, I'm going to do it differently. I'm going to have all 3 girls do the FIAR vol. 4 with me. The boys will be doing something different.
I originally was thinking of having a "Letter of the Day" type plan for the boys. And I remembered a friend doing that with her son. But when I asked her, it turned out to be a Letter of the Week lesson plan. There are several different free curriculum plans at the website ... http://www.letteroftheweek.com . But I don't want this to be a 26 week program, so I decided to just use a few parts of her lesson plans, and make it a Letter of the Day program. We will cover 2 or 3 letters each week, with some other activities on other days. I think we'll read a book from her suggested books each day, and I'll print a handwriting or coloring page for that letter, too. This will mostly be targeted for 6 yo J, but I know 3 yo M will enjoy the story time and will have fun with a coloring page, too. I need to find a website that will have the right type of worksheet. I know they're out there. I just need to choose one.
I think that having a little structure to each day, a little something to do, will help us get through the whole summer this year. At least, I hope so. If we have to add in some other subjects toward the end of the summer, we can do that. It won't mean abandoning the plans I already have.
We have two more weeks of Tapestry of Grace, Year 2, Unit 1. As soon as we finish Unit 1, we'll start in with our summer school plans. So I need to finish tweaking my plans and ideas in the next two weeks. Summer School begins on May 21. Regular School (Tapestry of Grace) will resume on August 27 or September 3 if we take a week off first. We may add in other subjects before then, and we may have to tweak our plans if unexpected events come up. We're not going to be inflexible.
I'm excited about the lighter summer school, though, and looking forward to it. I think the children are also. No one cried when I mentioned summer school, at least. That's a good start.
Blessings,
April
But this year, I've decided to plan some light summer school instead. I've been "itching" to "row" Five In A Row, volume 4 again. The oldest two girls "rowed" it once before moving to Beyond Five In A Row -- before we switched to Tapestry of Grace. But the younger children have never "rowed" FIAR vol. 4. I've been wanting to "row" it again, but not wanting to set aside Tapestry of Grace to do it.
Well, I have a plan! At first, I started to wonder if my children would mind "rowing" FIAR volume 4 through the summer. But we've never done "summer school" before, so I wasn't sure. I just pondered it quietly. Then I realized that 6 yo J needed to spend some one-on-one time with me learning some things that he hadn't picked up through the usual "trickle down effect" common in homeschool families. So, I was thinking of different things to teach him through the summer, and it just evolved from there. Summer school for everyone, although it will only be a short half hour for the older girls, and the boys separately. And it will be flexible. I'm sure there will be days we don't do any lessons.
I pulled out a calendar, and my FIAR vol. 4 last week. It looks like we can "row" all but two of the vol. 4 books this summer. And since there are two winter vol. 4 books, I'm going to save those two for a December break from Tapestry of Grace. Usually, I have split the children by ages. I grouped A and R together, and C and J together in schooling. But this summer, I'm going to do it differently. I'm going to have all 3 girls do the FIAR vol. 4 with me. The boys will be doing something different.
I originally was thinking of having a "Letter of the Day" type plan for the boys. And I remembered a friend doing that with her son. But when I asked her, it turned out to be a Letter of the Week lesson plan. There are several different free curriculum plans at the website ... http://www.letteroftheweek.com . But I don't want this to be a 26 week program, so I decided to just use a few parts of her lesson plans, and make it a Letter of the Day program. We will cover 2 or 3 letters each week, with some other activities on other days. I think we'll read a book from her suggested books each day, and I'll print a handwriting or coloring page for that letter, too. This will mostly be targeted for 6 yo J, but I know 3 yo M will enjoy the story time and will have fun with a coloring page, too. I need to find a website that will have the right type of worksheet. I know they're out there. I just need to choose one.
I think that having a little structure to each day, a little something to do, will help us get through the whole summer this year. At least, I hope so. If we have to add in some other subjects toward the end of the summer, we can do that. It won't mean abandoning the plans I already have.
We have two more weeks of Tapestry of Grace, Year 2, Unit 1. As soon as we finish Unit 1, we'll start in with our summer school plans. So I need to finish tweaking my plans and ideas in the next two weeks. Summer School begins on May 21. Regular School (Tapestry of Grace) will resume on August 27 or September 3 if we take a week off first. We may add in other subjects before then, and we may have to tweak our plans if unexpected events come up. We're not going to be inflexible.
I'm excited about the lighter summer school, though, and looking forward to it. I think the children are also. No one cried when I mentioned summer school, at least. That's a good start.
Blessings,
April