Archive for October, 2008
October 30, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged economic crisis, education, holiday shopping, homeschool, kids, kids and money, money, teaching children
Really I would love to hear from everyone on this issue. My children are just like most American children these days. They think that money grows on trees. Yes, I believe that we have done a few things right. The receive an allowance based on work that they do. Not just everyday chores or things that are expected of them no matter what but for those things over and beyond. This is about $5 per week for each child. They have learned how fast it disappears when they shop and how the money does not go far if you do not shop wisely. They have learned that ordering online without free shipping is the devil! Still, I don’t know how to stress to them that the world is in a different place right now.
This is an especially hard conversation to have with children with the holidays fast approaching. My family had decided that we would all ask for a Nintendo Wii and now, even if the we have the money on the day we want to buy it, I’m not sure it is the most wise decision to make when we aren’t sure what will become of my DH’s jobs. How do we talk to them and help them through it without completely putting a burden on them. I know that in our household the oldest child will stew and worry his head off. He will also be judgemental and critical of anything he sees us do that he perceives as an error. He has developed quite an attitude and loves to show it off at times (usually in front of guests). Because we homeschool I am lucky that we have the time to invest in teaching him during this time of his life.
My second child will stew and fret in his own way but it will show itself in his behavior. He becomes unpredictable when there is stress. He can be very impulsive and it worries me at times. He is a sweet child and a good child. He does not cause us stress. I just know that he feels the worries and doesn’t really know what to do with the feelings that he is having. He just doesn’t know how to cope and I need to help him develop skills for this.
My five year old is of the mind that if she wants it and asks Santa for it, why wouldn’t it come?
The only redeeming factor here is that the two year old would be thrilled with a blank piece of paper at Christmas!
So, Dear Readers, please help me with insight and wisdom. How are you helping your child to realize that things are changing for all of us financially. How do you not scare them so much as spur them on to want to become educated, well rounded financial savers who will be prepared for these times should they hit again in their lifetime? Please chime in, I am desperate.
October 28, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged children, curriculum, education, home school, homeschool, homeschool curriculum, homeschooling program, parenting, state standard guidelines
Have you ever gotten well into a homeschool year and all of a sudden come to the realization that you may have made some mistakes in your curriculum choices for certain subjects? Possibly, you have bought a box curriculum and some or all of it is not working for a particular child or your family in general. This can bring on a lot of anxiety. I just want to tell you that it does not have to be the end of the world. There are so many great choices for curriculum and so many options. It wouldn’t even hurt to build your own for one year or just use your state standard guidelines to build your own curriculum and do so using the public library. I know first hand that this can be done!
While curriculum costs a lot of money in most cases it can be hard to make the choice to switch when you are a few months into things. I made this mistake once as well. I stuck with a curriculum for my children that was not good for them or me. I did this because it was free and we were financially strapped at the time. I wish that I had been a bit more resourceful and energetic and made the switch. It would have kept my kids from falling behind. Convenience does not always rule!
If you are wonderful about different types of curriculum you will need to do your research. Homeschool curriculum comes in many different shapes and sizes. None of it is one size fits all. Good luck in your journey. I truly hope that you find what works best for your child because there is nothing that makes homeschooling more enjoyable that knowing you are doing right by your children!
October 24, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged dance, guitar, guitar lessons, home school, homeschool, music, music lessons, piano, piano lessons, singing
I believe that music is a wonderful thing for all people. Children tend to love music and to move to the beat of music. I also believe that children are often under exposed to music and not given the opportunity to have musical experiences. This can be because families have tight financial situations, limited resources, no time or energy and I’m sure there are other reasons.
Today I did some brainstorming because my two year old loves to dance. If music comes on she has always had to wiggle to it, right from her infancy. She is a musical little being. It is wonderful to see. Her sister who is five also loves to dance, loves to listen to music and loves to sit at the piano and just make up songs. My boys who are 10 and 11 love to listen to music and they are both learning to play the guitar. I am lucky enough to be able to have them both in guitar lessons.
Even though our home is a musical one I have been thinking of ways that we could use music more often. When the boys were small I used Sing, Spell, Read and Write and because all the concepts were put into songs, the children learned them faster than I could keep up. I truly think that a child can learn anything if you set it to music.
I play the piano and we have one in our home so we are at an advantage. Thanks to family members my children have guitars as well even though I am stumped by the guitar (thus the need for a teacher). My goal this winter is to get my children learning the piano and to put what I know to use for them, not just the other students that pay me to teach them.
It would also be grand for the girls if some extra money could come in to pay for dance lessons for them. I want to foster this love that they have and see if it is something they want to follow through with. In the meantime, I am investing in a DVD that teaches dance steps. It should be a fun thing!
If anyone out there has ideas of how they use music in their home or for teaching I would love to hear from you. Please post a comment! Whether it is for homeschool or other uses we can all use some ideas!
October 22, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged after school, after school activities, children, education, fitness, home school, homeschool, homeschool parents, homeschoolers, homeschooling, parenting, recreation
My children went to a local elementary school to take part in a mobile recreation fitness program that the city leisure services department does. These programs are put on at different schools right after school lets out. They had never been to one of these events before and had the time of their life. When my DH and I went to pick them up we watched the kids playing and loved what we saw. There wasn’t a lot of structure to what we saw but the children were all active and having fun together. No one seemed excluded which was awesome.
It’s great that all parents (including homeschool parents) have access to these great community programs so that they can enrich their children’s lives. Everyone benefits from such programs and I think that it makes a community better to have more well rounded and active children.
October 20, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged activities, activity, fitness, home school, homeschool, physical activity
This week I am hoping to spend some time being active physically with my children. I want to set a better example for my kids and I want to spend this time with them having some fun. We are lucky that we are having a new yard put in this week. Just grass I think but it will be fun to have a place to go outside. The kids are thrilled and so am I.
October 19, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged Colonial Williamsburg, election, election of 1800, electronic field trips, field trips, home school, homeschool, homeschoolers, Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson
I did some posts on this for other blogs but I cannot say enough about this. Not only did my children learn so much but my husband and I were just amazed at how well it was done and how much we learned. It was so fun to enjoy learning as a family.
If you are new to the electronic field trips you should know that they are done live. The kids and classrooms call, e-mail or Skype (video somehow, I really don’t know the platform) in with their questions.
This week the field trip was about the election of 1800. It was so great. So appropriate and pertinent for what is happening right now in our government. It was amazing to hear the quality of the questions that the kids came up with! My older children were glued to it and loved having discussion about everything we learned about and how it applies to our election this year. What a great family experience.
For those of you who are interested click here.
October 18, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged birthdays, children, family, holidays, home school, homeschool, homeschoolers, kids, no school, parenting, time off
Yesterday was my birthday and conveniently there was no school. We follow the county school district’s calendar so that my kids are on the same schedule even though they homeschool. I love this because when there is no school they are available to go play when friends come calling. I would hate for them to feel like prisoners when everyone else is out having fun.
The no school thing stumps me. It is called UEA weekend and maybe I’m just crazy but I don’t see the need for two days off of school. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad for the time off but I will say that it seems that the schools take a lot of time off and then most of them here have a half day on Fridays! I don’t know how they get any learning done. Perhaps this explains the amount of homework that all of my friends complain about their children having!
On a different not: It was actually fun to have a birthday this year. I think that 34 will be nice! The best part(s) about my birthday was the excitement that my children had on my behalf and the fact that my husband surprised me by taking the day off to be with me! It is our tradition that he takes the day off for a child’s birthday but mine hasn’t been included often (that I remember, oh I hope I remember right!).
My mother made me a birthday dinner and one of my brothers was able to be there so that was fun. My dad and his wife are having yet another birthday dinner for us tomorrow. I say us because my husband’s birthday is on the 24th so it is easy to lump them together.
October 15, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged homeschool, family problems, children, hearing problems, attention span, attention
We have an epidemic at my house. No one listens to me. Yes, they nod and say “okay” or shine me on but really they don’t listen. It’s not just a one day deal either. This is a HUGE problem! It truly is an epidemic. Maybe this is one good reason why we homeschool. If my children went to a bricks and mortar school and had to do what they were told they would sink (and maybe that would be a good learning experience).
Yes, my kids are wonderful and very intelligent in lots of ways. I think that they have just decided to tune me out. The worst part is that my husband has joined them. Until I become Miss Nasty everyone just smiles and acts like the world is rosey. Then when I finally snap they all act shocked! Yikes!
At one point when my second child was about six years old I did take him to a hearing specialist and found that he needed tubes in his ears. His hearing improved but the attention wasn’t there to back it up. He is the type of child that you have to get his attention and make him keep eye contact while you speak or he just phases out of the conversation. You wouldn’t know it looking at him that he does this because he can play along in the conversation like a pro. It is the strangest thing.
The other three children and the husband have left me stupified. I’m sure that the problem must lie with me but I am dying to find out what I need to do to make them listen to what I say and then take it seriously. I feel hopeless at the moment and I hate that feeling. If anyone has any clues please help me.
October 13, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged Columbus Day, Columbus Day activities, Columbus Day online, homeschool
What did we ever do without the Internet? There are so many wonderful resources. For Columbus Day I went online and looked for some ideas to help me celebrate this holiday with my children. One site with great ideas was Enchanted Learning. Most parents know about Enchanted Learning but I sometimes need to be reminded that they have countless ideas and it is so well organized.
Another site that I found that had a few good ideas was Apples 4 the Teacher. This site seemed to have ideas more geared for the younger child. It is perfect for preschool and Kindergarten age children.
Hope that you all have a wonderful Columbus Day. Keep in mind how fun it can be to homeschool when we have days like this to celebrate as we see fit.
October 13, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged education, goals, grammar, hard work, history, home school, homeschool, relaxation, school, science
I love new starts. I have probably blogged about this previously. Yesterday I also blogged about how refreshing hard work is. So, today I have the feeling of accomplishment from yesterday and the feeling of rest that came from today’s relaxation. I feel like I can conquer anything tomorrow!
Things for this week are going to be busy and so fun. We are going to work on several history and science lessons. We are also going to get back to reviewing some basics in grammar. I may have to forgo the usual routine to get these things accomplished but we will be better on track because of it.
One thing that I am trying hard to do is to set realistic goals for homeschooling. I don’t like getting to an end of a Monday and feeling like I have already failed for the week. So, I am taking it slow this week and working on what I know that we can accomplish realistically.
For those of you who read this, how do you find your rhythm? What works for you? Do you set goals or just wing it with school?
