MommyCoddle

The push-pull of technology + a test drive

I wrote a post this morning on 4Kids or More called Raising old-fashioned kids in the 21st Century. I talk about my struggles with balancing the demands and developments of our technological world with my desire to raise children that have a knowledge and appreciation for what often seems like dying arts--sewing, knitting, baking from scratch, natural history. 

It's a struggle I've faced a lot lately, especially as my kids get older and even as our homeschool days get more demanding. How and how much technology do I let my children engage with? Just keeping up with my 2nd and 4th grader is work enough for one mama, but then I have a toddling, get-into-everything baby, and four year old Elizabeth who simply can't get enough. She always begs "to do school". 

And while I unfortunately don't have a back-up of meticulously assembled preschool activity stations, I often find that sometimes, I need to turn to technology to help fill in some of the gaps. 

So this is all a big lead-in to explain why I decided, when given the opportunity, to test out this new device from Leap Frog called "My Own Story Time Pad".  

It is described as being for children ages 2 and up, and advertised as a "pretend tablet packed with personalized stories and preschool learning fun." But I wasn't interested in reviewing it so that Elizabeth could feel like she had a Kindle or iPad, just like Mommy. I wanted to know if it offered worthwhile educational value and could be an optional activity for her to use during our homeschooling day. Something to be used perhaps as a reward, with the added benefit of learning. I know, mean old mom, always wanting everything to be "educational". 

The StoryTime Pad offers multiple modes for play. There is Story Time--where children can listen to stories featuring the Leap Frog characters of Scout and his friends. There are eleven stories to choose from and download from an online "hub" that can be even be personalized. 

Messages allows children to "send" and "receive" personalized emails. By downloading the Leap Frog connect software, I can choose from a variety of email messages  to download and have waiting on the StoryTime Pad. The emails are read aloud to your child and they can even reply. 

The Pad also holds a small music library of both sing-alongs and melodies. And when I used the software to personalize the song's on Elizabeth's Pad, I was really pleased to see that the majority of options for melodies were classical pieces from famous composers. 

Where the StoryPad really gets down to the basics of learning is with it's ABC Alphabet mode. Here children can begin to learn letter names and sounds. And I appreciate the fact that the keyboard on the StoryPad is arranged in alphabetical order, not in QWERTY arrangement. 

So, what's my conclusion? I think that like most products from Leap Frog learning opportunities are enmeshed in all aspects of the toy. While a child may think they are playing "games" or sending emails, they're also working on letter recognition and sounds and interacting with print. And I think for the price, The StoryTime Pad packs in a lot of options for play, entertainment and learning. It is simple to navigate and use independently--case and point--Birdy at 18 months somehow figured out how to turn it on and always have it play music. (Oh, but Birdy IS a tiny genius. I forgot to mention that part.) Though I do wish the actual screen were larger and more legible, since at this preschool age, seeing the actual letters clearly is so important.

Bottom line, I think this makes a great toy for little kids that offers educational benefits. Kids will be drawn to things like it's email and music modes while in the meantime they're learning along the way. Is it exactly what I was looking for as a homeschooling aid? Not quite. But it does make for a nice reward for work well done. And it does keep the baby quite happy on long car rides. Double bonus. 

Disclaimer: Thank you to LeapFrog for sponsoring this review. While LeapFrog provided the product to me for this review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest point of view. This review is made possible through the lovely ladies from the Clever Girls Collective. #MyOwnStoryTimePad #spon

when the thrill is gone

Oh dear, sweet last week. I was happy to say goodbye to you and welcome the weekend. 

It was a rough week of homeschooling last week. It felt like distractions and interruptions were at an all-time high. Not only external distractions, but I felt like my kids were constantly looking at me with empty, glazed-over stares. Who are these children? Have they forgotten everything? What happened to the thrill of back to school?

We moved through work at a snails-pace. A snail that whines for a snack every fifteen minutes. 

Ugh. Goodbye last week.

And so, by Friday, I was in a serious crack-down mode. Making grand, sweeping changes around the house, in how we do things, in my organization.

It started with the television. It had to go. It was slowing us down. The difference in the mood of our home was almost immediate. (That may have a lot to do with the difference in my mood once it was gone.)

Then, I faced up to the fact that my current lesson planning system wasn't working. I needed something a little broader, a little more goal-oriented, a little more all-in-one-place. 

So by plugging in a few digital scrapbooking elements by Katie Pertiet at Designer Digitals, scanning some of my own handwriting, and a little Photoshop, I created a weekly calendar. This way I can plug in some academic plans or goals for the week and take note of any appointments, classes, get-togethers (since I might  have missed a doctor's appointment two weeks ago. hmmmn.). I clip it in the front of my "master binder" and tweak it as the week goes on. It seems like this plan fits me better this year. And when the year is through, they'll serve as lesson plans for my review.

I also revisited some of the back-to-school-ish things we've done in previous years that my kids really got into. We've been calling her "get ready girl" for years. She originally began as a way to keep track of the things that needed to be done each morning--we'd make a list down the margins of the page: Get Dressed. Brush your teeth. Brush your hair. Make your bed. Then she became their favorite thing to color. This year, she serves as a mix of both, depending upon your age.

I also remembered that I wanted to do one of these "All About Me" worksheets each year. I was bummed to find out I'd lost my form from last year and since last year's binders are packed away in the shed, I had to go by memory. I know I'm missing things, but I love reading their answers either way. If they crack me up now, I can only image how they'll make me laugh in a few years. 

So this week I'm reminding myself of that little post I wrote just a few weeks about about finding our own pace. I'm easing back in to school (aka I am on day two of a pounding headache, and I still had last night's dinner dishes to finish this morning) and I'm hoping that these changes will help us rediscover the thrill. 

P.S. Feel free to click on and download "Get Ready Girl" and "All About Me" for your own personal use. If you'd like more information about the digital scrapbooking elements in my weekly planning sheet, let me know. I'll be happy to share links to where you can find them on the Designer Digitals site!

snack break #15

Since my children are on snack break number fifteen of the day, I figured I slip over here to share a few things with all of you while they're stuffing their faces with cheese, grapes and nutella toast. 

*If you sneak a peek at my top right sidebar, you'll see a new little button--I have been nominated over at Parents.com for Best All-Around Mom Blog. And I'm holding steady with my one vote that nominated me. Have a moment? Will you click on over and vote for me? 

Or click on the button below:

By Best All-Around Mom Blog

*First of all, a question: Can someone please tell me what to do with my lovely lavender up there at the end of the season? Cut it back? Let it go? I generally go with the "do nothing" plan, but I love it and I'd love to see it thrive despite my ignorance.

*I'm over on 4Kids or More talking about marking time with family portraits.

I feel like it's been awhile since I've shared some good stuff from blogland. I've been a pinning fool lately. Are you on pinterest? (Make sure you let me know in the comments!). It's one of the most inspiring time-sucks on the internet. 

Recently pinned:

*Mariah Bruehl has a great list of online learning resources and inspiration for children on her website--categories like nutrition, music, math, art, child-safe online searches, writing, organization...great, great lists. 

*I think my kitchen could handle a Big Chill.

*Emma's been asking me to teach her how to "type for real". Dance Mat Typing might be just the thing.

*This feather bangle is beautiful and budget-friendly.

*I really need this Crumpler. Badly. Because as much as I love my KellyMoore bag, I'm not that fancy every day. Sometimes, I just need to throw my DSLR into my every day bag and know it won't get smashed among the diapers and bunny crackers.

*These pillow case cushions for kids are pure + simple genius. 

*I had a plastic version of this in fifth grade. It was my most prized possession atop my school desk. 

*We have serious ponytail holder issues in this house. As in we can never find any. This is an excellent idea.

*And for dessert? Make your own magic shell. Be still my heart (or stomach....)

that's a lot of crazy awesome

I'm really excited to share with all of you something that has been in the works for a few months now. The lovely ladies Kristen Chase (Motherhood Uncensored, CoolMomPicks) and Meagan Francis (The Happiest Mom) asked me to join them in the launch of a new idea. 

Both mothers of a larger than average brood (4 or more to be exact) they wanted to create an online resource for the modern, larger family. So whether you are a mom of many kiddos, or maybe you see yourself going down that path in the future (and you want someone to talk you out of it. KIDDING. ) , or maybe you just want to stop on over and see what we're up to, I hope you'll come checkout 4 Kids or More.

I'll be covering Learning & Education with a little crafty thrown in for good measure. And Steph from Adventures in Babywearing and Lylah from WriteEditRepeat, will be writing and sharing their experiences as well. 

I'm looking forward to being part of this great resource--most selfishly because I'll finally be able to gather all these experienced mothers in one place and learn from their wisdom. How do I deal with 9 going on 16? Do you take them all to the grocery store? Do you ever see the end of the laundry pile?

With 22 kids among us all, that's a lot of crazy awesome. So come on by and say hello and see how we manage with our happy-oftentimes tired-hands full. 

the new calm

Last Tuesday marked the Offical First Day of homeschool for us.

I love the start of a new school year in the same way I love January first. The fresh start. Time to make new plans, new resolutions. Time to get organized and simplify. (An excuse to buy a new calendar, moleskine and favorite pens .)

But last Monday, as the "first day of school" loomed ever closer, I was a crazed madwoman. I felt this pressure to have everything in place before the Big First Day. I needed every detail worked out and decided. I needed to have every paper copied, every hole punched, every note read. 

On top of that, I needed my house to be perfect. Clutter gone. Floors mopped. Floorboards wiped. Closets cleaned out. Every speck of laundry washed, folded and put away. (that never happens.) One would think I was preparing for a real estate open house, or perhaps, to have the queen for tea. A tea in which she also happened to open every closet door and inspect under my bed. 

No, silly, it's just the first day of school. 

I don't know where it was coming from, but there it was--a suffocating feeling that this was my last chance to get everything together. That if it wasn't done by bedtime Monday, it was doomed to never be accomplished. Ever. Apparently my life, as well as my ability to accomplish any mothering task outside of the classroom was somehow going to cease the moment I slipped back into my teacher-mama clothes. 

But then, hallelujah, in a moment, sitting on the edge of the tub watching a chubby baby splash carelessly in the bubbles, it struck me. That this craziness was nonsense. Big time. That I needed to move forward at my own pace. That I needed to find MY rhythm. Our rhythm. 

I've often heard it said (okay, really only once, but I remember it often) that when a person starts their own business they must prepare themselves for the fact that it takes a good five years before they really have their feet under them. 

And I've always found myself applying the same logic to homeschooling. 

Last year, I wholeheartedly jumped in to a curriculum that was going to give me the structure and discpline that I felt our days so desperately needed. I wanted someone to tell me exactly what to do. I wanted a plan and a vision. I wanted to get on a path and systematically walk my way down it.

This year because of budget and because of the way that path seemed to go up a really steep hill at the end, and we got really tired and burned out, I decided to bag it. 

Instead, I consulted a good friend who knew me and my children and my needs pretty well. And who also happened to be educated and gifted in curriculum design. 

And late one night I sat in her little school room, at a tiny little kid-desk, and together we hammered out my year and figured out what seemed to fit just right. 

But what fits even more, is the sentiment behind everything we're doing. It's the new calm. 

That first day, we just jumped in. Instead of feeling the tug of the clock, we tackled bedrooms and laundry before we opened any books. It felt good to work to the hum of the washing machine running upstairs. And the sloshing of the dishwasher from the pantry. Instead of feeling the push to tackle lessons in every subject, I just let it be. We did Math, until Math was done. We read, until we didn't want to read anymore. When we got hungry, we ate. When it seemed like a good time to go check the pony, she did.  When there was an itch to practice piano, we scratched.

It's funny, how much we got accomplished. How nice the day felt. How good it is let go. How comfortable it is to seek out our rhythm versus some contrived and conceived pressure from who knows where. 

If only I would learn this lesson I apparently need to learn multiple times in this parenting journey. That so much of this happens naturally. We don't have to work so hard at it. Yes, it's work. But we're doing it. Naturally. There's goodness and learning and priceless, indespensable moments and experiences happening in every single day. Homeschool mom. Public school mom. Private school mom. It doesn't matter. It's happening for all of us. 

It's the trusting enough to let go. It's the freedom to find your own rhythm. It's the new calm. It blows through every day, if we'll only take a moment to feel it brush against our cheek. 

what's a mom to do?

It's getting to be that time of year when we're really due for a little back to school schedule and regularity to our days. The way this is becoming most clear is in the amount of sibling bickering and pestering and picking that is going on in this house. 

My oldest is at an age where she waffles between wanting to be "all grown up", independent, aloof, and in the next moment right in the thick of the play with her younger sisters. And often those transitions can be awkward and bumpy. Everything is "so annoying", so much so that I think I am going to be banning the phrase from her vocabulary very soon. (this afternoon!)

But honestly, it's the bickering that really wears this mama down. There is no manual to motherhood and I find my own self waffling between "approaches" as well. I so desperately want them to learn to work it out themselves, to stand up for themselves, to let the little sibling-picking slide off them like water off a duck's back. I want them to learn to walk away and not be bothered. To maintain their cool. 

I don't want to always be the sounding board, the complaint department where you come to file your grievances. 

But I also have to help them work through some of these things. It's hard to know when to step in and when to step back. 

And so, this is how I know school days must return. These brains need reviving, rejuvinating and stretching. Energy needs to be expended, but in the right direction.

This school marm is sharpening her pencils. 

scrapbooking with kids and what do I do with all this stuff?

It just so happens that my cousin happens to be the emperor of digital scrapbooking--and the brains and beauty (sorry, Randy!) behind Designer Digitals. Spend a few moments on the Designer Digitals site and you'll be fighting the urge to start filling your cart with amazing bits of digital supplies from designers like Katie herself, Ali Edwards, Cathy Zielske and other talented designers. 

As much as I love the idea of digital scrapbooking, (no mess! no storage!) I'm finding that my daughters aren't quite at the point where they can scrap independently, without my help. 

Months and months ago, Katie gave my girls a few of her scrapbooking kits--which include an album, papers and all kinds of bits and bobs and supplies to make their own pages. 

Armed with my favorite little compact photo printer, a (rare) cleared-off kitchen table and complete and utter free-reign to cut, paste, write, draw, glue and (make a giant mess) my girls have fallen in love with scrapbooking. 

When we get out the scrapbooking supplies, I try to make myself pretty scarce. The more mothering years I have under my belt, the more I realize that it's often good to step back and out of the way of my girls' creative process. I'll come through every now and then just to be sure supplies are being properly shared and caps are being put back on glue sticks, but otherwise, I find that it is in that independence and freedom where the magic really happens. 

And I know myself well enough to know that if I didn't leave the room, I'd be directing the placement of every button and paper color combinations.

For Emma, my oldest, I'm seeing lots of emotion (and passion:) come out on the page. I'm getting glimpses of what parts of her day spark her interest. She is also quickly becoming my journalling child. She keeps her commonplace, and this summer she's been keeping an almost daily record of her mornings at the barn. And she's slowly transfering some of that journaling into her scrapbook.

Mary, just a few years behind Emma is trying to keep up with her older sister--writing, journaling and scrapping things that are important to her. 

And for Elizabeth, it's all about play and color and layering and deciding which colored brad goes with which puffy sticker. 

Meanwhile, my homeschooling wheels are starting to smoke as I'm trying to figure out how I can incorporate this medium of creativity into our school days without making it feel forced. For now, at the very least, I think I'll encourage a weekly scrapbooking session as a journalling element to our curriculum. Maybe even let them earn the purchase of new supplies! But I'd love to see how I could make this stretch into some academic areas, as well. 

I'm still working on that. 

In the meantime, if you're a scrapbooking pro and you have any suggestions for STORAGE, I'd love to hear. My current system--throw it all back in the lid of the box it came in--isn't quite working out. There must be a better way. 

And I'd love to hear if you're a scrapbooker, or if your kids have caught the bug just like mine. Do tell!

commonplace

I can't take any credit for this idea, it belongs completely to Dan. Maybe I can earn some points for the follow-through of doing research and making an informed purchasing decision? 

Anyway....a few weeks ago, Dan asked me to find a commonplace for Emma. A commonplace, if you don't know (I didn't) refers to compiling knowledge, usually into books. It is a practice that dates back to Early Modern Europe. (thank you, wikipedia) 

In this case, Dan wanted me to find a journal for Emma to record the books she has been reading. 

Emma was a very reluctant reader. It took quite awhile for the fire to catch. But now, she's the kid who (unbeknownst to her parents) stays up until midnight to finish a book. The girl who disappears into her room to read and read and read. I'm so happy to see her love reading. But I have to admit, there's this part of me that wonders a bit about the speed at which she reads.

She comes to me with a chapter book and says, "I need to go to the library tomorrow. I finished this one today."

Nevermind that we'd been to the library that morning.

I know she's not a careful reader. I've learned that in our interactions during the school day. But she is still getting the gist of what she reads. She knows what's going on in the story. And it's recreational reading. Do I let it go and just be happy that she's finally reading? I still feel a bit torn about it all. But how, exactly does one force a child to slow down their reading?  For now my philosophy is that this is recreational reading. She is reading for enjoyment. We can work at all the other "stuff" during school hours. This is her time to relax and read. Right? Right. 

But that's a topic for another day....

Emma has really taken to keeping track of the books she's reading. She rates them, writes a few words about what she thought of the book or how her mean mother STILL hasn't found more of these books for her. 

It's a great habit to be in, I believe. In fact, I wish I did the same. I'm so forgetful, especially when it comes to what I read. (Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I read right before bed until the book flops down on my chest.)

I'm hoping she'll continue with this through the Summer. And in the Fall, I'll get one for Mary, too, who is rapidly gaining on her sister in the reading department. 

You can find the reading journal I chose for the girls here on amazon or on the Potter Style site.

 

homeschooling charts and mom guilt

I probably shouldn't be writing about a new system the day after I put it into place. To be fair, I should probably have a few weeks of it under my belt before I go spouting off about how great it is and how it is going to change our homeschooling days forever, and how my child is now going to be so successful and there will be no more complaining and eye-rolling, and whining, and, and, and.....

But, it's on my brain. I need to spout off about it. So here you go. 

I'm having my yearly "question all the educational decisions I am making for my oldest child" breakdown. I am really beginning to think this happens at about the same time every year. Call it burn out, if you will. But things are a bit different this year because I find my husband beginning to question a bit as well. Usually, I'm the waffler and he's on the straight and narrow, "we'll get through this" path. But this is a long discussion for another day. Maybe. 

In the meantime, there is still school to do. There is still progress that needs to be made. There is change that needs to happen. I'm not throwing in the towel in the middle of February. 

When I was in San Francisco (I promise I'll stop talking about it soon, but give me a break. I don't get out much.) one of the lovely moms I had the pleasure of spending some time with was Kristen, from Cool Mom Picks. She also happens to be a homeschooling mama, and writes weekly on Ree's Pioneer Woman homeschooling blog. Her post last week talked about the importance of not only finding your tribe, but also putting in as much effort as you do in finding social outlets for children, for yourself. We need to take care of ourselves, mamas. 

I'm horrible at this. Usually, nothing happens until my breakdowns and anguish have reached epic levels. Then, I call in for reinforcement. My husband sends me away by myself for a few hours. My mom takes me shopping or for a haircut or a manicure. I take a nap and wake up to a miraculously clean house.

The problem is that I really suffer from a lot of guilt. The moment I step away from my home or "my duties" and leave someone else in charge (aka, my husband) I feel guilty. I feel like I'm asking him to do something that I should be doing. Never mind, that he also happens to be my husband, my helpmate, and yes, their father. But still. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt. 

But lately, I've been realizing, as women, this social outlet, this interaction, this girl-time, is so important for our well-being. So I've been trying to be better about finding it, seeking it out, and making it happen.

San Francisco was an example. (there I go again.) and so was this past Tuesday night. I get together with a group of moms about once a month. Our kids play and get dirty, and (usually someone ends up bleeding or bitten by a wild mouse--long story) the moms sit in the kitchen, eat cupcakes, unload our woes, stories, and listen to ways we can pray for each other. 

But last Tuesday night, we decided to go out together, kid-free. It was wonderful. But after being gone to SanFran the week before, I felt all the guilt of asking for another night "off" creeping up. But, this time, I shoved it away. Told it to get lost, and knew that in the long run, these two hours away would be better for not only me, but the whole family.

And I needed them. I needed to unload some of my current struggles to these friends. The conversation was uplifting, encouraging and full of good ideas. 

So, this is a round-about way to show you some of the "fruit" of that night, but apparently, I needed to say this. Friends, whether homeschooler or not, let go of some of that guilt. I fight it every day. It's ugly. But we need to take care of ourselves, too. I'm a big hater of the word "me-time". But I have to admit there is some truth to finding some ways to care for our own souls so that we can come back to our days with a cup that's a little more full, instead of running on empty. 

It was the genius of these three women that inspired this chart. Emma needs to get more done in a day. And she (and I both) need there to be more independence. My friend Jen told me the genius line of "Do it nice. Or do it twice!" It has become my mantra. I LOVE it. And we also discussed motivating Emma with one of her favorite things that she always begs for--time on the computer. 

Yesterday we both sat down and charted out what we thought needed to be accomplished in a day. She listed three things, I listed the ones that you see made the final list. (She did agree that chores needed to be done, and reading. She also wanted to give two speeches a week. We'll work on that....)

Yesterday we put it into place. And all went smoothly. I'm not going to be so bold as to say this is life-changing. Yet. Because you know, this is day two. And right now, she's down at the stream with her sisters and I'm on the computer. But there is reassurances that when she comes back inside, she'll know exactly what needs to be accomplished in a day. And yesterday, when offered the chance to go outside with her sisters, she said, "I really should just get my dictation done first so everything on my chart is finished." Huh?? Whose child is this???

Maybe this post really isn't about a chart. It's more about me. About us. If you've read this far, bless you. Thanks for bearing with me. Oftentimes, these posts are more about me reminding myself of the things I'm learning and striving for. And just maybe, you'll share a little bit in that goodness, as well.

back in the groove

Hello friends. Before I forget, I am late at announcing a winner for a great Epson All-in-One printer over at Momformation. My lateness, your gain, so hustle on over there and leave a comment to be entered....

We are finally getting back in the groove here on the home front. Dan had the day off yesterday, so today was the beginning of "the rest of the year". I feel like our winter has been spiked with little illnesses here and there, which has made school progress slow and a bit frustrating. And we seriously lost our groove. 

{ However, it does lead to some interesting new opportunities for play. Especially when you have a willing patient who will happily drink your antiseptic potions (aka water) from a syringe and chew on your stethoscope while you search for a pulse. }

I find, in these situations, one of the best aides in regaining that enthusiasm for school is a good clean-out, inventory and rearranging. 

We spent most of yesterday in the school room which had also become storage for Christmas decor, wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, and junk mail. We cleaned out desks and wiped them down. We took all the books that are part of our curriculum and went through our checklist to make sure nothing was missing. And we rearranged all the desks. 

And suddenly today, it was like all things were fresh and new again. 

I pretty much love the turning over of a new year. I love the beginning. The promise of new ideas, new resolve, good intentions. It feels positive and full of potential. 

I hope you all have had a great start to your new year, as well. And are enjoying all the potential and excitement this new beginning holds.

stop. regroup.

We've been "in school" now for four weeks. Four pretty intense weeks. There have been things that have been tossed by the wayside in an effort to keep moving forward. Things that need to be done, that have been ignored.

So I have declared this the official "stop & regroup" week. Our school schedule is a lot stricter than ones I've kept in the past. And I feel really good about it. It is something we all need. If the girls and I stay on track, it means that we always have Fridays off -- for lounging, running errands, playing, watching movies together. 

But not as many Fridays as I would have liked have felt like that loosey-goosey pace I was hoping for. 

I vowed that this year, I would make more of an effort to get my girls "out there". We've joined a great co-op. Which means we now have fun things like choir, and American Girl Club, and classes here and there on other fun topics. They both have taken on music lessons this year, too. Emma on violin. Mary on piano. Not to mention the soccer practices and games.

In the past, I have always dragged my feet on "activities". We all tend to err a bit on the homebody side. And with very little ones in tow, I am a dictator about naps. I will not miss them. 

But I've had to ease up a bit. Be a little more flexible. I realized over the summer, that Emma might very well miss out on "out and about" kinds of things for years because of the need to always be back home for naps for her younger siblings. I've had to be okay with a nap in the car, knowing a better one will come in a few hours. I've had to be okay with earlier bedtimes, even though it might cut into time with Daddy. 

But at the same time, it is so very, very easy to get swept up in activities and going and doing. And so, I've also had to put on the breaks. Saying no to things. Both for them, and for me. 

And I've had to do things like this. The stopping. The regrouping. Read a few chapters. Go upstairs and clean a bedroom. Start a science experiment. Go out to the barn and unpack the tubs with warmer quilts and comforters. Go to the library. Knit. Make applesauce. 

Once I let myself let go of this week, I felt instantly better. I felt the furrow in my brow release itself. There is no rush. 

Stop. Regroup. 

Refresh.

{ home } school thoughts

Turns out, I'm more curriculum than eclectic.

My two "most important purchases" -- a large dry erase board, and good shelving, were truly my two most important purchases.

Buying everyone a set a name-engraved pencils was a third good purchase.

When I fall into my former "school teacher" ways, good things happen.

When we crowd on the sofa and they fight over seeing the pictures and who sits closest to me, and then finally settle down to listen, good things happen.

Sometimes, they need their own space.

They like to see the plan for the day, laid out before them, before we start.

They like that little stack of starred and checked work paper-clipped together and sitting on their desks each morning.

Emma likes the striped paper clips. Mary likes the glittery purple ones. Elizabeth hasn't noticed.

When you're making dinner and discover that they're all back in the school room flipping through the books from that day, you know things are moving in a good direction.

When you find a good group, a good co-op, it's a really good thing.

Emma likes to raise her hand. For everything. And it's just the four of us. But I indulge her.

Though setting up "school rules" at the beginning seemed a little stuffy, they've really come in handy.

A piano in your schoolroom is a tough temptation.

I've heard it takes five years to get your own business off the ground. I think similar laws apply to homeschooling.

No matter how much preplanning I do, some things can't get worked out until I jump into the thick of it.

Turns out, laundry doesn't do itself.

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Based upon the emails I get about homeschooling, it seems like it may be time for an FAQ. If you have a question, would you mind sharing it in the comments? I can't promise to answer everything, but it will be starting point as I pull it together. Thank you!

summer games: the list

Once a month, our county school board opens their warehouse doors for a sale of all the cleaned-out, discarded, "old-school" stuff that they no longer use. Cabinets, tables, big metal teacher desks, weight-lifting equipment, overhead projectors, graffiti'd kid desks, pianos, colorful chairs, and....if you dig deep enough, games! I purchased these last fall, because they were pretty much irresistible. 

A game of digraph whirl, anyone??

The suggestions for our summer game collection have been rolling in. I love all the varieties, and I love that so many of the same ones keep being mentioned. I figure that's a pretty good sign. So I decided a master list was necessary. 

I was going to just list them all here in the post, but I figured it might be nice to have something in-hand, to tuck in my bag that I can whip out when I'm shopping, or thrifting, etc. So this morning I dumped the master list into a pdf. Click on the image below to download a copy for yourself! 

And thank you, thank you!! for all the great suggestions!

summer games

My love for board games and card games waxes and wanes. In the past, Dan and I have been known to stay up playing backgammon or speed solitaire. I went through a phase where every get-together with family ended with intense rounds of "nerts" around the table. (I may have even been known to break a hanging ceiling light in my arm-raised-in-victory enthusiasm.) 

But recently, I have discovered (or rediscovered) how much fun it is to play these kinds of games with my children. Not only is it fun, and the competition hilarious and thrilling, but there is some amazing brain energy and learning that takes place. 

A few weeks ago, I heard the girls tell their dad that they hadn't done any Math that day at all. Little did they know they'd been figuring, estimating, matching, sorting, counting, and adding in an afternoon of game-playing. 

So I thought I'd share some of my most recent best-loved games. They are all inexpensive and easy to find. And I hope in return, you'll share some of your favorites with me as well. Because I have officially declared this the summer of games. 

Blink

This card game was actually recommended to me by the woman who handles my homeschool reviews each year. It is a card game of speed, where you are matching cards based on their color, shape, or number. You and your partner play simultaneously and the goal is to be the first person to run out of cards. It is addictive. Thrilling. And I could feel my brain ache as I played. It is SO good for exercising your brain muscles! I tend to get tense and loud when I play. Dan is calm, cool and collected (which drives me crazy). And Emma is mad-fast--and currently the champion. (We keep score on the chalkboard in the kitchen.) 

You can find the game at Target for under $5. But I recommend springing for the deluxe version ($6) which has it's own metal tin to hold the cards when you're not playing. 

TOSS UP  

This little game was an after-thought when I was at the store buying Blink. And I think I may have initially purchased it for the cute purple case that stores the dice. But it was still a great purchase. You roll ten dice which are sided in either red, yellow, or green. Your goal is to roll as many green-sided dice as possible in your turn. However, after your first roll, you decide if you want to take a risk, roll again and try to get more greens, or stick with your original roll. It takes logic and luck. And Mary, apparently, has the magic touch with this game. I think I should take her to Vegas. The game suggests you play until 100 points, counting up the number of green dice. I like to play to a larger number and make the girls do different kinds of skip-counting to count their points. (10s, 5s, 2s, etc)

I also found this one at Target for under $4.

Dominoes

I finally taught my girls the proper way to play dominoes (besides lining them up and knocking them down.) We play the Mexican train version. The great thing about dominoes is that it can be played at any level. Elizabeth can match up colors. Mary can match up colors and numbers on the dominoes, and Emma is beginning to see how to strategize while she plays, trying to end with the least amount of points as possible. There are so many great learning opportunities with a fun game of dominoes.

You really need a set of double twelves, in my opinion. And the little Wooden Domino Trays make it feel ten times more special. I found ours at Target as well for under $10. 

Sleeping Queens

This game was a gift to the girls from Emily. It is a great card game that Mary and Emma can easily play together without my help. Different cards have different abilities--like the ability to "steal" a queen, save her, or put her "to sleep". But the actual game play can also involve some simple math problems, if you choose to play it that way. When Emma and I made our (second) follow-up trip to the ER a few weeks ago, we played Sleeping Queens while we waited and waited and waited and.....

(and this one, Frog Juice, looks really cute, too!)

Kanoodle

This was one was also a gift from Emily and Emma immediately squirreled it away into her room. It is a great take-with-you game and requires great thinking skills about spatial relationships, geometry. You start at a beginning easy level and can independently work your way up to harder and harder configurations of arranging the shapes, until you are eventually building complex pyramids. It's a bit like a 3D version of Tetris. It also comes in a nifty case and would be a great thing to bring to the pool, car trip (as long as you don't drop the parts between the seats), waiting rooms, etc. 

Sardines

I've had this game in the cupboard for more than a year, and with my new addiction to card games, finally decided to take it out and figure out how to play. If the cute fish aren't enough, the game is all about using your memory. Each player gets five fish cards that they place face down in front of them. Then a box of "sardines" is played in front of everyone. You study the card for a few seconds, flip it over and then looking at your own cards, decide which of those fish were in the box of sardines. (Did that make any sense?) It's really another brain-stretching game. I love that my kids have to hold the images of those fish in their heads and try to recall them. It's a bit like the follow directions game. 

I found this card game at a toy store that was going out of business, but you can also find it on amazon.

So now, it's your turn, what are some of your favorite family games? I'd love to hear!! 

simple schooling : part 2

{Hello friends. Still here. Still huge. Still waddling. And very ready.}

But in the meantime, more school talk....

It has been on my mind lately to do a little more writing with the girls. We keep a daily gratitude journal, which has become an invaluable part of our day, I dare-say even a habit for the girls. Emma writes in hers almost daily, even without my prompting. And Mary's is an inventive speller's work of art. I cherish both journals. 

But I also wanted to do a little more storytelling and creative writing with the girls. Their imaginations are so rich at this age and I wanted to tap into that creativity during our school day. 

When I was a classroom teacher I used to constantly scan through old issues of magazines and newspapers clipping out interesting or odd pictures and filing them away in a folder. I used them as writing "prompts" for my students. 

And I remembered this little activity a few weeks ago and decided it was high time that I got the girls doing this too. 

So with the help of the internet, some old National Geographic magazines and newspapers, I've started collecting images for them as well. 

I give them each a copy of the picture that will be the "starter" for their story. For Emma, I simply send her off to a quiet place to write, without any distraction or any "guidance" from me. With Mary, I ask her a few questions about what she sees in the picture, helping her notice details that might help her story get started or might spark an idea. But it doesn't take much. The child needs very little help from me! Within seconds, the story starts to emerge, and as she dictates, I write it all down. 

I started out doing this once a week, but I'm finding that they are asking for it more often. And it doesn't take long. I don't make them do much more than a first draft, although I do make Emma go back and fix simple things like capitals and punctuation, when she forgets. And the stories and the pictures get tucked away in a folder to be revisited, shared and read over and over. 

I asked the girls if I could share one of their stories. Emma was too shy, but Mary said, "Sure!" The picture she based this story on is below. I found it on this site, which has some great "story starters". Her story cracks me up--the drama, the tragedy, the misunderstanding, the humor...

 
 

From Mary:

Once upon a time there was a cat who got inside. The person didn't know that the cat got inside and the fish tank was open. The cat got up on the fish tank. He jumped into the tank! Uh-oh! He didn't know how to swim! So the fish rescued him and the cat ate the fish not knowing that the fish was being nice. 

There was one last brave fish. He said, "Oh ca-at! There's cat food out for you!" So the cat jumped out. The food made him sick. And the cat died. "Oh, poor cat!" said the fish. And he cut open the cat and saved all the other fish from dying, and put them back in the tank. And they all lived happily ever after, well, except for the cat. 

The end.

Other great resources are the obvious magazines and newspapers, but I also find flipping through tumblr, or the creative commons on flickr or google images are also really good. I stumbled upon this Oregon State digital collection which has some really beautiful and interesting photos. The black and whites in this post are pulled from their archives. 

Happy Writing! 

Up next, my new favorite math game...