Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
Monday, August 30, 2010
mommys struggles and snuggles: WHAT WE DO WHEN IT WONT STOP RAINING
mommys struggles and snuggles: WHAT WE DO WHEN IT WONT STOP RAINING: "WHAT WE DO AROUND HERE FOR FUN ISNOT YOUR ORDINARY FUN: BUILDING A RETAINING WALL TO DIVERT THE WATER SURE BEA..."
mommys struggles and snuggles: I Must Be Crazy
mommys struggles and snuggles: I Must Be Crazy: "Suddenly she sees herself as others might possibly view her, ' She must be crazy.' and she thinks to herself, ' yeah, probably but it might ..."
mommys struggles and snuggles: Days
mommys struggles and snuggles: Days: "So excited because Bodie's school stuff is coming in any day. For about the last week we have been doing a normal school routine. Honestly t..."
Days
So excited because Bodie's school stuff is coming in any day. For about the last week we have been doing a normal school routine. Honestly this is more for Brylee than Bodie. I was not about to start our first week of real school without having her be used to having to entertain herself some. In doing this I realized how little she is ever expected to sit in one place for more than a few minutes. We have been starting out with circle time where I read out loud a short story. I am only expecting her to sit in my lap for about ten minutes right now, but you would think I was killing her.( I really don't get this as I read to her every night and don't encounter a problem) The first five minutes really is her crying and wrestling to get down, and it is just crazy to me that she can not sit for that length of time.
Bodie goes along with just about anything I have planned with very little fussing so far. Of course at this point mostly everything we are doing involves active work. He is a little slower with the worksheets I have printed off for him from the net, but has been good to complete them with very little assistence on my part other than explaining the directions.
One of the things I am looking forward to with his curriculum is not having to come up with so many ideas on my own. It makes my brain tired. On the samples of the teacher's guide that come with his stuff are multiple choices of things you can do that tie in with what you are studying. There are activities listed, books listed, and sometimes field trip ideas. Hopefully I am not being too optimistic, but am kind of looking forward to that. Also, I am excited to just have the planner so week by week is scheduled out (Ii can change it up or vary it as needed) so I know exactly what I need to have ready ect. Right now everyday I just come up with ideas for both Bodie and Brylee. Because of the age difference there is only so much they can do together, which means coming up with totally different ideas for both of them every day. Did I say my brain is tired? Thankfully I have found some really great websites that have lots of toddler activities. However, since they don't have a huge attention span at two, I have to have several things on hand at a time so she does not create her own fun. In truth getting the activity set up and cleaning it up after, is not any more work than it would be if she makes her own fun. Ahhhh, but it is clean up that I am prepared for ahead of time so that makes it better.
We had a pretty busy day today. We did circle time, which involved reading and learning poetry, we did science......planting a few things in the garden and transplanting some plants, then he drew a picture in his journel and wrote a sentence about it, he finished a math worksheet we'd been working on, watched a video, had some play time, make pom pom bugs, and did his reading lesson. He also had some time filling different containers with water and playing with that. By late this afternoon he and Brylee were playing outside and he got all weepy on me. I had asked them both if they wanted some bubbles. Bodie said no and Brylee decided she did. I noticed him crying after a bit and asked him what was wrong. ( he is not a crier) That's when he told me that he really had wanted to play with bubbles. After he quit crying I asked him if he wanted to play with them. He said yes and went outside......only for me to discover tears pouring out once more. When I asked him what was wrong he said he didn't know he just couldn't stop crying. Bizarre, he has never done that. I asked him if he was tired he said yes and wanted to get in the tub. So, I am not sure if I wore him out mentally or exactly what the deal was. I will take note of this and see if more of this behavior follows.
Well, it will probably be me or Brylee tomorrow. As long as we take turns and don't do it all on the same day........
Bodie goes along with just about anything I have planned with very little fussing so far. Of course at this point mostly everything we are doing involves active work. He is a little slower with the worksheets I have printed off for him from the net, but has been good to complete them with very little assistence on my part other than explaining the directions.
One of the things I am looking forward to with his curriculum is not having to come up with so many ideas on my own. It makes my brain tired. On the samples of the teacher's guide that come with his stuff are multiple choices of things you can do that tie in with what you are studying. There are activities listed, books listed, and sometimes field trip ideas. Hopefully I am not being too optimistic, but am kind of looking forward to that. Also, I am excited to just have the planner so week by week is scheduled out (Ii can change it up or vary it as needed) so I know exactly what I need to have ready ect. Right now everyday I just come up with ideas for both Bodie and Brylee. Because of the age difference there is only so much they can do together, which means coming up with totally different ideas for both of them every day. Did I say my brain is tired? Thankfully I have found some really great websites that have lots of toddler activities. However, since they don't have a huge attention span at two, I have to have several things on hand at a time so she does not create her own fun. In truth getting the activity set up and cleaning it up after, is not any more work than it would be if she makes her own fun. Ahhhh, but it is clean up that I am prepared for ahead of time so that makes it better.
We had a pretty busy day today. We did circle time, which involved reading and learning poetry, we did science......planting a few things in the garden and transplanting some plants, then he drew a picture in his journel and wrote a sentence about it, he finished a math worksheet we'd been working on, watched a video, had some play time, make pom pom bugs, and did his reading lesson. He also had some time filling different containers with water and playing with that. By late this afternoon he and Brylee were playing outside and he got all weepy on me. I had asked them both if they wanted some bubbles. Bodie said no and Brylee decided she did. I noticed him crying after a bit and asked him what was wrong. ( he is not a crier) That's when he told me that he really had wanted to play with bubbles. After he quit crying I asked him if he wanted to play with them. He said yes and went outside......only for me to discover tears pouring out once more. When I asked him what was wrong he said he didn't know he just couldn't stop crying. Bizarre, he has never done that. I asked him if he was tired he said yes and wanted to get in the tub. So, I am not sure if I wore him out mentally or exactly what the deal was. I will take note of this and see if more of this behavior follows.
Well, it will probably be me or Brylee tomorrow. As long as we take turns and don't do it all on the same day........
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Prep is Everything
Here we are a few weeks away from starting school. We will officially start on Sept 1st. Wow! The amount of information out there and ideas are overwhelming and helpful at the same time. I have a folder I am keeping all school related stuff in. Primarily I have been looking to find ways to keep Bry entertained and busy so we can get things accomplished. I have been impressed with what I have found and now have a much better plan in place.
I have not been doing the whole school routine yet, but have been taking it in steps. Today I laid out my plastic tablecloth on the floor and had Bry making noodle bracelets and putting pom poms from one container to another. When she got tired of that she cleaned it up and I put her in her high chair with washable markers and paper. Mean while Bodie did some other things I wanted him to work on. He was able to stay on task and she was not into things I did not want her to be in.
I actually find it easier to have things set up for her to do rather than her making her own fun. It does mean a lot of research on websites for ideas, and it still means clean up no changing that. However, it is contained clean up and all clean up that I have prepared for.
I am realizing that I make things so much harder for myself when I let them direct themselves. The times that Bodie is most difficult is when I do not have something planned and he just makes his own fun. Lately with 102 temps outside and our outside activity so limited it is a challenge to keep him busy. Yet, consistently if I have a project for him to do he can and will focus. If I don't, I have him running laps around the furniture and jumping off couches. The difference is amazing.
So while it may a lot of prep to keep their minds busy, it is so much easier than what I get if I don't.
I have not been doing the whole school routine yet, but have been taking it in steps. Today I laid out my plastic tablecloth on the floor and had Bry making noodle bracelets and putting pom poms from one container to another. When she got tired of that she cleaned it up and I put her in her high chair with washable markers and paper. Mean while Bodie did some other things I wanted him to work on. He was able to stay on task and she was not into things I did not want her to be in.
I actually find it easier to have things set up for her to do rather than her making her own fun. It does mean a lot of research on websites for ideas, and it still means clean up no changing that. However, it is contained clean up and all clean up that I have prepared for.
I am realizing that I make things so much harder for myself when I let them direct themselves. The times that Bodie is most difficult is when I do not have something planned and he just makes his own fun. Lately with 102 temps outside and our outside activity so limited it is a challenge to keep him busy. Yet, consistently if I have a project for him to do he can and will focus. If I don't, I have him running laps around the furniture and jumping off couches. The difference is amazing.
So while it may a lot of prep to keep their minds busy, it is so much easier than what I get if I don't.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
I Must Be Crazy
Suddenly she sees herself as others might possibly view her, " She must be crazy." and she thinks to herself, " yeah, probably but it might possibly be a little fun on the way."
So, I'm due to have my third child on Christmas day, I thought I was done, but somebody has other plans. I'm sad to say I cried at first, the selfish reaction of one who frequently forgets that God is running this show called my life.
I wasn't sure how I was ever going to be able to handle having another child, was afraid of further losing my identity, or what I perceived my identity to be.
To further up the stakes I have decided to homeschool my son starting the end of this month and knew that I would be beginning that with a toddler and soon after a newborn......and just where was my identity again?
So many fears and doubts crowd your head as a parent anyway and then as a new homeschool parent too that I felt fearful, doubtful, and stressed.
Yet somehow I now have a peace about the whole thing....
I CAN DO THIS!
And it's not because I'm so prepared, even though I have researched and studied. I have covered topics on styles of homeschooling, organization tips, tips on keeping a toddler busy while teaching your older kids, and state requirements. I have printed, written, catagorized, and aquired more info than I can probably sort through in a school year. I have heard both sides and concerns of the issues at hand.
And it's not because I am a glutton for punishment, even though some probably think so. (though there are likely to be days when I feel like that)
And it's not because I'm religious......even though I am a follower of Christ.
It's because, today, I believe this is the best choice for my son's education.
Does this mean I may not change my mind in the future? Absolutely not. This is right for today. Circumstances may change in the future. I reserve the right to decide year by year according to my children, their strengths and weaknesses, according to my strengths and weaknesses.
Some of my weaknesses are already being challenged and exposed and I believe that will bring growth.
I don't think it will be a cake walk. Having a newborn brings its own set of challenges. But, where I felt fear before, now I feel determination and I feel peace....at least today.
There will be people who think I'm crazy, (sssh don't tell anyone it's true) and people who think it's great. I won't get it all right no matter what I do and so I aspire to do the best I can as a parent and teacher and recognize that there will be times that I fail miserably at both as every parent does.
So, I'm due to have my third child on Christmas day, I thought I was done, but somebody has other plans. I'm sad to say I cried at first, the selfish reaction of one who frequently forgets that God is running this show called my life.
I wasn't sure how I was ever going to be able to handle having another child, was afraid of further losing my identity, or what I perceived my identity to be.
To further up the stakes I have decided to homeschool my son starting the end of this month and knew that I would be beginning that with a toddler and soon after a newborn......and just where was my identity again?
So many fears and doubts crowd your head as a parent anyway and then as a new homeschool parent too that I felt fearful, doubtful, and stressed.
Yet somehow I now have a peace about the whole thing....
I CAN DO THIS!
And it's not because I'm so prepared, even though I have researched and studied. I have covered topics on styles of homeschooling, organization tips, tips on keeping a toddler busy while teaching your older kids, and state requirements. I have printed, written, catagorized, and aquired more info than I can probably sort through in a school year. I have heard both sides and concerns of the issues at hand.
And it's not because I am a glutton for punishment, even though some probably think so. (though there are likely to be days when I feel like that)
And it's not because I'm religious......even though I am a follower of Christ.
It's because, today, I believe this is the best choice for my son's education.
Does this mean I may not change my mind in the future? Absolutely not. This is right for today. Circumstances may change in the future. I reserve the right to decide year by year according to my children, their strengths and weaknesses, according to my strengths and weaknesses.
Some of my weaknesses are already being challenged and exposed and I believe that will bring growth.
I don't think it will be a cake walk. Having a newborn brings its own set of challenges. But, where I felt fear before, now I feel determination and I feel peace....at least today.
There will be people who think I'm crazy, (sssh don't tell anyone it's true) and people who think it's great. I won't get it all right no matter what I do and so I aspire to do the best I can as a parent and teacher and recognize that there will be times that I fail miserably at both as every parent does.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)