Happy Spring! Literally.

I know, it’s not officially spring yet, but it seems that way around here. And, in the Homeschool Lounge, I’ve participated in the Unique Spring Swap. In a swap, you send something to someone you don’t know and they send something to you. We were to create “something to make [the receiver] smile to make them think of spring. You can make the items or buy the items”. So, we could be completely creative, what ever we wanted.

Ha. Here’s mine:

The out side of the box

And then,

I think my spring looks happy don’t you? It’s a slinky. It’s pretty fun to play with like this too!

He he he.

I thought of calling it a Springky.

I crack myself up.

Dvorak Keyboard

Anyone out there heard about the Dvorak Keyboard layout?

Well, I just have, and I am PUMPED! [pumping fist] “Wa! Wa! Wa!”

What?! You don’t share my excitement? Hmmm…well, let’s back up. Look down at your keyboard. More than likely you have a QWERTY keyboard. Those are the letters typed in the top row from upper left across the row. The Dvorak letters have them rearranged:
WHY ON EARTH DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT?! You might ask. Well, in order to avoid my dissertation, here’s why, in a nutshell. The QWERTY keyboard was invented when typewriters were new, and women (Yes, I meant females) were typing on them too fast and causing the letters to get jammed. They rearranged the letters so that the weakest fingers were typing the most-used letters to slow them down. Made sense then. But, NOW…now we don’t have this problem. Right? Right.

So, the fact that we still do something simply because of the fact that we’ve always done it, is called a paradigm. I like to identify and challenge paradigms. The argument that we do something simply because “That’s the way it’s always been done” drives me bonkers.

So, that brings me back to Dvorak. All computers have the ability to switch their keyboards around quickly to Dvorak. It’s already in there. Pretty cool, ey? Plus, with its arrangement of keys, you can go MUCH faster, be much more accurate, and have much less strain. Seriously.

[crickets chirping]

Seriously

[chirp]

Okay, it may not be for you. But, since I’m just teaching my children to type, and they don’t have to relearn it, I’m totally into it. Now, if only there was some sort of Christian Kids Dvorak Keyboarding lesson book, I’d be doing the *Happy Dance*!

Sunday Seven

Seven random things I learned (or relearned in some cases) this week:

The domino train my dh is surprising the kids with in the morning.

1. Don’t play the dinner game “let’s name a word that begins with the letter …” when your 3 1/3 year old is making up “silly” words with the sound “uck”.

2. My daughter loves science

3. My husband loves to make domino trains, not play the game dominoes.

4. God’s plan isn’t for the new dishwasher I’ve been praying about. It’s seems as though he’s leaning more towards a stove. Bummer.

5. Homeschooling is a LOT of planning if you want to do it right. Who Knew?

6. Sticker charts are a gift from God.

7. If you plan the sticker chart right, the bathroom stays clean!

Braving the World of Science

I’ll admit it, I haven’t done any science yet this year with my kids. I couldn’t wrap my brain around it when I was using my old school system of “Flying By The Seat of My Pants”. Now, with more structure to our school day using the workbox system, I’m finding that I can put more stuff in my day, and still get done sooner. So, I braved the science book. [Cue Jaws music] doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo

I was scared of THIS?

I armed myself with a Primary Journal for Jeega, thinking that she was going to throw herself to the floor in anticipation of having to do this. But, I felt that I needed her to do the journal to be able to do it right. [climbing into my armor and strapping on the shield]

The journal

I prepared myself with a planned rebuttal of, “Let’s just give it a try, and see how it goes.” [standing in front of mirror practicing my debate tactics]

THE RESULT: Excitement! Joy! phew. That shield was heavy. Boy, was I wrong. She was SO excited to have a journal, and so we set off this week with science and a smile!

I wrote the instructions for the week, one on each sheet (3 days worth), on the first line or two in her journal. She read the required pages in the science book and illustrated what she did and saw. On Monday, we read about bean seeds, and planted a few in a couple jars in a way that we could see them sprout. Friday, when we woke up, they had sprouted! She was SO excited!! So, I sent her downstairs so grab her journal so we could write what we saw. On her way downstairs she was jumping up and down singing, “I’m going to be a scientist when I grow up! I’m going to be a scientist when I grow up!”

My heart jumped for joy. “Yea mom, you did it right. Thanks again Lord!”

So, here’s my budding scientist recording her findings in her journal.

I love the excitement of watching my child watch a bean sprout! What joy it is being a homeschooling mom!

My newest reminder invention

So, do you think I’ll remember to take my medicine now?

Is this a testament to my bad memory, or my addiction to coffee?

We Have Math!

I’m so excited about our new math because I don’t have to figure it out myself any more. (Which I don’t do well with.) And, of course, the kids thought it was great too. Here they are after only 5 minutes with the opened box.

Jeega and Bear enjoying all the math, and of course the BOX!

Or, was it the box that was so great? Do they ever outgrow the fixation on boxes? I hope not.

We received the Right Start math curriculum this week, deluxe edition. You can tell by ALL the stuff spread out all over the floor, that came out of that giant box. How could I stop the chaos? I wanted them to be excited about it. This math stuff has been so much fun the last few days that we haven’t wanted to stop. I’m excited to teach the children math in the complete opposite direction than I learned it. I count my way through math. My husband teases me that I need to take off my shoes so I can count higher. Har Har. He also thinks that because I have an engineering degree that I should be better at doing math in my head. My response is usually a frustrated, “That’s why I have a calculator!! DUH!” (Dumb, middle school face included) And, admittedly, I can’t do simple math without my calculator, which is a frustration. I am going to do math differently with my kids, and hopefully relearn math for myself too.

School is nearly over for today and I have permission from my daughter to do another lesson with her. Is it supposed to be so much fun?

Jeega showing 7 with her tally sticks

Jeega showing 7 with her fingers

Jeega making 7 on her abacus

Time to clear the abacus, with drama, of course.

Hamming it up

Bear, much more serious, with his 4 fingers on is left hand

Oh, this is going to be fun! YIPPEE!! (Doing the happy dance)

Our Amazing Cleaning Club

My best friend, Joy, and I started this Amazing Cleaning Club at the end of last summer that we look forward to every week. Which is what makes it amazing. I hate to clean.

I cringed at the thought of cleaning. But, I knew that as a stay-at-home mom, I needed to do a better job at keeping the house up. Yea, I’m the first to admit it. Those floors got pretty gluey before I’d address the situation. I panicked if someone rang the door bell, even if it was just the UPS man. So, I found a friend who also wanted to have a clean house without hiring someone else to do it. I laugh at the thought of hiring someone, since I could barely afford all-purpose cleaner. But, it was a good fit, and we set off and have never looked back!

Here is what we do in a nutshell:

1. We clean every Monday. One Monday we’re at my house, the next hers, and back and forth.

2. We clean from 10:30 a.m. (approx. – if kids cooperate) until 3:30 p.m.

3. We give each other a BIG hug at the end of every day because we’re so happy to have/give such clean homes!

Now, a few details:

If you want to do something similar, it can be done any way you want. I got this idea from a neighbor that told me that when she had young children, her and 3 other ladies would get together once a week, rotating every week, for 2 hours. When they were together, their goal was to do whatever the host mom needed done, which was usually something that she could not get to on her own. She gave me example of: Washing windows, washing drapes, organizing and cleaning cupboards, etc. When I presented this idea to Joy, her mind went a different, and better direction for us. We clean our homes from top to bottom every other week. It’s wonderful! How do we do it? Well, here’s some details as to what WE do, but it’s just a jumping-off point.

Here’s our list by cleaner (These are not links, I’m not trying to sell anything here! These are just recommendations, and readily available most places)

1. Dust all wood using a rag and Old English Lemon Oil. Yes, that means moldings, baseboards, door faces/tops, book shelves-all surfaces, window trim, ceiling fans etc. Bathroom cabinets (if wood, of course), bed frames, lamp, etc. If it’s wood, it gets oiled.

2. Dry-Dust using a dry cloth (we love the 3M Scotch Brite dusting cloths) all surfaces that you don’t want oil or all-purpose cleaner on, such as brass and some picture frames, and all the picture glass (unless it’s really bad and needs glass cleaner)

3. All-Purpose Cleaner on all painted/finished surfaces: nick knacks, window frames, walls (finger prints, etc). Bathroom counters (for first clean if needed-see Gel-Gloss below), toilet top and outside, tile floors, showers and tubs.

4. Glass cleaner on all mirrors, and glass surfaces (windows in china cabinets, glass nick knacks, etc). We don’t wash windows unless specifically asked

5. Gel Gloss (hidden secret!) This stuff rocks for bathroom counters if you have a surface that’s supposed to be shiny. Don’t forget the faucet! It makes it so shiny, you’ll love it.

6. Toilet bowl cleaner: pretty much self explanatory, ey?

7. Murphy’s Oil Soap: Great for the dining room table. It’s safe on the wood, yet gets off the dried-on gunk. We do the table top, legs, underside (you know those sticky hands put their peas under there.) and even the chairs. We also wash the fronts of the kitchen cabinets that need it weekly (by the trash, dishwasher, sink, and next to the stove)

8. Of course we vacuum, and I love putting a cotton ball with some good smelling essential oils in the bag to make the whole house smell good.

We don’t clean the kitchens/dishes either. There isn’t enough time, and we find that they get dirty and clean so many times in one day, that it’s just too hard to do during cleaning club day. So, we get the few cabinet doors, and wash the floors on our way through.

Do you have a friend that you think shares the same cleaning needs and you can work well with? Give her a call and see if she would like to join you. I got turned down by 3 different friends over the years before I found one that wanted to do this with me. It’s a gift we give each other and you will be amazed at how much fun it is, and how clean you can make your home in such a short amount of time! Give it a try. You’ll love it.

Helicopter parents and homeschoolers

Minnesota has a very unique school program called ECFE. It stands for Early Childhood Family Education. It’s for ANY family that has children from birth until age kindergarten, filling in the gap for children (and their parents) until they start school. It’s absolutely amazing, and the adults attend with the children which give the parents a fantastic opportunity to discuss issues that they are facing. We share concerns, victories, issues, and ideas with each other. I’ve taken this program for granted, but realize that Minnesota is very unique since there is no other state in the union that provides this service to its residents. The classes are usually once a week, for just and hour or an hour and a half, which is perfect for such small children. With babies and small toddlers, you’re in the class the entire time with your children, but as they grow older, parents have the opportunity to separate into an attached room in order to allow for more serious conversation.

Last week at ECFE we discussed helicopter parents after reading a great article about it from Time magazine. It’s very interesting being in ECFE as a homeschooling parent. I’ve never been in class where there is another homeschooler, every one else has always been public schoolers. I love it that way. Not because I want to debate, or recruit. But, I always get a silent room when they hear that I homeschool. Yes, the crickets chirp. And, I’ve found that they chirp because I don’t “look” like a homeschooler. I don’t sound like a homeschooler. I don’t have a sign on my forehead, and I tend to like to leave my home. I love the opportunity to break the stereotypical mold that everyone puts into homeschooling families. So, back to helicopering parents. I do have a point…I’m quite convinced that there’s a stereotype that homeschooling parents are the ultimate of helicopterers. And, they are wrong!

I do not choose to homeschool in order to have complete helicoptering maneuvering ability. I can see that can be easily assumed, though. I mean, from the head of a skeptic (which I was only 3 years ago), “Why else would you homeschool? Of course it’s because of the parent’s inability to let go of control.” Well, Yes and No. I’ll be the first to admit, that I have control issues. I’m aware of them, and they play a big part as to why I homeschool. But, where do my issues end and where do the kids’ lives begin? As a homeschooler, and someone who is with my children all day, I can make the decision myself, and not be limited by the time we have.

All parents helicopter. We do it with the best of intentions since we love, and care for our children, and never want to see them hurt. As a homeschooling family, though, it’s even more imperative to be aware of helicoptering, and try that much harder to make sure that it stays in check. We have the unique opportunity, on the other hand, to really be able to teach our children independence. And, what a wonderful opportunity that can be! I love the ability to control our days, and not have the school district doing it. I can create schedules for the children to be able to complete on their own. I can allow natural consequences to show them that mom isn’t always the one implementing punishment. I can slow down, or speed up a day that is progressing at an unnatural pace. I can helicopter around their schedule cards, around what is for lunch, or snack. But, park my helicopter in order to allow for them to think for themselves.

I have set up their school days for independence, and as things progress, I love seeing how they do things on their own. When I don’t step in and fix problems, my heart breaks as I hug their tears. But, they learn so much faster with a hug and simple words, “I know you’ll be able to do even better next time”. Fixing it for them would impair them. Would they get that hug and encouragement in public schools? Hmmm….

So, what parents would have the bigger propensity to helicopter? Is it the parents that only have the opportunity to help their children during fragmented times of the day; or the parent that has their children all day?

If anyone asks, though, my helicopter is pink, and and fully fueled! Admit it, you’ve got one too. The question is, how often do you use it? Is it at the right times? I can’t imagine not having one. We just need to make sure that we use them for the good of everyone, especially the children.

Nearly ready for test run

I spent many hours organizing this past weekend. My brain is mush, but I may be ready to give the kids the new test run. So, for a list of changes:

1. New and improved school room:

The north wall reorganized, and ready for the test run

Poster centers prepped, and our new circle-time area ready for fun

2. I planned the entire week’s curriculum! I did. I’m so proud of myself. I’ve never done that before. Filling the boxes still took a while to do, but I think that will begin to go faster once I’ve gotten into a groove.

3. Made 2 poster centers (see above picture). I was really nervous about this. What do I do? How do I pick something that we don’t use just once? How can I do it without it taking a TON of time or money? I found a couple printables online. One is a bunch of shapes for review. They were shown one per page. I printed them 4 pages on one sheet, then cut the name off the top. I glued the shape to the poster and then stuck hook & loop (more later on why we do NOT call it Velcro at our home) to the backs of the words and in the center of the shapes. Now, Jeega (and eventually Bear) can match the words to the shapes. But, I realized a problem, Bear can’t do the fun poster center, what do I do? Well, I wrote with chalk on the board to have him trace shapes. Hopefully he’ll be happy with that.

The other poster center has the indicator words for word problems to help Jeega begin to understand when word problems are for adding or subtracting. Again, I printed them 4 on a page, cut them in half and made a matching game. Next to it, Bear will be drawing a picture of Daisy, our dog.

4. Workboxes and racks are purchased, and ready to rumble! I went hook & loop crazy on the workboxes and the schedule strips. I also made little “Quiet”, “ready to work” and “Wait” signs for the kids. This took a lot of time! Here are some photos of the workbox/table area:

Work station with workboxes along back wall, hidden behind table

Bear's Workbox System ready to go

Jeega's Workbox System prepped and ready

Above-the-head view of the workbox stations along the wall

5. I created morning schedule cards. And, as I’m sitting here at 11:08 p.m. of the first night we used the morning schedule cards I’m steaming over the fact that I can’t find the blasted things for tomorrow morning!! I got clothes pins, and glued mini pictures of what their morning schedule of chores is on them. Then, lined them up on a card from 1 to 5. As they completed their chores, they moved the clothes pins from one side of the card to the “Done!” side. Once they were done, they turned them into mommy or daddy for breakfast. As an added bonus, if they completed them in under 10 minutes, they get a penny for every minute early they are done. I even bought timers to help. Now, if I could just figure out how to keep track of those dumb things, I’d be in better shape.

So, last weekend is prep for a lot of changes. I’m hoping my kids do well with it all! School should go smoothly, if I could just get my son done with his morning chores with in 10 minutes (actually, I’d be happy with 30 minutes!)

Is it Monday yet?

Ha Ha. I’ve never thought I’d say such an awful thing! I certainly don’t wish for my weekend to be over, but it’s been so busy that I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll make it through tomorrow in one piece. My husband, ever-so-wonderful, took Jeega and Bear winter camping this weekend! Yup, we live in Minnesota, and camping in March is a bit cold out still. But, it’s starting to get warm, so you can be outside all day without worrying about getting too cold. Yet, it’s not so warm that the ground has turned into a mud pit…yet. When he told me that he was going to take the kids this weekend, I immediately leaped for joy and the thought of a night in my house, “All alone!” But, then, the cataloging began, What could I possible get done in my 24 hours of peace?

Why is it that when you become a mom, a “Super-human Perception” of yourself kicks in? I mean, really? We’re no more super-human than anyone else out there. But, when faced with the thought of having 20 minutes without kids, then WAMMO! You have barely enough time to grocery shop, pick up the prescription, drop of the library books, pick up the dog food, and rid the world of hunger. If there’s a spare 17 1/2 seconds in there, we can stop for a latte’. Now, faced with 24 hours “All alone!” and I can do the impossible: de-clutter, clean and organize the school room. “Gasp!” “Nooooooo!” I did. Not only did I figure that I could get that done, but in could easily implement all aspects of The Workbox System. Yup, I’m not ashamed to admit it. I was once again a victim of the Super-Human Perception.

On a good (VERY good) note, I did make wonderful progress on the school room. I will be posting pictures for you to see! Unfortunately, I do not have very good before pictures, but here’s a small glimpse of our school room before Super-Mom kicked in.

Here's one corner of the school room

Moving to the right, the far end of the room

It was reasonably clean those days I took pictures, but I needed to re-organize, and I’m so happy with how well it’s turning out. Now, only if I could figure out what to do with the bags upon bags of trash!

The rooms is very close to being done. Now, the rest of the basement is going to have to go through some sort of de-cluttering in order to make room for the junk I ejected from the school room. On tomorrow’s agenda, I need to finish making schedules, work stations, planning curriculum, cleaning out the trash that’s everywhere (but the school room) now. And, in my spare seconds, I’ll make sure to rid the world of hunger.