Liberal Tea Party

Did I write something some time back about not mkaing every moment a teachable moment? Did I? (this is where someone comments or emails me and says...if you'd tag your posts, you'd know how to reference something you've already done...eg., discussing God for the 9,000,000th time in your personal blog...yeah..I'm gonna go there here too).

Segue....I don't want to take the fun out of things, but as the children and I continue on the learning journey, I realize everything is really a teachable moment. I just make sure not to constantly interrupt the fun to discuss the lesson. I do, oftentimes, revisit a situation or issue to get the kids' feedback and to discuss whatever that moment's topic may be....respect, reincarnation, division, milk....it's all a world of interconnected information and knowledge.

Somehow this all connects, but I am trying to blog AND watch Protlandia, so thia may be a fail!

My kids didn't really get any BIG stuff for Christmas (which has been nice in terms of not having to reorganize anyone's rooms). Overwhelmingly, they got games. It is a nice excuse to be together and do something fun. I admit, I felt guilty this week because we have a Nook, and they do enjoy the Nook, but generally bore of it after about 30 minutes. And that is all they get a day if they get that. A good friend has an Iphone with lots of cool apps. The kids played on it for a couple of hours one day this week while I had a meeting. I felt bad. Maybe I should get an Iphone....then, Alya, of course, Alya the following day went into her convulsive (mother) play state, and, when I asked what she was pretending she said she was pretending to play with her Iphone. She was moving all about, jumping and flailing her arms. I asked her to describe her game and it was a wonderful melange of amazing things. She'd created her own game in her mind. So, for now, without money to buy the cool stuff, that will have to suffice.

One game, Roll and Play, was courtesy of my mother via my Discovery Toys Party with Wendy Johnson. These toys are solid gold!



Roll the big cloth die, and see what color comes up. Then select a card from that color stack (you can make your own cards when your kids tire of the ones that come with the game, although mine have not yet). This game is really ideal for little kids...but my kids love it too. "Put on a hat!" "Clap your hands!" "Hug Mommy!" (my favorite!

Some of the kids' favorites....brush your teeth (yes!), see how many blocks you can stack up, wash your hands...



And one we all enjoy a lot....HAVE A TEA PARTY! I admit, we used some Kool Aid we had from a day of slushy madness....Kool Aid junkies there is still a half pitcher in my refrigerator.





As we progress on, the kids are really immersing themselves in science. They love everything about the body, animals, weather and space. Ben continues to thoroughly enjoy math and has moved past addition, subtraction, and multiplication to division and fractions. He says he does not like to use his imagination, but you can find him every night at bedtime drawing all sorts of wonderful creatures and things on his doodle. Alya, the queen of imagination, is improving with her reading....made it through an entire book one night this week. We are finding with her that she knows all her letter sounds and how to sound out words, but is having trouble paying attention, so she will look at the first letter in a word and then guess the word without reading the word, so she is usually wrong. As we work more with her, we find that she seems to have a bit of ADD and also seems to potentially have some sensory issues. We aren't dreaming this up....husband: teacher: education in early childhood development. We'll have her properly assessed after we talk to her ped at their 5 year visit next month.

This question is being posed on a friends' podcast....I seem to have the tools I need to discuss lots of topics with the kids, but am having trouble finding a good resource for religion/philosophy. The kids are very interested in death/afterlife, etc. I want to be able to present lots of different ideas to them. Also, we were Jesus heavy (justly) during Christmas. Adam and I are both believers but he is not "Christian" and, while I consider myself one, I don't think any traditional Christian would agree. I think it is important that the children understand that Jesus lived and his important life and message, but, beyond that, I want them to understand all (most....I guess I'd be pretty amazing to get ALL of them) of the great theories and to know about the important saviors and messiahs of other religions, and, also, to understand the theories of those who are not religious...the science based theories. Even I have a hard time articulating what I am looking for, but the more I search, and the more we talk, the more aware I become that on so many levels it is easy to indoctrinate. I want the kids to have the fredom to choose...the freedom to understand and follow what is in their hearts. Ideas, thoughts, suggestions are appreciated.

Note

With the new year comes new responsibility....I need to crack this whip over here...I mean seriously, who uses heart surgery, holidays, family needs and such ridiculous things as excuses to skip optional homeschooling activities?

I am too legit to quit.

So, I'm keeping on keeping on.

Right now Alya needs to work most on writing and reading. She also is having a terrible amount of difficulty with following instructions. So....those lessons aren't really photo worthy. If I come up with creative activites for this, I will certainbly share. Right now all I can do is pull out pencils and paper and work with her on tasks. She has the most incredible imagination. I want to help her learn to use it in the world. Writing seems to be the integral means to that end. She is so busy playing, though, that settling down with crayons and paper or a pen and worksheet make her eyes roll.....give her a maze or puzzle to work, though, and you are on to something.

Ben....well, Ben just needs room and board. I seriously have no idea with him. All I know to do with him is to show him the world. Both benefit greatly with our field trips and acitivites. She sucks it all right in too.

After we worked on the letter "K" yesterday, they both wanted to do pinkalicious worksheets (you'll see these more...Alya got a workbook for her birthday and they both love it!)





I know this isn't "school"....or is it??? Icing orange rolls for breakfast:

Twinkle, twinkle

Alya pointed out that we didn't have a star atop our tree yet....so we made one.....

We had an opportunity to visit a local business that was doing a big charity drive for needy children this year. The kids and I have been discussing charity a lot (almost as much as Jesus) with the onset of the season, and, since we cannot give much, we make sure to always give to the Salvation Army buckets when we see them and we will clean out and donate toys to the local thrift soon. I wanted the kids to see all of the wonderful things those "with" were able to give, and it was heartwarming. I was thrilled that my kids never asked to touch or play...and didn't ask if they'd be getting any of those things. Somehow, these lessons seem far more valuable than learning our letters and number and, well, you get the point.

We did do some school work today and a nifty little project that I will share soon.

We'll probably be heavy on the Christmas crafts this month ;)

Rosemary Wreath

This was not one of OUR projects, but was a delightful surprise, crafted by our neighbor's daughter and thoughtfully given to us. I had to share as the season of giving is upon us.

For those of you whose rosemary bushes went wild this year, snip long stems and use them to fashion wreathes. Tie a ribbon and make a beautiful (and wonderful smelling) decoration for your kitchen. When the rosemary dries, simply pluck bits of it for your recipes. BRILLIANT!!!

Turkey Day

It just sounds so....so...sad...poor turkeys. I was a vegetarian for 10 years. Some turkey's death shall not be in vain on my watch this year.

I realized about .4 seconds after our turkey hand paint project that I needed to have the children do something a little less superficial for Thanksgiving. My ideas aren't always novel. Don't read too much into this.

I asked each child to think of something they are thankful for. Ben honestly replied, "my toys". I appreciate that. It was his birthday when we did our project. I explained to Ben that this is a time of the year to reflect on our thankfulness for everything, but, mostly, the special people in our lives. He said his special person is me....awwwww.....Alya said hers is her best friend, Lucy.

I asked them to make something special for the people they love. Here is what they did:





And a video (if it loads) for you all. Alya has a head cold, so she has been asked to rest on the couch with her Cricket remote and a big glass of oj....she didn't protest..



Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Recess

You know what is difficult? Working and taking care of the house and situating things that happen (sticks in eyes, vomiting dogs, people who need you outside of your home) and managing everything that is going on....and then trying to find time for school....

Difficult is an understatement.

So, sometimes, we just play. And, by we, I mostly mean Ben and Alya because I am very easily distracted and led away to do this thing and that thing, and, lately, I have been doing some fill in work, so I am not with the kids as much as I usually am.

That said, I have never denied that play is one of the best learning environments for young children. Alya has the most vibrant imagination I have ever encountered in a child (when asked at ballet class what color butterfly she was, she followed on the numerous pinks and purples with "rainbow sparkle"). Ben is bent on math and art, and they both LOVE GAMES. Their birthday and Christmas presents seem inordinantly unbalanced on the side of ganmes, and, I'm okay with that - and I think they will be too.

I appreciate it is not a lesson. Not for you. What games do your children enjoy the most? Which do they seem to learn the most from?

Fear not about missed learning time. We hiked in a relatively new area yesterday and got to see some amazing fungi, new plants, a ladybug, and got a great view of the world below. Followed by swings and slides and a good night's sleep and I am sure the wiring is abuzz.

Game Time

Ben has been doing math, then photographing it.



Obligatory "hand" turkey pictures...you know, because they were painting and thought it was funny.





I really loved Alya's artwork today. Her imagination is out of this world....and her ways of expression are so unique.




And, since we've been loose and unstructured lately, we did a BIG "field trip" to Chattanooga Market recently followed by a walk along the riverfront.

All I know is they are absorbing, and, I oftentimes think I may not be able to keep up. I get asked why so many times a day that I often have to ask for a no question period during the day, AND I am periodically getting questions I cannot answer. I guess it is okay if the kids and I learn together.

Since we have been so unstructured lately, we've been focusing a lot on reading. I'm just returning to human zone, and I can handle snuggling and reading books. Two of our favorites right now are:

http://www.mowillems.com/
Check out Mo Willems, I Love My New Toy

AND

Scaredy Squirrel

Excellent books!