Our Crazy Adventure Homeschooling

Easing back in

2010-01-05T09:33:00.003-05:00

There has been so much excitement over the holidays that we are going to ease back into school slowly. We keep a loose eclectic/unschooling type of thing going on anyway. The kids just seem worn out so trying to push will just take all the fun out of learning. Another day or two to relax and recover will not hurt anyone.

Light and Love

Happy New Year

2010-01-04T12:25:00.002-05:00

We are still finding what works for us for school but so far we have had an interesting time. We have studied various cultures new and ancient. Reading has taken an interesting turn. We do not limit much with the kids as far as their desire to learn or follow an interest but the hard core anime and manga has been restricted. Forcing our daughter to explore other genres of literature. She loves non fiction as much as she loves fiction. Romantic books, fantasy, a little sci-fi, paranormal, all things she enjoys now. Our son is reading basic words and sentences, he has been trying very hard but not all of the skills have clicked yet. They will when he is ready but for having just turned 5 we aren't worried at all about when he will read on his own. We enjoy reading to him. Math is our son's strong point. Anything number related. I am thinking future engineer or architect maybe? Our daughter is discovering that math is part of every day living and getting better at various types of math. I am happy to say she has gotten over the whole math and science thing is for boys only. If we present math as an everyday thing or in the form of a word problem she breezes right through. Standard rote memorization of facts are just not her learning style.

Science, we really need to do more science. So hubby and I are going to sit down and find something that will really get the kids turned on to science. Writing is going well, our daughter is writing songs, poetry and starting a lot of short stories. She hasn't completed any short stories but has a good start with so many different ideas floating in her head. Our son can write his first and last name and a few words. Like with reading the knowledge is there the light bulb will pop up one of these days and he will take off.

Our daughter is expanding her art repertoire but her two best and preferred mediums are drawing (still experimenting with different utensils) and modeling clay. Her imagination is unbelievable and her skills are really developing. Our son can draw basic shapes, has learned how to mix colors, has a basic understanding of the color wheel and things of that nature.

I am going to add music theory and recorder lessons this semester. While I am a little rusty on it all I am sure it will come back to me. If not I do know someone that can definitely help us out. :)

Hopefully we will be able to get to going to park days regularly and we are looking at various memberships for this year, all with an education basis but still look like a lot of fun. Our goal is to do some kind of exercise for at least one hour per day. We have all gotten rather bottom heavy lately.

Home ec skills are coming along. Everyone can sort their laundry, our daughter can even wash, dry and fold hers (putting away is something else entirely). Basic cooking/baking skills are improving very well. We are going to look at investing in a small sewing machine since our large one is in storage still. Our daughter wants to make her own clothes. This should be a fun project. I think we are also going to work on crocheting and quilting as well.

Light and Love!

First Month of the School Year

2009-09-18T19:02:00.002-04:00

Well, for our first month we got off to a slow start but things have picked up. I am actually happy to hear a comment from our daughter, "But mommy we really didn't do anything." Then we talked about all the work book pages, reading, discussions, adventures and so on we have had so far. Light bulb went off. We found the happy medium between her desire for more structure and learning on an everyday basis through simply living life.

Our son wants more book work now. So we are giving it to him and he is eating everything up. His handwriting wouldn't pass in a public school but for us the fact that he can write his own name is a huge step. He is picking up more words here and there. Number facts continue to hold his attention more than anything else. So all in all we have done so much. I have a loose schedule for covering stuff written down so when it comes time for mid and end of year progress reports they can be done up in education speak.

I have acquired a 35 mm camera, it had been my mom's, so I will start buying film and snapping away at all of our interesting adventures. I am not going to develop pictures just get them put on CD so I can quickly and easily upload them. I am also planning on doing our school pictures since we have been asked by family members. I am thinking of finding a nice blue background to use for different poses and then photoshopping in a variety of backgrounds.

The kids have this week off, so to speak. They are still continuing on their adventures but a nice break from our so called structured learning will be awesome for everyone.

Carl the Cricket and other updates...

2009-09-03T17:23:00.002-04:00

We have a pet cricket, Carl, who lives in the walls of our house. The kids weren't too sure about letting a "bug" live in the house. Then we did some research and found out that mommy was right, not only do crickets bring good luck but they tend to eat the really icky bugs. Now, a praying mantis would be more than welcome as well and they have spent time searching for those elusive creatures.

The kids have spent time creating a frog paradise to attract frogs to live in our driveway. They have spent a great deal of time doing this with friends. They have also been learning about horses and gaining some hands on experience when we visit the local stable.

As for "real school" work, we have been using Core Knowledge Sequences K-8 as a guideline. Lesson plans, I decided, would be done daily. We pick one or two subjects to cover the kids spend the time that they feel they need to on their class work. Relaxed, no pressure, and lots of absorption going on.

Currently we are covering geography and studying maps. The discovery of North America and South America beginning with the vikings and we will be moving to Columbus and other explorers. Plants, animals, and ecosystems for science. DS is learning to write his name and improving his reading skills, working on letters. DD is reading Little Women and writing various stories, that one day she hopes to finish. Math we are back tracking a bit for DD, we did some review and she is having trouble with rounding and estimating. DS is working patterns, adding, and subtracting.

Who says kids don't use their imagination anymore?

2009-08-12T16:58:00.002-04:00

We had a power outage do to a huge thunder storm going through the area. Oh my what are the kids to do? They read, played games, played with blocks and generally loved and annoyed one another.

If there was any concern as to their dependency on electronic products it is pretty well gone. Though DS took a little to understand that many of the things he had planned in his mind to do he was not able to do.

It didn't take much prompting but all is good. The power is obviously back on and they are getting their "show" watching fix at this very moment.

Pokemon and Go Fish and Cooking

2009-08-09T11:43:00.003-04:00

Well, as always I picked DH from work early this morning. Then I got BIL off to his job. I came home to a still sleeping home. I actually felt pretty well rested this morning so instead of dreading cleaning the house and doing laundry I got right to it. I even got to take a shower all by myself.

I was posting my accomplishments on facebook and thinking of chilling out when a little voice from the other side of the parental bed calls out softly..."Good morning mommy. May I have some apple juice please?" Eyes are still closed but he digs out a sippy cup from last night. Eeewww..ok..so I go and put the icky sippy cup in the sink (knowing there will be another sink load once the household completely wakes up) and grabs a clean one and fills it with apple juice. The next thing I hear is, "Mommy I gotta pee". This is a necessary announcement at every occurrence of this bodily function. We meet up in the living room. Naked boy crawls into my lap, grabs his sippy cup and snuggles give me my morning love while sucking down juice at what could be an alarming rate.

"Can we watch Dinosquad and play Pokemon? I have some pretend Pokemon you can battle with." Sure why not. This goes on for about 15 minutes. We tire quickly of Pokemon and grab a deck of playing cards. Three rounds later of Go Fish and we are bored. TV is nothing but backgroud noise at this point.

"Hey Bubby, want to help mommy cook?" "Yeah! Yeah!" So we venture into the kitchen he grabs his chair and drags it across the tile floor. Oh yeah, can we say fingernails on the chalk board? He is in position and I start grabbing all the ingredients for tonights dinner, home made cream of chicken soup and sandwiches are the plan. We peel, cut, dice, pour, etc. Once everything is in the crock pot to simmer all day, we clean up.

DD wakes up and drags herself down the hallway. This creates much excitement as the little guy just loves his "sissy". He attacks her and hugs her despite the protests. Normally DS wakes up cheerful and ready to start the day bouncing and chipper. DD is very much like her mommy, grumpy until the blood starts flowing. DS recounts his morning so far and then asks for left over noodles from last night for dinner. With some assistance he "cooks" them himself. DD has her bowl of cereal, she has said that she cannot start her day without a bowl of cereal. Fruit is passed out, strawberries and bananas.

They have settled on the couch for now to watch one of DD's shows on netflix. They will snuggle and sit quietly through one maybe two episodes. Then the bickering will begin. I am trying to think of a lovely outdoor activity for us all to do. DH wants me to wake him up in the early afternoon so that we can do something as a family. BIL gets off work at 330 so I may just let him sleep until then and we will go to the park later this afternoon or maybe just chill outside by the wading pool.

For now, I am going to blog a bit more and then perhaps relax and read a book.

Lesson Planning and organizing

2009-08-08T09:30:00.002-04:00

It is tax free weekend and while public school parents are scurrying around trying to fill those lovely supply lists. The cashier was a bit surprised when I showed up with an armful of 15 cent spiral bound notebooks, pencils, and pens. The arts and crafts stuff we had just replenished a couple of weeks ago. "Honey, didn't you find your school's supply list?" I told her I had it in my head what my kids needed and that their school didn't do a supply list. "Even the private schools have supply lists. Did you not find what you needed?" Oh I found everything that was needed, we home school, so I am just taking advantage of the sale to keep my supplies up. "Oh, I see." I ignored the tone in her voice that really said, "Oh you are one of those people." I just smiled and got my debit card ready for swiping. Trying to encourage her politely to just scan my items and let me go.

Well, we are pretty well supplied for things now, or at least I hope so. The next step is taking all those lovely lesson plans I have been looking at, gathering up free resources and setting about planning our school year. It almost feels like we have come full circle, though I now know we can change, adapt, and be creative in our approach. If this whole routine/structure thing doesn't work out well we will go back to a much more relaxed approached.

Bodies are stirring, breakfast is being desire, and I am still not done writing. Hopefully, I will get a chance later on. I think we will spend the morning finishing house work and then go to the park, come home, have lunch and then jump into the wading pool.

Everyone wanted to start "school" next week, but I am no where near ready yet. I did have to wipe a tear from my eye last night. My darling son got excited about school but then looked at me with terror in his eyes. "Mommy, I don't want to go away to school, I want to stay home with you!" I smiled and explained to him that he didn't have to go away all day to do school things. He did lose the desire to ride the school bus the end of the public school term this past year when he saw a bunch of kids fighting on the bus and continuing to fight as they got off the bus. Not that he can't or won't defend himself. Not that he isn't into playing kicking evil bad guy butt, but generally speaking he is a lover not a fighter. I am so glad we will be able to ensure that he is learning in an environment of his own choosing where he feels safe.

Well, off to get breakfast done and a few other household chores.

The Beauty of Homeschooling

2009-08-06T12:03:00.002-04:00

The beauty of homeschooling is that you can adjust what you are doing for your kids. My daughter has wanted to give structured learning a try. So we are off to the library today to check out some Core Knowledge books and look for other learning resources. We have struggled with when to start all of this. Well, no reason to wait so as of Monday we will be starting our curriculum as it will be put together this weekend.

I had originally collected a whole lot of information on creating your own curriculum and had even started putting my own together. So I am going to go with a lot of information I have already collected. I am looking for totally free resources and such. One of the best resources that I have is Clickschooling. So we will be pulling from all of that. I am going to use the free version of homeschool tracker for tracking and grading. It should be interesting after a year of deschooling/unschooling.

As for our son he has such a strong desire to really learn to read that we are going to focus on that for now. Along with some other projects and studies for him. He wanted to go to school but really likes mommy being his teacher.

I still consider us unschoolers, we are just adjusting to our children's requests.

Well, off to the library and then grocery store. I will give little examples of curriculum that I create as I get them done.

What we have been doing this summer.

2009-08-03T16:59:00.003-04:00

We have done a lot of simple things, just living life day to day. We have spent time at the park, on the beach and down on the marsh in Murrell's Inlet. The kids have been discovering various and sundry talents, passions, and interests.

Claire has rediscovered books other than graphic novels, she is currently enjoying Wind in the Willows which I read to her sitting under a willow tree last year. She is seeing it in a different light. She is very interested in learning more about fashion and becoming a make up artist. She has also spent time developing her own story and writing a bit here and there.

Morgan has been learning to read, count, build, and play cards. He has developed a passion for photography that just doesn't seem to want to quit. He photographs everything with an old cell phone. I think for his birthday he will get a kid's digital camera. He is also dictating short stories.

What do you have planned for this summer?

2009-06-07T10:13:00.002-04:00

My kids are starting to enjoy answering this question. "The same thing we do everyday!! We try to take over the world!" Yes we are Pinky and the Brain fans. Having started the transition down the path of unschooling our summer is really going to be no different than any other day of the year. We have some plans for various activities going on in the area. Living in a tourist arena we have learned to time our travel plans to when traffic is least congested and have spent time discovering all the free activities that are used to lure in vacationers.

We may be adding more interests on various days depending on what the kid are into. We are doing more fun sciencey type things since we have the microscope. So far we found a piece of seaweed that washed up on the beach as a storm was coming in. We have not officially identified it, it is very tubular and we think it might be codium, though it would have to be a "hairless" species. Coastal water studies have a huge interest right now with the kids. Including plant and animal life, understanding tides, currents, etc.

Reading continues, the little man is working hard to learn letter sounds and words, he really wants to be able to read the instructions on games by himself. He also wants to be able to chat in game with other people.

We have made it a firm decision to continue going to the Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics. The kids really enjoy their time there. Typically we stop by the library afterward. Mondays are our definite library days with this Monday being sign up for the Summer Reading program, both kids are very interested in it, I think for the pretty cool prizes but still they already read enough to be able to do quite well.

Daddy is here for the summer so they have their PaPa to hang out with and go places. He is adjusting to the concept of homeschooling, slowly but he is getting there. He is seeing how happy the kids are and how much they already know.

Their knowledge base has caused some friction with a few public school kids in the neighborhood. It has been used as a joke but apparently their expansive vocabulary has been an issue. A couple of parents complained that they need to learn to use smaller words when talking to regular people and show off. I shrugged and said something pithy which I cannot remember now to save my life. Claire has decided that she needs to seek out more people like herself. So we are going to look at starting a Manga club locally. She doesn't think she should speak any different or be someone other than herself to have friends. Quite an accomplished thought for a 10 year old just out of public school.

Well the house is moving so I need to go for a bit.

Light and Love!!

Oh..right Light and Love doesn't go with twisted deviant homeschooling mom!!

It has been quite a while

2009-05-31T12:22:00.005-04:00

I have gotten bogged down in lots of things but life has continued to flow peacefully from one moment to the next. The kids are blossoming into beautiful little people. My daughter has entered the early stages of womanhood and everyday I see more and more of the intelligent, compassionate young woman she will be. An extension of the very traits she has now but with more growth as time passes.

My son is growing and learning and exploring so much. He is even more mobile now than he was a few weeks ago. He has his first bike. Tonka Tough picked out by DH. It was a rough start but now he couldn't think of going anywhere in the neighborhood without it. He surprises me everyday with the amount of things that he learns simply by living. We were on our way to pick up his uncle from work the other day and he was talking about "Hocktogons". It took a minute for me to realize what he was saying, he pointed out a stop sign and it dawned on me. Octagon. He went on to tell me how many sides it has and how many sides other polygons had. I asked him where he learned all that. Apparently his Bakugan friend had some geometry homework and he sat and listened while his friend completed it. He finds it all so facinating.

Claire has discovered her singing voice and is practicing constantly. She has also discovered new novels. She picked up a book I had recently read where the main character is a young girl who was raised by her brothers and learned the old ways, druidism. Of course this has lead her to learning more about druidism, wicca and other similar pagan paths. Leading to larger and more theoretical discussions and studies of spiritualism. She is slowly finding her way to her own spiritual path. Imagine the surprise on her face when she realized that mommy and daddy are of course well outside the main stream. Will she actually follow the pagan path that we walk, only time will tell. But at least for now she is expanding her borders past traditional Judeochristian thoughts and realizing that there are hundreds of other religions and spiritual beliefs out there.

We have gone to our second Lowe's Build and Grow clinic. The kids are really enjoying these and plan to attend as many as they can. This last one they built ready to go kits. Little boxes that it was recommended to have emergency things in, in case of evacuation. Morgan has placed his Bakugan cards in his and Claire is using hers for keepsakes. Still they love building and creating things. DH bought a bandsaw recently at a yard sale and the three of them have been looking at projects that they can do together.

DH and I spoke at length about the changes that have been happening within the family, especially me and the kids. He admitted his parenting beliefs are entrenched in traditional parenting but is willing to make an effort to relax them. he has started following Jeff Sabo's blog about being an unschooling dad and has been reading Sandra Dodd's site, as well as Joyce Fetterol's. I also tend to read to him current threads from AlwaysLearning Yahoo Group and Unschoolingbasics Yahoo Group. I often forward him the threads as well. His time with the kids has been limited by working night shift and sleeping a good portion of the day. So he his creating more time with them to get to know them and explore and understand how the dynamics of our relationships are evolving. He is seeing how it all works and is really beginning to come into his own as an unschooling dad. We all still have a long way to go, well DH and I do, but doing this together makes it even better.

I am off to walk with Morgan while he rides his bike and then we are going to splash around in the wading pool. Claire wants to go play with her friends without a tag a long today. DH is waking up so he will probably join Morgan and me.

Light and Love!!

The Hawk has been released

2009-05-18T14:47:00.003-04:00

I am sorry I have not kept up anyone updated on the status of the young hawk. He was successfully released back into the wild last week. Walmart did call me to let me know that they felt they did all that was possible. Yes, it is a felony to capture wild life, however that is why we have people in the area who are licensed and specialize in wild life rescue and rehab. We also have a wonderful state department of natural resources for assistance.

Other than that news we have been having some very peaceful days at home. Morgan is exploring the written word and learning to read. Claire has come further out of her shell and is a happier child. We have filed our end of year report so technically by state standards we are on summer vacation.

Light and Love!

Walmart Management Has no conscience

2009-05-11T23:56:00.001-04:00

Our local Walmart store has shown that their management has no conscience what so ever. I will be cross posting this on my other blog and social networking accounts. While shopping Thursday evening, May 7, 2009 a hawk found its way into our local store (#2712, Seaboard Street, Myrtle Beach, SC). The associates chased it with large fishing nets and the local police department had been called. The PD said that there was nothing that they can do. I asked a nearby associate if they were going to call a wildlife rescuer. Well when I was in this evening the hawk was still there. Little access to food and or water, if any access at all. He was sleeping above the shoe department.

I have since sent emails out to the local wildlife rescuers, local newspaper and news station. This is disturbing and cruel. To do nothing and endanger the life of this hawk. I will keep on top of this to see if someone will rescue this beautiful bird. At this point I refuse to shop at this particular store. I have also sent an email off to corporate offices and will be sending one to the local store as well. 4 days is more than sufficient time for them to have found a reasonable solution other than standing by and doing nothing.

I have said it before but I will say it again and mean it. I will not shop at this particular store and possible never at Walmart again. There are plenty of other stores around that carry the same if not better merchandise.

Lowe's Grow and Build Clinic

2009-05-10T14:15:00.006-04:00

Yesterday we had an exciting morning. All the kids knew was that we had to be some where early in the morning. Anything before noon most days is early morning. So we had breakfast and piled in the car and headed out. As we pulled into our local Lowe's Home Improvement Store the kids got excited. This is a favorite store in our family. They really didn't have a clue until I asked the lady at the return desk where the clinic was. They built beautiful little wooden planters and got pretty flower plants and ornamental grass to go in them. They got to keep their aprons and safety goggles, they earned little certificates and badges that mommy needs to sew on to their aprons. We are scheduled to go back in two for the next clinic. They decided that they wanted to keep going to each one. Claire worked fairly independently other than needed an extra hand to hold two sides. Morgan followed the picture directions and did get frustrated that he could not read most of the words. So he has decided that he needs to learn more words so he can learn to read directions by himself.

Here are some pics from yesterday.

What do Little Red Riding Hood, Bakugan and Manga all have in common?

2009-05-06T22:50:00.002-04:00

My kids!!! They are putting together their own version of Little Red Riding Hood play. Momma is doing costumes and I think there are a couple of neighborhood kids who have been shang highed in to participating as well. Once we have a performance date available I will let everyone know. My daughter is making official invites for special people she thinks should attend.

I thought Magic the Gathering was hard to learn at first, but let me tell you Bakugan is confusing, at least to my adult mind. LOL However, I have now put Bakugan wall paper, screen saver, etc on my machine much to the delight of my little man. Some might call this an obsession in such a young child, almost an addiction. I call it passion. He is so intent, I have learned what I can but he has found a mentor in our new neighbor, I have a mentor as well, a very considerate young man that I email my questions to. Our new neighbor said that someone older taught him to play other games at 4 years old so he felt it only right to take young Morgan under his wing and teach him the ins and outs of Bakugan. My house has become a playing field with gate cards, ability cards and brawlers all over the place.

Manga, Manga, Manga!! There are manga books, shows, movies, stories, art work, you name it. Yep we are deeply entrenched in Manga Anime. My daughter's world revolves around it but it has lead to other interests. She is determined that when she is ready to she wants to go to Japan. So she has been studying the language, culture, you name it. What is interesting is it has lead to her interest in China as well. I love watching her giggle and laugh as she watches her shows, sometimes there are tears. She has her absolute favorites and these are characters she admires. We talk about it and while I am not a fan of this genre in any form, I am a fan of my daughter. She becomes so engrossed in it all sometimes that it takes a bit to get her attention. Though once we have it it is wonderful to discuss all the topics that come out of it.

I guess I am still a bit in school think and definitely not completely deschooled myself. Though we are continuing to move more and more into unschooling lifestyle. Saying yes more, interacting and being with our children and not just in the same room but actually enjoying and sharing their interests with them. My daughters desire to learn about Japan and China have rekindled intersts that I have long since burried because they wouldn't have made a good career choice. My parents had my best interests at heart but I do wish I had followed my passions more. So I am. I love my art, writing, and other things. But in thinking of a career I have come to realize that I have one right now. I am the Director of Chaos aka wife and mom. I love it, it is my passion. However, I am doing more to study ancient cultures, civilizations, etc and the best part is I am sharing this with my family.

Light and Love!!

Perceptions of childhood

2009-05-04T09:45:00.003-04:00

This is probably just a continuation of my thoughts from yesterday but there have been some trends going on that just bother me completely. We do not have to delve far back into our ancestry to figure out that societal views of children have changed drastically. We have become a country that basis its general ideology on popular culture (pop culture for short). We have allowed ourselves to be influenced by what we are told is the best thing for us since sliced bread. If we don't buy this and if we don't buy that then how are we to measure our success. We have been applying this same thinking to our children.

Step back some where between 20 and 30 years ago. We had already left the family farms behind the generation just prior to that. We had become full industrialized. Enter the technology era. Enter "hype" or "hysterical" news broadcasts. Ratings went up the more sensational the news. Commercials showing how hot, sexy, and cool it is to own the latest technology. The push to have kids enter kindergarten so that they could be on top of the job market, that was actually changing rapidly from factory to technology. Realize that even to date only a handful of states actually require kindergarten. Many require localities to offer it but it is not required. At this time Headstart was coming into being, its goal originally was to offer some advantages to the lowest of the socioeconomic classes. Children whose parents may not even have a GED, poverty stricken and typically there was substance or alcohol abuse at home. Most of these programs were originally aimed at inner city children where the problems seemed to be concentrated. If you lived in suburbia or rurally you were "lucky" to have a program.

Nursery school and become day care and preschool options as both parents had to enter the workforce in order to keep up with the Jones'. Inflation and economic problems of the mid to late 70's never really went away, they were masked by a bull market on wall street and around the world (pre-cursor to today's economic strife). So the need to find someone to watch our and actually raise our children became a commodity. The push to make sure that our children were prepared to enter the growing competitive job market so they could have the big house, big mortgage, expensive gas hog car, etc.

For most people my age this was when it began, we may have already been in school and it was those of our generation that were a bit younger that really began to feel the push. Children were once again a commodity. Left more and more to their own devices with stricter rules and harsher punishments for not meeting standards, not set by our parents but by society. The push to be on the college track became harsher. You must graduate high school and either go to college or go to trade school. You had to work hard to get that high paying job because look at all the things you can buy. A false sense of security was created, you could get the training, the piece of paper and all would be well. Companies began to push for degrees and specified training making it even more competitive.

Now jobs are almost non-existent. Leisure time is really not leisure time. Kids are being pushed harder and younger to get top grades, learn to read, do busy work aka homework and they are burning out faster and younger. Drop out rates, suicide rates and other factors of a deragatory nature have increased since then.

School became a place of being politically correct, basically we don't want to offend anyone anywhere. Schools became a place where children were learning their personal values. Parents have been encouraged to seek their own time without the kids because there will be someone else to watch them. The break down of the family has ensued. Not because of a lack of scripture in the school but because of the encouragement to let others raise our children. To let the state dictate how they should think, how we as parents and adults should think. We should shun those that are different or who have the backbone to stand up and say hey this isn't right, I can make my own decisions.

Thinking outside the box is discouraged. Disparity between classes has grown, there is a vanishing middle class, we are returning to a time of Upper and Lower class only. We have allowed our children to become that which many of were taught is wrong.

How does this ramble pertain to its title so far? Well, if we (my now 30 something generation) have been taught to let no obstacle stand in our way to fulfill what has become the American Dream where does that leave our children? With strangers, nonfamily members almost from birth. We continue to pursue our dreams and feel that we only need provide the basic life sustaining needs to our children. With little or no compassion or room for them to explore the world. We have been put in a box and we have put our kids in a box. We only have time for them at our convenience. Their needs going unmet they seek out their peers and others whose values are no where near what we would like to see our children exhibit. Yet when they do we punish them for their behavior. Their selfish, self loathing behavior. So of course when are rushed for instant gratification we have been taught is our right, something we are entitled to, then our kids want the same. However, young children have always wanted instant gratification their world is narrow it pertains to themselves. what are now considered preschoolers (20-30 years ago a 4 years was still a toddler and preschoolers didn't exist) are expected to behave as little adults.

Kids are no longer allowed to be kids, we have been indoctrinated to believe that the only way to succeed is to cram as many facts and figures down children's throats as inhumanly possible. We also have been indoctrinated to believe that we only have to provide basic necessities to kids and they have to earn the rest of it. Well after all didn't we have to earn all that? How many of us actually had to work real hard for things growing up? Not many to be honest. Our parents loved us unconditionally and didn't feel the need to bribe us to do things. We did it because we loved and respected our parents. They took notice of how we felt, what things made us excited, etc and provided them. If you weren't perfect it was ok. Now perfection is a must, you must make your parents see you as a little human not as a second class citizen only to be recognized for successes and failures. But aren't our children's success, failures, happiness, etc a reflection of our own needs, wants and desires? When we tell them we have signed them up for music lessons, sports activities, etc because it is good for them. Are we really doing them a favor or are we living vicariously through them? Public school kids are rushed from school to one activity after another and then still have to have a meal, get home work done and find time to sleep. There are many homeschooling families that really are no different. School all morning, this activity and that activity. OMG the kids want to watch TV, we just can't let that happen. we must control it too.

WE MUST CONTROL OUR KIDS OUR WE LOSE THEM TO...TO...TO... To what I ask? That they might need to chill out and relax a bit? That they might be interested in or passionate about something that we don't think matters? Think back on your childhood. Think back to those things you were really interested in but were discouraged from because some adult said it was a waste of time, it wasn't going to land you the job you needed to buy stuff, what ever excuse.

Think about how we were actually controlled coerced into doing things we really didn't want to. Sorry but my generation has been the one to most frequently change jobs/careers. Why? because we weren't happy. The things we set out to become became childhood fancy. We were discouraged from following our hearts and dreams and making them a reality. Why should foist these same misconceptions on our children? Why should we send them away to someone else to teach at younger and younger ages? Why don't we just take our children back and say we have had enough?

Fear, being different from societal norm makes people afraid. Where is the support? What will people think? If most of you haven't figures out by now, I really don't give much of a hoot what other people thik. Well, less now than ever. We need to stand up for our children and stand beside them and support their dreams and passions. We need to love them no matter what they do. We need to show them that it is ok to mess up but that we will be there beside them no matter what. We need to make sure that our children love and respect us by showing them the same. So what if they won't clean their room, eat the veggies or whatever mundane thing we expect of them. Go clean their room if it really bothers you and guess what they will eat veggies when they are ready. Live in the moment, the here and now and share life and explore the world with your kids. The future will take care of itself, besides who can guarantee that tomorrow will ever come?

Parenting Peacefully and Joyfully

2009-05-03T22:47:00.003-04:00

The title is stolen, I will admit it, they are words I have heard and read over and over again on unschooling websites and on discussion groups. But I have truly begun to take those discussions and readings into my own life. When reading a thread on another group that I belong to and listening to how I actually used to think about parenting coming from other people, some days I cringe. Then I run and hug my kids and kiss them. The love and trust that we are developing with our kids is amazing. By letting go of many traditional parenting ideas, theories, methods, what have yous, we have begun to live happier lives.

As it was pointed out to me and others, it is the moments that count, not the days. Every moment is precious, not all are good, but they are precious. More and more of our moments are peaceful. There are still times where I find myself reverting back. I will actually announce now that I am having a "moment" and need to walk away. Sometimes it is just 5 minutes to regain my cool and my patience, sometimes it is longer. But walking away now instead of yelling, ranting, and raving is working so much better. Kids do not feel safe when we yell at them. They do not feel loved, trusted or respected. I remind myself and anyone who asks, they are little humans with the same rights as us big humans. They may not have the years of experiences that we have but that is part of our job is to share those experiences with them, to guide them through life.

Life for a child shouldn't focus on being an adult. They will get there when the time is right. It should focus on the things that mean something to them. They will learn what they need as they need it. I used to think that the only way for a child to learn responsibility was to give them some. Then the fight was on, the battle to get them to do what I wanted them to do. It has finally dawned on me that just as I have the right to say no so do they. On the occasion that I cannot give them the choice that they want (such as staying in bed in the wee hours of the morning because we share 1 car with 3 grown ups and there are scheduling conflicts) I find I am getting more cooperation because they have been given plenty of times where they can choose alternatives. I do not have to fight with them to get the have tos done, because they know and understand the difference now. When there are choices they get them.

There was an excellent article passed around on a couple of my groups today from the NY Times. http://www.nytimes. com/2009/ 05/03/magazine/ 03wwln-lede- t.html. I love the part in there where they compare Slow Foods to Slow School. It is an insight into how we are making kids overly stressed and really about limiting their choices by sending them to school earlier and earlier. Definitely well worth the read.

Well we are changing our routine slightly and it is time for me to go snuggle with my babies and watch a movie. Morgan will drift off to sleep with me and Claire will slowly extract herself from the snuggle and slip off to her own bed. On the nights that Morgan decides to sleep in his own bed, Claire will remain in bed with me for quite some time, though she eventually goes to her own. The nights that DH are home there isn't necessarily much difference. Imagine our surprise to find out there was name for what we do and we weren't the only parents completely spoiling our kids by holding them when they cried as infants and allowing them into our beds.

Light and Love!

What would the world be like without ice cream?

2009-04-21T19:14:00.002-04:00

Well we wouldn't have had a blast today going to Ben and Jerry's free cone day. We got to support our local chapter of Miracle League. Enjoy the world's best ice cream and climbing on dinosaurs. Of course Morgan wanted to have another cone but settled for feeding the pair of mallards on the strip the rest of his cone (sans ice cream). He enjoyed watching the ducks go in and out of the shops at Broadway Station, we were certain they were going to buy t-shirts at one point from Fric and Frac's. Claire sat and watched people. A hobby she is starting to develop. She likes watching how they interact and trying to guess where some of the tourists are from.

We did make a return trip so Uncle Randy could get his cone after work as well. While waiting for him to come out we sat at the same table as before and Morgan befriended a young lady. He started talking about ice cream and his love chocolate (not that it was hard to tell what his favorite ice cream was, he was wearing some on his face). Then he pointed to the older lady in the group and asked his new friend if that was her sister, turns it out it was grandma and grandma fell in love Morgan. Then he pointed to the young lady sitting next to his new friend and asked the same question and found it was just a friend. He was sorry she didn't have a sister they are pretty cool. This got a blush from his own sister who had just complained earlier what a pain he could be and she gave him a big hug and he kissed her cheek and introduced her to his new friend. Uncle Randy came out of the shop and it was time to go. The little gentleman got down from his seat and walked around the table to plant a chocolaty kiss on his new friend's cheek. She blushed, giggled and asked if she could keep him he was so cute. Claire responded a definite no that he belonged to her and smiled proudly. He waved and said good bye, his attention turning to finding the dinosaur statues we had seen earlier because he wanted to ride stegosaurus and t-rex.

And that is how a completely unsocialized unschooler behaves in public.

Fun, Fun, Fun!!

2009-04-19T22:21:00.006-04:00

The kids and I spent the day down at Market Commons. This was day two of an Art in the Park series featuring jewelry both commercial and artisan. There were some local folks down there, which for us is always a joy. We strong believe in supporting local artisans, farms, etc. We had never walked around the shops before so we spent time doing that and of course throwing pennies into the fountains.

We spent some time feeding birds on the lake. The kids discovered a nesting goose and spent quite a bit of time with her including getting to watch her turn her eggs and fluff her nest. We actually got some pictures of this, even the gander stood and posed for us. Then we spent the rest of our day at the playground, while others kids came and went ours were there for the duration. We just simply enjoyed being out and about.

This last photo was from when we went kite flying. I finally remembered to pull it from my phone.

I haven't taken the time to make any adjustments to these photos yet. But hopefully I will later on and then post those instead.

Passions

2009-04-18T06:48:00.002-04:00

I just absolutely love using the word passion to describe how the kids feel about their interests. When you think about it, it is totally appropriate. They become so focused on their interests it is really a passion, not just a passing phase, though some interests come and go, there are some that seem to remain constant.

For Claire it is her love of all things artsy, crafty, and involving anything creative. Allowing her to follow anything she is passionate about has built a new self esteem in her. It takes me by surprise at times because she had become so withdrawn and well mousy. But I catch a glimpse of the young lady she will become one day. Her jewelry designs are becoming something else. I took someone's suggestion and avoided the kiddie beading kits and got her a "grown" up collection of tools of the trade. She is still designing Barbie dresses and wants to learn more about designing doll jewelry and clothing, specifically Barbie stuff. She wants to design some of her own clothes and wants to create anime costumes, however, Barbie clothing and jewelry has really caught her eye. Her other passion is wanting to do her part in saving the Earth. So we have begun researching what it would take to set up a community garden and use it as a possible recycle location. It will be a lot of work but she so wants to be involved in the community so we will make it happen.

For Morgan it is his love of all things involving numbers, logic and strategy. He loves to play "Get" aka City of Heroes/Villains. He loves counting and solving problems and building. His most recent new passion is Bakugan. And thanks to a sweet young man I am learning about Bakugan as well so that I can learn about brawling and what we need to learn to do it. Morgan has become extremely passionate about Bakugan more than he ever was about Ben10. He still wholly believes in kicking "evil bad" guy butt.

Watching my kids grow and live peacefully and joyfully is amazing. I do not know why we didn't think of going this route earlier. We have not eliminated conflicts within the family, I don't think you can ever totally eliminate that, but we are much more at peace. The grown ups are developing their passion for just living and enjoying life. Thinking and solving problems outside the box, living and loving. This is what life should be.

Are we worried about our children's future? Well, yes, I think most parents do worry. However, having children and learning to live through the unschooling philosophy is almost like having a second chance at childhood. We get the chance to see everything brand new again through the eyes of our children. The simplicity and logic that they see in the world is refreshing. I know for myself personally letting go of the cynical, jaded view I have developed is hard, but by the same token it is bringing peace into my life. I have found what I am passionate about and it was there in front of me the whole time, my family.

Balloons, Easter, and other random thoughts

2009-04-13T15:49:00.004-04:00

Well, we celebrated spring yesterday with baskets of chocolate and kite flying. The kite flying was ok, not quite enough wind but we still had a blast. Ok except for when DS's got caught in two different trees. The first time a neighbor rescued it with his ladder and a long pipe and the second time I was able to get it out on my own. It does stink to be short! Then we went to the park. The fasicnation was soon over in light of the playground equipment and other kids playing. We watched some RC car enthusiasts race their cars over the track that was there. This caught DS's attention for a bit. DD went egg hunting with some friends while DS played with his best bud. DH and I enjoyed some time together.

The day before while I was doing grocery shopping and gathering basket stuff, most call it Easter we just decided it was a good day to celebrate spring. I spent time listening to parents attempt to out do each other on "Easter presents". I am still not sure when this tradition started. I also spent time listening to how parents were interacting with their children. It was not that long ago that I was all about controlling their every moment, movement, etc. While I had gone out by myself I am also quite confident that I wouldn't have had half the problems the other parents were having. Having allowed myself to trust them and their instincts and let them make their own choices has done quite a bit to change their behavior and mine. The temptation to run around, grabbing stuff and generally trying to catch my attention has stopped, for the most part. Simply because they have my full attention now. Simply because if something catches their eye in the store, any store, I am willing to stop what I am doing to see what it is.

Well it wasn't and isn't simple. Baby steps for changes. I did enough shockingly big changes in the beginning that everything else is taking baby steps. But we are more relaxed, enjoying each other's company and life in general.

We still have some rough days. This evening for example, my daughter had a meltdown. Getting to the root cause of the meltdown took some time. Apparently because we had not had our mommy/claire time as we normally do, she was feeling out of sorts. This happened for a number of reasons. Once she had calmed down and realized that she wasn't going to get yelled at by anyone for her meltdown and that we actually worked to make sure her little brother didn't interrupt the time and support she asked for, she was able to tell me what was really wrong. Meltdowns and tantrums are symptoms of sometimes a larger problem. At least a larger problem in the view of a child. I had let her down, broke a trust. I am very happy that she allowed me to sit with her while she got her emotions under control so that she could explain to me what was really bothering her. In the past I would have just yelled at her to get over herself and sent her to her room as a punishment. Patience and understanding on my part made it more of a recovery than a punishment.

So we have planned some activities for tomorrow to do just us girls. She shared some things from her shows, books and writings with me. There were some concepts that were a little mature for her that she did not understand so we talked about them and she understands them now. It did lead to a discussion of sexuality which caused some giggling but did lead to a better understanding. Apparently one of the anime movies she was watching had some explicit scenes in it and she wanted to know if they were normal and have a few other related things explained. But the important part is that she felt she trusted me enough to ask the questions and that she was comfortable enough to listen to the explanations.

Balloons! Well momma had the bright idea of including little packages of water balloons in the spring baskets. I should have looked at the weather to see if we could use them right away. Patience is not a virtue of a 4 yr old boy and well really not of a 10 yr old little girl either. So they have been blowing up the balloons and using sissy's hair to create static electricity and stick them all over the house. It is lovely to step out of a room and not know that you are going to step on one of these colorful items and have it pop.

Well, it has actually taken me two days to write this post, I slipped in here to just quickly finish it up and all, so here goes. It may or may not make sense. LOL Oh well!

Light and Love!

A Turtle!!

2009-04-11T12:07:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, after having had a very long day. We had to get DH from work and take BIL to work. The kids didn't want to go with me to pick up their uncle. None of us had had much sleep, it was also payday so we had some errands to run. Well on my way down the road out of the neighborhood I saw a turtle trying to cross the road. One care almost ran him over. So I stopped, accidentally blocking a driveway and scooped him up. I took him home for the kids to see, with the understand that when I got back we would deposit him on the opposite side of the road to continue his journey.

The kids had a blast. DD jumped on the internet and went about identifying him. We believe he is a yellow belly slider. They had a blast watching him crawl around in the box we let him borrow. When I got back home we scopped him up and the kids sat in the back seat of the car with him in the middle. He must have felt very comfortable because he tried to take off. The kids took turns hold him and talking to him. We set him down directly across the road from where I found him and then watched as he made his toward to a small pond in someone's back yard. The kids were excited and realized that he is very camouflaged because if we hadn't been watching him we would have never watched his triumphant journey through the yard.

So now they are talking to DH about getting a terrarium and setting it up as a habitat for frogs, lizards and turtles. He is unsure of where to put it, I smiled and said what is wrong with the breakfast bar by their computer. I got that look that said you are not helping and I just laughed. He finally figured out that I have every intention of setting up a science experiment on habitats since we are not allowed to have pets of any kind in the house.

So today's project is going to be learning more about which animals would do well together and how big of a tank we are going to need to create a lovely little amphibian/reptile habitat and from what part of the world they will have originated. Right now some kind of tropical rain forest habitat is running in the forefront!

Socialization!! Why is everyone so worried about it?

2009-04-09T20:30:00.003-04:00

One of my dad's biggest concerns is that our kids will not get enough or proper socialization. When asked to explain his definition, basically be exposed to mean kids who have no self respect therefore they do not respect others. Well why would I want to make sure some one hurt my kids' feelings to make them grow up strong?

Well no worries on that count because adults and children like that are around us everywhere. My kids have had some problems with a couple of neighborhood bullies. These are older kids and of course they target the 4 yr old first and when 10 yr old sticks up they attack her as well. What was bad this evening is that 10 yr old's girlfriend turned on her as well to run with the crowd. All over a butterfly net and some water guns (by the way these belonged to my kids who are willing to share and take turns with their friends).

First it was some kids coming over and taking off with the butterfly net because they were allowed to use it the other day. Not a problem, please ask first next time and I am sorry but Morgan wants to use his net right now so could we have it back. But we were trying to catch frogs with it. Well, your turn is over and the owner wants it back, might be different if you had asked first. They sulked off pouting because I didn't give in to their demands but was babying the baby.

Then they road their bikes around the corner and were standing in our drive way where DS was shooting his water gun waiting for butterflies to show up or something else he thought he could catch. The shout of hey watch it and quit shooting me with the water gun came out. Again momma bear steps up and says well, first of all, again he is 4 yrs old. Secondly, it his driveway and if you don't like what he is doing you can move or leave. But he isn't doing anything wrong. Well, they went home to their parents, the parents apparently discussed things and one of the kids' dad was appointed spokesman.

Of course we are the crazy freaky homeschooling family who is letting their children run wild. Uummm..yeah ok. My fairly docile, fun loving kids who have sweet dispositions and respect for themselves, other people, etc. I shouldn't be so mean to their kids. I need to teach my kids not to bother kids when they say stop even if they are at their own home and not in someone else's yard. Well, hhmm..excuse me but you can't dictate to me or my kids especially when they are in the sanctity of their own home or yard. Secondly, I am rather tired of the 4 yr old getting picked on by the bigger kids. So I am the over protective mom who won't let her kids toughen up for the real world. Some words were exchanged and the gentleman was asked to leave to continue to raise his children his way and me mine. And to inform the other parent, a mom, and any others that they are welcome to come and talk to me themselves if they feel the need however, as long as things happen in my yard I have final say so on that. Good Day.

Momma sat outside and played water guns with her littles. We had a blast. I had to go in to take care of a few things for dinner as tummies were getting grumbly. Not 5 mins later the kids from the neighborhood were back, borrowing our water guns without asking and then yelling at the 4 yr old for squirting. Well they were across the street. So I said to come home to play guns. The local teenage "bad boy" or at least so he thinks and his girlfriend were involved. He threatened to break all the water guns if he got squirted again. He took the 4 yr old's gun and through it, his "girlfriend" had one and was squirting him. 4 yr old hit him. Not the response I would hope for but after all what can a 4 yr old do against a kid 10 yrs older and 3 times his size. Well, I called for all of our things to be brought home. The girlfriend "I didn't do nothing." HHmmm..public school grammar, I love it. Well, yes you did honey you through the gun down (cheap walmart $1 guns they break easily but still a ton of fun). You took the gun without asking, etc. Parents of the older boy pull up, now his little brother is welcome any time, sweet as sugar. I informed them of what happened and basically was told to teach my 4 yr old some respect. Ok whatever, I am not looking to fight with the neighbors, I just want my kids to feel and be safe and their things to be left alone unless they choose to share.

Well, DD is very hurt because hanging out with the older girl is her friend who had become snotty, I personally think true colors showing through. She stood up to the older kids and was ready to defend her "baby bro". Her language a bit colorful but she did come to me herself and tell me what she did and said. Out loud I said it's ok you were right. I whispered it was the right time and place for her actions, though I am glad she did not get involved in an actual fight, but most importantly I was so proud of her and thankful that she told me what happened. She didn't want the other girls giving their version which goddess only knows what that would have been. Her friend was "pissed off" because earlier in the day DD had been involved in a project and didn't want to come out to play though it was demanded of her. Apparently something was said about what a nerd she is and the name of lame loser was tossed about because she found studying to be more important. Well hhmmm..this is the same little girl whose mother and herself are so proud of the fact she has been in school since 3 yrs old.

But this is the type of school yard socialization everyone thinks kids need. Apparently they don't have to go to school to get it. The kids are fine, none the worse for wear and will be playing with the "nicer" kids at the opposite end of the street when they feel like playing with anyone at all. I am happy to know that DD who felt like she had to belong and all that peer pressure crap has realized that she is happier just being her and doesn't feel the need to be like everyone else. We let go of so many control factors in their lives and their real spirits shine through. It is coming in fits and spurts, we are rebuilding trust with our kids, especially DD but unschooling so much better our lives (I sound like a broken record here but I am still so amazed) are so much happier and fulfilling that we are embracing more and more of this lifestyle everyday!

Well this post took most of the last 12 hours to write and it's payday run around day for us. So I am off to grab a shower while it is still quiet. Our local farmer's market opened this week so we will be grocery shopping there for a lot of our needs and hopefully meeting some cool people.

Light and Love!!!

Night Life

2009-04-08T12:07:00.003-04:00

Well it has been going this way for a while but we have fully transitioned to night shift living. The kids wanted more time with daddy and so did I. We didn't do it intentionally but we have ended up on daddy's schedule. This might mortify a few people because "OMG" how can the kids do anything staying up all night? What about field trips? What about this and that and of course the "s" word. Well, some days they will miss some of their friends. Today is an example we didn't make it to park day. However, if they are up later on their friends will still be outside playing. The library is open late a few nights a week. And with the tourist season getting underway there will be plenty of night time activities.

With DD enjoying her fashion design and anime creations, relaxing and doing what her heart desires this is not affected at all by being on the night shift. She is loving it and I see more and more of the carefree child I had before PS. She and I are doing more things together, she is getting to know her daddy again and is just plain happy. I can't tell you what joy it was to walk into the bedroom yesterday and find the kids cuddled together watching Dora the Explorer from the Nick Jr website and playing along with their daddy right there a big grin on his face. His little girl was curled up right next to him.

As for DS, my little man was born a night owl. So it is perfectly normal for him and guess what? Tantrums and such have really disappeared. To his little body being up at night is the right thing. He got to spend some time with daddy at work and helped with one security round which he thought was awesome. He gets to use a computer at the same time sissy is using one so no waiting for turns and while daddy is at work, mommy, sissy and little man are all together and he gets more of mommy's attention.

Now if we make plans that will require being up earlier, we have all talked about it, we will be able to do that. The beauty of homeschooling, especially unschooling is that we are just living life. And right now we are living the night life! I just can't get over how much more relaxed the kids are, which actually makes us more relaxed. The time we have to spend as a part of their lives is something we will treasure forever. All too soon they will be grown and off to live their lives, however, we are so hoping that like so many other homeschool/unschool families we have talked to we will all remain close and that we will still be an active part in their lives.

Light and Love!

Fashionable Dinosaurs

2009-04-04T22:37:00.002-04:00

I had to run to the library today to pick up a book I had reserved and take back a couple that were due back. The kids chose to stay home with daddy and play. Well, the in house fashion designer is still going strong on learning more and more and I hit the jackpot today. I wasn't looking for books on sewing and clothing design but they just popped out at me in the children's reference section. The look of pure joy on Claire's face at seeing these treasures. After she came in from playing with her friends she washed up grabbed dinner and hid in her room for a couple of hours. She came out smiling, I guess the barbie dolls will have a new look soon. Right now she is watching an anime show in Japanese with Spanish subtitles. She said the art work of the cartoon tells the whole story. I think she is more interested in the story boards at this point. She is trying to design her own graphic novel. So it is mainly the art work that fascinates her.

Dinosaurs, rocks, fossils oh my! Anything along the lines of old, ancient, dirty, dusty and musty have caught the attention of Morgan. I think we have a budding archaeologist on our hands. He isn't just collecting rocks like a lot of 4 yr olds do, he wants to know their names and how they are made. Dinosaurs well I had helped him to pick out some reference books in his section of the library. (Isn't it awesome that they even have easy reader reference books!) Well he thought they were really cool. Well, not enough information in them. Remember he can barely read and write but he really wants to know more than the little kid books tell him. So I had gotten some from the other children's reference section. Well those were just as disappointing. So in the midst of books on lizards, amphibians, reptiles and build your terrairium books are a couple of grown up books on identifying dinosaurs and other information. Guess what the 4 yr old is enjoying. Learning grown up facts. I have not had this boisterous, gregarius child sit still for more than 10 minutes ever, not even during our story time. Well, he and I sat for 45 minutes going over the new dinosaur books and rock ID books. All from the grown up section with more information than the children's books and he loves it all.

Well, this night owl is going to go snuggle with her babies and grab a small nap.

Light and Love!

Rainy Day Blaahs

2009-04-01T11:12:00.003-04:00

Honestly, even though we really need to get to the library, I don't think much else is going to go on actively today. It is an icky rainy day. Little man is watching Dora and my baby girl is still in bed asleep. I think other than the chores mommy has to do today that will be it unless we can make it to the library. Waiting on BIL to bring the car home. It looks like he isn't working half a day today as expected.

OH well, life happens. We will make the best of it. We can always school house rocks yet again. LOL

Light and Love!

"The real magic wand is the child's own mind."
Jose Ortega y Gasset

Some quotes about children

2009-03-31T10:40:00.002-04:00

"You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing. What! Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to skip, play and run around all day long? Never in his life will he be so busy again."

Jean Jacques Rousseau

"Delight and liberty, the simple creed of childhood."

William Wordsworth

"Grown men can learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure. Therefore, the great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss."

Black Elk

"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in."

Rachel Carson--note I think this one is going into my signature line

There are many more quotes like these that can be found complied in Quotes on Children and Childhood Mankind's Wisdom on Children from Zeus to Seuss
Compiled by Patty Crowe
Edited by Laura Wertz

I love it and I think I will start making a quote from there my first post of everyday. Inspiration as to why I have my children home with me to share in their world. It is but a precious bit of time that we get to have them all to ourselves. Before you know it we will blink and they will be grown up and we cannot revisit their childhood again.

Peace, love, and understanding

2009-03-30T23:13:00.003-04:00

Well, tomorrow is hubby's birthday. Since we will not be going out of town as planned originally Claire has taken to be her job to prepare for his birthday extravaganza. She has been making decorations, designing his gifts and wants to make his cake. He will have a special shirt and hat from her. She is making a pineapple upside down cake and will be helping prepare the salad, spaghetti and garlic bread.

Morgan suffered some, if you ask him, grievous injuries this evening when out playing. The lesson learned is that his legs are not long enough to jump a bicycle and a ditch. He scraped both of his hands. I know it had to hurt but some special TLC, a shower to scrape off all the mud and find the boo-boo's, and special bandaids (antibiotic already on the bandaid topped off with kisses from mommy and daddy) and all was well again.

I shared some of the posts from Alwayslearning yahoo group with hubby today. He is still having problems with changing his outlook on the kids though he has come a long way. It is hard to shake old values and ways of doing things but he is "getting it" a little more as time goes by. I will admit I have days when I go back to the old ways of limiting choices, acting like a dictator, etc. I at least know that he is trying and is being supportive of a new lifestyle. But he is seeing the benefits of happy children. We are still working on letting go of strict bedtimes and such, I think that is where he and I have our biggest problems. The kids aren't the ones with the issues, it is definitely the parental units. So we will continue to plug away and remind ourselves that allowing the kids the opportunity to choose and explore all options is the best way to go.

It is all a learning process and doing it together is making it all the more worth while.

Light and Love!

A study in song lyrics

2009-03-29T02:16:00.002-04:00

One of the things my daughter has become very interested in is song lyrics. We have started listening to music together and looking up the lyrics so that we can discuss possible meanings.

One song that she has become very interested in lately is "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden. I found it amusing as it is a song my husband as dedicated me on more than one occasion. I thought her take on it was very interesting. She applied it to how close we have become as a family. She said that listening to the song reminds her that her daddy and I are here for her and that no matter what she knows we will support her.

"Crash And Burn"

When you feel all alone
And the world has turned its back on you
Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold
When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
You're caught in a one way street
With the monsters in your head
When hopes and dreams are far away and
You feel like you can't face the day

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

'Cause there has always been heartache and pain
And when it's over you'll breathe again
You'll breath again

When you feel all alone
And the world has turned its back on you
Give me a moment please
To tame your wild wild heart

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

Another song we were listening to, for the first time for Claire was Kenny Rogers "I am the Greatest". I found it very interesting that the first time I heard the song I presumed the little boy would be upset for striking out not that he would be excited that he was a good pitcher and my daughter was thinking that the boy was an excellent pitcher throughout the whole song.

little boy in a base ball hat
stands in the feild
with his ball and bat

player of them all
puts his bat on his sholder
and tosses up his ball

and the ball goes up and the ball comes down
swings his bat all the way around
the world so still you can hear the sound
the baseball falls to the ground

now the little boy doesn't say a word
picks up his ball he is undeterd
says i am the greatest there has ever been
and he grits his teeth
and he trys it again

and the ball goes up and the ball comes down
swings his bat all the way around
the world so still you can hear the sound
and the baseball falls to the ground

he makes no excuses
he shows no fear
he just closes his eyes and listens to the cheers

little boy he adjusts his hat
picks up his ball
stares at his bat

says i am the greatest the game is on the line
and he gives his all one last time

and the ball goes up the moon so bright
swings his bat with all his might
the world's is still still it can be
and the baseball falls
and that's strike three

now it's supper time and his mama calls
little boy starts home
with his bat and ball

says i am the greatest that is a fact
but even i didn't know
i could pitch like that

says i am the greatest that is understood
but even i didn't know
i could pitch that good

My children astonish me yet again

2009-03-28T00:47:00.002-04:00

I can not put into words how proud I am of my kids. I am still working on letting go of the "traditional" school mindset. So every time my kids do something without formal teaching it just amazes me. I will also say that some of the discussion lists that I have joined recently and some that I am letting go have a lot to do with my out look on learning. Unschooling is so much more than a style it really is a life style. One this family is enjoying more and more everyday.

Something that we started way back when my stepdaughter lived with us was setting aside special time that was one on one with either parent. It was suggested by the counselor we were seeing at the time as a way to help SD learn that being part of a whole doesn't mean that the individual is alone. Basically everyone can have special time with a parent and they don't have to "act out" to get it. I really wish I had known more back then. But I digress.

Today we had mommy and Claire time. It has just become a regular thing in our family and we all enjoy those special times. It means a lot to Claire right now because Morgan is very demanding of mommy's attention and she has expressed that she feels left out. It is part of how we are finding our way back to each other after being separated by public school. Anyway, it was just a simple grocery shopping trip or so Claire thought. DH and I had decided that instead of trying drag around a huge bag of the kids' stuff all mixed together that they needed their own bags of stuff. Well Morgan has his own bag already that he loves so we were set there. We thought Claire would love to have a bag that she picked out and made her own. So while at Wally world she got to pick out a new bag, little wallet, puffy fabric paint, a couple of little notebooks and some cool looking pens and pencils. She is in heaven. Her bag is very personalized. She has already begun filling one notebook with poems and the other is her journal. And she can take it anywhere she goes with some construction paper and regular drawing paper for those attacks of artful need.

While we were finishing our other general errands and getting really large cups of fountain drinks we talked. I treasure these talks more than anything else. She allows me into her own private world. We talked about her little girl friend in the neighborhood again. Hence forth known as the secret teller. Trust is a big issue for my daughter. And breaking a trust is devastating to her. It was a little secret, nothing really major. However, they had just started talking again and well apparently the little girl desires to be part of the popular crowd. And in explaining to Claire how to become part of this elite group of little girls it involved being mean to others. Something my daughter just can't do. She tried when in public school but continually got her little heart broken by these types of girls and made the decision not have anything to do with people like that. Well, apparently it also involves proving how smart you are and various and sundry things of that nature. Very competitive, mean and a slew of similar adjectives. So in trying to prove that she can be smart and mean (the main focus apparently of their conversation) she asked Claire about different things she was learning and then comparing them. Well apparently when Claire was explaining something she was told to shut up because she was making her friend look stupid. Then when the friend was having trouble with some math homework and Claire offered to help the girl got mad and frustrated because she decided she just can't do math but it doesn't matter because she is going to lose weight and become a model anyway and that makes her mom happy. Now this is the same mom that looks at me like I am weird for simply homschooling and informs me proudly that they started their daughter in PS at 3 yrs old. Well we are really seeing the benefits of that. (Ok that was a bit snippy) Long and short of this diatribe is that my daughter is showing maturity and critical thinking and is truly coming into her own person and using logic to make good decisions. This part of the conversation lead to discussions about some science type stuff we have talked about, math discussion, just a ton of "academic" things. I was simply amazed at how much Claire has learned in the last 7 months since we made the official decision to homeschool. There isn't a topic so far that she cannot speak about without some basic understanding and knowledge. She has become a seeker of knowledge, not just information.

Now the little man, Morgan. On our shopping spree I found a really cool dry erase notebook type of thing. We also made sure he has his own writing and drawing supplies. Well we got home and apparently he fell out on the couch. He was just worn out from an early morning and going out to breakfast. So we set up his Mickey Mouse back pack with all his goodies. When he woke up the three of us enjoyed drawing picture puzzles and guessing what they were. Then he decided it would be fun to do the math page, remember this is number boy. He was doing addition. 4 yrs old and he was doing basic math. Then he wanted to practice his letters so he went to the part of it that has the alphabet set up for tracing and writing. He really wants to read and write he keeps making up stories and pretends to make little books but he wants to make them for real. Well, we interrupted this for food, everyone decided that they were hungry. DH and BIL had been working on icky gunked up drainage pipes from the main bathroom. Then we went into "show time" where the kids pick a tv series or movie that they like that is availabe online and now we can even watch on the regular tv. Well, I had to take DH to work but said I would come back and cuddle some more in a few minutes. Morgan decided he wanted to write in his construction paper book and asked me to write his name down for him. He wrote his own name by himself. Then he wanted everyone else's name written down and he did those as well. It was discernable, he was beaming with pride and had to call daddy to tell him. He wants to call pa-pa tomorrow. And has demanded mommy write down some words for him to learn to write as well.

Have I pushed either one of the kids for any of this. Not at all, I did start off that way 7 months ago. It caused a huge rebellion. So I let it go and said we were going to deschool. Well, deschooling has turned into unschooling. Where ever their passions are at the moment we will do everything we can to encourage them. It may be different when we wake in the morning but that is ok. It is definitely a roller coaster ride and we get to enjoy it and grow with them. I had really forgotten what it was like to look at the world through the eyes of a child. I love it, the colors are vibrant, there are no shades of gray and it isn't just black and white. Children actually are very logical in their approach to everything. You just have to learn to look at the world the way they do.

Reading for the day

2009-03-23T18:48:00.003-04:00

Well, it has been a struggle. Getting DD back into enjoying reading but it has finally occurred. She is reading graphic novels and enjoying it. I had to go by the library while running errands (referred to as mommy time when I get to go alone) and get her some more books. She is gobbling them up at an unbelievable rate. At first I thought she was looking at the pictures only so we did a verbal book review after mommy read through the book. She is absorbing them like a sponge and jotting ideas down for her own comic that she wants to do.

She has already finished the first book in a new series our wonderful children's librarian pointed out to me today. Let me tell you having a librarian like Miss Sue Ellen is awesome. She loves having home school families come in, she makes sure that there is plenty of home school material if you are into curriculum and definitely knows her kids very well. All the regular kids that go there belong to her. She is warm, friendly and very approachable unlike most of the librarians we found in the county library system. My daughter had become shy with adults in anything resembling a learning situation. Well we have moved passed that and I think that is in part due to Miss Sue Ellen.

I am just so pleased. It is very hard to be an avid reader and a writer and have a child that doesn't like to read. Something that is hard to understand. Now DD didn't start off that way, but because she has had trouble reading out loud and was pressed by PS to do it so much it turned her off. Now that is a totally different skill and one many adults have not developed. I am pleased to also state that this skill is coming along nicely. DD reads to DS on a regular basis, probably the only time the two of them get along at the moment is during their story time together.

Well, it is time to tend to evening chores and if all goes well, mommy might get some fun reading in on her own.

Light and Love!

Ideas for biome/lifecycle studies

2009-03-22T23:17:00.004-04:00

We are allowed pets at our current dwelling. While we miss having a dog and cats and all that it is perhaps a good thing. However, I have been considering skirting a fine line. If it is a school project is it really a pet?

I am thinking of some small little creature that would fulfill maybe a biome study unit or something of that nature. I don't want to get anything that is going to get really big and well sorry but snakes are out, they have their place just not in my humble abode. I was thinking small frogs, turtles, lizards, something along those lines. Something that has a life cycle we could study but I don't want to have too many off spring that finding them new homes would be very hard, unless the pet store agreed to take them in. So there is a lot to consider there as well. Unless of course we do fish, I know guppies breed fairly well and the kids have had fish before and loved them.

I still need to run the idea past DH, that will be fun but I think I can make him see my way in the overall scheme of things.

Ok, honestly I can't remember too many times where I have hadn't a pet of some kind or we haven't had some for the kids. Something about pets and kids just seems so right.

Tomorrow after a trip to pick up some plastic drawers from freecycle we are calling a family meeting to discuss project ideas that might be fun. We have the garden plans that are coming along slowly, I have the pet who isn't really a pet thing, sewing/craft ideas, oh just tons of things, it will be interesting to see what we come up with.

Well this tired and "icky" infested mom is going to take her butt to bed.

Light and Love!

A chilling out day!

2009-03-20T16:06:00.004-04:00

Well the little man is definitely better and thinks his "ickies" have totally disappeared. We spent the morning cuddled on the couch watching "Growing up Creepy". Well mom read a book but the kids chilled out all the way through lunch time. Then it just got to be too much, the kids felt the burning desire to venture outside. I was leery of letting DS go outside but he was looking, acting and feeling much better so I figured a little fresh air wouldn't hurt. They have just come back in, he says he feels very tired but no "ickies" and well DD is content to sit and snuggle with him.

Now they are discussing the rocks they found and apparently brought in the house. DD dug out her rock ID book. DS is amazed that there are different types of rocks. So they have a quest to see how many different rocks they can find and want to document where they found them. We will see how it goes but it looks like budding geologists will be living here for a while.

Today we had an epiphany

2009-03-19T22:57:00.002-04:00

We started the morning off badly you could say. DS began running a fever and not feeling well at 2 am. Poor thing has just been miserable all day. He missed the re-start of park days for our HS group. He seemed a little bit better before he went to bed tonight so we shall see. Hopefully the fever breaks in the next 24 hours. Fever and general not feeling well, no signs of strep or anything serious just lethargic, achy and fever.

As for DD, she had a blast at Park Day (so did mommy). We got to reconnect with our friends and catch up. Afterward we went to the local art museum to check out some of the new displays and to ask about using their piano for DD to have lessons. Well no lessons, that is a story for another time, I was rather perturbed by the response we got from them on that topic.

On the way home we were talking and sharing girlie secrets. Nope, not revealing them, they are secrets after all. But it felt so good to know that DD trusted me with this information. It has been a long while since she has told mommy what is in her heart. She also did let out some really interesting thoughts that I can share and I am very happy to share. She had been struggling with the idea of home schooling. Lots of reasons and we knew it was a big change for her to go from PS to HS. However, she announced in a very matter of fact way that she doesn't ever want to go back to PS. She loves home schooling. Apparently talking to some of her PS friends made her realize that she has learned a lot more than they have, not just information but life lessons and well the whole kit and kaboodle. She likes being able to repeat what she feels she needs to and move on when she feels the need. She is also enjoying the freedom to explore all her interests. Most especially she is finding that she loves being home with her family.

We are over joyed at this epiphany. While we would like a few more home schooling friends we are sure we will meet those along the way. But we are reconnecting and learning about each other more than when we had to be on the time clock for PS. She is entering puberty and has hit the point where she needs a bit more sleep so she can sleep in when she needs to but is aware that there are mornings that she will have to get up early. She is also enjoying a bit more freedom, such as staying up to watch a movie she has been dying to see or some such thing. Or she has become involved in a game and she doesn't want to stop.

After thinking about it we have developed a regular routine, some what unorthodox but it is there. It is wonderful to see a plan come together. We are relaxed and enjoying life such as it is these days. Most importantly we are strengthening family bonds.

Light and Love!

A disappointing frog hunt

2009-03-18T17:48:00.003-04:00

Well, apparently what my children thought were tadpoles were actually minnows. Which would mean to me that the ditches around the neighborhood have a connection to fresh water somewhere along the way.

Anyway, we caught one to look at for a little while and then set it back into the water. The exact spot they found the frogs may have eggs later on, it has been rather chilly at night. It also might have been the time of day we were looking so we will try an evening look see one night to see if we can watch the frogs and their habits, etc.

Not all was lost, they have been studying minnows this afternoon at the Virginia Tech Virtual Aquarium. So over all still a good day. I am hoping that maybe we can do some kind of project with an aquarium ourselves. We cannot have pets technically but I would be if we could do something in with amphibians, fish, turtles or lizards we might be able to get away with it.

Off to make chocolate chip pancakes for dinner!!

Light and Love!

Frogs!!

2009-03-18T12:21:00.002-04:00

Today we decided we will be going on a frog adventure. The kids found a couple of spots where frogs seem to be hatching and we are hoping to find a small clump of frog eggs to hatch. This should be fun and exciting!

Here is a link for instructions on hatching frog eggs: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/teacher/frogact.htm.

Well off to go a hunting for frog eggs!

Planning ahead

2009-03-18T07:05:00.003-04:00

I want to take a moment and thank Debbie H. for her blog post coming up today! What an awesome lady!!

Anyway, now that I will have more time (well sort of) I am going to be throwing even more effort into providing the ultimate learning environment for the kids. I have withdrawn from my own school for lots of reasons, not just to have more time for the kids and the rest of the family. I will return to school at a later date but as they say your kids are only young once.

At any rate, I am thinking we need to provide a little more information, activities, etc for the kids for learning purposes. I just haven't decided exactly how or what as of yet. Their interests are so varied from one to another and from day to day, moment to moment. So we are going to go to the unschooling term of strewing more than ever. Basically making sure things are available all over the house that will encourage them to learn.

Of course we will still have some unit studies for fun and workbooks and all that. We do such a wide combination of things. So we will see how this goes. I am off to make a list of school supplies anyway. I have noticed we are running low on some basics such as construction paper, popsicle sticks, etc. I need to print out science experiments and various and sundry other documents that the kids have requested and set aside some time today to show DD how to use Photoshop so she can do another paint a cat.

Light and Love!

What a wonderful day this has been!

2009-03-17T20:12:00.003-04:00

HHhhhmm...I do believe that is a line from a country music song or some other genre. Anyway, we had one heck of a day. I really hadn't thought we did too much school wise today until I spoke with my dad, the main naysayer in all of this. Like I have said he is coming around slowly. You can teach old dogs new tricks. LOL

Well, we started with a video on Pioneer Life. We got about half way through it and did a Q&A session. DD picked up quite a bit of information and asked some brilliant questions and gave some brilliant answers. We were surprised though, since DS decided to play at being a "puppy" and was very distracting. However, even he had picked up little bits of information and thinks it would be cool to ride in a covered wagon on a trail and all that. Then we told him he would be considered big enough to round up buffalo chips, help with cooking, cleaning, etc and he would have to be in bed early because they got up early in the morning. And he would have to walk everywhere. That sort of changed his mind a bit, but he still thinks it would be kind of cool.

This was followed by free range grazing by DD and DS. Lunch was raisins, carrot sticks, cheese crackers, grapes and honey nut Cherrios (aka circle cereal with the bee). Apple juice to drink and a popsicle for dessert. The kids got to pick and choose what they ate out of the choices offered. DS still thinks that grapes are just balls and won't eat them. Bite a huge hole in his pink kick ball but won't eat a grape because it looks like a ball. Go figure.

Then there was the reading of the history of St. Patricks Day. Starting with some biographical information on Saint Patrick. DD did this and she sounded so good reading out loud. It has been a long struggle for her and of course it is a totally different skill than just reading. DS listened intently but really just wanted to know about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Then we had coloring and cutting and gluing and mess making. Leprechaun hats were made, connect the dots with lower case letters, DS actually did his own with no mistakes. He even colored in the lines, well for the most part. They did a color by letter picture. Shamrocks were colored in a wide variety of colors and the taped to a clean spot on the fridge.

By the time they were done and the rains had stopped, they went out to play. We decided against making sugar cookies and will do those tomorrow as a post St. Patty's Day treat.

But the things I noticed that were accomplished have reinforced that we are doing the right thing and that the kids are learning by leaps and bounds. DD is improving in her reading skills, following directions with less difficulty and retaining knowledge even when she doesn't appear to be paying attention. We did some math with pots of gold and she does know her basic math facts through multiplication. So we know we need to start on division. She is developing a love of history in small doses. DS does know his alphabet, he does know some site words quite well, he is developing his fine motor skills. Did I mention he buttoned his own shirt tonight? He is very creative and aware of colors and color combinations. He can count well past 50 when he so chooses, he will eat veggies cooked now, he is sleeping in his own room, in his own bed.

They both are doing so well and enjoying being kids. It really makes us more comfortable with our decision to homeschool.

Well, it has been a long day and while daddy was actually asked to read tonight for bed time story, DS still needs mommy song and mommy snuggles. He has already called Mr. O'Bear to bed and is waiting.

Light and Love!!

Happy St. Patty's Day

2009-03-17T11:47:00.002-04:00

We will be reading about St. Patrick's Day. The history of it and all that today. We will also be doing some arts and crafts and other things. Our family has always corned beef, cabbage and potatoes on St. Patty's Day, this year we are changing it up and having spinach instead.

I have picked out two web links that we will be using bits and pieces of to do a quick unit study on St. Patty's Day.

The kids have been doing so well with learning a variety of things. I think we have really fallen into a decent schedule of sorts lately. Granted no matter what time they go to bed they tend to sleep late in the morning. A blessing and a curse at the same time. We are very happy that Park Day will be restarting with our home school group again.

I will post more later. The heathens have arisen from their coffins and are anxiously awaiting food. I think I will toss them some raw meat and put them in their cages until we are ready to start school for the day.

Just too beautiful outside

2009-03-05T12:24:00.003-05:00

It is just too beautiful outside today to keep everyone in the house. Well, the kids did go outside yesterday for a few hours, it was still pretty cold. Everyone is finally awake, except for DH who works tonight, so he is catching a few extra hours.

Today's project is going to be cleaning up the yard to get ready for putting gardens in. We worked on drawing up a plan and laying out what we are going to do in each spot. We are going to measure to make sure the garden boxes we are going to set up will fit where we want them. Watch all day to see where the sun falls so that we can plant appropriately. Mark off (if we find the string and enough sticks) like surveyors for all the different spots.

So I guess you could say we are covering math, maps, surveying, and PE today. There will of course be breaks for bubble blowing, ball tossing and general tromping around.

Light and Love, apparently momma is holding everyone up sitting at the computer.

I just had to write about this

2009-03-04T14:45:00.002-05:00

What can I say? I am a proud momma! The kids created their own new friend "Oven". Now before I get into the invention of "Oven" I will have to explain how "Car" came to be. When DD was about 4 years old (same age that DS is now), we were having a melt down as tired littles will have at the end of a long day. The only thing I could think of while we were driving home (we were an hour away from home) was what my mother had told me to do (of course I still didn't want to hear all her advice even then) and distract her. To this day I cannot remember what had set the melt down off but I started talking to her in the voice of "Car". To this day no matter what we are driving "Car" talks to the kids.

Fast forward to this very morning. DD remembered how much fun it was (not the meltdown that started it all) to create a new friend. So she sat at the bar where the kid computer is and started talking to her brother as "Oven". DS then proceeded to make up stories about dragons and then decided to pull out his Dr. Seuss books and read to "Oven". Well to our delighted surprise we heard him reading. He has memorized his favorite stories and knows that there are words on the pages. But to him he is reading. So we got to sit and read together for a little while.

It is absolutely amazing to see the result of natural learning. We were joking about what books he will be reading in a few years if he chooses to continue to move in this direction. I said Tolstoy, my husband said Sun Tzu. I think he might be right on this occassion. DS is very into justice, righting wrongs and generally idolizes heroes of any kind.

Imagination, fun, and relaxation. What a learning environment! We are simply enjoying life with our kids.

Paint a Cat Day!!

2009-03-04T11:50:00.000-05:00

My fellow home school mom and freelance writer Debbie H. declared today "Paint a Cat Day". So we sat down and painted a cat in Photoshop. We are very proud to present The Curry Family Super Cat.

Perhaps today we will spend time scanning other artwork to be presented to the world by my two budding artists.

Light and Love to you all!!

Field trips, update, and commentary

2009-02-28T12:41:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago we went to Ripley's Aquarium. It is a local one but still had a wonderful selection. We spent the entire day there. The kids raced from one exhibit to the next and back again. We were all exhausted. I haven't gotten a new digital camera yet so we got a disposable one. I really need to get it developed. I can't wait to see how all the pictures turned out including the ones the kids took themselves.

We played with horseshoe crabs, learned about scuba diving, petted sting rays and a guitar fish. Saw predator fish of the Amazon. Watched a baby chick hatch in their babies exhibit. My son spent 30 minutes watching bull frogs and copying them trying to catch bugs with his tongue. My daughter has officially returned to her curious being and went around picking the brains of all of the staff about everything. It was a test run but it will definitely be worth the season pass for us.

Our next field trip is in two weeks. We will be going to Brookegreen Gardens. It will be a fascinating trip for all of us. The zoo, the gardens, the art work, the walking tour, all of it. We will hopefully be taking one field trip per month to some place special.

On the list of places the kids have chosen so far:

USS North Carolina
Hopsewee Plantation
Children's Museum of South Carolina (we haven't been yet but we will be getting annual membership here, so many things to do including things for homeschoolers)
Alligator Adventure
T. I. G. E. R. S./Preservation Station
Gallivants Ferry
Art Museum of Myrtle Beach
We are going to tour Conway Historic District
The Horry County Museum (we love it there and can't wait for the new building)

This list is subject to change and of course we are frequently at the Chapin Memorial Library.

As for what the kids are learning lately. Claire is taking my modern art history class with me, working on worksheets I have put together by subject in her notebook, drawing, painting, reading, and generally following her interests. We have had interesting discussions on many topics. Currently we are planning on how to beautify the outside of our little trailer. We are going to do our own version of lasagna gardening around the skirting. Where we will be planting veggies, herbs and flowers. Companion gardening included in all of this. Nothing requiring deep roots this year, but hopefully next year. The little bit of yard to the back is going to become a garden and fort for the kids.

Morgan is studying to be a super hero. When he is not busy kicking "evil bad" guys butts he is listening to his favorite Dr. Seuss stories, singing songs, making faces (future as a stand up comedian is looking bright), playing numbers games and online role playing games. Basically being a 4 yr old little boy and exploring his world.

As time is passing by I see our little homeschool following the unschooling method and way of thinking more and more. We are also, as parents, learning to be more relaxed and creating a peaceful learning environment. Will ever be radical unschoolers, probably not, but we will be some where in the unschooling environment. Happy, healthy little ones that find learning exeriences in everything around them.

Light and Love!

OOHhh..I have forgotten

2009-02-20T10:36:00.000-05:00

I need to get film from a disposable camera developed so I can tell everyone about our day at Ripley's aquarium!

Maybe we are leaning towards unschooling

2009-02-20T10:08:00.001-05:00

I would offer up to say we are completely unschooling but after posting some things to one of my yahoo group I think that maybe we are closer to it than I thought. I don't know if we will ever be radical unschoolers but I am enjoying the changes we are making towards that point. When I sat to describe what we do with our son on a typical it sounded very much like unschooling.

So far our daughter's learning has been more structured but some of that has been by her request. This is our first year of home schooling after all and we are still figuring things out. But strewing and letting the creative juices just run, looking up fun things about special interests and all of that seem to be working a lot better.

Since it is my own writing I am going to freely share my response to what to do with a 4 yr old.

Play with him. He doesn't need structured learning. Find some games that would be fun to play on the computer together. Make some mud pies, blow bubbles, play with blocks, put yourself back to that age and think about the fun things you liked to do. Read to him. Our son loves chutes and ladders, MMORPG games, Candy Land, playing go fish and Old Maid. His favorite activity though is anything he can do with his big sister, mommy and or daddy. He is learning to read, work with numbers, and a ton of other miscellaneous information. All of it through play. Go on a picnic and watch the clouds take shape. We love picnics especially have it gets warmer. He like to feed ants and watch them carry the food back to their hill.

We also like snuggling and watching movies and cartoons. We dance after dinner to whatever music we put on. Well mommy and kids sometimes just put music on during the day and get silly. Our 4 yr old is a bundle of energy so we do fly from one thing to the next. Mommy is learning to relax and let the hurricanes strike the house. We actually play clean up after bath time so that we can find everyone's beds and even find our way through the house. The mazes that we have to travel through and the traps we have to bypass to get places inside and out are a ton of fun. Then as we wind down and read stories, our 10 yr old daughter reads to us and sometimes to herself. The 4 yr old has his favorite author, Dr. Seuss, so he is memorizing the stories and we have fun and enjoy reading and we get out the last of the wiggly energy. Then Mr. O'Bear comes to visit. Mr. O'Bear was created in my father's mind before he learned to read, adventure stories that he would tell me to fall alseep to. We go tromping through his special forest where trees are a different color every night. We catch fish to feed to this size changing bear who thinks fish is the best food on earth. Then Mommy snuggles with the little man while daddy snuggles with our little lady and we each have a special song that we sing to the kids. Then we switch and before you know it the day is over and daddy goes to work and mommy slips off to dreamland shortly there after.

Sounds a bit chaotic and trust me some days there is a lot of chaos, but there is also a certain amount of order to the chaos. Throw in a trip to the local aquarium or the beautiful gardens with a zoo and watch the chaos really begin as both children run hither and yon because there is so much to see and do. Not to mention being minutes from the beach where hours of digging in the sand, body surfing and picnicking lead to amazing discoveries and shell collection that is growing by leaps and bounds.

Now as to how my daughter's day usually goes.

We wake up and check email, have breakfast and we each settle in to do some school work. I am also in school so it works out well. As for communication we are using a free chat messenger to ask and answer questions. We stop for a bit and send funny pictures, files and sounds to each other. We email each other and all kinds of different things. Her pen pal is on the opposite coast so they have a hit and miss schedule and it is allowed that when her friend shows up online she can take a break and they can chat. Noting that there is an improvement in her writing skills as time goes by.

While I am cleaning the kitchen and planning the meals and snacks for the rest of the day, she sits and has a small snack and drink while doing some written work. I have set up a three ring binder of unit studies. Instead of assigning pages for her to do she can sit and work on which ever ones catch her attention. I try to make sure that there is some relevance between them, but that doesn't always happen.

By lunch time we are done with official school. It is time to decide what to do with the rest of the day. Some times it is watch shows and movies online, some times it is games, some times we have to make a trip out some place. Daddy has usually gotten up at this point and we might even do some kind of family thing. From time to time this doesn't hold up at all and we have planned a trip some where exciting or even just ordinary such as going to the library.

Then it is time to get dinner going and talk and chat about a variety of activities and events. Things of interest that just pop up out of nowhere. We do have both kids share in meal prep and clean up. Sometimes we watch a movie during dinner. However, sitting squished around our little kitchen table we enjoy each other's company. Lately we have been working a bit on table etiquette. We will see how that goes. But learning not chew with our mouth open, not to talk with our mouth full of food, things that are just gross. Not for social acceptance but just being respectful of everyone and good common sense manners.

Well, I have quite a list of things to do today before Pa-Pa arrives for a short visit. The kids are excited and waiting for a new game to download. Toon Town, a kids MMORPG. Hopefully Morgan will have an easier time with this one. We all enjoy helping him and all that but he does want to be able to play on his own like a big boy.

Maybe, just maybe I will be able to get into regular posting. We will see how things progress.

Light and love!

Can we not have a crazy day?

2009-02-04T14:22:00.001-05:00

Craziness isn't just a theme I use in my blogs, it is our standard way of life. Between pre-teen angst meltdowns and preschool thinking he is all grown up. We are plugging away at school. One subject per day, with quality time spent doing it. Working on all aspects of learning with each subject. At least for our daughter. Our son, well number games and Dr. Seuss are the bomb. So all is progressing well.

We moved this weekend and just got back on line. We did splurge and finally buy a new printer. That helps a lot with printing all the wonderful units and such that I have been saving up. We have a nice area for school work and things are settling down into a sense of normalcy. Well as normal as we get anyway.

We are hoping to add karate lessons for both kids shortly. It will help them both tremendously on so many levels and seems to be something they are interested in.

Light and Love to you all!!

Plugging along

2009-01-20T21:37:00.000-05:00

We have made some adjustments to what we are doing. The further we get into home schooling the more we see where we need to work with the kids. Especially our daughter. I think we are still deschooling a bit. Though we have accomplished a lot so far this "school year". We have taken a step back from the grandiose plans and are concentrating on what my grandparents and others before them would have called the 3 R's. Without those basic foundations nothing else will ever make sense. So we have started using a book by Scholastic called vocabulary builder and it is doing wonders for us. We are also concentrating on one piece of writing and basic math drills.

Today we did something a little different. We did a brief over view of US History so that the importance and excitement and all else of the inauguration of our 44th president was understood. The accomplishment he has made thus far will always maintain his place in American if not world history. It was an awesome moment to watch it all sink into our daughter's mind.

Light and Love to you all!!

The First Day of Our New School Plan

2009-01-05T12:38:00.000-05:00

Well, we are off to a slow start but things will smooth out over the next few days. The kids have enjoyed their break but have actually asked for class work. Music to our ears. We are using email for communication with Claire, that way there is a copy of her assignments and it makes it much easier to track what is being accomplished and what is not. This will also assist her with improving her typing skills, learning to use email more efficiently. We have added daily current events to her lessons. We are trying to encourage her to use the internet for research and general learning. Currently her main usage has been email and searching for her favorite anime shows.

As for Morgan "Monster Boy", a nick name that is apparently stuck for life, we will be continuing with the Charlotte Mason form of learning using living books. He is actually starting to choose his own books at the library and still very much interested in Dr. Seuss. We are not using the actual Charlotte Mason book list but developing our own. His a huge interest in numbers and anything number related. He also has shown a desire to learn to write, so we are making him traceable letter worksheets now that he has learned how to trace dotted lines. We will also do some connect the dots and work on fine motor skills such as hold a pencil, cutting with big boy scissors, etc. He likes to string beads but needs larger ones so we will venture back into the world of pasta art. Both kids will enjoy it but it will definitely help him learn patterns and improve hand eye and fine motor control.

Well, almost time for swimming so going to sign off for now and get ready.

Light and Love!

The First Day of the New Year

2009-01-01T09:59:00.000-05:00

We are still on break, at least technically. We will start with our first 4 week session on Monday, January 5, 2009. This session we will be covering ecology for science. This will include the water cycle, plant growth and animal communities. We will be using container gardening to illustrate many of these features along with journeys into wildlife habitats. Reading we will be discussing Magic Tree House Novel that Claire read over break. Writing, Claire will have to take a creative story that she started and flesh it out and we will go over grammar and punctuation then. Math, a quick review of multiplication and then on to basic division and review of fractions. History Claire has stated that she wants to learn about prehistoric art and "fashion". So we will take that approach to learning about our past.

We will be spending at least 2 days a week at the library and our homeschool group is planning on quite a few adventures as well. We will also continue with swimming for fun, exercise and lessons at least 3 days per week. This covers our PE section.

The first week in February will be our first break and hopefully we will be able to take a few days and go on a family adventure.

Well time to be off and set up the new wall of school and straighten this apartment out so that we can have space for fun, school and relaxation.

Blessed Be!

Physical Education

2008-12-31T10:15:00.000-05:00

Besides socialization being a concern about homeschooling, PE is also a concern raised by many non-homeschooling families. Well, we have found swimming to be an excellent outlet for energy and way to get in shape for the whole family. We started yesterday and well, the kids are still a bit worn out from it. I might sneak off for my own swim time later on. As we get used to it I would like to see it become a daily activity. Not just regular playing and running around for the kids and grown ups but it is a fun way to get a complete work out.

We are also considering getting a bike rack for the car and bikes for the grown ups and little man. He has his scooter that he loves but wants a bike. We might even spring for a child seat for one bike so he can keep up. With all his energy out door activities are a necessity.

Some time in the next few days I am going to run some ideas past our local home school group for activities. See if we can spur some more interest. Science experiments, group book reading, maybe one of the scout programs.

DH and I are also working on the next 4 week school activities. Hopefully we will be able to spring for passes to the aqarium and zoos that are local to us.

Well that is all for the moment.

Light and Love in the new year!

Mid-term Review

2008-12-30T13:59:00.001-05:00

Well as the school year comes to it's mid term we are required to do a mid year review. Officially only one child is being homeschooled. However, in reality both of our children are. I will start with our daughter's review and then add in our son's. It is amazing when you sit down and put pen to paper or in this case fingers to the keyboard and see how far they have both come.

Claire's midyear review:

So far this year in reading, Claire has continued with her favorite series Magic Tree House. We have discussed these books as she progresses through them. We have also participated in a Home School Book Club where we read the borrowers and did creative activities to go along with the story, including creating our own borrower family. We read The Wind in the Willows together while sitting under a willow tree and discussed all the individual characters and how they interacted as a community. Claire has also read the biography of Helen Keller.

As of now Claire has created a collection of short stories where the main topic seems to be princesses. We have used spelling word lists to work on grammar and punctuation, as well as handwriting.

Math we have reviewed addition and subtraction, using 3 and 4 digit problems. We have also worked with multiplication tables, various styles of multiplication (3 to 4 digit) and worked with fractions.

Science we have studied local marine biology, discussed digestion, various chemical reactions, weather including a unit on hurricanes and tornadoes. We have discussed plant growth and nutrition, animal and plant kingdoms as well as basic cell structure.

For social studies we have discussed pre-history, ancient Greece, studied the Olympics, the election process as well as world geography.

Claire is also studying art history, taking basic art lessons and learning about fashion design. We will be including more of these in the next half of the year.

Morgan's midyear review:

Morgan has learned basic site words, his numbers (he is completely fascinated with numbers), letters and is working on learning how to write. He has also discovered how to cut paper, work with clay and many many other arts and crafts. We are still working on stringing beads but I think good old fashioned pasta stringing might work better so we will give that a shot. He has memorized several Dr. Seuss books and is learning to pick out his own books at the library. All in all for having just turned 4 we are quite proud of his accomplishments.

Our plans for the rest of homeschooling as far as style, schedule, etc are as follows. We will be doing 4 weeks of study and 1 week off. Basically going year round. 3-4 days per week will be standard structured learning for Claire with the rest being fun projects, experiments, etc. For Morgan we are going to stick with the Charlotte Mason style and learning from playing. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Charlotte Mason, hers is teaching from living books in a very small nutshell. It is one of those things where I wish I had been more insistent and not taken every one else's advice and sent her to public school. I should have stuck to my guns more and started her off right. My issues with public school are not universal while still not being unique to our family. We saw her being stifled, turned into a clone like every other kid and well of course being labeled because she doesn't always sit down, shut up and think inside the box.

Well that is a rant for another day. But generally speaking the kids are doing well, well socialized and happy and healthy. Claire wants to find a volunteer project to work on and perhaps we will start our own branch of either Earth Scouts or Spiral Scouts. We haven't quite decided yet.

Well off to do some other writing of my own.

Light and Love! May the Goddess' love shine on you in the coming new year!

As usual I must play catch up

2008-11-14T10:38:00.000-05:00

It must appear as though we have done nothing for the last few weeks. Well, I have been lax on posting but we have been quite busy around here. We haven't done much as far as structured learning. My DS has been learning to write his letters. While he can recognize a ton of words, has memorized Fox in Sox and a few other books, he still needs to read and write his letters. So the great wall of school has been put to good use. He is transferring many of his letters and his favorite words to paper now. We aren't concerned with neatness or perfection, just the fact he can demonstrate everything he can do.

Claire has become fascinated with the history channel, discovery channel and national geograhic channels. Which is very cool she has been learning so much. We are still doing math together but letting her explore different things. She is always learning, though she doesn't always know it because she is having so much fun.

We are almost done with Wind in the Willows. It has been an excellent adventure with out friends Mole, Ratty, Toad, Otter and all the others. DH and I have decided though we are going to need to revisit a more structured day. It is very good for the kids and well for mommy as well. We seem to thrive more when we have structure. So it is falling to me to find a schedule that will work for both of my learners. The challenges of home schooling for us are coming down to age and learning style differences. We will survive and over come and figure it out. After all we haven't been at this very long but we still won't go back to public school no matter what any one thinks. We love having our kids with us, love watching them grow and learn and well we just love our kids.

The Great Wall of School

2008-10-28T23:36:00.000-04:00

What a difference that has made in DD's lessons. Just the first day and of course we had fun creating our Great Wall of School. DS thinks he has died and gone to heaven, a wall he can draw on and no one stops him. He was tracing letters and drawing pictures before we finished. Honestly we have a few more things to put up on the wall. I will have to admit I enjoyed standing at our "chalk board" and teaching.

Currently we are reading Wind in the Willows. Today we were drawing parallels between this wonderful animal community and human communities. We also started studying animal/plant kingdoms today. For math we made a new multiplication chart. We will be working on a world time line, very generalized for now. In time we will get down to studying different cultures and such in depth. But there is a definite lack of general knowledge for now we are going to work on general knowledge in most subjects.

We will be starting our official grammar & punctuation studies this week. Tomorrow, however, we have our meeting at the park with our home school group Coastal Area Homeschoolers. A small but wonderful group. We will be doing Halloween crafts, feeding ducks and geese, and the kids of course will run wild and free!

AAAHHHH...Now on to the good stuff.

2008-10-28T03:16:00.000-04:00

Well, with all that being said and done, all old posts moved, old blog taken down. Now I can move on to some new information.

After some soul searching and obivously a night I could not sleep, an idea that struck me earlier yesterday has come into a lovely plan. I am going to take one wall in the kitchen right next to the kitchen table and turn it into our school wall. We have been trying different ways to teach and for the kids to learn etc, focusing mainly on our DD but I think a more traditional school house approach may just work well.

So with that in mind the kids and I are going to decorate the wall with numbers, letters, sight words, multiplication table, grammar & punctuation rules, timelines, etc. Then cover it all with clear contact paper and invest in some washable markers. If I have sketched it all correctly we will have a "chalk board" and learning info all in one place that would cover things both kids need. DS of course being young (not quite 4 yet) will have a corner that is just for him to draw and all that.

I think this is going to work out very well. Even if we are doing quiet reading time, mommy will be sitting down to the kitchen table as well while she does her physical homework before she has to log into her school and post assignments, etc.

Well, off to update my other blog. I will get all links to everything set up and all that hopefully by the end of the week.

Light and Love!!

Even more old blog posts

2008-10-28T03:15:00.002-04:00

Sep. 18, 2008
Our first book club meeting
We had an absolutely wonderful time yesterday and Grand Park down here in Myrtle Beach. We are reading The Borrowers by Mary Norton. Our local homeschool groupCoastal Homeschool started a book club. We read the first four chapters and then did some cool arts and crafts. We will be meeting every two weeks. I think all of the children had a wonderful time. We fed the ducks and geese at the pond, they played on the playground and rolled down a rather large hill. We spent a bit of time at the library yesterday as well. Then took the afternoon off to relax and hang with a friend of ours. The children played outside with their friends in the neighborhood. It was a rather slow day to be honest. We are having a bit of a late start today but we will see where our adventures lead us today.

Sep. 24, 2008
Catching up!
Of course being Wednesday today is our Sunday. Our weekend runs Tuesday and Wednesday. Pretty neat especially since if we do a family homeschooling trip even DH gets to go. Most places are less crowded during the middle of the normal work week. We have gone full swing into vocabulary studies, math, and ancient Greece with our daughter. She is loving every minute of it. As time goes on we will add more studies. Our next thing is going to be to add grammar and punctuations. For having been in public school from kindergarten until third grade last year she has very little rudimentary knowledge of these topics. However, mom and dad to the rescue we will fix all of that. Slowly adding in subjects and projects seems to work well for her. The toddler/pre-schooler is well, busy being 101% boy and occasionally shows us what he is learning. Today's adventure is to be a ghost. I don't think we have laughed so hard in ages. He doesn't want eye holes cut out so he keeps running into things and falling down exclaiming, "I am dead". We have discovered he can do basic addition and subtraction and recognizes a few basic words, when he so chooses. I think with all the holidays coming up we are going to start our religious studies unit and take a look at holidays from all cultures past and present. Being more nature worshippers than anything else ourselves we want to have our children learn about all religious beliefs so that when they are old enough to make the decision of what if anything they want to believe in they have the knowledge to do so. Though studying the history of modern holidays and their ancient roots is going to be a blast.Well off to rescue the boy from a piece of gum that does not want to stay in his mouth and is approaching getting into his hair and to finish making homemade modeling clay. Will post the clay recipe I use hopefully later on. I have a desk full of papers to grade, articles to finish, and various and sundry other house hold items to take care of.Light and Love!!

Oct. 21, 2008
We have been so busy...
Well we have had an addition to our little family. My dad the infamous "Pa-Pa" upon whom the sun rises and sets has joined us. We have been re-adjusting our schedules to fit having so many people in the house. We are doing our own version of Charlotte Mason teachings with our son. We are still trying to find the right method to keep our daughter interested. Today, other than her math work book, we will be starting interactive games on the internet to see how she does. I have officially started back to school myself. DH starts next week and goes today for a job interview for a second job. The kids and I have finally found a church that we feel at home in. We are attending, as friends, the local UU church, we are seriously considering full membership there. Hopefully DH can join us next week, depending on his work schedules. My dad is enjoying the time he has with grandchildren but is ever critical of the "lack" of socialization for the kids, especially DD. He thinks home schooling is great other wise.The past few weeks DD has been charge of arts and crafts, she and her brother have been making our Halloween decorations and we are making our own costumes this year instead of purchasing them.We also planted the first of many fruit trees to come, two Celestial Fig. We are going to work on edible landscaping on our little piece of heaven. We have already started our first worm bin and it seems to be doing quite well. If all goes well we will have a surplus of fishing worms and plenty of casings to amend our soil. Have a fun and safe Halloween.Blessed Be!

Previous blog posts combined

2008-10-28T03:12:00.000-04:00

Aug. 3, 2008
And so the journey begins
We were going to set an official date to start home schooling. Then we realized that we not only teach our children something everyday, we learn so much from them. Of course for official documentation we have said Sept 1, 2008. My husband and I are very excited and feel so at peace with this decision. Granted no one else in our family is supportive but now that we have decided to do this together the whole world has opened up to us. We both work I am on day shift and my husband works nights. So we tag team teach and use learning moments. We are searching for resources for some traditional work sheets, unit studies, etc. Well, it is time for home economics in the form of cooking dinner. My goal with this blog is to keep a journal of our adventures.

Aug. 4, 2008
Today's adventures
Well they actually began after dinner. We went to one of our local Books a Million stores to hang out. We shared a sprite and a brownie between 3 of us. Big treat for us, we have been on a tight budget because of moving. Then we meandered down the road into Murrells Inlet and drove slowly and enjoyed looking at all the boats, old southern coastal homes and found a small board walk. We decided to pull over and take the very short walk. We discovered small crabs coming out of the mud and watched minnows swim near the surface of the swampy water. After that we stopped at one of the beachwear shops on the way home. The name of the store is Jaws. A huge ceramic model of the creature is is part of the entrance. We walked into the mouth of the behemouth. We went in not for shopping but because the marquee stated live sharks. Sure enough we saw a mommy and baby nurse sharks swimming in a tank. Sucker fish included on mommy. The store also had lizards, hermit crabs, tiny frogs and two different species of turtles for sale. On the way home we discussed pet owner ship.This morning when daddy got home from work we had breakfast and then took him and Uncle Randy to see the crabs. It had rained last night so the swampy areas we saw earlier in the evening were covered in water, but we were still able to see both species of crabs that we had seen the evening before. Then we stopped at Jaws. The next stop was our favorite though. We finally were able to get library cards for our new library. Books were checked out on the animal of choice to learn about. A few others as well. Our library has a wealth of home schooling materials. Best of all it has a playground outside. Daddy found a book that Claire hasn't been able to put down until about a half an hour ago when she fell asleep. Morgan has his frog book and some Dr. Seuss books (ours are in storage and he was having green eggs and ham withdrawls). That was our adventure in home schooling for today.

Aug. 10, 2008
What a long week..
Well, new job is awesome, love the office atmosphere. The kids are doing well with a very relaxed school schedule. Morgan is actually starting to write his letters. Claire has no clue she is doing school work until you tell her to go have fun enough school for the day. Relaxed self paced and they are eating it all up. Don't ask me what grade they are in, it would depend on the subject and well we have decided not to do grade levels. For history we are doing "Today in history" and she gets to pick interesting topics to read about and then we discuss them. Eventually we are going to add some kind of project to this. Science has been learning about different animals.Math we have done much with yet.Reading, we are reading to Morgan who then tells us he is reading to us and making up his own version of the story. Claire right now is hooked on a book about "Twitches", teenage witches.That about covers it other than hanging at the library, art museum, etc.

Sep. 8, 2008
Playing catch up
I have been rather lax in my blogging of late. As a matter of fact I have found some old blogs that I haven't touched in a year or more. The easiest way to deal with this I think will to be just link them all together. Since I have once again left the rat race and turned my attentions back to my family (the best job in the world in my not so humble opinion) I will be perfecting my writings and returning to school as well.As for our adventures in homeschooling, we are progressing beautifully. Claire seems to be de-schooling rather nicely. While we take an unschooling approach to most of our days she still desires worksheets and some kind of time line of when things need to be done. As I had posted in the yahoo group Homefire Journal our method is more of a hodge podge of things. Field trips, learning moments, computer games, worksheets, arts and crafts and best of all life itself.Currently we are working on studying Greek History and Culture. We are linking studies of the recent Olympics and combining that with studying the presidential election. It will culminate with the local Greek Festival the last weekend in September. We are also doing a unit on hurricanes and other meterological events. Of course there are some traditional class work in handwriting and math. Handwriting practice is the by product of vocabulary studies for Claire. 15 new words per week. I have her define, practice writing (spelling practice as well as handwriting), write sentences and then there are games to play. Math is much the same, worksheet practice. We have back tracked a bit to do some refresher work on math skills but Claire, I am proud to say, is moving through them smoothly and with much more confidence than she showed with her time in public school.Morgan is doing nicely. He has discovered playing cards. We play matching, War, do basic math and well the first letters he has learned to recognize are A, J, Q, K. Future card shark in the making. He is writing a few of his letters and learning to recognize them and numbers as well. For not quite 4 years old we are very proud of his accomplishments thus far. He is an excellent story teller, especially if it involves Ben 10.Well, it is time to settle everyone down for some afternoon work. I will do my best to get back to daily blogging on all my sites, with the copious amounts of spare time that I have.

I am transferring from our old blog site

2008-10-28T03:08:00.000-04:00

Not that I don't like homeschool blogger.com but I felt the need to consolidate my blogs. Too many for me to keep up with so three very nice blogs that I can spend time working on rather than over a half dozen of them that look like, well crap. So the next series of posts will be ones that I am moving from my old homeschoolblogger.com account to this new blog spot. Of course I will make it all look wonderful, include pictures when I can, etc. But I will definitely use this spot to chronicle our first year of home schooling.