Well, we had one of our best weeks of school ever! We completed 1 full Calvert Lesson per day. Jossy has also been working on writing a book for a contest as well as making a "tab book" from www.enchantedlearning.com on Ireland and St. Patrick's Day. It is written at a 4th or 5th grade level but I am reading it to her and her comprehension is great. She has learned about, colored and cut out the pages for Leprechauns, Irish Harps, Rainbows and the pot of gold, Shamrocks and today, colored a map of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and learned their capitols. She then stood on top of our sofa so she could reach the northern hemisphere of our world map and put one finger on Minnesota and one finger on Ireland. We talked about her grandparents trip to Ireland and my special vase from Ireland.
The part I am most proud of, though, is that I have done "school" with Zeff everyday this week as well as helped him to make major strides in potty training! Together we have made 2 dinosaur books and a green book. Today Jossy painted outlines of numerals 3 and 5 (current toughies) and Zeff painted an outline of a Z. It was sooo cool having them working on the same thing and I could tell Zeff felt like a Very Big Boy!
Zeff also had a really neat experience Monday (which I blogged extensively about then lost!). Ry was feeling a little under the weather so he took Zeff to work with him - okay where's the logic in that?! Actually he decided he would only work 3-4 hours in a very big vacant house where Zeff could run around and "help daddy". It was really sweet of him and made Zeff's whole week.
The kids also got along very, very well this week. They play their own makebelieve games for quite a long time without fighting. On Thursday they were both acting like puppies so I put tape down on the floor to make a 4'x4' "cage" for them. They played puppies in their cage for at least an hour!! I even let them watch the "baby puppy" (Keian) while I went to "work" (the kitchen). Today, they talked Ryan into setting up the playpen for them and that was their "ship" for a good hour. Before it became a ship though, they put a sheet over themselves and laughed themselves silly for about 15" telling Ryan they were outside and he kept looking out the window. I know it is dumb but it was really fun.
So Why did we have such a great week? Two reasons that I can think of. No outside activities this week. That's right, none, zero. Jossy was too sick for her Tuesday activities, our Wednesday coop was cancelled and we couldn't attend playgroup as we had a lunch date with my dad and then went to the Raptor Center for "Raptor Tails" Story Time. I really felt like I had ample time to focus on the schooling and doing all the enrichments and extras, rather than do the bare minimum so we can get to playgroup. The kids have been getting along better, too, since they haven't played with any other kids this week. I guess that sounds awful, and I wouldn't plan for it to be that way but once in a while it is a really good thing. They have been such playmates, this week, Zeff's language skills and behavior have improved to the point where he is really a "kid" and not a toddler at all and Joss seems to realize and appreciate it.
Second reason: We have done a great job of cutting the TV time. We mounted it on the wall several months ago. I have also been turning it off whenever their not actively involved in it and turning it off after one show. This has probably made the most difference. I also told Jossy that scientists found out that more than 4 TV shows (2 hours) a day is bad for your brain! It's true! I'm sure of it! Something else that helps is keeping classical music on most of the day. It helps keep the kids and I both calm and they don't seem to ask for TV as much when it is on.
One other reason that I have been feeling good about our educational progress is www.enchantedlearning.com which has always been a good resource but I had forgotten about it. Well, I almost forgot about it again when I found out it had become a paysite, but after perusing it I decided it was well worth the $20/yr they ask and I have been very happy. Now that Zeff is getting more "preschooly" I think it will be very worth it. They have 1000's of printable worksheets, books, crafts all very, very well organized. It was so cool when Zeff asked if he could make a dinosaur book and literally in less than 5 minutes the pages were printing out for him to color (while I read the paragraph about that dinosaur) and staple together. He has sooo much pride in his books. Now that he has three he sits next to Keian and reads them to him for "Nigh-night story". Yes it is beyond precious!
Well, I am very tired, although still not sleepy but I better at least go try to sleep! Hope everyone else out there is as happy with their life and family as I am now! BTW: This is the reason I blog! So when I have those horrible days I can look back and see it written in black and white that this life is really great some of the time!
The part I am most proud of, though, is that I have done "school" with Zeff everyday this week as well as helped him to make major strides in potty training! Together we have made 2 dinosaur books and a green book. Today Jossy painted outlines of numerals 3 and 5 (current toughies) and Zeff painted an outline of a Z. It was sooo cool having them working on the same thing and I could tell Zeff felt like a Very Big Boy!
Zeff also had a really neat experience Monday (which I blogged extensively about then lost!). Ry was feeling a little under the weather so he took Zeff to work with him - okay where's the logic in that?! Actually he decided he would only work 3-4 hours in a very big vacant house where Zeff could run around and "help daddy". It was really sweet of him and made Zeff's whole week.
The kids also got along very, very well this week. They play their own makebelieve games for quite a long time without fighting. On Thursday they were both acting like puppies so I put tape down on the floor to make a 4'x4' "cage" for them. They played puppies in their cage for at least an hour!! I even let them watch the "baby puppy" (Keian) while I went to "work" (the kitchen). Today, they talked Ryan into setting up the playpen for them and that was their "ship" for a good hour. Before it became a ship though, they put a sheet over themselves and laughed themselves silly for about 15" telling Ryan they were outside and he kept looking out the window. I know it is dumb but it was really fun.
So Why did we have such a great week? Two reasons that I can think of. No outside activities this week. That's right, none, zero. Jossy was too sick for her Tuesday activities, our Wednesday coop was cancelled and we couldn't attend playgroup as we had a lunch date with my dad and then went to the Raptor Center for "Raptor Tails" Story Time. I really felt like I had ample time to focus on the schooling and doing all the enrichments and extras, rather than do the bare minimum so we can get to playgroup. The kids have been getting along better, too, since they haven't played with any other kids this week. I guess that sounds awful, and I wouldn't plan for it to be that way but once in a while it is a really good thing. They have been such playmates, this week, Zeff's language skills and behavior have improved to the point where he is really a "kid" and not a toddler at all and Joss seems to realize and appreciate it.
Second reason: We have done a great job of cutting the TV time. We mounted it on the wall several months ago. I have also been turning it off whenever their not actively involved in it and turning it off after one show. This has probably made the most difference. I also told Jossy that scientists found out that more than 4 TV shows (2 hours) a day is bad for your brain! It's true! I'm sure of it! Something else that helps is keeping classical music on most of the day. It helps keep the kids and I both calm and they don't seem to ask for TV as much when it is on.
One other reason that I have been feeling good about our educational progress is www.enchantedlearning.com which has always been a good resource but I had forgotten about it. Well, I almost forgot about it again when I found out it had become a paysite, but after perusing it I decided it was well worth the $20/yr they ask and I have been very happy. Now that Zeff is getting more "preschooly" I think it will be very worth it. They have 1000's of printable worksheets, books, crafts all very, very well organized. It was so cool when Zeff asked if he could make a dinosaur book and literally in less than 5 minutes the pages were printing out for him to color (while I read the paragraph about that dinosaur) and staple together. He has sooo much pride in his books. Now that he has three he sits next to Keian and reads them to him for "Nigh-night story". Yes it is beyond precious!
Well, I am very tired, although still not sleepy but I better at least go try to sleep! Hope everyone else out there is as happy with their life and family as I am now! BTW: This is the reason I blog! So when I have those horrible days I can look back and see it written in black and white that this life is really great some of the time!
posted by KatyM @ 11:48 PM
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