Well, we can use it for anatomy?
Studies and activities occurred today. My kids call Friday, “Friday Fun Day” because they usually are allowed to play video games in the evening. Tonight, after robotics club, I took my youngest two sons and daughter shopping. The kids had been wanting to look at Halloween decor. My youngest son, in particular, had been asking to buy a skeleton for a couple of weeks. I don’t know why. My kids know that I’m not a fan of scary things, but we do enjoy wearing costumes and eating candy. So, we finally made it to Target where they had both a small and large version of a skeleton. My son only had enough allowance to buy the smaller version. You could tell he was so disappointed that he could not afford to buy the life-size version. He kept walking back to the larger one admiring it. He finally asked me if I would help him by the bigger one. It was really hard to refuse his sad puppy eyes. I try not to indulge the kids, as they are learning the value of money and smart spending, but this occasion pulled at my heart strings, so I went in 50/50 with him. Truthfully, I’ve been wanting a life-size skeleton for home use. They can come in handy when studying the body. You could say that I really didn’t mind splurging on this purchase. Of course, we’ll have to get comfortable with the skeleton staring at us, especially in the dark!
Your wiring
It’s interesting how different people are. You can see it in your own children, for example. When I teach one of my sons, I must teach him in short bursts and sit beside him to keep him focused. With another son, I can teach him the lesson, give him his assigned pages to complete, and he will return in a short amount of time with all of the problems completed. Their differences lie in the way they are wired. One wiring is no better than the other. Their hard-drives are just different.
So, along those lines, I spent the afternoon and into the evening working around the house, because it was a mess. Recognizing how I’m wired, I knew I had to get organized and de-clutter some things in the kid’s rooms. There’s only so long I can work in a disorganized and messy house. I need order. It affects my mood which affects my teaching.
I went through all of the children’s closets, so that everyone had the correct sizes and appropriate seasonal apparel. I also cleaned bathrooms, worked on the laundry, unpacked bags from the car, etc. The kids did assist upon my request at times, but sometimes I just prefer to work alone. It’s quieter and faster.
Tomorrow comes quickly. Clothes are already picked out for tomorrow, and soccer backpacks are in place for the big afternoon games.
Sidenote-I’ve been researching the program “Better Chinese”. It’s a top pick by Cathy Duffy, and the site has an app you can buy for around $35.00
Amish country
My family and I minus hubby made a road trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania yesterday. My parents had never been to that part of the country, so they were interested in learning more about the Amish and Mennonite communities, especially after seeing some of the more recent TV shows like “Amish Mafia”. We arrived just after lunch and went to “Plain and Fancy” Farm where we watched a short film on Amish life. After that, we took a 90-minute tour of Amish farms and stores as our driver told us in more detail about their way of life. That was followed by a buggy ride with “Uncle Tom” (our new Mennonite friend). Uncle Tom had told us he would give us the VIP tour since we had to wait for him to change the rubber on one of the wheels. Once we finally got moving, the rubber came off again on a different wheel. I thought we were going to be stranded on one of the farms, but he kept driving on the metal! After that event, we ate a quick dinner at a local restaurant that we all found truthfully disgusting. I couldn’t even finish my meal, and it was not cheaply priced. We ended our evening watching the show “Noah” at Sight and Sound Theater. I was disappointed in the show. I had heard great reviews of Noah, but I found the writing of the script to be on the weaker side. The set, however, was amazing.
The highlight of the road trip was by far learning more about the Amish and Mennonite communities. I am absolutely fascinated with their cultures and would love to spend time immersed in their environment. I’ve seen on VRBO where you and your family can rent a stay on one of the farms and actually help them work with the animals and vegetation. My husband laughs at the idea, because he sees as it as sort of a scam, but I’m not so sure. Something to consider for the future. I did wonder during our trip how much money was being made off of the Amish environment, and who was actually making the money. I would imagine some of these families are depositing quite a chunk of change into the bank because of tourists such as ourselves. I did learn that these cultures are exempt from paying certain taxes like social security based on a Supreme Court’s decision. I was told they don’t want to depend on the government for money, so they don’t have to pay these taxes. Hmmmmmmm….Maybe I should convert? I love those black and white cows, too! They are so fashionable.
We observed the many one-room schoolhouses, and I, of course, smiled because I can relate at least to that idea. I wonder if they would hire me to teach:)
A thought I left with while learning about their education. The Amish culture teaches the 5 R’s, not just the 3 R’s like we do. They are:
Reading
(w)Riting
(a)Rithmetic
Respect
Responsibility
I LOVE that motto and plan to adopt it in my home this year. Good stuff..I could be Amish.
Paint fumes
It’s around 4:30 in the morning. I’ve been painting yesterday afternoon and into the past evening and now morning. The rooster may crow soon. I’m in full-blown project mode, and it feels great to see projects moving towards completion (part of my love language).
The house is so quiet. Everyone’s asleep. It’s times like these that I can do some of my best work, because I don’t have the interruptions or the responsibilities.
I just painted over our large chalkboard wall in the schoolroom. Since I’m gaining back my original dining room, I won’t be needing a dusty chalkboard. I’m moving us to the basement, and there will be lots of painting to do down there. My parents are coming for a visit next month, so I’m trying to get some big things out of the way. My mother is an amazing interior decorator by sheer instinct. We’ll be hitting the local houseware stores while she’s here for some new accessories, and, of course, Manhattan.
Today, my oldest son was complaining of boredom, so I asked him if he would like to review math. He declined and asked me if he could play X-Box. My response was no since he’d played a couple of days in a row. So, after a few minutes of moping around, he eventually went on a bike ride and then played some games such as Connect Four with his siblings. My youngest son decided to write a song and dance for the recorder that he performed for us, and then he created a board game out of paper and styrofoam. Boredom is a good thing for kids. Eventually, their creative spirit kicks in. Our society needs that from them.
Easiest birthday party ever
I am all about making things easier for myself these days out of pure selfishness. There’s a great deal on my plate with homeschooling and everything that goes along with that. So, when it came time to celebrate my daughter’s birthday with her friends, I suggested a Girl’s Night Out. There was no prep work that had to be done by me!
Here’s what we did….My girlfriend and I took my daughter and 4 of her girlfriends out to dinner at a local eatery. From there we went to Justice, a girlie clothing store. They were each given an allotment to spend at the store. Once the girls finished shopping there, we drove to Jo-Ann’s, a craft store, where they purchased matching cloth fabric bags with various iron-on appliqués with their given allotment. Our last stop was to Barnes and Nobles where the girls used their final allotment to purchase a book. The night ended with the party eating banana splits at my house. FYI-giving them a certain amount to spend encouraged them to think about math in a practical sense. They had to decide if their purchases were within the parameters I had set. Of course, I had a hard time saying “no” to any of them, but they really did a good job working within their boundaries.
They already had their goodie bags from their purchases, so I didn’t have to get those together. I didn’t have to entertain them because the different shops provided their amusement.There was nothing required of me except to keep them safe and happy. I don’t think I’ll ever plan a traditional party again.
Simplify your life-love it!
Ivy League Homeschooling 