3 Year Old Picked his Lunch & Dinner

Today we tackled Sushi for lunch which Ethan insisted we bought. Although he hardly finished two rolls of Berry Sushi, atleast he was brave enough to try it and acquired an introductory taste to it.

For dinner we made something quite simple, tasted delicious and which took a total of 10 minutes to prepare!

We bought:

- Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers in Basil Vegetable Medley (cauliflower, carrpts, sugar snap peas & basil butter sauce)

- Buitoni Spinach Cheese Tortellini

- Buitoni Pesto w/ Basil & Xtra Virgin Olive oil

That’s all we used to make our vegetarian friendly dinner for three. Everyone enjoyed this simple, fast, yummy dinner picked by our 3 year old son Ethan!

12 Reasons to Homeschool Your Children

I read this blog posted by Lisa Nielsen and had to save this post as a reference.

1. Learning is customized not standardized

•  In school learning is standardized to what someone else says is best.
•  At home learning is customized to what the child and parent feel is best.

2. Associate with those you enjoy rather than those who share your birth year

•  In school students are grouped by date of manufacture.
•  At home children can choose to be with those whose company they enjoy.

3. Freedom to learn with their tools

•  In school students are often banned from using they tools they love to learn with — such as a cell phone.
•  At home children can learn with the tools they choose. For many children technology open doors that schools slam shut.

4. Socialize with those who share your passions not just your zip code

•  In school students have little opportunity to socialize and even when they do it is generally confined to those with whom they’ve been grouped with by year and geography.
•  At home children have the opportunity to socialize and make global connections with others of any age who share their talents, passions, and interests.

5. Real life measures are better than bubble tests

•  In school we measure students success with bubble tests and response to prompts.
•  At home we measure success by what children accomplish that matters to them. Some teens like Leah Miller have developed their own personal success plan (see hers here). She sets her goals and then assesses her success in meeting them.

6. Don’t just read about doing stuff. Do stuff!

•  In school students are forced to sit at desks all day reading and answering questions about stuff other people do.
•  At home children don’t need to spend their time reading and writing about what other people do. They can go do stuff.

7. Travel when you want

•  In school they tell you when to go on vacation and families hop off to crowded destinations together.
•  At home families can decide when travelling works best for them and also get better rates.

8. You are more than a number

•  In school the only things students have to show for their work are numbers and graphs known as report cards, transcripts, or data reports.
•  At home children often put together meaningful portfolios that can be reflected upon and powerfully capture and celebrate learning. This can be done at school, but it rarely happens as little time is left for assessment and reflection after testing and test prep.

9. Do work you value

•  In school students do work someone else wants for someone else’s purpose.
•  At home children can engage in meaningful work for reasons they determine are important.

10. Independence is valued over dependence

•  In school students are dependent on others to tell them what to do and when. They spend their time as compliant workers and are discouraged from questioning authority.
•  At home children are encouraged to explore, discover, and develop their own passions and talents and given the freedom to work deeply in these areas. They know how to learn independently because they are interested, not because they are told to do something.

11. You don’t have to waste learning time with standardized tests

•  In school students and their teachers are spending a large percentage of their time preparing for tests and testing even though test have little to no role in real life. My last test was more than a decade ago. How about you?
•  At home children have the freedom to enjoy learning without the burden or stress of testing. Although many children and parents have been trained to believe testing is a necessary evil in school kids who have the freedom to learn without testing are doing just fine and exploring their passions as grown unschooler Kate Fridkis explains in her article that reveals how we can learn successfully without testing.

12. No more meaningless worksheets and reports

•  In school students often complain they are forced to do meaningless worksheets and reports that have no real purpose or audience. In fact these worksheets and reports often actually suck the joy out of learning. Think about it. When was the last time you read a great book and thought, “Wow! I want to write a report or fill in a worksheet.”
•  At home children can do work that matters and has meaning. If they read a book they love they can hop online and discuss it with other people who’ve read it or publish a review for Amazon. If they want to learn something they have an unfiltered world of resources (inaccessible in many schools) at their fingertips to do so.

Parents of Generation Z have woken up and realized that the industrial model school’s of today are preparing their children for a world that no longer exists. They know that those who receive outdated, classroom-based instruction will end up with the rest of the young people Occupying Wall Street and beyond.

However, there is another option! Home educating families are onto something. The children of these families will grow up as adults who know how to take ownership of their learning and their lives. They will be empowered with the ability to attain satisfaction and success in life and career.

Bombarded with questions from your child in the back seat?

Since Ethan was about 1 ½ yr.’s old, I was overwhelmed with so many questions by an impatient toddler who needed his answer NOW! Although, I tried my best to accommodate, it was becoming difficult to focus on the road, learning new streets & ways to drive in new places we moved. We have moved 4 times in the last 3 years from FL to MI to HI.

I found temporary success with various types music in the background but still the questions came rolling along. I’m not the type of driver that can focus on two things at once since I can easily get lost driving. Up until recently I discovered books on CD and it is a life saver. Thus far we have listened to all of Dr. Suess stories, Bearstien Bears, Curious George. He listens intently to each story and the only time you can hear him is when the CD has ended.

We discuss the stories we heard when we get to our destination and walk to and from. If you have not tried Books on Tape/CD, there are plenty to borrow from the library. We will look for other titles that include Magic Tree House, children’s classic literature, christian, history, etc. Try it and maybe you both can find peace in the car!

The “Natural Method” of Language Learning‏

This wonderful e-mail was sent to me by Sarita Holzmann and wanted to share it here. It is also a great way for me to save this here and refer back to it later

I think this note explains the “Natural Method” of language learning Dr. Beechick urges and that Sonlight follows. Just a few days ago I wrote,

Dr. Beechick encourages parents to avoid workbooks if at all possible. She believes workbooks don’t really teach children how to write effectively. Instead, she says, you learn how to write well by:

• listening to good writing
• looking at good writing
• copying good writing (what Dr. Beechick calls “Dictation”)
• and, eventually, by seeking to produce writing that first emulates and then surpasses what you have already heard, viewed, and copied.

“Benjamin Franklin tells in his autobiography how he taught himself to write,” says Dr. Beechick.

It began when he admired some writing in a British periodical, The Spectator. The essays…caught his fancy, and he wanted to write like that. So he outlined essays, put his outlines aside for a few days, and later tried to rewrite an original article by following his outline. He compared his writing with the model to see where he fell short. Then he repeated with the same essay again or tried another essay, improving his writing all the while….

 

And of Jack London (author of White Fang, The Call of the Wild and dozens of other works):

London spent days upon days in the San Francisco Public Library hand copying good literature that the librarian recommended to him.

Children learn to speak by hearing parents speak to them and by responding. Then they learn to read by being read to and by practicing with easy, familiar books. Thus, children learn to write by observing good writing and by imitating those models.

 

Fantastic Book for Homeschoolers

I have been using “Peak with Books An Early Childhood Resource for Balanced Literacy” for the past couple weeks and love it. I love the layout and the literature-based approach while incorporating different subjects like Math and Science. After using this book with “Blueberries for Sal” and “Ask Mr. Bear”, we’re hooked! This is so much fun and educational at the same time. My very young son really enjoys all the enrichment activities.

I pick one story a week and really “dig” into it with “Peak Books” balanced approach. You will find everything you need for Language Arts in early ed., music, poetry, involvement, reproductions and retelling, innovations and caption books, writing process, print-rich environment, parent involvement, online resources, etc. Overall, I wish I found this resource sooner but am grateful that I have it now and not later!

2011 and 2012 Home-school Run down

Sheila at http://www.livingbookscurriculum.com/blog/ blog had posted:

Okay, here’ s the challenge.

Ask yourself these two questions–what worked and what didn’t work (in your homeschool)in 2011–then figure out what you want to do different in 2012.

What worked in your homeschool 2011:

Using advance math on my 3 year old son is showing remarkable results. Who says you can’t teach a preschooler advance Math has never tried to do it in the first place. Also completing one maze a day has really formed his brain to think logically and solve 95% of mazes geared towards age range of 4-6 in less than 20 seconds.
What didn’t work in your homeschool 2011:

Finding the time to do Fleschcard Phonics, Tweedlewink and Your Child Can Read dvd’s. Ethan dreads watching any of these, so I don’t want to force either one to be viewed.

 
Then figure out what you want to do different in 2012:

I want to start using Soft Way to Mozart (piano software) with Ethan this year and doing more science experiments. The Teachers manual for “Peak With Books” is fantastic and look forward to incorporating Children’s classic story books into different subjects such as Math and Science.

Charlotte Mason

This is a post I’ve found extremely on www.Secularhomeschool.com helpful written by Shiela that I wanted to keep on my blog as a reference.

Charlotte Mason thought that the child was in “danger of receiving much teaching with little education.” I believe this was in part why she started her school and wrote down her methods. She stresses that one should always expect excellence. Her books are on the net for FREE-vol 1 lays out the home/foundation and vol 6 goes into great detail by subject:

Narration:
Narration is “re-tells” their own words. Kids must listen carefully and pay attention to detail. For a child under ten, narration is oral. The teacher will write the narration for them or, an oral re-telling will do. After 5th year, the child should write his own. This is the cornerstone of writing. In a well-read child, who has been narrating (as instructed), the transition to writing is usually smooth.

Language Arts:
Copywork, Dictation, Spelling and Grammar. CM strongly advocates the use of copywork for all ages. Add dictation when the child is capable of greater concentration, (year5). Copy work and dictation, together teaches spelling, handwriting and grammar and writing all once. Lessons should be 5-10 minutes in length. When narrating the child gets to see and know his ideas in writing. On occasion, some children need additional spelling but it doesn’t have to be separate. That is the best part: they are taught together. Ms. Mason wrote her own Grammar book, Simply Grammar.

Literature:
CM used the term: Masterly Inactivity. Your role as a teacher is to provide good literature and get out of the way.”no twaddle” Resist the temptation to break down every part of a book. You shouldn’t discuss everything and Stella is right–don’t make connections for them. Her goal was to develop “good taste” in literature. Narration should be encouraged.

Fine Arts:
Picture study for Art. Hang a new picture every week or so. Make sure to give the children a representation of its true size. Discuss the artist throughout the week. Take them to the museums and let them see good work. Listen to the music of great musicians. Stay with the same composer for a few weeks so that you begin to develop and ear for the music. Make sure they know who they are listening to and tell as much about the composer as you can. You can get info from the net. Play music while doing chores, eating a meal, in the car. Create mini works of great artists (pointillism, water colors, etc)..coloring books by Dover can be fun for smaller kids.

Philosophy:
CM devotes many pages of her book(s) on how the mind demands method. Reaching a logical conclusion in one’s thinking is a must. CM was a proponent of “the child is a person and must think for himself.” Naturally, the teacher’s job here is to equip him to observe and be aware of his world. UNDERSTANDING is more important than knowing. “so we go about picking up a maxim here, a motto there, an idea elsewhere, and make a patchwork of the whole which we call our principles.”

History:
CM is very specific in her books–year1 (age 6-7) is when they learn British History. She advocates Marshall’s Our Island Story. Year2 students read biographies of the greats. Year3 students start a more rigorous study. She prefers France be taught 2nd to Britain. Then you move on to The Book of Centuries and add in Indian History (for pleasure). Ancient History must be approached chronologically. Specifically, she adds American and Western Europe during age 15-19. She points out that the student RARELY repeats any of this ever. She also claims that one should not start and end in their own country–”We cannot live sanely unless we know that other peoples are as we are with a difference.” Timelines are completed in 100 years cycles.

Geography:
Her thoughts on geography are precisely what we now refer to as social studies. Great attention is given to map work. A child should identify “where” on a map before they begin reading. Children should “see” and therefore sketches are recommended. A child should come across facts “as a traveler”. She describes her method as Panoramic-it unrolls the landscape of the world–region by region, it’s climate, productions, people, industries and history. Example questions would be how ___ (a natural disaster or war) affected ____ (commerce, social attitudes, wildlife). Older students are expected to keep up with the news and current events throughout the world.

Math
CM believed in teaching the child the rules (Laws, she calls them). A firm ground must be taken to reveal the beauty and truth of mathematics. It is to be studied for its own sake and not “for intelligence”; therefore, unnecessary to delve into math outside of what is necessary for ‘real life’. It is dependent upon the teacher rather than textbook. The child should read living books about the concepts, know the laws of math, and study great mathematicians–like Euclid. Economics would find it’s home here as would the stock market and banking.

Science
Nature Study. Children should spend as much time as possible outside, in all types of weather. The mother should train her children to be keen observers. Nature journals are a must. Provide field guides, binoculars, magnifying glass, cameras. Anna Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study is a good reference. Specific concepts are taught through literature. Laboratory work is necessary. Every child should have a microscope. Recognition during nature walks is the basis-A LOT of specific details are given throughout all of her books, including recommended reading by year along with specific instruction for the teacher.

Foreign Language
The language should be spoken to them and the child should narrate. Songs and Fables are encourage for Year1 & 2 students. They are asked to narrate art and books in the new language often. Eventually, lessons are taught, such as History or Literature in the new language. Grammar and vocabulary are learned the same as they are learned in English. Several languages are taught young and concurrently. A tutor would be strongly suggested. Otherwise, find a steady program that teaches the WHOLE language..not just memorizing words.

Art & Music:
Children should be taught a musical instrument. Children should have some instruction in singing. If possible let children learn from lovers of their work.

Handicrafts and Drills:
She used Swedish Drills daily in her school. However, children under age nine were given musical drills and dancing instruction since they are considered more pleasurable. In teaching handicrafts: 1) a child should not be making “crafts”. Example would be learning woodworking, needlepoint, basket weaving. 2) they should be taught slowly and carefully. 3) shoddy work should never be allowed.

Virtue:
CM stresses character develop throughout all of her works. Habit is another means of instilling virtue as the parent should provide ample illustrations. The best book I have seen on this subject is Laying Down the Rails. It takes all of CM’s words from her six volumes and translates these into a modern read. I think all parents should give it a glance at least…interesting.

Modern Times:
Many interpretations of how CM would use the internet are found during a “search”. Obviously, computer skills must be taught to some degree to all children now. One can argue that typing is more a necessity than handwriting. I would also say that “sketching” in a nature journal is not as necessary since we have pictures. Many points that were necessary ‘back then’ will find their time erased (if not already)–I consider computer programming, robotics, electronics, photography and the ilk as handicrafts for this generation.

Achieve in 2012

As the New Year Approaches there are some things I’d really want to achieve in 2012.

- I’d like to be a better mom to Ethan & wife to Paul & caring friend to everyone.

- Place God first, as he is often neglected & pushed aside my busy schedule.

- I’d like to tone my body & feed it nutritious foods.

- Meditate daily.

- I’d like to seek & achieve some form of happiness/excitement in my daily life.

 

OK, so 2012 looks like a great year ahead! What are some goals in your 2012?

Little Reader Chinese Curriculum Review

The wonderful Brillkids Co. has graciously sent me Little Reader Chinese Curriculum to review. After doing some research online of the difference between simplified and traditional Chinese, it seemed that more modern adaption is commonly used. So I chose the Simplified version. We have been using Little Reader Chinese with my three year old son Ethan who is advanced for his age and get’s bored easily. There are two semesters which can be spread out for an entire year’s lesson.

Let me say, it is quite different. My family has absolutely no exposure to Chinese in the past but I knew that the Chinese language had characters instead of letters and words like most other languages. The first few lessons, it was quite different and took a few lessons to “wrap our brains” around it.  I did purchase and use the regular Little Reader Version, and use it with the same schedule. We use it every couple days and mostly skip everything and go directly for the multimedia content. The multimedia section combines flashing the word (character), while someone describes what’s happening in the photo and/or short video in the background. We chose to skip the other sections of the daily lessons because the multi-media combines all three, making it the most effective. Short bursts of knowledge, like Glenn Doman suggests, is much more effective than longer ones. But that’s just my opinion aswell, you can certainly use all three sections daily. We have not yet completed the entire first semester, but so far it is going well for my son.

If your debating whether this program is worth $119 price tag, I would say yes. Over one billion people, speak some variety of Chinese as their native language. It will benefit Ethan in the future to have this exposure to the Chinese language at his early age of three. We also enjoy looking at some free Chinese lessons on youtube. There are other products that you can supplement with like Professor Toto Chinese and Wink to Learn Chinese. For more information or to see sample videos on the Brillkids website https://user.brillkids.com/onlinestore/ls-little-reader-content-chinese.php

What should I do when my preschooler fights with his friends during playdates?

Another great article from babycenter.com written by Myrna Shure developmental psychologist and educator.

When your youngster grabs a toy, refuses to share, or yells at or hits his friend, ask him, “Do you think that makes Jake feel happy or sad?” (You may need to wait until both children have calmed down before you start this dialogue — and you’ll also need to investigate what started the fracas in the first place.) By helping your preschooler acknowledge his pal’s injured feelings and encouraging his growing sense of empathy, you’ll eventually teach him to choose options with positive consequences for himself andhis friends. The goal, of course, is for him to refrain from lashing out not because he’s afraid of getting in trouble, but because he understands that it causes others pain.

An older or more verbal preschooler is ready for even more prompting: After you’ve inquired about his friend’s feelings, ask your child, “What do you think will happen next?” The answer you’re looking for isn’t about punishment (“I’ll have to sit in the time-out chair”), but something along the lines of “Jake might not like me,” or “Jake won’t want to come over anymore.” Next ask him, “How would you feel if that happened?” This lets your preschooler know that his feelings are important, too.

Finally, encourage him to do some problem solving by asking, “What can you do or say that’s different from what you’re doing now?” Kids are often eager to come up with solutions on their own, and he might offer to let Jake play with a few of his prized Matchboxcars while he busies himself with the others. When he figures out a workable compromise, tell him “Good thinking” rather than “Good idea,” to reinforce that he thinks, not what he thinks. Preschoolers love to hear praise, so don’t hesitate to pile it on (“Boy! You solved that problem all by yourself!”).

Handle the situation the same way when your visitor does the instigating. Ask him how he thinks your child feels, what he thinks might happen next, how that would make him feel, and what he might do instead. Or encourage the children to put their heads together: “Can you two think of a different way to deal with this?”

How to help your child make friends

Keep playdates small. Start by inviting only one or two prospective pals to your house, preferably kids your child already knows. These children should be around your child’s age, “if not a little older,” says Walker. “The older child might initiate a little more.”

Keep playdates short. Between one and two hours is plenty for children this young; you don’t want to overstimulate them.

Plan ahead. Orient the playdate around games and activities your child enjoys and is good at. This will make him more comfortable and keep him feeling good about himself. “Maximize the positive interaction by making sure there are plenty of materials, so children have enough to play with and don’t necessarily have to share right off,” Walker says.

Get involved. Don’t just leave the kids to play by themselves and hope for the best. Your guidance can make children feel more at ease with each other, especially if they’re new friends.

Make yourself available in case they run into conflicts, get distracted and stop playing together, or need a change of activity. Oversee art projects, games of hide-and-seek, or splashing in a wading pool. However, try not to dominate or fill in for your child; the idea is to help break the ice without taking control.

“Mom or Dad can help get things going, then hang back once the kids get into a groove,” Sirl says.

Get a schedule, then get going. To develop familiarity, try to arrange regular playdates with the same kids on a weekly basis. If things are going well, meet in a park or playground or at another child’s house. If the playdates go really well and your child runs off independently to play with the others, try leaving him at someone else’s house without you, first for a short time and then for longer periods.

Be a playdate yourself. Have regular playtimes with your child, just the two of you. This allows you to stimulate interaction while getting to know his playing style.

“You can get a sense of where your child struggles and when it is easy for him,” says Alison Ehara-Brown, a licensed clinical social worker who works with children and families in Berkeley, California. For example, if puzzles and games requiring lots of concentration do little more than frustrate your child, you’ll want to leave them off your list of playdateactivities.

Consider getting a pet. Some young children just aren’t ready to play with peers. If your child clings to you and refuses to leave your side, consider adding a furry friend to the family. Playing with pets requires social interaction but is usually nonthreatening. “This can be a nice way for a child to feel safe and open up his feelings,” Sirl says.

See how others do it. Watching videos or reading books about friends with your child is another low-key way to reinforce the positives of socializing.

Have your own friends over. Since young children pay close attention to what grown-ups do and often imitate their behavior, model for your child by having your friends over, especially in ways that include the younger generation. Have a double playdate with a friend who has children.

Try not to expect too much. By the time your preschooler reaches the age of 3, his interactions with other children will be more involved. But younger preschool-age children play mostly side by side, imitating each other rather than playing together directly.

If your child feels pressure to do more than this, the best intentions can backfire. He is probably already feeling insecure around other kids, and pressure from Mom or Dad can fuel his insecurity. Your child may fear disappointing you, or the issue can become a power struggle.

“Parents should never push very young children to play together; they have to be able to choose some things for themselves,” Walker says. “There’s a fine line there. You don’t want to really push friendship, but you can certainly set the stage for it.”

Get help if you sense a real problem. In most cases, shyness or difficulty making friends in early childhood is normal. But a few red flags could indicate that something else is going on. If at age 3 your child rarely holds eye contact, is unusually withdrawn, doesn’t want to play with other children, or seems terrified of going to preschool or the playground, talk to your child’s doctor.

by Kate Rauch

 

More Videos

New Video

It has been a long time since I’ve posted a video up on youtube. We are continuing to enjoy everyday together. Having fun is our priority while spending 10 minutes a day on “academics”. Here are a few clips from the month of July with our 3 yr. 3 month old son Ethan! Side note: this was his first time reading this book in the video.

Sorry I am not able to upload videos on wordpress unless I start paying them but just click on the link below & it will take you there  :)

 

http://www.youtube.com/raisingethan

 

 

Brillkids Little Reader Review

So after having Brillkids Little Reader Home Basic for over a year now, I can confidently say that is has improved and continues to improve. A few years ago this product cost $100 and included a little bit of Math and Music. Unfortunately, you now have to buy each subject separately and I paid $200 for Little Reader alone. I was never really interested in Little Math because I don’t really like Doman’s method of flashing dots to teach math. As far as music is concerned, I purchased Soft way to Mozart instead.

Little Reader comes in two semester’s and you can choose how many times to view each session and tailor it to your child. For instance, my 3 yr old son is very advanced and get’s bored if repeated lessons are shown excessively. I find that showing him one day’s lesson every couple of days is sufficient. I never show him both sessions as the second only repeats the first. I like that you can add media files to your own Brillkids Little Reader by downloading them straight onto your Playlists. There are features still that I have never used such as their Progress Diary.

Pro: Once you have purchased it once, you can download it to two computers and continue to download it’s upgraded version for free. The Multisensory and Storytime categories are my son’s favorite.

Cons: BUGS! Even after I download the updated versions, there are still bugs where files cannot be played, seen, or heard. Also, Brillkids Little Reader should contain more content.

Overall: Great purchase to use for a couple years and especially if you have multiple kids.

New Organizer

I depend more on my organizer than my phone! It is used daily and contains every event and note I need to live out daily activities. My current organizer’s life has come to an end and needed to replace one. After searching a few weeks and waiting 3 more weeks for it to arrive, it is finally here and I’m not completely happy

First impression is that it is bigger/heavier than expected so I will always have to carry a larger purse to accomidate its size & weight. I love the layout of this organizer and the christian quotes. It has everything but a homeschooling section on it that I would need.

WHY is this organizer through the months Aug-Dec2012?? What are u suppose to do from Jan.-Aug of 2013 until the next edition comes out from Aug.-Dec2014. Does that make any sense?? Shouldn’t it begin and end at the same months so that people could continue to repurchase the same planner?

I don’t like the large coils or cover style too much, it seems a bit old-fashioned but def. nicer than its previous style. I don’t like that it does not have a band that wraps around it so that it will not open accidentally or get pages indented. I don’t think I would purchase this again unless they revamp the packaging. If anyone knows of an awesome planner/organizer please let me know!

Homeschooling Update

Daily Math includes • Addition Bar Graph Calendar Capacity Coins Fractions Language Length Likelihood Number Line Odd/Even Order Pattern Real World Problems Shapes Subtraction Time Weight Whole Numbers

I haven’t posted a Homeschooling Update in quite some time. What are Earth are we doing all day? Well everyday of the week we have an activity planned that starts in the morning and ends before lunch, then nap time and then we relax/play mostly the rest of the day.

As previously posted, I  was a former teacher and Ethan learns very quickly and hardly needs anything repeated. As of this summer/fall we’re spending 10 min.’s daily for “academics”. We learn 2 min for Math, 2 min. of L.A., 2 min. phonics, 2 min. Logic, 2 min. KG-1st grade curriculum. The rest of the day is spent playing & discovering.

We also take the time each day to read various subjects including Bible studies, where we discuss/narrate what we have read/learned, a very informal but effective approach.

Hopefully we will get momentum again to reach “30″ min.s of academic subjects p/day but as for now, I’m still unpacking the house and trying to get life in order with Paul being gone so often!

Kitchen Cabinets & Organization

As I was looking through my cabinets, I realized just how pretty they are and hope to provide someone else ideas. I have a dinner set for 8 people packed away in the garage. We purchased this lovely green dinner set for four people from Walmart. We don’t have a dishwasher, so we hardly bring out the “extras” only to burden me with lack of space & dishwashing! I place smaller misc. things in the green baskets all the way on the top so they flow over the self or end it being placed somewhere they don’t belongs

In this second cabinet, I place canned goods, mostly all organic. Yet I try not to consume too many canned goods because of the aluminum leakage,bpa and other toxins leached into the food. YUCK! But how could you deny such a lovely convenience of opening a can and easily consuming it without any preparation what so ever? Sometimes I justify eating canned goods by saying “it’s better than fast food” lol.

Yet I’m only fooling myself and potentially putting my son’s health at risk consuming foods in these packages. Besides have you ever seen how much sodium they load in these cans??? It’s crazy. For refried beans had 35% sodium p/serving, times 3 per can equals = 75% daily intake of sodium. Now how much is that really when you convert it to a young child? Not to mention you still have to eat other meals in the day that contain their own sodium levels. I get sick to my stomach thinking about it. Perhaps that’s why I feel so inflated? Big belly = too much salt? Who knows, maybe there’s truth to it? But aren’t my kitchen cabinets pretty? And yes, they always look like this in the inside, it actually takes very little effort to keep it this way once you organized it the way you want things to be. Cheers!

Homeschool Kindergarten

I came across such a wonderful website managed by Heidi Johnson www.homeschool-how-to.com and wanted to post this very simple insight of how to homeschool a Kindergarten!

Here are some important things you should do with your child for Kindergarten:

1.  Reading Time – Reading to a child at least 30 minutes per day not only encourages closeness between the parent and child, it also teaches the child about sentence structure, words, vocabulary and information.  Help your child understand that words make sentences and sentences make up stories and give information.  Show them that if they can read, they can learn about anything they want to learn about. Science and History can easily be taught using children’s picture books. Here are my favorite books for homeschool science and homeschool social studies

2.  Game Time – Children learn so much from playing games.  They learn how to take turns, strategize, count, learn colors, and much more.  Take some time every few days to play a game with your Kindergarten age child.

3.  Community Time – Take your child to interesting places in your neighborhood and surrounding area.  These don’t have to be long, involved field trips.  They just show your children that people have jobs and passions that they can enjoy and share with others.  You can visit the post office, farm, bakery, zoo, park, or just go on a nature walk.

4.  Questions – Most children naturally ask lots of questions about the world around them.  Answer their questions!  If you child doesn’t ask questions, then help them start being more observant.  You can say things like, “Look at the shape of the leaves on that tree.  I wonder why they are shaped that way.” or “I wonder where the water goes after it goes down the drain.”

Frequent trips to the library encourage learning about Science and History.  There are many good books about these subjects that Kindergarteners can enjoy.