Kathleen in VA
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Posts posted by Kathleen in VA
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Oh my, Chris. There are no words. Just :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:. I'm just very glad your dh is back.
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Don't kill them!!!! Call a bee keeper and have him/her take them away. Honeybees are on the decline.
This is an old article but the problem still persists:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0703-honeybee_decline.htm
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Happy Birthday, Joanne! I hope this coming year is your best ever. Enjoy your day!!!
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Love your kitchen, and your view and I think baking is not the only thing you are good at - your writing is wonderful as well. You've got me intrigued about that luscious-smelling cake.:)
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This is why we no longer watch tv. Some of the programs are ok, but the commercials!!!! You never know what to expect.
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:grouphug:Rose:grouphug: I will be praying for you.
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:lol::lol::lol:
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My brother was held back for a second year of preschool, though he was academically talented, because he had a summer birthday. That was 35 years ago. So it's not new. :001_smile: My mom always said it was the best thing she ever did, and that greatly influenced my own decision.
There are entire programs for these dc in local schools, too. They do a year of early-kindergarten and then a year of kindergarten.
I always think of it as a gift - a gift of time. A child in 2nd or 3rd grade will hardly notice it at all, but the extra year of maturity will be a great asset in the high school years. I graduated at 17 (my birthday is 12/12) and I wish my parents had held me back. I was not ready for algebra when my classmates were, I had a very literal way of understanding the world and found abstract thought very challenging. One more year might have helped.
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My birthday is July 18. I was 17 when I graduated. I had never in my life heard that a summer birthday was somehow "late," until I started posting on *this* homeschool forum. :001_huh:
IMHO, when you need to put a grade-level label on him, it should be the one according to his date of birth and the cut off in your state. So yes, the year he is 8, he would be a third grader.
I would certainly not hold him back a year on paper because right now he seems to be "younger" than some other children. That doesn't make sense to me at all.
Children should be graduated from school when they have completed a course of study, regardless of their age or maturity or physical size.
Ellie, it's possible you had never heard of it because it's usually something associated with boys with summer birthdays. If the OP's son is on the late end of the cut-off time and she is required to test him at a certain grade level, it might reflect poorly on him if he is not ready for 3rd grade work. I taught first grade at a small Christian school in the 80s and this was common topic of discussion.
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As a former first grade teacher, I highly recommend that you teach him and test him at the second grade level. I am also in Virginia and parents here have option of keeping their 5yo out of kindergarten until they are 6yo if they feel their child needs more time to mature. (that's for public school kids). If you think your son would benefit from another year at a lower grade level, I don't know why anyone would have a problem with that. Boys especially need time to mature at that age. If he were in ps it would be much better to have one more year under his belt during the high school years. He'd have a better chance to be a leader and he'd be more ready to go to college at 18yo than 17yo.
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My dh cried when his dad died and he cries when people get baptized at church. His eyes fill with tears - I've never heard him cry - I only see it. His eyes moisten up during some movies, too, but I can't remember which ones off hand.
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For a child with dysgraphia I suggest Winston Grammar.
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Acting classes helped our kiddo.
This reminded me of how I would often point out to my kids as we were watching certain movies that the actors would be over-pronouncing things just to be very clear. The Pirates of Penzance with Kevin Kline is a good example of this. Kevin Kline enunciates very clearly - every vowel, every consonant. All the actors/actresses do, but I especially noticed it with him and the guy who played the head of the police.
I had trouble with a few of mine and I had them read poetry aloud or memorize a passage from a book, movie or famous speech. Ds15 memorized part of the "Modern Major General" song as a way of learning to pronounce words carefully. He also memorized and recited the speech at the end of the movie "Amazing Grace" - it's the one a member of Parliament gives about William Wilberforce contrasting him with Napoleon. Ds15 loves that movie so he was especially motivated to learn the speech. When Ds25 was about 8yo he was given the nursery rhyme "If All the Trees Were One Tree" to recite. I sat with him and made sure he pronounced each and every word clearly, being sure to separate it from the words before and after.
For example, for the tree poem I would have ds say, "If all the t-r-ees were one t-r-ee, what. a great. t-r-ee that. would. be." It would be easy to run some of those words together, but I stressed that he should separate them as he recited. Of course, he was not thrilled or overjoyed with the exercise, but we made it a game of sorts and often busted out laughing together over it.
We have also borrowed a line from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. When anyone mumbles around here, we will say, "I do not have the pleasure of understanding you." The culprit then realizes his or her mistake and attempts to speak more clearly. Oh, and one more line we've borrowed is from the British TV series "All Creatures Great and Small" - one of Dr. Herriot's clients often says, "Would you please not mumble so much." We, of course, try very hard to say that with our finest Yorkshire accent and it usually gets the job done.
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I wonder, like Jean, if the program you are using is creating the behaviors you are seeing. Personally, I think 5yo is much too young for a child, especially a boy, to be expected to sit at a desk and write. I'm old school. I think it does more damage to push academics at this age than it does to let them play, color, paint, squish playdough, etc. His fine motor skills may just not be ready for whatever it is you want him to do.
If he were mine, I'd set the paper work aside and instead work on building fine motor control through activities such as cutting, molding with clay, playing with legos, etc. I'd read to him a lot. I'd spend time outside working on a garden and/or just going on nature walks. I'd do some birdwatching. Turn over some logs or rocks and find out what bugs live underneath. Try to identify the trees in your yard or a nearby park.
Whatever takes you a year to teach a 5 year old will take you much less time to teach a 7 year old. Your main objective should be to inspire enthusiasm for all the world has to offer. Use everyday life to draw out your child's natural curiosity about the world around him - ask questions and let him ask questions. Find the answers together.
I feel like I'm not putting this very well. The main thing is get your little one to wonder - to make observations - to just ponder the world around him. Take whatever is happening - chores, the weather, holidays, visitors, trips to the store - just anything at all - and create a desire to know.
There will be plenty of time for academics, for sitting still, for writing, for math facts. Right now, it should be about "I wonder why," "I wonder how," "I wonder what would happen if" etc.
That doesn't mean he will just be playing all day. He needs to learn to obey your voice. He can learn that as you go through the day as well. He should be learning to make his bed, keep his room tidy, put away anything he gets out, help with the chores, etc. You can direct his activity and expect him to obey you. Work on that main character quality - obedience - until he's got it down pat. Then, later, when you will require him to sit and do academic work he will be prepared to do what you say and not resist you. I think Dad needs to be involved in this, too, if at all possible. Dad should make it very clear that your son is expected to do what he is told and to respect you. That should be settled before he is ever asked to sit at a desk and do academic work.
Let the child's first lesson be obedience, and the second will be what thou wilt. Ben Franklin
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Lovely, lovely, lovely! And the attention to detail is very apparent - well done!
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For 2 boys this year we have paid for:
Dues, BDUs, blues, shoes, (bought used when could but most of it was new due to limited used options), and 72 hour packs.
Their application paperwork was lost TWICE. They have not been able to attend a single encampment or conference or training session or O flight bc:
Staff lost or failed to require paperwork
Staff was not attending and thus cadets could not attend
Staff was suspended or otherwise unable to meet requirements
Staff failed to keep paperwork necessary for rank ups and then denied rank ups. but not for everyone who didn't have paperwork.
Staff has failed to ever give out the ground team books? They keep promising to bring the "green books" to the next mtg. But they never have.
They have had 1 field trip. That's it.
My boys have missed exactly one of the weekly meetings.
To say we are beyond frustrated is a huge understatement.
Absolutely unacceptable. You need to contact your state's wing headquarters or national headquarters in Alabama (Maxwell AFB). Is there another squadron near (or somewhat near) you? We had our pick of two because we are smack dab between them - 30 miles south or 30 miles west. Have you thought of becoming a senior member yourself and then taking over the position of DCC? One mom in our squadron did this and most of the DCCs in the squadron over the years were parents of a cadet. It's a lot of work, but CAP has so much to offer it might be worth it just so your boys can get the most out of it.
That said, I would most definitely be making some phone calls.
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Haven't read the book or seen the movie, but WOW - she did an awesome job - so much detail and care. Very impressive!
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That's not much for two weeks - we are on a similar budget. How about cloth napkins and dish towels instead of paper towels? I bought a package of "flour sack" towels at Wal-mart that I use for mopping up big spills and other stuff I used to reach for a paper towel to handle. I still buy paper towels - just not nearly as often. Cloth napkins can be used all day long and then tossed in the laundry at night. You could buy those super huge packages of cheesy terry wash cloths and use those if you don't have cloth napkins already. I know some people make their own, but that's only cheap if you already own the fabric. Skip the paper plates and cups altogether if you buy those. Assign each family member a cup - perhaps put rubber bands around them (so many for what number you are in the family) to keep them straight and use the same cup all day.
You can make your own cleaning products - a google search will result in many sites with cheap recipes. Also, don't wash your clothes as often and you can save on laundry supplies. Bath towels can be reused for a week - I mean, after all, you are very clean right after a bath. How dirty can they get? My boys were notorious for throwing their jeans, which they only wore around the house all day, into the hamper at night. I had to teach them that jeans can be worn for a few days at least as long as you don't roll in the mud. The clothes and towels last longer too.
Oh, and you might send your dh to the grocery store with your list and see how he does with the budget. I understand wanting to please your dh - I agree with that mentality - but often they just do not get how much food costs. When my dh stops at the store, he is always surprised by how much everything costs.
For breakfast, how about eggs, oatmeal, grits, and the like? They really do not take that much time to make and are super cheap. Also, you can make up a week's worth of pancakes one morning and freeze them to take out on a daily basis.
Lunch can be soup and bread. Do you have a breadmaker? Start a loaf first thing in the morning, get the soup going and have it simmering. Then when it's lunchtime, you're all set. There are tons of soup recipes that are relatively inexpensive - skip the ones that call for a pound of bacon or some other high ticket item, lol. Make an especially big batch and freeze it to have available all week. I know soup isn't as desirable in the hotter months, but you get used to it.
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Both of my older boys went through the program and loved it. I don't ever remember spending $1000 in one year on it. What did that buy exactly? I'm sorry you are disappointed. Maybe if you were more specific about what's wrong we CAP moms could be of more help.
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What does his dad think? Sometimes dad needs to step in and make in perfectly clear that no matter how a child may be feeling he is never, ever allowed to speak disrespectfully to you.
Also, have your son be directly accountable for his schoolwork to your dh. If he gives you grief about any of his work, you can say, "that's fine - you can discuss that with your dad." Boys at this age are trying to become young men and need to be less directed by the mothers and more directed by their fathers, imo. Your dh doesn't have to do any teaching - he just needs to check the list of work and make sure it got done.
He also needs to be reminding your son that you are his wife and he will not tolerate anyone, least of all his son, speaking disrespectfully to you. It's just not allowed. He has a currency of some sort (video games, tv time, a sport he's involved in - something he has a vested interest in) and you can use that as leverage if he doesn't comply.
I think it's pretty typical for boys this age to find their moms annoying. They are trying so hard to grow up. It's a rough time. Like I said, I think it really helps a ton if dad steps in and pulls tightly on the reins.
ETA: Here's a website that might be helpful. http://www.raisingrealmen.com/
Edited again to recommend this book: Age of Opportunity by Ted Tripp
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Hammer of God by Bo Giertz
I found it on this booklist at the Writing Rhetorically blog where the author says, "It is a collection of stories, almost reminiscent of Dostoyevsky’s tone, that tells the same truth throughout: true faith is a balance of Law and Gospel. I loved this book and highly recommend it to all."
I loved it, too.
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Your post says that you love Jesus so I would think your testimony could simply be telling others why you love Him.
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I like Jolly Rancher jelly beans.
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Yes, I didn't mean to say that the resurrection wasn't just as important as the crucifixion.
Bethany - I almost added "I'm sure Bethany would agree" but didn't want to put words in your mouth. Still, I felt sure you would.
Day from Heck
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
The bolded part made me cry. You are always under the constant undertone and strain of wondering about him, no matter what your day goes like otherwise. I have been lax in praying for you and need to get back to it. You are an amazingly positive person, Chris, considering all you have to deal with.:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: