Mama_Rana
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Posts posted by Mama_Rana
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I'm really struggling. I feel like there's never any time for anything--chores, field trips, read alouds that are just for fun--but I know that's just because I'm stuck in a bubble and can't see the solution. I was hoping someone could take a look and give me a "kick in the pants". Gently. ;)
One of the biggest obstacles is that my older son often sleeps in til 8, 8:30, is slow to get going, and is easily distracted. His younger brother on the other hand is up before 6 most mornings and by the time older DS is up, he's done with breakfast, already played some, and is ready to settle in for some TV time. Screen time is definitely an issue in our house, but one I am at least aware of even though I haven't tackled it yet.
Ok, but here's the low-down.
Monday older ds has speech at the public school at noon. We get some school done in the morning, but I try to feed them lunch before we go, so we have to stop before 11 so I can get them both fed, get the younger one into clothes [he usually goes nakey-bum around the house], and get them in the car by 11:50. We get back around 1 and I try to get the toddler down, and then we have a couple hours to do some school. Usually.
Tuesday is our homeschool community center day. We should leave by 9:30 to get to DS's first class, but we've been late a lot since the new year. [luckily it's more of a club than a class and the leader has been just hanging out with anyone who wants to keep building [it's "Lego lab"]. Then piano lesson at 11:30, lunch after that, and then Latin at 1:15 til 2. After DS likes to have some time to play with some of the kids, which seems reasonable. But the younger still needs a nap, so that's been a struggle. We're really not getting anything done on this day except his classes. Maybe that's enough....
Wed. DS the younger is taking a class at our local My Gym at 11:30. DS the elder usually does some math and reading while he's waiting. After there's an open gym time that I let them both participate in. We eat lunch before going, so we need to stop any school by 10:45, have a light snack before open gym, then stay until 1:45 when open gym closes. If the younger falls asleep on the way home, we can usually get a chunk of work done, but some times, like this week he doesn't and I have to try to get him down but if he's all riled up from running around it can be hard and takes me a while, and the next thing I know it's 3:30 and DS the elder wants to play with the neighbor boy.
Thurs. DS the elder has a book club every other week. It's history-based so not fluff. That's in the morning, but at the comm. center which is a drive for us. Love it, but it does take up the morning. He also has a My Gym class and another open gym time from 3:15 - 5:30. Since My Gym is pretty much his PE this year, and he claims to LOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE it, I feel bad cutting it, but it's pretty much 4.5 hours a week between both boys. I tried to get a new class started that would combine their class times, but I wasn't able to get enough people interested and so it's flopped. :(
Friday we don't have any commitments, but it's usually the day we end up going to the library. DS the elder has suggested moving library day to Monday, but we'd pretty much have to do it before speech... or else right after and curtail how long we stayed or else the toddler wouldn't get his nap. He's been deprive of his nap many days this week just because SOMETHING keeps happening to prevent him from getting it. :( Today we needed to go to the store to get TP.
I try to keep academics to the weekdays only. DH works a lot, and has a volunteer commitment that takes up some evenings and weekends, so when he IS home, I want the boys to spend time with him.
So what do you think? Do I need to cut something? Just be more efficient? Lower my standards even further?
TL;DR, but if you've made it this far, thank you. I'd appreciate gentleness, but I really do need to figure this out before I go crazy and put him back into p.s. which neither of us want. :(
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Ok, yes, Blue SEries! Topic-organized! Why can't I remember that?! LOL
So ya'll feel it's reasonable for him to finish 2-3 pages. And that seems to match the flow of the book: there's some intro reading and examples, then a page or two of problems to practice the skill.
Halcyon, I see that you're also using Kiss Grammar. I'm debating between that and MCT. When I described both to my son, he liked the idea of MCT better, and in a lot of ways so do I, but Kiss is so tempting.....
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Hi, we just switched from M.E.P. to Math Mammoth. I have the Light Blue Series where the books are organized by subject rather than grade level. DS likes that it's a little more independent than MEP, but he has such a hard time focusing that it takes him forever to get through what I think of as a reasonable chunk.
If you use this program, how quickly do go through it? How much do you expect your child to do at a time?
DS is 7, about to turn 8, and understands the concepts fairly quickly though he's prone to make silly mistakes for rushing. For example, today a problem said "9+4 is the same as 10+?" He wrote 4 where the ? was, but then answered the question with the correct answer of 13. Silly silly! :lol
Setting a timer and telling him to work until it goes off seems like a recipe for disaster because he's so quickly and easily distracted that he'd likely get 2 problems completed in 30 minutes and spend the rest staring into space, petting the cat, "helping" with his little brother, etc. :/
Ugh, so long story short, how much is reasonable at a single sitting?
TIA
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You can buy it on iTunes.
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I was going to try pinterest out today. Until I found out I either
A. Have to use the FB new timeline, which I don't want to.
or
B. Allow them to do things in Twitter, which I don't want to do.
There is no option to just sign up.
I don't like it.
OT, but you do know that FB is switching everyone to Timeline soon, right? :(
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Cyberchase [math]
Walking w/Dinosaurs
Chases by Dinosaurs [these 2 could be scary for some]
Super Why! [that's PBS though, so you probably know about that one]
Dinosaur Train
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Separate jars here too:
bathroom:
remove eye make-up
moisturize hands
hair sometimes
make deodorant [equal parts baking soda & cornstarch then cut in coconut oil until it's the consistency of deodorant; apply either with fingers or scrape into an empty deodorant applicator--I LOVE it!!!]
kitchen:
fry with it, esp. high heat frying
spread on bread instead of butter [sometimes]
that's about as far as I've got so far, but I need a new jar
ETA: I'll have to try the teA thing; can't stand other types :/
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My mom lives in WV and faced similar challenges when she was looking for a job. She ended up participating in a jobs program through the state for people with disabilities. Some had mental disabilities, and others, like her, had physical problems that prevented them from working retail/fast food. I don't know the exact nature of the program, nor the name [but I could ask], but they helped her get a job in a state department.
Good luck!
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MY husband's birthday is tomorrow too!
That is a bit.... odd. I assume she wants an outlet for baking rather than consuming her own baked goods. But then why not let him share it around the office?
My dh has a coworker that brings a bunch of cakes on HER birthday to share, and sends home slices with T to share with us. We always record L singing Happy Birthday to her as a sort of thank you.
But I've got nothing on this one. :/
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A friend of mine mentioned a Christmas special? Is that available anywhere?
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I LOVE Downton Abbey. My sister-in-law received a book for Christmas all about the show and life during that period. My daughter's and I would love it.
Happy watching!!!
Elise in NC
There's a book?! I mean, I get that it's a book ABOUT the show not OF the show, but still. Can you find the title?
I just started watching, I just finished episode 4, but as MeAmy said, Netflix only has the first season. I've got to find a source for the 2nd season!
:lol
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Thanks for the responses! I think I'm going to give it a shot.
Let us know what you think. I'm really curious about it!
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I like the Nordic Naturals CHILDREN'S dha chewable capsules. The oil itself is mostly flavorless to slightly strawberry flavored [i think they might also have plain]. The capsules are a little tough to chew sometimes, but the oil itself doesn't bother me. I sometimes notice a slightly fishy smell to my sons' breath, but it's not too bad.
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Well, you've roused my curiosity. The video ways something about a "free trial" but I didn't see anywhere what it costs normally. Anyone know?
I used envelop budgeting 10 years ago to pay off our wedding, but now with kids and on-line shopping, etc. it's just been too complicated for me. :/
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I haven't gotten the pinch zoom to work, but I have an old iPad, so maybe it doesn't work on there. I keep hinting to dh that we need another, but he says if we'd paid for this one [it was a free gift at a conference he went to] we'd never have let the boys play with it. :/
But there are many instances where they BOTH want to play on it, and I'd rather them play on that than watch tv.
I DID set up my OLD iPhone for my elder DS to access some of his games. But it's old, and I replaced it for a reason: It runs really slowly with all the new apps. And he is easily frustrated.
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This is not an answer to your specific question but are you using the zoom box for writing. After you select the pencil icon at the top there is an icon at the bottom right of the screen which looks like a magnifying glass on top of a pencil. That brings up a zoom box on the bottom of the screen to write in which is much larger. There is a selection box which you can resize and move around the page. My daughter writes pretty big numbers when on the ipad and it works.
Thanks! This will work! I also reduced the pen thickness! Yay!
This is so cool!
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sorry, I know this is an older thread, but thought you all would know.
I downloaded Notability, and got a Math Mammoth file imported in. DS was using his finger to write in the answers, but his writing is really big. Is getting a stylus the only work-around to that, or ???
I thought to have him just type in his answers where possible, but when we tried to use the text typer it would only place the cursor at the top left corner of the document. I tested in a blank doc, and it would let me put it at other positions in the doc, but still only at the let corner. In MM I could only type in the tope left corner. :(
Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Is there a way to allow him to type his answers in the appropriate place on the page?
TIA!
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The PDFs by topic are the "Blue" series. The "Light Blue" is organized by grade level.
I heartily agree with the recommendation for MM, though level of independence also somewhat depends on age, personality, and the particular topic at hand. I'd go over the lesson, and then hover nearby while he works the practice problems.
Yes, you're right, I looked more closely, and it's the "blue" not "light blue". I'm going to upload the clock doc to our iPad and let him have at it and see what he thinks. He needs to work on time anyway, and that would be a good start. Then I was looking at the year end tests to give him to assess his needs.
Thanks all!!!
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Yum! Equal parts sprouts and red potatoes; quarter the sprouts, esp. if they are big, and cut the taters into chunks. Add some onion, and bacon bits or panicella [sp? Italian ham?] [optional, but yummy], and toss with some olive oil. Bake at.... 375? I'll have to check, until everything is yummily browned and softened. :)
ETA: Ok, found it more easily than I thought I'd be able to: the recipe as originally given to me:
Measurements are dependant on how many you are making (sorry I cant be more specific, but I'll try)
Fresh Brussel Sprouts (trimmed and quartered lengthwise)
2-3 peeled potatoes (cut into bite size peices)
1/2 yellow onion (diced)
pancetta (optional.... it was not included in what we had last weekend)
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil (just enough to lightly coat everything)
combine all ingredients in a 13x9 baking dish. Heat oven to 425 and cook until nearly half of the brussle sprouts have browned and they (and the potatoes) are easily peirced with a fork.
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Looking at Math Mammoth my memory was jogged that I ALREADY OWN the light blue series! I bought it when I first started hs-ing and it was on sale somewhere. The reason I never used it was how it was packaged. It's the pdfs, and each file is a different topic covering a huge range. There is a suggested list of order, but I'm still overwhelmed thinking about where I would start. :/ Are there any resources out there about switching TO Math Mammoth from other things?
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Math Mammoth.
We moved from MEP into Math Mammoth because the instructions and the lessons are on the same worksheet. They have the samples on the same page too! My dd's LOVE that we switched because I can sit with them and help them through whichever ones they need, but they can easily adapt to doing them on their own too. Unlike MEP where I had to be there to show examples and to tell them what they were to do for each area.
I was wondering if Math Mammoth would work; I'll check it out.
AbbeyEJ, I'll look at Horizons too. Never heard of it. And I agree about checking his work immediately. He sometimes rushes! :lol
ETA: I see that Horizons is put out by a Christian publisher. Is Christian content brought up in the math lessons?
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The other day my 7yo son told me he thought he would do better with a math program that involved me giving a quick introduction/lesson, and then leaving the room and letting him work his way through it. :/
We're currently using MEP 2A, and he wants to just rush through the worksheet part. I like how it scaffolds and spirals his learning. It never feels like we're learning something new because it all just fits so neatly together.
But maybe I could do all the teacher-directed stuff first, then let him go through the worksheet?
Are there other options that are more independent that still will scaffold his learning the same way?
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Thanks everyone! I do appreciate your suggestions and perspectives. I hope I haven't given the impression that I'm going to do this half-assed. OTOH, I also recognize that we do not have the debilitatingly extreme symptoms of celiac disease. The seizures of my one friend's dd. Etc.
Eating out with the boys is going to be the biggest challenge. I should start searching now for what we can do in restaurants.
SewingMama, I was intrigued by this comment: "Going truely GF isn't just about avoidance - it's a new lifestyle you have to implement. If you simply avoid things with gluten you will leave a big hole in your nutrition because you are getting rid of one of the major food groups. You have to figure out how to replace your grains adequately so you don't have health problems down the road." [bolding mine]
The more reading I do, the more I question the importance of grains at all in our diets. What holes do you worry about?
I forgot to mention that I've been reading "The Diet Cure" and "The Mood Cure" by J. Ross. I still need to order these, but I also plan to include some new supplements in our lives to try to patch any holes in our nutrition from prior bad eating.
Skipping the processed/boxed foods is just a bonus. A trend towards real food is ultimately the goal.
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I have thought about dairy, but honestly, dairy will be MUCH HARDER for me. I get a bit teary thinking about it honestly. :(
So I decided to start with the gluten, see how that goes, and then consider the dairy. I've been weaning gluten out already and finding a few subs when necessary [gluten-free granola was a MUST for my boys], and otherwise trying to use up or eliminate the other gluten-y things in the house. And so far I'm ok with that. Eating out is going to be my biggest challenge, esp. with hidden gluten [flour to thicken, that sort of thing].
Yogurt and cheese is sometimes the only protein I can get my boys to eat, and I don't care for sheep's or goat's milk products for the most part. Even goat's milk kefir was waayy too strong for me. :(
And I believe there are as many problems with soy replacements as with the original dairy, so....
I'll tackle that challenge if the gluten-free doesn't help.
Thanks, all, I appreciate your guidance!!!
I need some perspective on our "schedule"
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Tigger your post had a lot of good suggestions. I need to study them and see what works for us. Thanks!
Is it wrong that one of the reasons I chose to homeschool is that getting him to the bus by 8:30 was like pulling teeth? :( I hated it. Dragging the little out takes more patience than I've got. :(
That said, I have from the start wanted a more structured schedule. Combining speech and library into one day would be a start.
Sadly, PE is a required area of study in MD. I tried just covering it on my own, but it never got done. :( Other things always took precedence. So I thought a class would be the answer. I sadly can't change the My Gym classes much. There are no other classes for DS7's age group. The 4:30-5:30 one is the ONLY one. :( I could drop the younger one's class, but frankly that doesn't seem fair. Even trying to move it to another day conflicts with something. I'll probably drop it for both of them before summer, and next fall the little will go to preschool 2 days a week, but until then this is his ONLY thing: no library classes, no comm. center classes [when we go to the comm center it's all for things for the elder], no RE classes, no playdates. His social interactions are dependent on DS7's outings, other than this one class. Maybe there is another location that has better class times....
I've already paid for the Latin and piano, so I would rather not back out on those. The Lego lab is free, and I would gladly drop that, but DS7 was crushed when I suggested it as a way of improving our schedule. And I'm not sure how much it would help. If you meant, choosing not to do the book club as a second day at the comm center.... It's only every other week, and it's one of MY favorite activities. I think the trick with that is to be merciless about getting in and out without the dallying before and after. :(
I really do appreciate all your thoughts. I agree that I need to be more structured and say "THIS is school time from now to then. Nothing else during this time! Eat now, pee now, and for the next X amount of time hold your peace!". OTOH, I homeschool because I don't want school to be the enemy, so I gotta be careful of that balance.
Thank you, thank you!