sewingmama
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Posts posted by sewingmama
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I'm using Lesson Pathways for K Science http://www.lessonpathways.com/
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The majority of kids learn to read later than 3 yo, and many of them go on to be voracious readers.
Since when did 3 years old become the age to start panicking if your child is not reading by then :001_rolleyes:
I wouldn't sweat it - as long as your child has exposure to literature and books they will eventually become interested in their own time.
My DD would not sit still for a book after 9 months of age (once she learned to walk). At about 3 years of age she got interested and now 2 years later I am reading the Enchanted Wood to her without a fidget.
My boys were interested in books much earlier but my 3yo will only sit for so long - about the length of a longish picture book. My 22 month old will sit for a short story or 2 IF it is about something that interests him i.e - trucks, cars and diggers :D
One thing that all my kids loved were those books with just pictures that you are supposed to point at and name. My 22 month old brings me those about 5 times a day and will happily sit and listen to me name things for the whole book. Now that he is older and talking he names them along with me. Even my 5 yo will still grab one on occaision and point and name all the things in it (Showing off her skills as a big girl who can say them all without my help :D). Try those types of books and forget about anything with a storyline for a while - their attention span gets longer and longer as they grow and soon enough they are able to listen to a storyline.
Don't ever assume your child is not a book lover just because they are not interested as babies. Your baby will learn to love books just by virtue of watching everyone else in your house enjoying them.
Oh ans babies are MEANT to chew books -that's why they make them from cardboard;)(My 5yo STILL chews books but that's a whole other issue :glare:)
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Yeah I tried it -I'm not impressed. I have the reading one as well and we quit after Lesson 11 we both hated it so much. My DD hates the repetition -she rolls her eyes every time she has to repeat something she already answered. Plus I find the math version runs really fast - the child doesn't have time to think of the answer before it is on to the next thing and my DD gets super frustrated by that. She always says "I knew that but I didn't have time to say/do it. So unless your kid can answer immediately without thought (which would mean they didn't need to be using the program anyway) - then this program is a dud.
I think clicker training is for dogs - not humans:glare:
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I am usually a live and let live kind of person, but really, to say that mastering World of Warcraft is as valuable as learning Latin in developing one's mind is hogwash.
I point to a recent post on the Radical Unschoolers Forum as evidence.
Holy Cow - there is just something so off about this persons reply - whether you are an unschooler or not.
Draven (my 11y/o son) is an avid gamer. I support his passion in every way possible.
Part of this is providing for his daily needs. I bring him food throughout the day, I keep easy-to-make things available for him at night (when we're asleep and he's not). When I bring him food I cut it up so it's finger food or easily eaten with a fork. Throughout the day I'll pop in and remove dishes for him, or ask him to bring them to the kitchen when he gets a second.
I let him sleep when he's ready to sleep and for as long as he'd like to sleep. If I'm not fighting him about getting enough sleep, he will tend to sleep for 10+ hours. When I try to enforce a bedtime he will fight it and gets less and less sleep. With him, his most active online friends are around overnight, and almost no one is online early in the morning. He'll go to sleep when the sun is coming up and get up later in the afternoon. If we have something going on during the day he'll adjust his sleep schedule accordingly (if it's something he's interested in).
We stopped requiring chores (that's what I'm assuming you mean by responsibilities). Instead we all pitch in when needed. At first this meant my partner and I were doing everything, but now (after 2 years) Draven does pitch in happily when he's taking small breaks from his game. We ask him for help and he always has the option to say no, or in a little while. When dishes are overwhelming me I make sure we have paper plates in the house, when taking care of the cats became a full time job I found ways to reduce the amount of time each part took. I took responsibility for my own needs, if I felt a room was too messy it was my problem, not my sons, not my partners, so I cleaned it.
I also give him plenty of warning if I do need his help with something. If I'm going grocery shopping I'll let him know that his help would be appreciated when I got back. I call him when I'm leaving the store to give him warning, and again when I'm right down the road. He meets me out front, hurries to get the groceries in, then goes back to playing while I'm putting things away.
There are times that I get hyper-focused on something and it's wonderful when my partner helps me take care of my daily needs (bringing me food, doing more around the house, etc.) and I find joy in supporting Draven's passions in the same way.
I'm all for children following their passions but becoming their slave to do it :001_huh: What is this kid going to do when his mom is no longer there to wait on him hand and foot - is he going to expect this kind of service to his needs from his wife. :lol: That kid is missing out on so many life lessons -not everything being about you being the foremost. Hopefully he'll love his life at home so much he will stay there till he's 50 because I feel bad for his wife if he ever gets married - the marriage won't last past a week.:confused:
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This is a UK online book store so it may take time to deliver but that's ok for me. I just ordered Vocabulary cartoon books which are cheaper than amazon.
They also have an American site - www.bookdepository.com. The US site is often cheaper so make sure you compare. I've always found UK shipping to be quite fast. Once when I was living in Canada I bought something form UK Ebay and it arrived in 4 days. Quicker then if I had bought something within Canada.
I always buy from here - book prices are insane in Australia. I literally save half price when I order from BD. I never buy books in Aust. because to buy a kids picture book can cost you close to $30 and then my kids rip them :glare: Now using BD I can build up my home library.
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I'm assuming you are LDS -yes :)
Every funeral I've ever been to has always had a member of the bishopric speak - but it's usually very short - usually about 3-5 minutes. Two talks are unusual but maybe there were SP or GP there.
I remember one funeral I went to where there were a high number of non-members attending. The bishop gave the "glove puppet talk" using the glove puppet and everything :D (If you don't know what I'm referring to its about how your body is like the glove and the spirit is the hand)
After the funeral so many of the non-members commented about how they enjoyed that talk and gave them hope.
Basically those sermons are for the benefit of the non-members. The purpose is not to proselyte (although I do see how it could be construed as such) but to bring comfort to those who might not have a clue about the plan of salvation. Some people might see it as the LDS faith being forced on them but from the many comments I've heard from non-members - most have appreciated it.
I once went to a funeral of a non-member lady from the nursing home I worked at. The only people who turned up were her son, about 6 nurses and the minister (who didn't know her). The funeral was at the graveside and lasted all of 5 minutes. The son didn't want to say anything and the minister said a few words and then said "Well I really didn't know her so I don't have much to say so we'll just stand here in silence for a few minutes before departing". It was soooo depressing - the women had lived 89 years and no one had anything to say about her. That silence was so long I would have gladly listened to that minister preach a sermon about his faith/denomination even though I didn't believe in it - the whole enviroment just felt so hopeless.
I'm sorry it didn't go how you expected it too though - funerals can be tough things to organise perfectly sometimes because of the time crunch.:grouphug:
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When you attend an arts festival as a family and you get excited thinking about how you can count this as a field trip under "Art" - and then a wave of disappointment hits you when you remember that you are on summer break and you don't actually need your outing to 'count' for anything. ;)
That would still count in my book ;)
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Our local group of homeschoolers are Baptist. I don't know if they are inclusive or not -I'm hesitating to contact them because I'm afraid they will reject me :D I will work up the courage eventually. Homeschoolers are so rare in Australia that it's likely they will overlook my faith just to have more children to socialise with.
There are other homeschool groups that are not local however they are over an hour travel time to get too. These homeschoolers are mostly secular so I have no problem being included in their group. We do go to some of their bigger activities but it's hard to form friendships when we see them only very occaisionally. Luckily my children are friendly and will play with any child even though they don't know them previously so they still are able to socialise well -just not form lasting friendships.
I don't know any LDS who homeschool - it's still rare in Australia. There are plenty of people who are coming down on me in my ward and telling me NOT to do it -that I'm not capable :glare:
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Sale is still going even though it's past the end date. I only had $2 in my Paypal so I got 2 books. They look great for the price.
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Wow -the most I remember doing at sleepovers was watching Grease 1&2 and fighting with my friends about which Pink Lady we were going to be :D
Yeah I was one of those "lame" teens. If I knew my friends were going to have alchohol or boys at a party I didn't go. My mum was a lucky mum :D
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My DD (almost 5) was having a "preschool assessment" and they were testing her eyesight. They started out playing a game which involved a few letters and the lady discovered that my DD could name all her letters. She then decided to give my DD the regular eyetest since she could reliably read the eyechart.
After my DD went through the whole thing not missing one letter the lady praised her and said "Wow you are such a smart girl to know all your letters already"
My DD replied "Thanks - my mummy taught me how to do it" :001_wub:
I realised for the first time how heartwarming it was to hear your child say that as opposed to "My teacher taught me how to do it"
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I read somewhere that "guy wrestling" is the way boys show affection for each other whilst still appearing "manly" :lol: It's a legitmate way of "touching" other males in a society that says "men don't touch each other in affectionate ways without being called girly or gay".
My 2 boys have just started the wrestling thing. My 3yo is very gentle so the wrestling usually consists of 22 month old sitting on top of him whilst he just lays in a ball getting stomped on :confused: Normally I try to deter the baby from beating up his (older) brother but when I pull him off - 3yo sits up and says "Oh mum, we were having fun". :001_huh:
My DD is not above a spot of wrestling - especially if Dad is joining in.
I call it "male bonding time" :D
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when your 8yo tells his friends that he's more of a "book man" when he's tired of hearing about movies and video games.
How sweet :001_wub: I'm married to a "book man" myself.
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It seems stupid and only something bored Americans would come up with because we have nothing better to do with our time.
:lol:
I was just thinking - "what banned books" most of those mentioned are still on every library self in Australia. I remember reading To Kill A Mockingbird for Year 11 English.
The only book I can remember being banned here was 'Little Black Sambo" which I read at school and loved. I noticed they still have it in libraries now -it's just titled something different .
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Yes I (will) do history and science for K because we have to follow state standards which have 8 learning areas:glare:
History for K (in the schools) here = Family History. Real history doesn't start here (again in the schools) till 7th grade.
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My first thought is that the kids may be homeless and live nearby in an auto or some such.
:iagree: It would explain the lack of clothing changes, grubbiness and lack of food - as well as the large amounts of time spent at the park.
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We have not previously vaccinated our kids. As a pharmacist and a naturopath, I made an informed decision when we lived in Melbourne, Australia.
However, this week my daughter Susan got scarlet fever, which dh myself and Edmund (2) consequently caught. This is not an immunisable (made up word) disease. However, it made me realize that I had not re-evaluated our decision since starting to travel. There are diseases that are endemic in remote indigenous communities of Australia that have not been heard of in Melbourne for decades. These kids in remote indigenous communities have an un-acceptably high rate of deafness/blindness/complications from routine illnesses. I'm now getting the kids vaccinated before we travel through these communities.
The risk-benefit analysis is essential, and an informed decision is so important. Just don't forget to re-evaluate before circumstances change, rather than waiting for something to happen to remind you like we did.
My two oldest kids were born in Alice Springs - this is why we fully vaccinated them. When I was there I spent a full week in isolation with pneumonia - I was isolated because they couldn't be sure it wasn't TB so I had to stay there till the tests were clear. TB is also something quite common in the Aboriginal communties. Alice Springs hospital is the only hospital in Aus that has a seperate ward just for Rotorvirus they get so many cases of it.
Very worth looking into vaccinating your children if you will be there for any amount of time.
Ugh. Measles. I had them when I was 27 and it was 104-105 for day after day after day. I looked like a tomato. I had no health insurance and was all alone in someone else's apartment in Brooklyn NY. I thought I had toxic shock (my mother told me I had measles when I was 5, but it was CP, I believe) and would quietly die. I was too weak to care. I was too weak to crawl to the bathroom, but I didn't need to go after no fluids and all that sweating.I was the same when I got measles at 6. I and my brothers were bedridden for 6 weeks. I remember being so thirsty once I tried to crawl out of bed to find my mum in the kitchen. I couldn't even make it down the hallway I was so weak -I had to crawl back to bed the measles on my feet hurt so much.
I was vaccinated and still caught it - the doctor said the vaccination stopped us from having complications that we might otherwise have had since our case was so bad. I'm not sure whether I believe him or not -but there you go.
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Right now - So What by Pink :001_huh: Yeah I'm a bad girl LOL.
Favourite song ever - I don't know - I don't think I have one. I like Aerosmiths - Don't want to miss a thing
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:iagree:
The only thing that saved it for me was that the guys were funny.
Otherwise it was just horrid - a lot of the actors were very unattractive - I did not enjoy looking at them for all those hours :lol:
I did like the Dancing Queen scene :D
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Ambulance insurance in Australia is less than $200 a year, to me that is an expense that is not negotiable.
When you have to choose between food and cover it is. We are not even affording the basics right now so things like Ambulance cover are considered a luxery we can't afford.
I don't think Ambulance is covered by medicare in any country. I don't actually know anyone who doesn't pay the less than $200 a year for ambulance coverage.I am aware that Medicare doesn't cover the cost of an Ambulance - we just can't afford the cover - too many other medical bills we are paying off first.
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Mmm- not my experience at all- I am sure it varies all over the place. I am in Perth. We are middle income but we have health insurance- but the only things we have ever used it for are chiropractic rebates, some dental and orthodontic. We are seriously considering canning it or at least going back to the minimum cover, probably with ambulance cover.
I had one slightly early baby in the general maternity hospital- not by my choice- and it was a trip- not the birth experience i hoped for- but it didn't cost me a cent. The other was a wonderful birthing centre experience, also totally free along with midwife visits to my home throughout the pregnancy.
I have good doctors- a clinic I like with an alternative bent- the kids are still bulk billed until age 16- I pay a bit on top of Medicare rebate but not a lot- maybe $20 usually. That doesn't seem unreasonable. If I need to be bulk billed (free), I know where to go- the poorer suburbs in Perth, or the local hospital outpatient clinic.
I recently had a whole lot of blood tests, twice- I never paid for any. Certain things are free and so far all mine have been. We have all had ultra sounds and xrays free at the local hospital or clinic.
Prescriptions- as Sandra says- $10-$15 usually for antibiotics or whatever. Doesn't seem too unreasonable.
I have a friend who had cancer recently- she went into the public system and received the latest high tech treatment, radiation and chemo- and although not on concession, didn't pay a cent. She got rid of her private insurance after that, because she never needed it and the private hospital didn't have the technology- and she still would have paid on top of her insurance.
I find people who work in hospitals amazing- even though I am more naturally medically inclined and against a lot of what they do- I still appreciate their spirit and intention to do well by me to the best of their knowledge. I have been incredibly grateful for the simple kindness of nurses in particular.
Interesting we have such different experiences. I am very grateful for our system, even though it has its problems. However, we have no serious long term medical conditions and usually use doctors and the medical system for diagnostic purposes only- rarely for treatments.
You know that's how I remember Australia being 10 years ago before I moved to Canada. (Excellent system by the way - I had no insurance and no citizenship yet I could walk into any clinic and only be charged $20 to see the doctor). When I moved back after 3 years it had all changed. I have had care in Brisbane, Alice Springs and Adelaide - it's all been the same experience. I can't remember the last time I was bulk billed for anything -I always have to pay $55 up front. I've heard that kids under 16 are bulk billed - but I don't believe it - I've never been bulk billed for my kids either.
I live in a very low socio-economic area yet the only people they allow to bulk bill is those on welfare. I've paid upfront for every U/S when I was pregnant, every x-ray (even for my kids). The only time I was bulked billed for an U/S was when I had a miscarriage and the U/S showed the baby had died. I think the staff felt sorry for me and told me I could go straight home - they would bulk bill it so I wouldn't have to go out to the front counter.
I'm starting to think that everyone thinks I'm not an Australian citizen or something :lol:
Oh and on the cancer thing - I had a neighbour that needed treatment for cancer (young, in her 30's). She had to take out a bank loan to pay for it. Luckily it got rid of the cancer - but she lives in fear of it returning. She cannot get another loan - it was almost impossible for her to get the first one because they don't like to loan money to dying people - but they did because her husband went guarantor. If her cancer returns she won't be able to get treatment again - she can't afford it.
Interesting we have such different experiences. I am very grateful for our system, even though it has its problems. However, we have no serious long term medical conditions and usually use doctors and the medical system for diagnostic purposes only- rarely for treatments.Interesting that you mentioned that. I thought our medical system was great too - until I developed symptoms of something more serious then just a cold or such. That's when you really find out how bogged down and inadequate the system is.
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Here in Australia public hospitals are free and the care is excellent. They have the latest high tech equipment- often more than the private hospitals- and the doctors and nurses work long shifts but are amazing. Sometimes there is overcrowding, and mistakes happen in hospitals everywhere. But I feel confident in hospitals here.
It is all relative. I would *expect* health care to be better in the U.S. than in Mexico (and its a wonderful thing to acknowledge and appreciate that), but am always really surprised at many American's unwillingness to admit, even though they haven't directly experienced it, that health care in other parts of the world surpasses theirs.
Hmmm - you must be living in the OTHER Australia because that hasn't been the experience of the one I live in:tongue_smilie:
I find here that health care is free or affordable to those who are on govt. welfare and qualify for concessions and those who can afford private health insurance. Since we don't qualify for either end we are going broke keeping up with our medical expenses. When I had to have a battery of tests for a serious illness that came up I had to pay for each and every one. Sure $500 for an MRI is a lot cheaper then what you pay in the USA but it's not free.
When my daughter was born the nursing staff were terribly incompetent and rude. The hospital knew I had grounds to sue them due to things that they did to me out of stupidity that the kept sending their legal department to chat to me every day I was there - I didn't even threaten to sue myself -they were freaked out that I would.:glare:
My DH was recently taken to hospital from his workplace via ambulance. The ospital is literally two streets away from where he works. We got a bill in the mail for almost $2000.
Now we hem and haw deciding whether to visit the doctor - after all there is no point seeing them if you can't afford the medication (really, you want $60 for a sinus nasal spray, I don't think so).
It is cheaper here - but the standard of care is debatable. The most competent doctor I ever had here was one that was born and trained in Canada. Every other doctor/nurse I've met here seems to have the attitude "She'll be right mate" and then basically do nothing to help you.
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On our honeymoon we stayed in the Canadian Rockies in a very expensive place with a huge jacuzzi and it was snowing - so yeah we used it. :D
The only reason I mentioned it was expensive was that the tub (looked) very clean - I normally wouldn't touch a hotel spa or tub with a 10 foot pole LOL.
No prior "experience". If I remember right we got in the jacuzzi with our underwear on and removed it once we were under the bubbles :lol: By the time the bubbles melted away -well - we didn't care about needing bubbles for cover anymore ;)
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I'm LDS -growing up my best friend was a devout Muslim. We never had issues - we just respected each other's beliefs.
I often find non-LDS have problems with us rather then the other way around.
I second the opinion that the only thing I am looking for in a friend is someone who has similar values to mine - doesn't have to be exact. I have non-Mormon friends who drink alcohol/coffee/tea - they just don't do it around me.
At the moment I'm having a hard time finding a homeschool group to belong to. The members of our local one are mostly Baptists - and although I have no problem with this - I am afraid (from previous experience) that they will not be friendly to me and am hesitant to email them about joining.
Otherwise if your kids are "nice enough kids" that's the only requirement needed to play with mine :D
Do your kids drink juice?
in General Education Discussion Board
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Yes my kids drink limited amounts of it - they drink a lot of water without me pushing them anyway - so it's for variety. I tend to serve it only at meals and only half a cup. I never buy "fruit drinks" or all those other horrible "kid" drinks - just 100% juice.
We never drink soda, coffee or tea so a little juice isn't going to hurt them.