[Anyone move to paper plates for lunch? (and more...)]

:iagree:

I think our priorities are a bit screwy if we model that kind of waste to our kids. It's not the cost, its the waste, the trees, the processing.

But, I am not really one to speak, I suppose, since we go through so much paper each week for school. I do think about it though, and try to minimise wasteage.

I think the guilt anyone feels at such wasteage is probably a good thing, rather than something to be pushed aside and justified. That's what that niggling feeling is for. Sometimes it is justified, often it isn't, but I can't say for anyone else.

 

I feel the same. The idea of using paper plates is horrifying actually, I spend so much time trying to explain to the DC about the effect of the environment of our consumerism and the pollution and waste of one use items that I just couldn't do it, ever.

 

If we ever use disposable products (and I think we have done it twice, for parties) we use ones that are biodegradeable so that we can compost them and although we are utilising energy for manufacture etc we at least are not then consigning our waste to the landfill for future generations to deal with.

 

We are in drought too, so wash water is an issue, but we reuse our snack plates and still only manage one dishwasher load plus one sink of dishes a day.

[May I post a PRAISE for AG?]

Thanks so much for your comments!

I've just bought AG, and am waiting for it to arrive so it's nice to hear positive things.

[Galore Park Science]

Thanks for that, very helpful!

[Enthusiastic Book Endorsement]

Thanks for that Holly, that was very helpful.

[Enthusiastic Book Endorsement]

What age do you think it would be suitable for Holly? I am kinda sorta following Brave Writer principles with J but I think we need something a little more structured.

[Please help me wrap my mind around Language Arts for 1st grade!]

I'm curious why you recommend waiting on spelling? Is it just to ease the workload? I've been a little anxious to start spelling, because he likes to write notes and cards for fun, but he doesn't have the tools yet to spell all the words correctly.

 

Thanks for the input so far!

I would wait on spelling because

*if you have a reluctant writer, spelling contains more writing and therefore is hard on you and yes, increases the workload

*if you haven't yet finished the reading program, then reading rules and spelling rules are hand in hand and will be learnt through the reading program to a degree

 

If he is already writing and asking how to spell things, I would get a spelling notebook, and everytime he asks how to spell a word, get him to put it in his notebook. That way the spelling is relevant and useful for him. As you put it in you can discuss the rules that apply to help spell that word.

 

My reading comment was in response to your

 

Child's Silent reading: at level reading that complements science/history study

Child's Leisure reading: whatever he chooses

 

I understood that you were allocating silent reading for history/science in addition to choice reading. But perhaps you meant reference books to refer to as desired which of course is quite different.

 

In the end you know your child best, and if you are finding you have too much you can always cut back.

 

I'm just learning personally that in the early years less really is more and we don't need to pack it all in to the early years, there are many years ahead of us for our children to learn things.

[Consequences for procrastination or lack of diligence regarding schoolwork?]

The one thing that we do is to have them stay in there seats except for bathroom or if we have to go somewhere until schoolwork is done and if it isn't completed by Fri. eve, they have to work all weekend. If it is my fault (too many errands or too hard work) or no-one's fault (sickness usually) I will be lax but if it is their fault (too much playing or whining, sheer unwillingness to work) They are stuck there. Move the books for eating, that's it. That means no tv, no video games, no outside play. We do go to team sports because that is a commitment to someone else. Once I even made them bring their work to a playdate and do it there. Never had to do that again. I also have a rule in place that after 3pm, I am only mom not teacher, so they work on their own.

 

I'm having the same problem, and this sounds like my solution. Thank you for saying what works.

I have always insisted on sloppy work being re-done, but the mucking around and procrastination is hard work! It is now 6.00pm and J has just finished his work for the day, he should have finished it by 2pm at the latest with a lunch break. It's ridiculous and tiresome for me.

 

I LOVE the idea of being Mum from 3pm, I'm definitely adopting that, and sitting down for set school times. Perfect. Thank you for sharing this.

[Please help me wrap my mind around Language Arts for 1st grade!]

I personally would probably wait another year for spelling and keep assigned personal reading to a minimim.

 

First grade to me would involve: reading instruction including readers, handwriting/copywork and grammar.

 

Silent reading here for Grade One will be chosen at the library and is absolutely at the discretion of the child.

[Galore Park Science]

To use the Galore Park SYRWTLS book 2, does your child need to have done book 1?

[First curriculum purchase. Need secular ideas.]

I was going to second Brave Writer, I bought it this year, the TM itself is a fabulous read and I got so much out of it and I really like the way it approaches writing.

[For those who have used FLL3]

I'm also wondering what to do with DD6. She is most definitely NOT an auditory learner. She has a hard time learning new names for things and doesn't understand abstract things that we explain to her. We wonder how well she understands half of what we say to her. We suspect she has an auditory processing disorder. I'm really wondering if I'll be wasting our time doing FLL 1 with her. Is there any grammar program that you don't learn first auditorially? I'm wondering if I should just put off grammar for a few years but then I think the sooner I start drilling it into her the sooner she might get it. She will probably take a lot more repetition than the average kid. Anyone have any suggestions?

I have a child with APD and he really retained what he learnt in FLL1-2 and I think that was because of the focus on memorising the definitions, because he was SAYING them rather than just reading or hearing them it really stuck. Then with FLL3 it adds in the writing to the memorisations and it is really cementing things for him.

 

I really felt for us that GWG without the focus on the memorisations and less repetition wouldn't work.

[For those who have used FLL3]

GWG3 can be done pretty much independently.

 

I actually bought both because I couldn't decide and so wanted to actually look through them properly.

 

I chose FLL3 in the end because although GWG3 was not teacher dependent, I didn't feel the content was as good particularly around built in review.

[For those who have used FLL3]

What I DON'T like is how much time I have to put in sitting with him on this. I am continuing with it, and have FLL4 ordered, but I am going to reevaluate when we get there, b/c I have 3 other children vying for my time. I'm thinking we might need a grammar program that is more independent...We'll see.

 

Content-wise, I like FLL3, especially all that good old fashioned diagramming!!

 

HTH and GL! - Stacey in MA

I find the amount of teacher input frustrating too!

The content is fabulous and although I often feel like I'm droning on as I read the scripted stuff, DS is remembering and retaining it.

I'm really hoping FLL4 is less teacher intensive or we might be shelving Grammar for a year or two, and just using Daily Grams as a short review.

[Poll: Do you have a world map on your wall?]

No, we don't have the wall space sadly. We do have very good atlases and a globe though.

[Going to Ikea tomorrow.]

Yay! Have fun :)

[Should I deal with the lisp or chalk it up to her being 5?]

I would work on it with her.

 

I've been working on DDs speech as she is delayed in a few sounds:

/f/ /v/ /k/ /g/ /r/ /th/

 

I started with the /f/ sound, I printed out some of the Enchanted Learning books with words starting with that sound/letter. Then every day at least once a day we went through it and practised using the right sound. When we were driving in the car we would say the word list, and add in frequent things she says with the sound.

After the sound was clean and easy for her in the more formal situation, I started asking her to correct specific words everytime she said them. A week or so of that and she consistently said the right sound. It was really easy, and what was interesting to me was that at the same time she corrected the /v/ sound with no specific work on it.

 

Now we are working on /k/ using the same process, we are up to correcting the sound in everyday speech. I started two weeks ago with the print outs. Then about a week ago I added in gentle correction in her speech by consistently correcting her brothers name, then added in a few new words. In the last few days she is self correcting the sound in other words, and interestingly seems to be self correcting the /g/ sound at the same time, I guess it's because they are formed in a similar manner.

 

Next on my list is the /r/ sound, which she produces as /w/ At the same time I work on the correct sound, I also work on learning to recognise, sound out and write that letter, a two birds with one stone type thing.

 

Anyway, all that to say, if that is her only issue I really encourage you to just try it yourself. It's so much easier and cheaper than speech therapy/assessments/appointments etc!!

 

I have also found with our kids that mis-pronunciation of sounds does impact the ability to correctly sound out and spell the words. So I really want to deal with DDs asap. Her preschool teachers have noticed a huge improvement since I've been working with her.

[Car booster seats in Europe - questions!]

I would also check that they will be treated as fragile items ALL the way.

I've been out the back of airports and what happens to suitcases out there is waaaay worse for your seat than a car accident.

Personally I'd hire them with the car, that way you know your's aren't going to get mistreated out the back of the airport.

[Irrational Fears... do you have any?]

Wet feet, well specifically touching other peoples wet feet or people touching my wet feet. Gaaaaaah! The idea of one of those spa foot treatments is like considering torture! The kids think it's a great joke and love trying to touch my feet or touch me with theirs in the swimming pool.

 

My other one is the car driving into the water, either off a bridge or around a cliff road.

[Frugality vs decluttering vs environmental responsibility--how do you balance it all?]

I'm going through the same right now. And with my stuff I'm absolutely ruthless, I throw throw throw, I just don't keep anything I don't love or need.

 

But with the kids stuff, now that's another matter. I have Cs Buzz Lightyear and J's toy garage from when he was 3. No one plays with them but I don't know what to do with them! I can't see people on Freecycle driving to collect them, I'm not sure whether Goodwill type stores will take them. i really don't like throwing out things with play value/use still in them, it feels so wasteful. And don't even get me started on the soft toy collection UG!!

 

However, we move in a month and I am going to be ruthless, I am, I am, I am (trying to convince myself here!)

[Finally got my new IKEA shelves...bought, built and set up!]

Yay! New stuff is such fun!!

 

Our whole house is Ikea because we moved countries and had to set up for not too much. We are about to move house and I'm buying an Expedit to use as a room divider to hide the school area from the rest of the living area. Plus all desks, chairs, shelves etc are Ikea. Sad eh.

I love Ikea!!

[Anyone else irrationally biased against lapbooks?]

We did a couple along with our SOTW1 studies last year, we did one on each of 4 cultures/areas: Egypt, Greece, China and Rome. They worked as a really good review of what we had learnt, C wrote his narrations into the booklets. Everything was made by him, some written, some he typed up. He looks at them regularly and is very proud of his work and likes to show them to visitors.

 

I however find them a bit of a drag and getting enough to "fill" one can be a pain. We've done a version of notebooking this year with some lapbook folds stuck into the pages, and I do like it better. But he doesn't tend to look back on them or show them off so much.

 

I've tried to do some for science this year and have ended up with 2 half finished lapbooks, which has put the final nail in the lapbooking coffin in this house for a while.

 

I really really don't like the pre-made HOAC ones, I can't see the learning in cutting and pasting stuff printed out.

[Artistic Pursuits for Grade 9]

Yes, I usually do art with my kids too, and have great fun. But it's not happening as much as it should.

 

Thanks for the feedback Barb.

[Midwife says baby is posterior...]

All 3 of my babies have been posterior going into labour, regardless of my best efforts to move them beforehand.

 

All 3 turned in labour, and the 2nd and 3rd labours were 5 hours and 40 mins respectively. I don't know if they were more painful than anterior labours, because I haven't had one.

 

I wouldn't even worry slightly about it until much much much closer to your due date, but even if they don't turn, well I'm here to tell you it isn't that bad :)

[Checklists]

I use Homeschool Tracker and print out a daily or weekly checklist which includes chores. The only thing I wish is that I could put them in an order different to alphabetic.

[Artistic Pursuits for Grade 9]

I've been considering the same. I'd love to know how much time/input is required from me? Can they be done independently? I really enjoy art, so wouldn't mind doing them together but boy multiple kids all needing me for different stuff really cuts into my time, I don't know how those of you with lots of kiddos do it!!