justme824
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Posts posted by justme824
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I don't do facebook or any other social media, so no 'friends' there.
I have come to realize how much I don't enjoy having close friends that might land in a BFF category. Right now, in this season of my life, I just don't have the time or energy to maintain a friendship like that. I do have 1-2 good friends that I enjoy a good conversation with. But I don't have the desire to push the friendships further, if you know what I mean.
There are, of course, the handful of casual friends, or really aquantainces, that I see in passing at my kids classes and such. I do enjoy the small bursts of conversation with them, but I know I could never call upon them.
At the end of the day, I am very happy with my life. My husband is 'my person' and I am thrilled, and beyond content, with that. :)
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My library card & amazon.com (especially with Prime :D)
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We love soups. My kiddos have been asking for it, but we are still hovering in the 90's here and I just can't find the energy to make soup. Soon, though, we will have soup 1-2 times per week. I'll be marking some of these recipes to try for sure.
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We have been doing tea time every Tuesday afternoon for years. Up until about 8-weeks ago the toddler has been fine to eat his snack, then go about his business playing. Then he started getting LOUD and wanting on my lap when he was done. It was becoming a big distraction and we started rushing through and losing the joy of the time together.
One afternoon, about 5-weeks ago I think, we had muffins for tea time. The toddler kepting pointing at the table asking for 'dat' over and over. Finally realizing he was asking for the muffin liners I gave them to him. He also had on his tray a few smaller items (blueberries & cheerios) and started putting them into the muffin liners one at a time. Dumping them out. Repeat. Eating one every so often.
Since that afternoon we have had the most pleasant of tea times. The toddler gets his regular snack (part of the 'treat' we are sharing). Once he finishes I give him a stack of muffin liners and a couple handfuls of smaller food items. He sits content for a good 20-minutes with this while we read and enjoy our tea time. Perfection. My olders are thrilled.
I am not sure how long this will last, but so far we have gotten a good six weeks out of it. This is the only time I hand him this so he doesn't bore of it the rest of the week. I figure once boredom strikes I'll need to come up with something similar, yet different. For now though, we'll ride this wave.
Anyway, I thought I would share since I know I am not the only one who is looking for ideas to entertain toddlers :)
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I'd really like HABA Discovering Technics Optics
Now that looks fun! My list is getting too long and it is only the end of September.
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I'm not sure there is a set age, but I would definitely do Mindstorms first. There is a new book coming out that will integrate Mindstorms with Arduino, and that's how we plan to introduce it so it will fit in with something ds already knows. The next step for us after Snap Circuits for us was regular hobby electronics with parts/pieces from Radio Shack and the Make Electronics book.
Thanks! We'll definitely check out Mindstorms first.
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You know, your entire post is making me ready for Christmas! I already have the base set. Now to narrow down and select a few add-ons. Hmmm...tough choices!
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Most fun Arduino things do require soldering and programming.
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What age would you say is best for this? My 8-year-old has loved his snap circuits for years. I think this would be a great fit, just not sure when?
He has also been drooling over the Lego Mindstorms, but not sure yet? He has 1 project left on the younger set.
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:iagree: For that age, this is a priceless gift. And will end up being an heirloom. :)
Good to know ... I've got a base set sitting under my desk waiting for the tree :D. I am thinking of picking up a couple add-ons. Any favorites?
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The creativity of my olders has disappeared now that the baby is moving into toddlerhood. They are used to having ample space to spread out and are frustrated to be confined to the table, but we're dealing okay. Now, the toddler is climbing and wants to 'help' them with everything they do.
So I am curious if you have any suggestions. I'd like to keep everyone together, but need a way to keep the toddler out of their hair!
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We were with a charter for the first two years. Pulled out 2-days before the STAR testing as I was just over and done with all the hoop jumping and figured there was no need to make thems it through the test knowing I was going to pull out anyway. I was told some things were changing the next year and got a little flavor of the changes. No thank you!
We have been private since and love it. Freedom :)
In a way I wish I had done it sooner and saved all the headache & time of preparing learning records to meet with our education specialist. Not to mention the writing samples and pre/post year testing we had to endure. Ugh.
Freedom would be my choice if you can swing it for sure.
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Thanks so much to all of you who offered up your support regarding my concerns on leaving our homeschool groups.
This past Friday would have been our weekly park day. When we got up I announced we were heading to a nature center instead today. The kids had a great time exploring around, collecting, and just being together.
On our way home I told them I was thinking of making Friday a fun day doing things like this rather than heading out to park day each week. I was met with cheers! I then learned that they too were getting tired of the same old thing each Friday and that some of their friends had changed. I got a good sense of that saying 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' as I listened to stories and realized that these kids were learning the same way to deal with their issues as their parents - does that make sense? It was also pretty apparant that they didn't have much in common with many of the kids anymore as interests have changed with maturity. I knew through all of our conversations that they'd be okay.
It is with great relief that I am now group free. We can choose to invite friends on our Friday adventures if we like. Or we can choose to just spend quality time together.
Such a great feeling.
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We pulled out of every group we were involved in about 3 years ago and have never looked back. For our family, it was what we needed. We've been able to come together as a family and enjoy learning things together that we're interested in learning. Every family and group is different. You just have to focus on what's best for you and your kiddos.
Thank you so much. Focusing on my family is exactly what I need right now.
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After many years and moves and trying different homeschool groups, I have decided they aren't worth our time. I have found that what works best for our family is actually getting involved in our community. That seems to find people we are much better suited for us then just the fact that we homeschool
Getting involved in the community is a great idea. I also often overlook the fact that we don't have to have to have homeschooling in common with our friends.
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*I* would probably pull out and make a regular get-together time with one or two families that you really enjoy and who aren't a part of the drama. We do not participate in a homeschool group, but between the neighbors and some friends who've committed to regular play times, my kids get plenty of downtime with friends.
Cat
This sounds like the ideal for me right now. Like I mentioned, we do have a couple good friends that we do see a few times per month. My kids also have a good friend across the street that, although busy now that school is back in session, they spend a good deal of time with.
I just worry about my older who is a social butterfly and loves being around lots of kids. But she'll survive, of that I am certain ;)
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How old are your children?
Ages 10 & 8 (and a baby, but I don't think he'd care much ;))
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You have all helped me very much. I am starting to feel really good about my choice to just walk away from the groups. I don't need the stress, and my kids need there mom.
To answer a question...
The drama isn't over two people, but there are definitely loss of friendships mixed in along the way. There was some major butting of heads over how some coops played out and were taught - think religious beliefs, which is always a touchy subject to begin with. This escalated into so much more and basically ripped the group into three pieces, with people like me left going 'huh?'
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Thank you so much for offering your thoughts. I have a lot to think about, but my heart is definitely being pulled in the direction of dropping the groups. My thought right now is to drop through the holidays and see how we do filling our time. Come the new year I'll reevaluate and decide if we even miss them, or if we have found a much better way to spend our free time.
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I am a lurker coming out of lurkdom for some advice. I have really enjoyed reading these boards over the past two years of my journey and I hope now that I have come out of lurkdom I can get more involved. I have really seen some great advice given and I hope you can share some with me right now :)
There was SO MUCH drama surrounding our homeschool groups/coops around the end of last year. I had hoped summer would smooth some things over but it appears the drama is lingering on and on. The only thing that has happened is everything has been divided up into several small groups so that people can be selective on which to belong too. I have attended park days and field trips from several of the groups this year looking for our 'home' and while doing so I try hard to stay on the outskirts of the drama, however, somehow it always seems to get to me and I am sucked in with a bunch of questions and people begging for my opinion and trying to get me to take sides.
My mind is renting far too much space to the issues of everyone else right now. I am seriously considering pulling out of these groups right now before my mind explodes. I am finding it is having a negative impact on both my role as mother and teacher for my kids. I know for me personally pulling out is the best choice. I need my focus to shift in a big way and I am quite certain this will be my best chance to do so.
My biggest fear of pulling out, however, is that I have no close homeschool friends and this is really the only outlet my kids have to socialize outside of a couple classes they attend that are not associated with the groups. We do have one other family that we get together with from time to time (she too is feeling the strong desire to pull out as well). There is also one other that we see maybe once a month.
I know socialization isn't an issue. We see lots of people just living life and they are plenty socialized. I am just afraid I will be pulling them from friends and a chance to play with them in a relaxed environment as opposed to a few minutes before and/or after class. But at the same time I know in my heart that pulling them will give them a better mother and a better education.
I've tried looking for other groups but many of the drama seekers are involved or the ones that look really good are at least an hour away and I can't afford the time or gas that would take.
I've written quite the novel for a first post haven't I?
Any advice?
Toddler Christmas Ideas Anyone?
in General Education Discussion Board
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I've got my olders all figured out. My toddler will be about 18-months come Christmas and I have not decided what to get him. I'd love to find a good, quality gift that he will enjoy now, but still have plenty of room to grow into. Ideally something wooden, but I am open.
Any ideas?