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Steffanyace

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Posts posted by Steffanyace

  1. We are finishing Adventures in MFW for our second grade curriculum and are not ready to move up into their next level. I thought we would do something else for our third grade year and come back to MFW the following year. I would like to find a DVD series for history next year, and since history is my weak area, I am hoping for some suggestions. Here is what I am thinking about so far:

     

    Learn Our History:

    http://learnourhistory.com/Welcome.html

     

    Drive Through History:

    http://www.drivethruhistory.com/

     

    We have "America, the Story of Us" and have watched the parts that go with our curriculum. I want something that is Christian based. Are there better options out there?

     

     

  2. We are doing Adventures in MFW. The science book talks about the taste map of the tongue. However, in doing some research, it seems as though scientists have decided that there really aren't specialized areas of the tongue. I looked at a bunch of different scientific sites. I taught ds the map and told him that this is what some people have learned, but scientists have found out otherwise (with explanation). Also, there are supposed to be five tastes now (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami). This goes against the book. Am I right in teaching the current science in this case?

     

    Also, we watched two Nova shows talking about taste. They had a test strip that can be put on the tongue to see if a person is a "taster" or "non-taster". Apparently, people where not created equally when it comes to taste buds some do not have receptors for bitter (no-tasters), some have some of the receptors (tasters), and others have a lot of them (super tasters). I found that interesting and thought I would share. My family makes fun of my picky eating, and now I have a reason why. ;)

     

    Nova: The Science of Picky Eaters

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/science-picky-eaters.html

     

    Nova: Can I Eat That

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/can-i-eat-that.html

     

    Test strips can be ordered on Amazon.com:

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Taste+test+strips

  3.  

    JMO, but I would not send a student below grade 5-6 at the youngest off to write a *paper* on their own.

     

     

     

    I have purposely left out the writing part of our curriculum, because I don't think he is ready for it. So, he isn't sent off to write a paper. He does have a couple of workbook pages that he does on his own though. I got IEW for when I feel like he is ready to start a writing program.

     

    I'm more so looking for an idea of when their spelling comes easily and not something that requires a lot of thought. :)

  4. I took ds to a PS speech therapist over a year ago for lack of /r/ sounds. They said they would not do anything until he is 8 years old. They did not see any other problems. Ds is now 7. He is able to make some r sounds when I ask him but doesn't in regular speech. I think he needs therapy before it becomes a habit (if not already). This time I take him to a private ST. Ds new why we were going, so he made sure to put r's in his speech. ST says r's are coming in just fine, so he wouldn't qualify for that. She says he has a tongue thrust on his /s/ and would qualify for that.

     

    My insurance doesn't cover ST and the visits are $100+ each. The ST wants to see him twice a week. I called the PS to see about getting ST through them. I called last month and haven't gotten a response.

     

    My dh had ST as a kid for /s/. I'm noticing my dd3 sticks her tongue out on /s/ too. I'm guessing she is too young to consider it a problem, but it makes me wonder. She was always bad about chocking on food when she was younger (and still will at times if she doesn't like it). I read somewhere that they were related.

     

    Would you be concerned about the /r/ or just wait until 8? Is 3.5 too young to worry about tongue thrust? Are there other options for ST?

  5. Prey animals don't typically like being grabbed from above or have a predator lurking over them. They are naturally wired that way; some to a lesser degree than others.. Have you tried coming from the sides or using one hand to corral them on to the other hand?

     

    If you are interested in training them, look up clicker training. You could use clicker training to teach them to be touched, picked up, etc. You can teach them to put their nose on the eraser of a pencil (or some other target). Then gradually work towards having the target over your hand for them to learn to be picked up. If the sound of a clicker is too startling, you can use a different sound or even a verbal cue such as a light. You could train them to go through a hoop, go to a little pedestal, etc. The possibilities are endless . . . :)

     

    I bet there are some trained guinea pigs on YouTube to get some ideas.

  6. I get lots of comments on how well my two get along. It is mostly positive. There are some that say it as if to point out it isn't right. I think those people just assume siblings aren't supposed to get along, and children are supposed to be difficult for their parents. Seeing siblings get along so well challenges their view on the subject. To accept the closeness might make them feel as though they are screwing up as parents putting them in defense mode and make them feel uncomfortable. I'm not saying all negative people are all like that, but I see that thought process working through some of their mind at times. I just respond pleasantly.

     

    I work hard to teach my children how to get along, respect each other, be considerate, etc. I wish my parents had done the same for my sister and me. Sure, we get along now, but there were a lot of miserable times growing up that could have been avoided.

  7. Try organizing a PE co-pp. We love ours! The kids play together before and after class and have a great time.

     

    We meet other homeschoolers through homeschool groups. Ds is not very excited about doing a handbell choir, but he tolerates it to be able to having the time before and after class to play with friends that also go there. You might give the karate class a try for a semester.

  8. Take regular time for yourself to do something that recharges your battery. Think of that time to yourself as an investment in your family. Finding a hobby you enjoy or something that recharges your battery will give your children and hubby a happy wife/mom. That in itself is a gift to them.

     

    Edit: Finding time to do that is what I always find so hard.

  9. So I am not the only one! *Hugs*

     

    We are selling our house, so I have been extra sensitive to things not getting put away. I've decided that I can either pick up or clean, but I don't have time for both. I considered hiring a maid to do the cleaning if I had to pick up after everyone.

     

    I explained to ds that if he didn't want to pick up his toys that I would "fix" the problem. When he decided not to finish picking up his toys, I put the ones left out in trash bags and hauled them off to charity. Ever since then if he complains about picking up his toys I say I can "fix the problem." At that point the complaining usually stops and the rest of the toys are picked up. I keep a plastic storage container out specifically for things to be donated. Thing can be voluntarily added, or it is there if I need to "fix" the toy problem.

     

    We do irewardschart app. Ds can earn stars for having a clean room, clean toy room, and making his bed. We check at the end of the day. The stars can be redeemed for rewards. I'm not very good about keeping up with it though.

     

    Laundry does not get done if it doesn't make it into the laundry basket (except sheets).

     

    I read/heard a good idea somewhere. My kids aren't old enough yet for it to be very effective for them. Basically, the kids get a certain allowance which is assigned to their chores. If they don't do their chores, then someone else has to be paid to do it. Let's say unloading the dishwasher is $2. If child A is assigned the chore but forgets to unload the dishwasher, then child B (or parent) is paid the $2 out of child A's money.

     

    All I want for Christmas next year is one of those homemade coupon books full of coupons saying everyone else will clean the house while I take a mom day. ;)

  10.  

     

    Can you print your grocery list? Or email it? I don't want to take my ipad to the store, I'm wondering if I can somehow transfer my list to my android phone, maybe by email.

     

     

    You can email your shopping list. I've gotten to where I bring my ipad to the store, so I can check things off as I go. Sometimes I want to double check recipes if the store is out of what I need to see if I might be able to substitute something else.

     

    You can email your recipes to other people too.

  11.  

    Instead I would take the mistake to mean you need to work on getting stronger link in his head between Albany and New York, rather than trying to get him to use an alternate method for checking correctness. That said, I've gotten side-tracked on trying to teach ways to self-check like that when I'm really trying to test/train memory FAR too many times unfortunately.

     

     

    That's interesting that you say that. I have noticed that he glazes over if I give him too long of an explanation at times. I try to avoid it, but being left brained, it just comes out. I love the logical approach to things and have to remember it is not his style.

  12.  

     

    Oh that is nifty. I may have to try it out. THe pantry tracker is especially cool. Can you tell it what actually got eaten (ie the kids actually ate the WHOLE box of waffles even though I was only planning on them eating 4....)?

     

     

    It will only adjust your pantry supply based off of what you told it you would eat in your calendar. You can adjust your pantry inventory on the app though for those times you eat more/less than what you have on your calendar.

     

    I love that I can make a meal plan for the whole month in one day and not have that daily stress of what to make for dinner. I can tell the app I want to shop for one week (or the whole month). It will make my shopping list for me which is really nice! The shopping list is sorted into categories, so I can go orderly through the grocery store saving time. I hate grocery shopping, so I love that!

     

    So long as the pantry inventory is adjusted as needed, this app is a big time saver.

  13. I asked my hubby since he is also ADD. He had the same problem learning issues. He would blank out on answers he knew and with the way he compartmentalizes information, he would recall the wrong answers even after being explained too. Could there be some benefit from auditory therapy with that, or is just the physiology of the brain from being ADD?

     

    DS is definitely right brain, and I am left brained. It takes a lot of work on my part to see school from a right-brain point of view. I feel like a do a good job most of the time, but sometimes it just doesn't register with me until there is a problem. I've read a bunch of ADD books including Right-Brained Child in a Left-Brained World.

     

    I did have ds tested by a psyc at the local university. I don't recall the processing being tested, but I will look again. He was high average on most everything. He was above average on some things and very superior in one area. I can't remember the name of that area, but it was the one were he had to redraw the picture. I'm pretty sure it was the visual-special. He was pretty tired by the end of the day when we did the testing, and I know he wasn't able to put a lot of effort into it like he is capable. Half way through testing we would not do school those days, and that made a big difference. We are also in the middle of vision therapy for eye tracking problems. I'd be curious what he would test if we had it to do over again.

     

    I'll ask ds and see if he wants to do it another way. I think we will make some flash cards and see if that makes a difference too.

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