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Critterfixer

Critterfixer

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Junie said:

Dd14 told me last night that she wanted to self-study Latin.

I told her I had a textbook that I could give her.  She's apparently someone serious about this, because she reminded me a few minutes ago that I forgot to give her the book.

I pulled the book off the shelf and showed her how the lessons are set up.  She smiled when I handed her the book.

 

Any advice that I should give her?

This is the book we have.

Be patient. There's a lot to learn. But so much interesting stuff too.

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katilac
katilac

You know, saying "ignore this thread" to this group is like saying "don't push the big red button!" 

ErinE
ErinE

Homeschoolers.     They always think the rules don't apply to them.

purpleowl
purpleowl

Ignore this post in this thread.

mama25angels

mama25angels

Posted
Posted

Susan, I need your help.  Ds youngest takes piano lessons, he's doing them with a friend so the lessons are free but, he doesn't want to practice at all.  The reason the lessons are free is because my friend wanted to teach her dd and thought it would make it more fun for her if she had someone doing it with her.  Now, my Ds is not in any danger of being the next big thing but, if I'm taking time out of my day to take him to lessons, I want him to be getting something more than a play date.  Should I get him a paid teacher or just stop the lessons or just let him dabble?

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Susan in TN

Susan in TN

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, mama25angels said:

Susan, I need your help.  Ds youngest takes piano lessons, he's doing them with a friend so the lessons are free but, he doesn't want to practice at all.  The reason the lessons are free is because my friend wanted to teach her dd and thought it would make it more fun for her if she had someone doing it with her.  Now, my Ds is not in any danger of being the next big thing but, if I'm taking time out of my day to take him to lessons, I want him to be getting something more than a play date.  Should I get him a paid teacher or just stop the lessons or just let him dabble?

I would schedule practice time as "first lesson" of the day. It's a tricky cycle - if they don't practice, they don't learn; and if they don't learn, it becomes boring and very difficult to practice.  How long has he been having lessons?  I am a stickler, but I would insist on at least a year of lessons with actual practice going on.  Or drop it altogether.

If he's less than 10yo, I'd schedule 10 minutes to practice for a week or two until that seems manageble, and then increase by 5 minute intervals.  Maybe he is not really sure what or how to practice when he is away from the teacher?  It might be helpful to take a short video of the teacher going over what and how he needs to practice?

Practice should happen every day, even when other lessons are not happening.  (Suzuki said "make music every day that you eat."  My kids don't usually practice on the weekends, but it's that kind of mindset.) You could have him "teach" you.  Or a sibling.  Or a favorite toy.  Have him "perform" whatever he is working on at least once a week for the family.  If anyone else plays an instrument or sings, you can do it together, which is always more fun.

I didn't pay for lessons for my kids until they would practice on their own regularly and seemed generally committed to it.  (I taught them myself for a couple years before that.)

FWIW, it is a challenge to motivate oneself unless you are in a family where that is just what most everyone does.  Music especially, because it is just so stinking hard and takes a ton of effort. So a lot of family support and encouragement are super beneficial.

Well, these are just a few of my thoughts on it, and very influenced by my own family and upbringing.  But you know your kids and family best, so ymmv.  :smile:

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mama25angels

mama25angels

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Susan in TN said:

I would schedule practice time as "first lesson" of the day. It's a tricky cycle - if they don't practice, they don't learn; and if they don't learn, it becomes boring and very difficult to practice.  How long has he been having lessons?  I am a stickler, but I would insist on at least a year of lessons with actual practice going on.  Or drop it altogether.

If he's less than 10yo, I'd schedule 10 minutes to practice for a week or two until that seems manageble, and then increase by 5 minute intervals.  Maybe he is not really sure what or how to practice when he is away from the teacher?  It might be helpful to take a short video of the teacher going over what and how he needs to practice?

Practice should happen every day, even when other lessons are not happening.  (Suzuki said "make music every day that you eat."  My kids don't usually practice on the weekends, but it's that kind of mindset.) You could have him "teach" you.  Or a sibling.  Or a favorite toy.  Have him "perform" whatever he is working on at least once a week for the family.  If anyone else plays an instrument or sings, you can do it together, which is always more fun.

I didn't pay for lessons for my kids until they would practice on their own regularly and seemed generally committed to it.  (I taught them myself for a couple years before that.)

FWIW, it is a challenge to motivate oneself unless you are in a family where that is just what most everyone does.  Music especially, because it is just so stinking hard and takes a ton of effort. So a lot of family support and encouragement are super beneficial.

Well, these are just a few of my thoughts on it, and very influenced by my own family and upbringing.  But you know your kids and family best, so ymmv.  :smile:

Thank you, he does practice everyday except the weekends.  He was teaching me and he was willing to practice then to some degree but, then I kind of quit on him so, maybe we'll go back to that and I'll have him practice first.  How long should I have him practice at 11yo?

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Susan in TN

Susan in TN

Posted
Posted
43 minutes ago, mama25angels said:

Thank you, he does practice everyday except the weekends.  He was teaching me and he was willing to practice then to some degree but, then I kind of quit on him so, maybe we'll go back to that and I'll have him practice first.  How long should I have him practice at 11yo?

15-20 minutes?  For a beginner, that's usually enough to accomplish something without getting too tedious.  Does he have a particular goal or something he can work towards?  A recital?  Or playing a piece with the teacher's daughter?  A goal like that can go a long way with motivation and giving a purpose to all your hard work.

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KrissiK

KrissiK

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, KrissiK said:

Ok, fine. We’ll go to the zoo today. I didn’t want to do school anyway. And the zoo is educational. And the zoo in the Big City is awesome. It really is nice.

We are back from the zoo. Beautiful day!! The zoo is great. We saw the monkeys and two types of rhinos and my personal favorite, the peccaries. The African safari exhibit is really excellent - elephants and gazelles and lions, all on the savannah. They are actually all separate from each other, but the way it is designed, you can’t really tell.

Then we had In ‘n Out for lunch and came home the back way. It was quite interesting - lots of wrecking yards and industrial stuff and strip clubs.

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Susan in TN

Susan in TN

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Paige said:

The skin's not broken. Would it still help? It is just an itchy itchy bump. There used to be bunches of them but there's only 2-3 that are lingering.

I have visions of them being filled with some weird bug's babies or something because I watch too much tv or read too much.

Ugh - please don't start a bug colony on your leg.  If the skin isn't broken, I'd probably go with Jean's suggestion of tea tree oil.  

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Susan in TN

Susan in TN

Posted
Posted (edited)

Good morning!

I missed my step goal by 24 steps yesterday.  I wasn't paying attention.  If dd9 had gotten me up just a few minutes earlier (feeling sick), I would have made it.  Oh well.  I think I gave my finger a crochet blister yesterday.

We had a major Sneeze Fest here yesterday.  I think somthing must have been blown in by that storm.

Amazon has not sent me a hammock email.  Pout.  

Dd9 is running a low fever this morning.  We will have to scramble a bit tonight for children's choir.  I will do a quick science lesson with the youngers and then head to Aldi.  Their flyer advertised a gourmet cheese Advent calendar, which I am going to buy ds13 for his birthday.  He loves cheese. ?

Must Pantz.

Coffee!

Edited by Susan in TN
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Susan in TN

Susan in TN

Posted
Posted
35 minutes ago, mama25angels said:

Good morning!  Orthodontist today and regular lessons, piano was cancelled.

Susan, thank you, he's been playing/getting lessons for a year, he has improved significantly.  I think the original reason he wanted to play was to hang out with his friend, teacher's dd, lol.

 

Oh, that's good.  I had it in my head that he had only been taking lessons for a month or so.  Hanging out with friends is an excellent reason to study music.  :smile:

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Junie

Junie

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Posted

I'm trying to avoid taking kids to the doctor, but I'm afraid it may be inevitable.  ?

Dd14 dropped a heavy object on her toe in August.  It was bruised badly but not broken.  In September she had her yearly check up and the toe was healing well.  Now it is slightly swollen again and she says it hurts a little bit.  ?

Dd8 has been coughing for 3 weeks.  No fever.  Other minor cold symptoms.  ?

Dd8 and dd10 still need to get flu shots.

And I think everyone except dd8 still needs to go to the eye doctor(s).

Dentist appointments are scheduled for sometime.  I don't remember when, but it's not this week.  :)

And we still have music classes and dd16's work schedule to work around.

Sometimes I wish I had a nanny.

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