Ignore this thread!

[texasmama]

So, I read Homeschooling at the Helm by 8filtheheart last night. Have any of you read it? 2016-2017 is not really the school year for me-intensive planning, but I enjoyed reading it. Plus, I'm still waiting to see what 12yo dd's co-op offers for next year before I decide much. The only thing I know for sure about what they offer is science. I don't think I'll be designing any of next school year from scratch, but I might get motivated to pre-read more.

I think I would have enjoyed this book about year 2-3 of homeschooling. Currently, the boys are mostly outsourced and course planning is simple. I'm planning science and history but not making it up from scratch. We used and enjoyed TC.

Edited May 25, 2016 by texasmama

[Critterfixer]

I have not read Homeschooling at The Helm. I don't mind some intensive planning and curriculum design for writing, but I have zero interest in designing anything else from scratch. And even for writing I used a scaffold. I'm very much in the "whatever works" camp of homeschooling philosophy. :laugh:

[texasmama]

You probably ought to put that right below the table for her. She shouldn't be jumping for a while, and she will want to! She might also like to have a towel thrown over the area to make it a proper lair to hide in. Our baby liked the boys' nests of stuffed animals with a big blanket thrown over. She would burrow right down in her nest and sleep, or watch them play quietly nearby.

And the old cat also got a nest beneath a desk when she came home. She used almost exclusively for the first week or so. She's back up on the bed now that she can see well enough to use her stepping stones to get there.

I'm worried about her over exerting. She is crazy active. I will make her a cozy lair. The coffee table has shelves but we will be creative and use a chair with a blanket.

[Critterfixer]

Another popular lair is a cardboard box, lined with towels and turned on it's side with either a towel thrown over, or a shirt jammed over the box where the cat can use the hole to enter the nest.

[texasmama]

Another popular lair is a cardboard box, lined with towels and turned on it's side with either a towel thrown over, or a shirt jammed over the box where the cat can use the hole to enter the nest.

I will put little dd on this on our drive back. I would wear her in a sling but I do not think she would appreciate this. lol She has never been a lap cat like Lily.

[prairiewindmomma]

Yes. Even my extroverted son prefers to hang at home. My guys have friends but they are few and carefully chosen. My ASD kid will need a career and living situation that is somewhat solitary. My kids are free to choose the amount of social interaction they want. The only one I cannot keep up with is little dd. She wants to be active and social all her waking hours, which is why I'm adding a second outside class day to her schedule next year.

 

ETA: it's a socialized booya(h)!

 

my post about interacting appropriately was code for "not yelling and hitting people when upset"

[Critterfixer]

 

my post about interacting appropriately was code for "not yelling and hitting people when upset"

 

I know. 

I'm just thinking back to when the very "normal" kids launched a football at my head because I was "different". Suffice to say, that a large reason for my choice of homeschooling  for my boys had to do with my own miserable socialization experiences.

 

ETA: It hurt. They laughed.

[prairiewindmomma]

((Critterfixer))

 

It played largely into our decision as well.

[KrissiK]

Yes. It's misunderstood and overrated in many cases.

Yes, it is. My children who are still home (4/5 of them) have a much easier time socially than my one whom we put in school. He's been in school for almost a year now and still does not do well socially. Edited April 17, 2016 by KrissiK

[Critterfixer]

One could argue that had I been properly taught to keep my head up when walking past the ball fields, I might have ducked in time. But I was in the middle of making up a story, and I simply didn't see it until I was on the ground. 

I remember lying there, listening to the laughter and thinking that there was something completely absurd about this being normal. :glare:

[texasmama]

my post about interacting appropriately was code for "not yelling and hitting people when upset"

I'm not sure what thread this is in. I was thinking of the thread about putting a 5 yo into activities.

[Ellie]

Just a quick check-in. All is well. Home on Tuesday. Love you all. Xxxx

[texasmama]

(((Hugs))) Critter

[texasmama]

Just a quick check-in. All is well. Home on Tuesday. Love you all. Xxxx

Ellie! (Heart)

[Slache]

Happy Sunday!

 

My hair does what it wants but it always looks good so I'm content. I have to keep my part on the side because the two sides of my face don't match and you can tell if my part is centered.

 

Forced association is not socialization. I went to public school and all it did was teach me how to not like most people. I want John in martial arts so he can have friends that have similar interests and enjoy himself. My kids are happy, friendly and polite. What greater thing can you offer me than that?

Edited April 17, 2016 by Slache

[Critterfixer]

I really just need to stay out of socialization threads, including not reading them. So Prairie, if you would be so kind, pop me with a rubberband when you see me approaching one! :laugh:

I'm easily distracted, however. I just found out the the fourth principal part of a Latin verb is the participle. This is currently blowing my mind. So I'm happy again.

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm not sure what thread this is in. I was thinking of the thread about putting a 5 yo into activities.

Oh, I thought you were referring to the one by MedicMom. Kid on the spectrum and with social issues has been bounced in and out of public school and she's contemplating bringing him home again.  

 

That makes a lot more sense. :)

[texasmama]

Oh, I thought you were referring to the one by MedicMom. Kid on the spectrum and with social issues has been bounced in and out of public school and she's contemplating bringing him home again.

 

That makes a lot more sense. :)

We are talking about the same thread. Lol. But what I got out of it is wondering if she should put him in activities if he is homeschooled. I may have conflated it with another thread and missed the point.

[prairiewindmomma]

I am home from church with dd today. Because puking. Again.  It's going to rain all week here, and we're under Flash Flood watch.

 

Ellie--3-6" of rain predicted with pockets of 8-12" of rain between now and Tuesday morning. Be careful on the roads when you get in!

[Critterfixer]

It was a long time ago. Those kids all probably grew up to be outstanding members of the society in which they now live, and I garnered plenty of fodder for stories, made my own decisions on what kind of society I wanted, and went out an got it. So all's well.

[Critterfixer]

 

Ellie--3-6" of rain predicted with pockets of 8-12" of rain between now and Tuesday morning. Be careful on the roads when you get in!

 

Is that treacherous roads or dangerous seas? 

[texasmama]

One of my high school boyfriends was a big bully. He is a fine and kind man now. He wrote a post on Facebook acknowledging his actions and taking responsibility. Most people grow up to be decent.

[texasmama]

Is that treacherous roads or dangerous seas?

I thought the same thing! That it is both.

[prairiewindmomma]

I think activities are highly overrated.

 

She has posted a number of things in other threads that make me think the situation is more complex than she is stating in this thread. Hence the helpful hints that adding some social stories, working on self-regulation, and improving in-home dynamics might be a good thing.  I get that she's trying to keep her head above water with disabled husband, fragile baby, working to provide, etc.  It's a lot easier to get things under control when the kid is still smaller than you, iykwim.

 

[texasmama]

I think activities are highly overrated.

 

She has posted a number of things in other threads that make me think the situation is more complex than she is stating in this thread. Hence the helpful hints that adding some social stories, working on self-regulation, and improving in-home dynamics might be a good thing. I get that she's trying to keep her head above water with disabled husband, fragile baby, working to provide, etc. It's a lot easier to get things under control when the kid is still smaller than you, iykwim.

I know exactly what you mean.

 

Activities at five are overrated and no substitute for therapies or at home therapeutic activities.  IME. Social skills are a higher level skill which comes when a person is more emotionally regulated.

Edited May 25, 2016 by texasmama

[prairiewindmomma]

I totally agree, Tex.

[JoJosMom]

One could argue that had I been properly taught to keep my head up when walking past the ball fields, I might have ducked in time. But I was in the middle of making up a story, and I simply didn't see it until I was on the ground. 

I remember lying there, listening to the laughter and thinking that there was something completely absurd about this being normal. :glare:

 

I didn't want to "like" this, so I'm quoting.

 

I don't know how to tell you this, Critter, but I think I have your daughter.  She does the exact same thing with the whole "stories in the head" and has been known to walk smack into fixed objects (think walls, vehicles, trees...)  She is also an obsessive writer and die-hard NaNoWriMo fan.  How did this happen?  :confused1:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Good morning.

 

I hate the first hour of every single morning.  It takes that long for my body to "normalize" the pain so that I don't feel it so much.  (It's like the brain shuts down the nerves to an extent.)

 

 

[texasmama]

I didn't want to "like" this, so I'm quoting.

 

I don't know how to tell you this, Critter, but I think I have your daughter. She does the exact same thing with the whole "stories in the head" and has been known to walk smack into fixed objects (think walls, vehicles, trees...) She is also an obsessive writer and die-hard NaNoWriMo fan. How did this happen? :confused1:

When I was in elementary school I walked home from school reading a book one day and ran into a tree. My friend laughed at me.

 

I used to be a huge nerdy geek and now I'm just weird and funny and a geek.

[texasmama]

(((Jean)))

[Jean in Newcastle]

I am happy with how I care for my kids.  I'm not perfect.  I flounder around at times and use them as guinea pigs but I've been a child care professional / teacher and guess what . .  they flounder around and use kids as guinea pigs too only with less options.  I am not anti professional / teacher.  I just know their limits. 

 

We've had tough years on the social front for both my introvert and my extrovert.  Both have had to learn to roll with the world not catering to every social need.  Yet both have had the freedom to carve out their own social network.  Ds18 initially only had a tribe online but in the last two years he has found a face-to-face tribe as well. 

 

edited because I can't spell

Edited April 17, 2016 by Jean in Newcastle

[Jean in Newcastle]

I am happy with how I care for my pets.  We do not have a "normal" pet in the bunch.  They get lots of love and care but I have still been criticized mightily by people who want me to give love and care exactly the way that they would do it. 

[Another Lynn]

(((Jean)))

[texasmama]

Yeah, people can bite me if they don't like it. Right, Jean.

 

#ididntsaybutt

[Susan in TN]

(((Prairie)))

 

(((Jean)))

 

I am trying to decompress from Sunday School. Some of the 6/7yos and my co-teacher often seem to be hopped up on cocaine, and I was having a particularly difficult time filtering it out today.

[Critterfixer]

 

I don't know how to tell you this, Critter, but I think I have your daughter.  She does the exact same thing with the whole "stories in the head" and has been known to walk smack into fixed objects (think walls, vehicles, trees...)  She is also an obsessive writer and die-hard NaNoWriMo fan.  How did this happen?   :confused1:

 

Probably better you than me.  :laugh: I've been known to forget to feed myself or anyone else when I'm caught up in my imaginary people and places. 

[Critterfixer]

I want to have the boys learn and practice typing this summer. Any good ideas that I can buy for the computer? Free stuff that has to be downloaded just doesn't work around here because of the poor internet connection and lack of speed.

[texasmama]

My boys used Typing instructor. It was meh. One kid used Keyboarding without tears but it needs Internet. I was impressed with it and kid liked it.

Edited May 25, 2016 by texasmama

[hornblower]

oh what a lovely morning. Sunny, warm & so blissfully quiet. I love the hours before everyone powers up their lawn equipment and power washers. And there was no soccer at the fields so no parents screaming & coaches yelling. 

All you could hear was birdsong and there are so many birds singing here. 

I had a great walk with the dogs. Saw only one person and that was at a distance. Perfect for the antisocial in me LOL 

So many things blooming.

I love the people who plant fragrant cherry trees. 

Someone has a wisteria just getting beginning to bud. My lilac is in full bloom. I felt like a bumblebee sticking my nose in all the flowers....

[Critterfixer]

I have DSL in name only. It's marginally better than dial-up and almost as buggy as satellite. So I think I'm going to be better off buying and running software than having to depend on something that needs a functional internet all the time.

[texasmama]

Typing instructor is software.

[Critterfixer]

Yeah, but it looked pretty "meh" to me to!

[texasmama]

There is always Mavis beacon. I bought it and forgot to make the boys do it.

 

#homeschoolfail

[Slache]

Alex is by far my most active child. Whose idea was it to have another kid anyway?

 

What do we think of Matthew Alexander instead of Alexander James? We'd still call him Alex. Matt wanted a junior both times but we have 2 in my family and they've both had lots of problems because of it.

[hornblower]

Well, since you asked:

I am opposed to calling kids by middle names. Causes headaches later when their legal names on registrations/class lists etc doesn't match what they're called. We have one in our extended family so seen it first hand... 

I am opposed to calling kids Jr. 

 

:) 
 

[JoJosMom]

Alex is by far my most active child. Whose idea was it to have another kid anyway?

 

What do we think of Matthew Alexander instead of Alexander James? We'd still call him Alex. Matt wanted a junior both times but we have 2 in my family and they've both had lots of problems because of it.

 

I like it.  Using one's middle name is very common, particularly in the South.

 

ETA:  Had DD been a boy, his name would have included DH's name and he would have gone by the other.

Edited April 17, 2016 by JoJosMom

[Renai]

Well, since you asked:

 

I am opposed to calling kids by middle names. Causes headaches later when their legal names on registrations/class lists etc doesn't match what they're called. We have one in our extended family so seen it first hand... 

I am opposed to calling kids Jr. 

 

:) 

 

 

Interestingly, being called by the second name is very common in the Hispanic circles I run in. I also don't like jr.'s, and once you get to thirds, it's getting pretentious. I have  a nephew who's a junior who is as cute as a button. Oops, he's a third. I have another nephew who was named after my dad. That's ok cuz, grandparent. I'm weird.

 

I like it.  Using one's middle name is very common, particularly in the South.

 

ETA:  Had DD been a boy, his name would have included DH's name and he would have gone by the other.

 

This too. I was raised in the south. It was more common to be called by first and middle where I was though.

 

ETA:

Edited April 17, 2016 by Renai

[Renai]

Slache with bangs=Slache with acne on her forehead

 

 

Is this an apple thing? I don't have an apple device.

 

No it is not just an apple thing. 

[Renai]

It turned out that we were in a mood for Credence Clearwater Revival instead of Two Steps from Hell. Hmm.  Sometimes I think this character just has days that he wants to fight the world, and other days he'd just like to get along in it. Today is evidently a "get along" day.

 

Ooh. We have that set.

[Renai]

 

I'm easily distracted, however. I just found out the the fourth principal part of a Latin verb is the participle. This is currently blowing my mind. So I'm happy again.

 

Good grief. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? Never mind. Please don't explain it. I don't really want to know.  :tongue_smilie: