Homeschooling and stress hormones

[Homeschooler in Dubai]

Hi everyone,

 

I am following the "Peaceful Parenting" approach from Dr. Laura Markham where you use loving guidance and "teaching" based on a strong connection with your child instead of yelling or discipline.

 

This is not supposed to become a parenting discussion rather I am seeking advice from parents with a similar parenting style. For those who are not familiar with the Peaceful Parenting concept and want to read about it, this is her website:

 

http://www.ahaparenting.com/blog/how-to-get-your-kid-laughing-instead-of-crying

 

I find it quite hard to help my kids (boys age almost 5 and almost 2) to release their stress hormones like adrenaline, cortisol etc. through laughing/bonding games, roughhousing and the like. It is just so exhausting and I feel like it needs at least an hour for my older one and about half an hour for the younger one which is also difficult because we get less work done. I feel like the more work (writing, maths etc.) we do the more emotionally loaded they are and the less we get to play these bonding/laughing games. Then their behavior becomes so bad (they acting out these feelings that they cannot even express verbally) and sometimes we cannot do any work or only very little because of all these emotions that have build up. I have to let my older one cry every day about 5-10 minutes (by setting a mild emphatic limit) in order for us to be able to do our schedule.

 

Am I maybe doing too much sit down work with him? I am doing very little (maximum 1 and a half hours of sit down work divided) compared to schools. I cannot imagine how children are forced to sit still for so many hours and do soo much writing/reading etc. in first grade for example. I feel like they have much more emotions going on than my homeschooled son.

 

Have you experienced something like that, where the homeschooling work is causing stress hormones to build up? How do you help your kids to release their tensions and stress hormones?

 

 

[maize]

Do they have any place they can run/climb/swing/slide? Many kids need lots of that sort of physical activity.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Hi everyone,

 

I am following the "Peaceful Parenting" approach from Dr. Laura Markham where you use loving guidance and "teaching" based on a strong connection with your child instead of yelling or discipline.

 

This is not supposed to become a parenting discussion rather I am seeking advice from parents with a similar parenting style. For those who are not familiar with the Peaceful Parenting concept and want to read about it, this is her website:

 

http://www.ahaparenting.com/blog/how-to-get-your-kid-laughing-instead-of-crying

 

I find it quite hard to help my kids (boys age almost 5 and almost 2) to release their stress hormones like adrenaline, cortisol etc. through laughing/bonding games, roughhousing and the like. It is just so exhausting and I feel like it needs at least an hour for my older one and about half an hour for the younger one which is also difficult because we get less work done. I feel like the more work (writing, maths etc.) we do the more emotionally loaded they are and the less we get to play these bonding/laughing games. Then their behavior becomes so bad (they acting out these feelings that they cannot even express verbally) and sometimes we cannot do any work or only very little because of all these emotions that have build up. I have to let my older one cry every day about 5-10 minutes (by setting a mild emphatic limit) in order for us to be able to do our schedule.

 

Am I maybe doing too much sit down work with him? I am doing very little (maximum 1 and a half hours of sit down work divided) compared to schools. I cannot imagine how children are forced to sit still for so many hours and do soo much writing/reading etc. in first grade for example. I feel like they have much more emotions going on than my homeschooled son.

 

Have you experienced something like that, where the homeschooling work is causing stress hormones to build up? How do you help your kids to release their tensions and stress hormones?

 

 

Yes, if your son is four years old, and you are doing 1.5 hours of school, and he is stressed and must cry for 5-10 minutes per day, you are doing too much sit down work with him. Your one-year-old is also too little for lessons.

[Charlie]

Hi everyone,

 

I am following the "Peaceful Parenting" approach from Dr. Laura Markham where you use loving guidance and "teaching" based on a strong connection with your child instead of yelling or discipline.

 

This is not supposed to become a parenting discussion rather I am seeking advice from parents with a similar parenting style. For those who are not familiar with the Peaceful Parenting concept and want to read about it, this is her website:

 

http://www.ahaparenting.com/blog/how-to-get-your-kid-laughing-instead-of-crying

 

I find it quite hard to help my kids (boys age almost 5 and almost 2) to release their stress hormones like adrenaline, cortisol etc. through laughing/bonding games, roughhousing and the like. It is just so exhausting and I feel like it needs at least an hour for my older one and about half an hour for the younger one which is also difficult because we get less work done. I feel like the more work (writing, maths etc.) we do the more emotionally loaded they are and the less we get to play these bonding/laughing games. Then their behavior becomes so bad (they acting out these feelings that they cannot even express verbally) and sometimes we cannot do any work or only very little because of all these emotions that have build up. I have to let my older one cry every day about 5-10 minutes (by setting a mild emphatic limit) in order for us to be able to do our schedule.

 

Am I maybe doing too much sit down work with him? I am doing very little (maximum 1 and a half hours of sit down work divided) compared to schools. I cannot imagine how children are forced to sit still for so many hours and do soo much writing/reading etc. in first grade for example. I feel like they have much more emotions going on than my homeschooled son.

 

Have you experienced something like that, where the homeschooling work is causing stress hormones to build up? How do you help your kids to release their tensions and stress hormones?

 

I'm not sure I understand how this works. Are you saying you roughhouse for an hour to release adrenaline, then get to school work?

 

By the way, my husband and I raise our kids without punishment, so I expect we're on the same page there, but I'm not sure what you mean by this.

 

 

[73349]

An hour and a half was too much for DS when he was five, yes. If you mean butt-in-chair, focused school work, he was only doing about 20 minutes total (phonics, math, and handwriting). Kindergarten is designed to accomplish a lot of things, including day care, and nobody is successfully getting all the kids doing real mental work all day. Preschool, even more so, works best when it's playful.

 

Research shows that having a recess in the middle of the day results in better learning than doing more seat work anyway. Running around outside first may help the kids feel ready to sit and do thinking work. For a couple of years, I sent DS out for recess *before* trying to start school for the day. (This year, he's doing some free reading, chores and piano practice before school, and usually plays outside later in the day.) Are you familiar with the European outdoor kindergartens? Needing a few hours of play seems to be really normal and important for young kids. So if it seems like your kids really need an hour of hard play in the morning and another hour in the afternoon, you might consider how to fit other stuff around it rather than the other way around. It's okay for play to be a priority.

 

We have school year-round so we can have a daily structure that works for us and still accomplish a decent quantity of work. For example, we had less than two hours of official "school" today. That sounds like utter slacking for third grade, except when I consider what happened before school (learning to use a microscope! but more often I find him curled up with the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia in the mornings), what will happen after school (lunch, an exercise class at the Y, etc., which don't count as part of the school day here but would in a b&m school) and how many days we'll have (probably 230).

 

If the crying is when it's time to sit and do school, that shows you where the problem is. By the time my son was in second grade, he was able to articulate what was a struggle for him and have a good conversation about how we could make things better. (We wound up putting the hardest subjects first and dropping something that wasn't very important to me and was really unpleasant for him.) Younger kids may be less able to explain themselves, but you can experiment and slash the school agenda to a point that it's no longer causing misery. Remember lots of warm fuzzies, too, are a benefit of homeschooling--so much can be done with a kid cuddled up on each side of you or on your lap! You'll find a rhythm that works.

Edited December 29, 2016 by whitehawk

[Homeschooler in Dubai]

Thanks everyone  very good advice.

 

Yes sometimes I have to roughhouse or let them move first before they can sit down and focus. The roughhousing is so exhausting for me though:( maybe I am not physically fit...

 

They have a nap in the middle of the day and only the older one practices writing, reading, math with Mammoth about half an hour before nap and half an hour to one hour after nap.

 

wow 20 minutes but I guess these 20 minutes were probably VERY focused? Hm I understand what your are saying it is like Finnland style: decrease the work, increase the concentration?

[8filltheheart]

Yes, if your son is four years old, and you are doing 1.5 hours of school, and he is stressed and must cry for 5-10 minutes per day, you are doing too much sit down work with him. Your one-year-old is also too little for lessons.

I agree 100% with Tibbie. I personally believe that the American educational system has it completely wrong when it comes to early childhood education. Academic seat work at a young age does not equal long term gains. Playing, using their imaginations, dramatic play--those develop higher order critical thinking skills which are necessary for problem solving and creative thinking.

 

My kids have never done even 1 day of academic preschool. They play. My K-2 age kids are doing minimal seat work. They do math, handwriting/copywork, phonics, reading. I have done this with 8 kids. My older kids have all been rock solid students when they were older, several quite advanced.

[wintermom]

I don't understand why being physically active needs to be something outside of the school day at all. It's part of our day; it's just a reality with boys (at least my boys). They need to get up and move at regular intervals during the day and everyday. So we do some seatwork, then we/they do something physical, then a little more seatwork, then some more movement. Some boys need more movement than others. If you have at least 2 boys, then have them run around with each other when you get too tired.

 

I don't understand the daily crying thing at all. Is this because he doesn't want to sit still for too long, or he's crying about different things on different days? 

 

Just how long have you been trying to follow someone else's approach to parenting? Is it years, months, weeks? Do you find it helpful or exhausting to follow this approach? Do you not feel comfortable with you and your dh's own decisions and approach to parenting. Parenting is very tough, but for me I'd think it would be making things even tougher trying to follow someone else's idea about parenting. Every child and grouping of children is different. A book or website cannot possibly guide you through everything. Take what is working, and use it. Toss what isn't working.

[maize]

I also agree with those who say no or minimal seat work for a 4 year old, none for a 1 year old.

 

Math mammoth starts at first grade level, it's designed for 6 or 7 year olds.

 

I'd help a 4 year old with reading, writing, and math only if they were begging for it.

 

The path you are on seems designed to make your kids hate academics.

Edited December 29, 2016 by maize

[MerryAtHope]

I would drop any writing. If you do any "seat work" at all, I would do things like playing with manipulatives, doing puzzles, lacing beads, play dough etc... and read them a story. If you want to do some pre-writing exercises, make one-stroke air-letters with large arm movements from the shoulder down to the pointer finger to reinforce the correct movement. You could also practice letters with a finger in a tray of sand, rice, cornmeal, shaving cream, etc... Any seated work like this should be very short (20 minutes is plenty for this age). 

 

It sounds like your boys need more run-around time, and you really don't have to keep up with them for all of this. Let them run and play outside, go for a walk together (they could ride bikes or run up and back to certain things like the next tree or a fire hydrant), etc... It's okay to ask them to do something with you there but not running every step with them. 

[stutterfish]

At that age we spent at least an hour outside the house every day, in the park, exploring the woods, on bikes or trikes, walking to the library, gardening at our allotment, walking to tbe shops or to museums etc. At least once a week we'd spend a whole day out, often we'd spend two whole days just out with friends.

 

I don't discipline or yell at my kids and have always aimed for non-coercive parenting and child-led educational style. Is that the sort of thing you are aiming for? I confess that I don't understand this idea of prescribed "roughhousing". I never "roughhoused" with my boys, they were perfectly capable of doing that with each other, or we'd invite others along on our walks and they'd run around together. I've always thought that having young boys is a bit like having dogs: if you don't exercise them every day they become unmanageable and destructive :)

 

Do you know any other local families with similar-aged children? If so, hang out with them and the kids will naturally burn off energy. And definitely get outdoors!

 

Fwiw, we didn't do any 'seat work' at all until mine were 9 or 10 (probably unusual for folks on this forum): everything was very hands-on and practical and active. I don't know anything about the book you're mentioning, but perhaps you have misinterpreted the method, or are just trying far too hard? With any parenting or educational philosophy it's best to extract what you find to be useful and relevant (if anything) and ditch the rest. :)

Edited December 29, 2016 by stutterfish

[lanalouwho]

I agree that an hour and a half is too much for a 4/5 year old. At that age I say, "Let them play!" Little boys need movement.

My boys are almost 6 and almost 3 so a year older than yours. Our day looks like this:

Breakfast

Between 1-1.5 hours outside play while I clean up and get dressed

15 minutes of phonics

10 minute brain break

15 minutes handwriting

15 minutes math with manipulatives

Lunch break and another 30 mins outside, usually we take the dogs for a walk.

In the afternoon, we do a fun experiment or logic game, then read aloud. Our read aloud might be fiction, or science, or history. I let them help choose on our weekly library trip.

Also, Mandatory quiet time for at least an hour.

 

Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk

[8filltheheart]

It sounds like your boys need more run-around time, and you really don't have to keep up with them for all of this. Let them run and play outside, go for a walk together (they could ride bikes or run up and back to certain things like the next tree or a fire hydrant), etc... It's okay to ask them to do something with you there but not running every step with them.

Oh my, yes. They absolutely should be entertaining themselves and not being entertained. Mom does not need to be doing what they are doing, just supervising and making sure they are safe.

[73349]

wow 20 minutes but I guess these 20 minutes were probably VERY focused? Hm I understand what your are saying it is like Finnland style: decrease the work, increase the concentration?

 

Oh, yes. No busy work at all. Everything I had him do was something I had looked at carefully; I weeded out things that he wouldn't like unless they would teach him the next thing he needed to learn. (For example, he was not at all interested in coloring, and I don't believe forced coloring is a good way to teach something unrelated like arithmetic or reading. We skipped pages accordingly.)

 

The 20 minutes doesn't count things that were probably educational but that I didn't necessarily plan carefully and that he considered fun and relaxing--like a field trip, a science play activity like testing what's attracted to a magnet, looking at a map and talking about where people we know live, or having me read him the same few picture books several times each over the course of a day. Those took up much more of our time, but of course I didn't have to require them: they were exactly the sort of thing he would choose to do, and would ask to do again once he had tried them.

 

The only thing we did in kindergarten that he found really unpleasant was taking the Iowa Test; he was six by that time and it was untimed, but there were some tears nonetheless. I made him do it because the state was going to require him to take it the next year. His scores were good anyway, and he wasn't really intimidated when he had to do it in first grade, partly because our experience in K made me realize I need to have him do the easy part first (for him, math) and then he won't balk much at the rest.

[8filltheheart]

Thanks everyone  very good advice.

 

Yes sometimes I have to roughhouse or let them move first before they can sit down and focus. The roughhousing is so exhausting for me though:( maybe I am not physically fit...

 

They have a nap in the middle of the day and only the older one practices writing, reading, math with Mammoth about half an hour before nap and half an hour to one hour after nap.

 

wow 20 minutes but I guess these 20 minutes were probably VERY focused? Hm I understand what your are saying it is like Finnland style: decrease the work, increase the concentration?

 

VERY focused?  How about however focuse a 5,6,7 yr old can be?? (No, I have never had a VERY focused little one unless it is VERY focused on what they want to play!!  YAY.  I am glad for that.  I value imagination more than history or science, etc for K2.)

 

For me, focus is better developed through engagement.  I find high level interest ways of engaging my young kids.  It doesn't have to be play.  It doesn't have to be fun. But it does need to be engaging.   For example, when my boys were little, I would create copywork sentences about Jedis or dwarves or knights.  I would create high interest sentences that covered the grammar topic I wanted to teach.  (and this was even older than K2)  

 

My kids have always had very minimal seat work when they were little.  I have always designed courses around subjects that interest them.  By the time they are in middle school, they are very self-motivated.  Guess what self-motivation does?  It generates deep focus.  They become goal oriented.  They graduate from high school with high levels of achievement.  For example, my kiddo who is now a jr in college did exactly what I have described (no preschool, only 3Rs for K2, on avg school was about 1 hr/grade level--1st=about 1 hr, 2nd=about 2 hrs, etc, until middle school.  Middle school was 6-8 hrs and high school was 7-9+)  But by high school he was incredibly focused.  He graduated from high school with 300 level math and physics courses that he took at our local university. 

 

It sounds cliche, but it is not a race.  Slow and steady wins the race.  Sprinting creates burnout and rebellion.  Learning takes place in far more ways than traditional academic seat work.

[Ellie]

 

 

 I have to let my older one cry every day about 5-10 minutes (by setting a mild emphatic limit) in order for us to be able to do our schedule.

 

Am I maybe doing too much sit down work with him? I am doing very little (maximum 1 and a half hours of sit down work divided) compared to schools. I cannot imagine how children are forced to sit still for so many hours and do soo much writing/reading etc. in first grade for example. I feel like they have much more emotions going on than my homeschooled son.

 

Have you experienced something like that, where the homeschooling work is causing stress hormones to build up? How do you help your kids to release their tensions and stress hormones?

 

I'm sorry; I just don't believe in "stress hormones" and children. What I do think is that if your little 5yo person cries every day for 5-10 minutes and you're doing that much formal, sit-down work, then that would be the problem. Young children should not have to "release their tensions and stress hormones" when it comes to homeschooling. Let the sit-down work go. Take the kidlets out in the morning to ride their bikes or big wheels or whatever, and in the afternoon. I think that would be better than rough-housing because their energy would be more focused (and not involve potentially harming another person).

[momacacia]

There are so many years for schoolwork. Take kids on a walk, color, craft, collect nature stuff, cuddle and read, play with letters on the floor if he's still learning phonics and sound out funny words with him. My second dd started later than my oldest and she's now a grade ahead in MM. Find out what your almost-5er loves and do that! Crafts, kickball, coloring, phonics, reading, and do lots of that.

 

Trust me, I wish I'd had spent so much time for fun with oldest.

[fralala]

Which schools are you comparing yourself to? The ones in Dubai?

 

There is a big difference between first graders and 4 year olds, FWIW, so I wouldn't compare what your son is doing now to what he will be capable of at 6 or 7! I will say that we parents, whether homeschooling or sending our kids out to school, will rightfully be the recipients of our kids most difficult feelings. As long as they trust us and aren't afraid of us, they will save them for us. As homeschoolers, we have the gift of being able to change what is not working in a way that is often more difficult when the children are in school. Learning shouldn't be stressful. Especially not for toddlers, preschoolers, or elementary school students!

 

I really like the work of Laura Markham, although as an imperfect human parent I can only receive support, motivation, and ideas from her and others-- I think there is a direct link between demanding too much of ourselves and too much of our kids, and it can be exhausting. Sometimes we will speak harshly, or not be in the mood for playing with our children, and sometimes they will not be ready yet for the things that other children their age may be doing (or they will not want to choose freely to do the things other children do out of fear or under duress!). I am in favor of giving yourself and your kids a break! Grab some coffee and let them do the roughhousing.

[eternallytired]

If it helps, my youngest will be 5 in February.  Right now, he does about 5ish minutes of handwriting each day.  That's the only thing I require of him--and I only require that because he wanted some official "work" to be like the big kids.  (For the others, I started handwriting at 5 and added a few minutes more of something every couple months.)

 

Other than that, he listens to me read aloud, joins in occasional other projects/subjects as they interest him (mostly if I have a video or project!), helps to bake, builds things from Legos, rides his bike, plays computer and board games (all educational in some way), imagines with or without his siblings, does dot-to-dots, runs around the yard...

 

And yet, he has managed to learn to read and has a solid foundation in math simply from playing and asking questions.  Kids' brains are wired to learn.  If you follow his lead and offer activities he will enjoy that might also help build skills (letter bingo, math games, playing with science materials like magnets and ramps)--even letting him choose which activities he'd like to do that day, perhaps you could ease his stress while still accomplishing educational goals?

 

I'm not sure which schools you are comparing yourself to, since schools around where I live do very little sit-down work for 4-year-olds.  (Half-day pre-k is 2.5 hours, which includes a story, some singing, a snack, and free play.  Full day pre-k includes lunch and a nap and lots of crafts and movement and very little seatwork.)  If you add up the amount of time B&M schools spend passing out paper, waiting for everyone to get out the correct book, giving everyone plenty of time to finish work, lining up, letting everyone take a bathroom break, getting to and from the lunchroom or playground, and what-have-you, you'd probably find that most schoolchildren spend a lot less time actually working than what you'd think.

[Homeschooler in Dubai]

 Playing, using their imaginations, dramatic play--those develop higher order critical thinking skills which are necessary for problem solving and creative thinking.

 

 

 

Do you refer to some studies regarding this? Would be interesting to read more about it...

[maize]

Do you refer to some studies regarding this? Would be interesting to read more about it...

Here's one summary of research on the benefits of play:

 

http://www.childrensmuseums.org/images/MCMResearchSummary.pdf

[Homeschooler in Dubai]

Which schools are you comparing yourself to? The ones in Dubai?

 

There is a big difference between first graders and 4 year olds, FWIW, so I wouldn't compare what your son is doing now to what he will be capable of at 6 or 7! I will say that we parents, whether homeschooling or sending our kids out to school, will rightfully be the recipients of our kids most difficult feelings. As long as they trust us and aren't afraid of us, they will save them for us. As homeschoolers, we have the gift of being able to change what is not working in a way that is often more difficult when the children are in school. Learning shouldn't be stressful. Especially not for toddlers, preschoolers, or elementary school students!

 

I really like the work of Laura Markham, although as an imperfect human parent I can only receive support, motivation, and ideas from her and others-- I think there is a direct link between demanding too much of ourselves and too much of our kids, and it can be exhausting. Sometimes we will speak harshly, or not be in the mood for playing with our children, and sometimes they will not be ready yet for the things that other children their age may be doing (or they will not want to choose freely to do the things other children do out of fear or under duress!). I am in favor of giving yourself and your kids a break! Grab some coffee and let them do the roughhousing.

 

In the UK First Grade starts with age 5. Here in Dubai with age 6 but we are following the British Curriculum. I compared my kids with the kids of my friends who go to school here and are sitting in First grade for 8 or 9 hours and do all the time writing (English and Arabic, Maths, Science, Computing etc.) but they are much more STRESSED than my kids for sure. And they act out their feelings much more. Their behavior is really difficult. According to Dr Laura Markham normal because she says that kids "act out their emotions which they cannot express verbally".

 

You seem to be the only one who understands what I am talking about:(

I am not taking my "ideas" only from her but she is referring to really good scientific studies and recently discovered facts about human Psyche. Her tips are working otherwise I would not practice them.

Unfortunately my kids don't play often together in a way which gets them to giggle or laugh (which would release stress hormones and of course does not need to be in a dangerous way) and I don't know how to encourage them so I end up making them giggle and laugh which I find exhausting and I am not always in the mood. You are right. We are not always perfect and of course we yell sometimes and loose patience.

Nevertheless it was very good to read how others are doing it and it encouraged me to relax a bit with "schoolwork".

[Homeschooler in Dubai]

Here's one summary of research on the benefits of play:

 

http://www.childrensmuseums.org/images/MCMResearchSummary.pdf

 

Thanks:) looks interesting will read it

[Homeschooler in Dubai]

 

 

For me, focus is better developed through engagement.  I find high level interest ways of engaging my young kids.  It doesn't have to be play.  It doesn't have to be fun. But it does need to be engaging.   For example, when my boys were little, I would create copywork sentences about Jedis or dwarves or knights.  I would create high interest sentences that covered the grammar topic I wanted to teach.  (and this was even older than K2)  

 

 

 

Could you recommend a good copywork creator? I found couple but they seem not to work:(

[stutterfish]

nm

Edited February 6, 2017 by stutterfish

[lailasmum]

I'm agree with Stutterfish. I wouldn't be so quick to think that the British Educational system you are trying to emulate has got it right. So many people in the home ed community here become home educators in those first couple of years of school because it's really hard on little kids. Lots of stress and anxiety and sedentry behaviour for kids who are just not ready for it. It also doesn't seem to improve outcomes overall. Also there's the real thing that you can take weeks trying to get really little kids to pick up skills that could take them far far less time and frustration just a few years later. So you could be doing something far more engaging and age appropriate at 4.

 

Little kids are so naturally inquisitive about the world around them and so physically active it makes sense to concentrate on those aspects at that age and they're not just time killing activities they're beneficial to their development. We've lost that so much in the UK. Small kids in the same small room for 6 hrs a day doesn't seem like something to aspire to. I feel like such academically full on early education here has come about to make parents feel less bad about needing full time childcare for young kids. Its clear it can be done well with more age appropriate content from other countries like Finland but I think there a tendency only see achievement in obvious academic areas.

Edited January 12, 2017 by lailasmum

[8filltheheart]

Do you refer to some studies regarding this? Would be interesting to read more about it...

Dramatic play has always been known to increase the cognitive development of children. If you research dramatic play and cognitive development and/or imagination and cognitive development, you should find numerous articles.

 

Could you recommend a good copywork creator? I found couple but they seem not to work:(

I simply create my own copywork by creating sentences and writing them down on a piece a paper or a dry erase board. I write sentences focusing on what I want them mastering (capital letters, nouns, action verbs, etc) with subject matter that interests them. (My boys liked knights, dragons, Jedis, etc and my daughters like(d) princesses, fairies, animals, etc.) Edited January 12, 2017 by 8FillTheHeart

[Homeschooler in Dubai]

Yes that actually confirms what I thought that this is too early and the solution to the problem of PISA and other studies cannot be that we do more of that what school does and even earlier but to change the approach.