Education is killing Creativity- TED talk

Sir Ken Robinson speaking about the need to encourage a child's talents and creativity. I found this very enlightening. All done in 20 minutes. Worldwide, public education is developing the brain, and just one half of it. Creativity is stifled in this way. But there is hope!

Hackschooling Makes Me Happy: Logan LaPlante at TEDxUniversityofNevada

Hackschooling. Creativity IS just as important as literacy. Thanks Logan.

I am not a Homeschool Superstar either

A homeschooling mom friend shared this article this morning on Facebook and as I read it, I thought, "Yes! She is speaking to me!". I am not the crafty, creative kind of mom. I loath the thought of doing complex science experiments in the kitchen. I mean, even when looking for a new recipe to try, I won't use one that has more than, like, 8-10 ingredients and takes all day to make. No way. And to be honest, my son is not inclined to do crafts either. He whines when I ask him to do a coloring page that I can put on the refrigerator. I like simple. Like vanilla ice cream. It's good just how it is. Throwing a bunch of stuff in it pretty much guarantees I won't even taste the vanilla ice cream. But I digress.

I do love the blogs of the Superstars. I do. I have been able to tweak some of their ideas to suit me. I have found great books to read and fun (and free) holiday lesson plans. But, I homeschool in a way that makes me a "peaceful and happy mommy". I do have so much "otherness" in my life. I work. I cook and clean. I run. I make sure we have lots of social opportunities. I sign us up for almost all the field trips that are offered. We sit and read books together. James is becoming an avid reader of all things Berenstain Bears and I could not be more pleased. And my husband thinks I am doing a great job with our son. That means so much to me. I make sure I have the basics covered: math, reading, writing, phonics. I throw in interesting tidbits there and there. I bought an inflatable globe. I signed James up for a Minecraft class that starts in January. We did a whole Thanksgiving study in November that was really interesting and involved a lot of reading books aloud...that I got from a mommy friend. We even listened to Rush Limbaugh's audio book Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims in the car. James loved it! After we had finished the book, we attended a special Native American celebration at the NC Museum of History where we saw NC native tribes dance. When James saw them, he turned to me and excitedly asked, "Is Samoset here!?! Is Freedom here?!?" Samoset was one of the Indians that befriended the pilgrims and William Bradford. Freedom was a character in Rush's book. She is native American.

So, I won't be one of the Superstars that, to me, are like the Martha Stewarts of homeschooling. Martha Stewart makes me tired! But I love their creativeness and ingenuity and I glean what I can and what I know will work in my home. Anything that keeps me a peaceful and happy mommy because that is good for my son. But, maybe, just maybe, we WILL make an igloo out of sugar cubes. ;)

Homeschool Superstars and why I am not one.

I (have to) learn new things every day

Homeschooling has opened many doors to learn about things that I may have had some knowledge about or had NO knowledge. Take, for example, the conversation James and I had in the car today. Most often, our car conversations revolve around God and Heaven. Today, we were listening to some local news and it started a whole 'nother conversation. Apparently, here in North Carolina, about 40 new laws go into affect on December 1st. Before we could hear the story, Mr. Curious sitting in the back seat wanted to know what laws had been passed. Here is the story as we heard it on the radio. I explained the laws about school buses and then James asked if he would ride the bus when he went to high school. I told him "no" that we are planning to homeschool him all the way through. He responded with, "Even in college?!?". Um, no. He says, "What will I do?!?"

And that lead us to this:

Me: Well, what do you want to be when you grow up? That will determine what you study.

James: I want to be a policeman or go into the military. Maybe the police because it's easier since they don't have a bunch of people to fight at once. If I go into the military, I'm going to be the guy standing in the top of the tank with an RPG or rocket launcher. Or maybe I will be a sniper. Or a terrorist.

Me: You will NOT be a terrorist. Do you know what a RPG is??

James: No.

Me: An RPG is a rocket propelled grenade.

James:  (moment of silence) I want to carry, like, an AK or a pistol...

Me: Most soldiers carry more than one weapon. You also have to know how to shoot many different weapons and how to take them apart and put them back together.

James: Ugh. Why? I'll just carry a pistol then.

Me: You can't just carry a pistol. You'll have to know how to do that in case you have to take them apart to carry them.

James: I'll just put it in my shirt. You can do that you know. Maybe I'll just be a sniper.

Me: You can't put it in your shirt. We're not talking about your ninja sword. And you must be good at math. Snipers set up far away and then calculate wind direction and speed, distance, if the target is moving or not...We'll have to look up all the military ranks...

James: I don't want to look it up! Let's talk about it right now.

Me: How you enter the military and skills determines your job. And I don't know about the guy in the tank... but like a sniper must have great vision...

James: Got that...

Me: Ok but I don't know all the ranks of the military. The guy at the very top is a 4 or 5-star general and the guy at the bottom is a private. That's how Didi went into the army. And then my friend, Rob, from high school went to officer's school after college and went into the Air Force as an officer.

James: Maybe I can pretend to BE a terrorist so when we fight they won't kill me!

Me: Clever. You could join the CIA. Now the CIA is the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. They have agents that go and collect secrets and secret information from our enemies.

James: Oooohhh! (wicked happy laughter ensues) I can be a SPY!?!

Me: Yes, just like the guy I am reading about all the time.

James: Who?

Me: Scot Harvath. He is a Navy SEAL turned Secret Service agent then a spy who goes on special secret missions to find the enemy...and stuff  (i.e., Brad Thor books)

James: Cool.

Me: But you would have to learn a foreign language...

James: Maybe I can just get a voice changer so I talk like them.

Me: Um, no. You have to learn a different language so you can blend in. You have to learn their culture.

James: I can just take a pill...

Me: No. There is no pill.

James: Aw dang it.

And so it goes. Now, I have to learn all the military ranks for future conversations.....or show the 6-year-old where to find it.

Carolina Tiger Rescue

One if the coolest field trips to date! But I am appalled that there is a need for such a place. I recently learned that my fair state has another such facility to handle big cats and other exotic animals that people thought would make great pets. Geez Louise. What a great lesson for kids to learn. These cats are beautiful and majestic ..and serious predators! They aren't pets!!
Carolina Tiger Rescue
Www.CarolinaTigerRescue.org

History of Homeschooling

Via: Online College Source

The Birds

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This Fall is crazy busy. Is it Christmas break yet?

I have to admit that I was not ready to start school this year. A perpetual summer vacation would have been just fine with me. We picked up right where we left off with my dear son whining and complaining about doing lessons. Ugh. He whines about math every day without fail. Honestly, he spends more time whining and telling me how tired he is than actually doing math!!! It's not too hard. I think he complains because he has to do it by himself. We talk out the word problems together but I require him to do a sheet of math by himself. You'd think I was pinching him. REALLY hard. It's getting easier now that we have an established routine. But it's still not ideal. Here's my week at a glance:

Monday: Lessons, house work/cooking, running sometimes, work-work 4:30-midnight
Tuesday: James with Dad, I have work-work during the day now. (starting to send school work with the                      boys)
Wednesday: Lessons, house work/cooking, running sometimes, work-work 4:30-midnight
Thursday: Lessons, lunch with my boys at home, work-work 3:00-10:30
Friday: Homeschool co-op where I am teaching and James is taking 2 classes, maybe errands or park                      afterwards
Saturday: Soccer game and then whatever (see friends, some event, etc)
Sunday: Family day, sleeping in and usually a nice dinner at home together

Since starting school AFTER Labor Day (I just love that!) James started soccer again (1 practice and 1 game per week for 9 weeks), park play days, Homeschool picture day and playing afterwards, Bugfest 2013 at the Museum of Natural Science AND a bike rally on the same day, hanging out with family, doing The Color Run recently, visiting the local fire station and watching them catch stuff on fire. Totally cool. I have lined up a few more field trips as well. We are going to the Carolina Tiger Rescue. Yep, there is actually a need for it. Crazy. And we are going to see Slim Goodbody. Anyone remember him??? I do! From the 1970's! Apparently he HAS been taking care of himself! There is also some extra interpreting jobs that I accept here and there. Hey, I want Christmas money.


We bought the Accountable Kids program and it's working well. James does chores everyday now...including making up his bed. James earned a "Special Date with Mom" and we went to see a movie. He chose the "date" and the movie....Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Adorable. He almost picked the new Percy Jackson movie because I really wanted to see that one but I told him that I would love to see the meatball movie with him. We ate popcorn and candy for lunch. Washed it down with giant ICEE's. That's the kind of mom I am. With the program, he is leaning some responsibility. Much to his chagrin. But he can earn special dates with Mom or Dad. He says he now wants to earn some time with Regan. She's our neighbor. I should tell her that she might need to make some room in her calendar for James. He has even earned Bonus Bucks for doing extra chores. I didn't know this but he really likes setting the table! And this is one thing he wants to do by himself.

Uncle Si's new book

Toad and Frog

We haven't bought new books for him to read so we are keeping it simple and reading Toad & Frog books, Star Wars books, Ranger Rick or anything else he likes. His favorite bedtime book is Si-cology 101. We REALLY like Duck Dynasty.




James is now re-reading all of his Bernstain Bear books. I love that. He will sit in his room during quiet time ( this does not happen daily mind you) but mostly he brings them to me so I can read them to him. Now we are able to take turns reading the pages and that is fun. I have been making a Wish List on Amazon of all the new ones I want to order!!!! But....I'd be lying if I said it was fun right now. There are moments during the day lately that are nice and sweet but most of the time my dear sweet son is testing me.

Chores are curriculum!?!?!

I came across this article this morning in my Facebook news feed. Love my news feed.

The Joy of Chores

I bought the Accountable Kids program when we started our school year this year and it has been quite a challenge. It's so simple and straight-forward but I still find that after 2 months I am still nagging James to do chores. He is not even motivated by money to do extra chores. Could he possibly STILL be testing me to see if I will throw up my hands in frustration and just give up??? Never I say! He doesn't yet realize that he gets that tenacious persistence from SOME where. Hmf.

For him, chores are the antithesis of fun and if it's not fun then why even do it. I am here as a reality check for my son. I am the one who is teaching him that life is not always fair, not always fun but it can still be rewarding. I mean, brushing teeth is not super fun but you DO get to keep your teeth. Having your hair shampooed is not always fun but your scalp won't itch or smell bad. And this world is not clothing-optional so getting dressed does in fact mean putting on a top and a bottom AND underwear. Yes, I have to tell him that.

He did almost wear me down last week. I hated that I sounded like a nag so I told him and his Dad (sweet hubby that I love) that I was going to start living like they do. Chores aren't fun??? You are SOOOO right. I'll stop doing them too. I even pulled the Accountable Kids cards off the wall! And to my astonishment, James started to cry! What is that??!?! This doesn't compute. My husband put it back up for me...and James. And I came up with an idea. For every day that he doesn't do his chores on his own, I take a $1 from him. If he's not going to do his chores, I may end up doing them so I should get paid. We also started taking away candy when he exhibits bad behavior. He has TONS of Halloween candy so this is awesome right now. And he does love his candy. James will tell me, "I will punch you in the face" when he doesn't like what I have asked him to do. Horrible, right??? I finally figured where he was hearing that. A kid on one of those Minecraft videos on Youtube says that to an adult. Facepalm! He also likes to smack his fist into his hand and try and give me the stink eye. Seriously. He does this mostly with me. A  mom friend suggested that he feels safe with me and so he tests the limits in a huge way with me. Wow.

Sometimes being the mom is not fun. But we have lovely moments like when James happily helped me separate clothes to be washed and then put them in the washing machine. That was weird...and fun. He likes to sit together with a book. We are doing devotionals everyday now. He needs it. I do too. I found this one and it's short and sweet and made for kids.

I pray for harmony and work hard now for those "smooth and easy days" that Charlotte Mason talks about. We'll get there one day. Soon I hope.

The Minecraft Effect

I stayed still as long as possible with my eyes closed this morning. It was 7:15 AM. Because once I open them, the flood gates of ideas and stories begin. I heard him shuffle into my room and into my bed. As I rolled over to make eye-contact with him, he started talking about what he did in Minecraft....yesterday. And randomly during the day, the stories continue. Minecraft and the Youtube videos of people playing Minecraft are forever part of my life. For better or for worse!!!

Brainy and Introverted??

This is an revised post. 

I think this author might actually have met James before! I got this from a Babycenter.com article about spotting your grade-schooler's hidden talents:

Your child talks nonstop

Your chatty kid may have an advanced vocabulary, concoct elaborate stories, and make few grammatical or pronunciation errors, says Judy Galbraith, author of You Know Your Child Is Gifted When… She may also talk very fast and often doesn't stop until she's asleep. She wants to have the last word in every argument.

New School Year= Curriculum shopping!

This year was not like last year for a few reasons. Last year, we finished the reading, writing and math early and ended up back at the homeschool store in late February.  Since that time, we completed another level of the reading curriculum. Annndddd, James is reading. But he is reading so well that he is beyond the next level in the series. I've had a hard time figuring out what to do. I don't want him to be bored while at the same time making sure he is learning grammar/phonics. I decided to go with All About Spelling Level I for phonics work (and spelling. Duh.) And for actual reading, we will use books he is interested in reading. No curriculum necessary. Just really great books he likes. So far the list looks like this:

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
3. Alex Rider Series
4. Kingstone Media Books

If you wish to make a suggestion, I am all ears. :) Leave a comment. 

So what did I get while shopping today? And how much did I spend? Let's see! 

1. All about Spelling Level I                                   $29.95
2. AAS divider cards                                             $4.95
3. Janice VanCleave's 204 Science Experiments     $12.95
4. Place mat of the United States with Capitals        $2.00
5. Accountable Kids Program                                $42.00
6. 2 Berenstain Bear books                                    $10.00

                                                             Grand Total: $100.90

That's probably far less than my traditional school counterparts spent. Additionally, I will buy the book series listed above and I am considering getting an online subscription to Explode the Code for $65 (12-month subscription) because James loves the computer so much. But right now I have everything I need to start the year and get us through December and a little beyond.We have no need for new school clothes or uniforms or shoes, no need to buy gobs of stuff I would be forced to share with an entire classroom of kids.

A look at our daily lessons for this year (we are doing first grade work):

• Phonics 
• Reading 
• Math
• Writing
• Science (2 times a week)

Also, for 8 weeks in the Fall and Spring we participate in a local co-op that offers classes on Friday mornings. James takes 2 classes. This Fall I signed him up for a Fun and Games class and an animals class. I typically don't go home and do more lessons on those days. I will be team teaching a class this Fall with another mom called Founding Fathers. I am looking forward to it. There are also field trips and park play days. We are active members of the park play dates!

My biggest challenge this year is actually making time for Science. Ugh. I dislike having to search for all the materials I need for these experiments. But James loves it. He likes chemistry...mixing and stirring ingredients together to get an effect. He likes making his "mystery drink" every once in a while. It's lemonade but it's more fun when you call it "mystery drink". Sometimes he even talks you though each step like he's on a cooking show! It's messy and I get more upset about a mess in the house than a hurricane outside. Seriously. So, I'm working on it. 

I have been looking for a devotional for James but not finding anything that he seems interested in. We will probably re-read The Action Bible (TAB). I like some of the Kingstone Media books because they come in graphic novel format and it's reinforcing what we were reading with TAB. James was not very interested in the devotional for TAB because the stories were not new ones. This devotional looks kinda cool.

In the meantime, I gotta get in gear, get organized. School starts after Labor Day! That's right. Because I can!

In America: How homeschooling is measuring up

 A
Source: TopMastersInEducation.com

JAMEScation

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My Little Traveler

We sent James home with Nana and Pop-Pop on July 15th. Yep. We sent him on his first road trip right after his 6th birthday. He stayed until July 29th. That is a LONG time for a just-turned-six-year-old. It's also his first real trip away from home. Oh he's stayed with MawMaw and Didi plenty of times but they live near by and I don't think he has ever stayed for a whole week. He was eager to go. What an adventure!

I went away when I was little. I'd go to my cousin's house for a week during the summer. My sister would go with me. But we never got care packages from home. I think I got my first one when I was in college. The university sent out letters to the parents encouraging them to order care packages for their students right before final exams week. James has had a different life experience! The day after he left, I knew I needed to put together something for him. I had to use Google. I packed favorite things from home, a cool t-shirt, a book, candy, toothbrush, hair gel, vitamins...and Treats & Challenges. I created that. I wanted him to have something to open each day he was there. I put candy (of course) and a "challenge" in snack baggies- things like bible verses, count to 50 by 5's, count to 100 by 10's, tell Nana and Pop-Pop his address and do the Gangnam Style dance...just for fun!

We skyped (is that a verb now?) or talked on the phone almost every other day. I think we only missed one day. And when I skyped with him, we've talked for over an hour each time. He got homesick during the first weekend. It broke my heart. Nana said he cried when we hung up from Skype. I cried when I read the text. I knew something was wrong. I knew he was sad. She said he was fine all day until we got on Skype. Ugh. I know that feeling. Chris wanted to buy me a plane ticket to go down there and get him. It broke his hear too. But we took a few deep breaths and knew that he was really ok.

He's had an amazing time though! He now LOVES Legos! I have mommy friends to thank for that. They bought Legos Hero Factoryy sets for him for his birthday. He and Pop-Pop sat out on the back porch and put together TWO Hero Factory packs! He got another set when he went to LEGOLAND!!! How cool is that!?! I went online to see what it was all about and I cried so hard! The videos show all these happy families with little boys and I suddenly missed him terribly.

James went to a Bird of Prey sanctuary, outdoor/lake popular sites around Orlando, the Orlando Science Center, several restaurants and an Orlando Predators game to see his Uncle Mark play arena football. He had a great time! My gosh! Aunt Ruth even got in on the fun! She sent him homemade cookies...blue whale and great white shark cookies! Awesome! He went swimming in the backyard pool and went to a birthday party for a boy his age. The boy's grandmother lives next to Nana and Pop-Pop. Those guys had a great time together. James called him his new best friend.

Before James left, I joked with him that he better not change or grow while he was in Florida. Naturally, he would defy me. :) He graduated from pull-ups! He didn't want to sleep in pull-ups the first night so Nana and Pop-Pop said OK. He did that every night for 14 nights! Amazing! I am so proud! We rewarded him for it. He wanted a sword to go with his ninja costume. You bet I got it for him!

A ninja and his sword!

James also decided to change what he calls Pop-Pop. He has a couple of nicknames now. James calls him G-Pop or Pops. You gotta be pretty tight to get a nickname! And James loved Nana. He called me Nana for a few days after he got home! It was really cute! I can just imagine HOW many times he said, "Nana!".

Nana and Pop-Pop weren't too worn out either. They want to do it again next year! And so does James. :)

Compelling Reasons to Homeschool

12 Most Compelling Reasons to Homeschool

I came across this article via Facebook and HAD to share it somewhere! I find that people that want to read about homeschooling will look here and probably ignore my "share" on Facebook. These reasons are nothing new to me but it's more interesting to consider when you see that the author is a professional in the public school setting.

One thing that is NOT mentioned (by name) in the article is Common Core. While Ms. Nielsen mentions that "education reform is happening today,...it's slow and ineffective" (emphasis is mine). Common Core also goes far beyond testing and grading and general ineffectiveness. It's cutting out cursive writing and multiplication tables. Yes, you read that right. Common Core eliminates the requirement of memorizing the multiplication tables. I'm sorry but that is great brain training...and what if the battery in your calculator dies???? Let's be practical.

As the mother of a child that LOVES technology- and what youngster doesn't- even Skype has something to offer in the way of learning via their favorite media. James has been at Nana and Pop-Pop's for a week now...with a week to go before coming home. He's six and it's his first time away from home. Needless to say, we've been on Skype almost every day. And what James likes to do on Skype is to type messages back and forth. He is guessing at the spelling of words based on the sound and rather than let him keep guessing, I am giving him the correct spelling. Voila! Spelling lessons via Skype and he LIKES it! He probably doesn't even realize it's a "lesson" so don't anyone tell him!!

And the other biggie listed in the compelling reasons is that kids are not grouped by age and geography when they are educated at home. James often plays and sees kids his age but it's more often a scenario of a bunch of kids in an age range. He loves hanging out with our 12-year-old neighbor. She has something to teach him. And kids younger than him can have someone to follow and mimic. James is also very good at talking to people of ANY age. He's a talker in general but he doesn't necessarily feel intimidated by adults. He will tell him what's on his mind. Like the time he told the dentist that he was having a bad day (because he was there and didn't like it) and how he orders his own food in restaurants and will catch the waitress as she quickly walks by to make sure he gets a refill on his soda. :)

Now if only I could convince him to eat pizza!

Life is NOT a picnic when you have small children...but I am RSVP'ing for the picnic anyway

Two articles have caught my attention today.

To Parents of Young Children: Let me be the one to say it out loud

And....

5 Things I hate about Homeschooling (and how to deal with them)

I usually end up "liking" these sort of articles on Facebook and then "sharing" them on my profile page. This time, however, I wanted to share them here. A couple of things resonated with me while reading these articles.

1. Here lately, I have been feeling bone-tired all the time and having to do bedtime duties makes me feel like I am falling into the abyss.
2. Being with James as much as I am is hard. When I am not at work, I am at home with James. There is rarely a time that we are not together. (But, dang it, I wouldn't change it. There are precious moments even in the midst of the most crazy days)

I make that sound terrible but I hope that you read the articles above and better understand where I am coming from. I think Steve Wiens is right...there is great pressure to enjoy every single solitary moment with our children when it's really and absolutely asking the impossible. And that goes double for homeschoolers, I think. Everyone knows we CHOOSE to be with our children 24/7 (or almost 24/7) so we must be some kind of crazy to want to be with our children so much. Um, no. I've seen harried homeschooling moms with their children who would give anything for a hour or 2 of respite so they could have an uninterrupted thought, be in and out of the grocery store in under an hour or just talk on the phone with another adult...for 5 minutes. I know I have had that look before too. I know this because I had a complete stranger- and bless her heart-come to my aid in Target a few weeks ago. I was in the shampoo aisle. All I needed was detangler. But in the span of 30 seconds, James dropped his bag of popcorn on the floor, then stood on the shelves when I moved him from the mess and told him to "STAY!" and I, in turn, knocked stuff off the shelves next to me while trying to corral said boy. Ugh. She was sweet and her awareness of my state caused me to re-evaluate my tense demeanor and take a deep breath. I love little mercies and, Lord, you know I need them. Thank you.

Just the thought of bedtime makes me want to pass out sleeping right where I am. It is it's own sleep aid. And it's all natural. If you happen to be a person who depends on sleep aids, call me. I have the perfect remedy for what ails you. When it's bedtime for James in our house, all of a sudden he too is super tired. He needs to be carried up the stairs and if that can't be accomplished then he crawls up the stairs at a snail's pace. A bedtime that includes a bath (I ain't washing this kid every night. No way. No how.) requires strength and patience of superhero proportions. He walks around naked for a bit and pretend cries (for some reason) and then he is finally in the bath! Yippee! Now the hair must be washed. Oh brother. Do I have to? I mean, really, what would happen if his hair didn't get washed???? Once the bath water is now down the drain, the little stinker walks to his room- soaking wet- and attempts to dress himself. If I wasn't so tired I would be laughing hysterically right now!!! As I kiss him good night, I remember that he hasn't brushed his teeth. I have forgotten this step because of the craziness of bed time. But he is "too comfortable" to get out of bed now. Sigh. "Get up!", I say. Now, back in the bed he says, "Action Bible". Dude. I'm dying here. There have been nights I have said No. (I just can't do one more thing for you. I love you and no.) 

So, to combat the fatigue of mothering/parenting, I schedule play dates, sleep overs, dates with my husband for "us" time, etc. Then it's not just the two of us and I can see how others see him. He's fun and has lots of energy. He likes to share with his friends and talks a lot too. And when I can stand back and watch, I remember why I love being his mother...and with him. I find myself making "dates" with James on Fridays because it's a day I don't have to work. We might go to Someway (i.e. Subway) for lunch or to the movies or the park- even when it's not a park play day. Or just cuddle on the couch in our pj's in the morning for smoovies (smoothies) and movies. Love that. 

I guess I feel ok that every minute is not a Hallmark card or a McDonald's commercial. It's life. And sometimes life is messy. But I do wish I had a bedtime nanny!!

The Force is STRONG with this One.

I am totally getting this t-shirt for James.

Raising a strong-willed child has been extremely exhausting these last couple of days. I have had to look for encouragement in my books and online and talking to my husband. And, ha ha, surprise to me, the strength of the will is something children are born with...it's NOT something they learn. I have always believed that all children have something inside of them that is solely their own. One can not interact with them and attribute their total personality to their parents. Yes, I know, James has adopted some of my vocabulary and mannerisms as well as his Dad's. But that kernel of himself that is solely his own is something I see every day. And I know one day I will LOVE his tenacity, his relentlessness in trying to get his own way for he will take that out into the world. And it will make him strong enough to handle anything that comes his way. But I don't love the tenacity at the moment. All that fight and unrelenting willfulness is directed at me! And THEN I learn that according to Dr. James Dobson, "the temperaments of the child reflect those of the parents"! What??? I was a well-behaved kid and...oh wait. I remember something.

 There was this time in 3rd grade. We were supposed to be good so that we earned NO points in class for talking or whatever. I got 23 points one time. In one week! We were supposed to aim for the "Golden Apple Award". I didn't get it that week. Just sayin'. I started racking up points pretty early in the week so I decided, "Well, there is absolutely NO chance of winning now so I am going to do what I like. You know, have fun. Throw caution to the wind. What I ended up with was a call to my parents and a trip to the psychologist. For testing. Guess I tested fine because I went back to 3rd grade and everything was fine. I eventually got that dang Golden Apple too. Got my picture took with the Principal. (That's how people say it in the South...we have our "picture took"). And...

There was this time in 6th grade. This boy (yes a boy!) kept harassing me and I was fed up one day. So while we were in the cafeteria for lunch, I told him to meet me outside when he was done eating. That didn't amount to anything. My teacher overheard me. She called my Mom too. And then...

Even later on in life, like in graduate school, I got called into the Director's office for a meeting. She had her yellow legal pad out when I arrived. I knew I was in trouble. I wanted answers from a professor that was not communicating...at all! It was so infuriating. She preferred teaching via the Socratic method and that didn't really fit my needs so I sent her an email. Annnddddd she forwarded it to the Director. 'Nough said about that. I was remorseful and apologized. In person.

Ok, I'm sensing a pattern here. And I don't even know all the stories Chris could tell!!! Geez Louise. James is definitely getting his temperament from both sides. I love to share the blame so I will gladly share this with Chris!!!

But! In my own defense, when boys weren't harassing me and what not, I was defending the new pretty girl in high school against older and pretty (and jealous) girls in said high school. I defended my sister against any foe because I was the only one who could be mean to her! Not you! (figurative "you". Not you who might be reading this right now). The BIG point to all of this is that I questioned authority and I wasn't afraid to do it. I have always had that confidence. Perhaps that is my strong will showing itself. I have always been fearless about confrontations, telling the truth bluntly whether it is something lovely or hard to take. I kind of don't have a hard time saying what I want neither. No comments from the peanut gallery necessary.

I DO have a mini-me...on the inside! James is seeking his own way. He is fighting for independence and power over ANYTHING in his life. It's probably why he eats about a handful of things. Oh he's polite about it, "No thanks", he says when we ask him to try something new. And he's only FIVE! Holy cow! I  have to learn to take it in stride or I will go insane and I will take James with me. I do not want to crush his spirit but I need to direct it to positive means and challenge his mind. Without that, I'm in trouble! So, I implemented a new chart yesterday that I got from Dr. James Dobson's book The New Strong-willed Child. Here's what it looks like:

                                               

 I had to change a couple of the "attitudes to make it fit our needs. "Sister" is now "school" and "Friends" is now "dinnertime".

It's working. James needs that structure. A goal. And I scoured the internet for fun family things that we can do as a reward. He liked a lot of it. Some of it costs money but maybe 1/2 of the list were things we could do at home for free or cheaply. Things like:

• Have a family car wash
• Experience the Night - bring chairs outside at sunset to listen/observe creatures of the night
• Backyard camp out
• Game Night- board games, cards, Wii
• Cake bake off
• Go to Frankies
• Bowling Night
• Campfire Cook out
• Reading Out Loud Night (Alex Rider series, Where the red fern grows)
• Fly kites

As I am wrapping up this post (Tuesday, 6/4/2013), things are much better. We got out of the house today. We went to the park and had some great quality time together. We observed bugs (even though I got mad when he stomped one) and smelled the magnolias and tasted the sweet nectar from the honeysuckle bushes. He insisted we hold hands for half the time. I love my boy and I am so glad he is tenacious. I really and truly am!

A Miscarriage & Monster Trucks

I know. Not a likely pair but these two things collided for me this weekend. See, I was 6 weeks pregnant until just a few days ago. What a miracle! Pregnant, at age 42, without any fertility treatments. I got pregnant the good ol' fashioned way! It was wonderful and exciting. I actually thought I was about 9 weeks along because the docs always calculate by first day of last period. But anyway, I was driving to work on Wednesday morning feeling those early symptoms of pregnancy like bloating, constipation and boobs that were so sensitive I held my breath when someone hugged me. I even started to notice that I needed to eat regular small meals because getting too hungry made me feel funny. And then, I felt a small sharp pain down there that sent adrenaline pumping through my body. Pregnant women aren't supposed to feel sharp pains. I tried to put it out of my mind and stay calm but by lunch time I was spotting a little. I still told myself that women spot all the time and it's nothing to be alarmed about. But my body was on high alert. Spotting increased even as I sat in the mall planning the End-of-Year Celebration for Generations, the homeschool group we belong to. The next morning, I called the doctor. I had been doing some reading online and all the places I visited said I should do that. She asked me to come in for an ultrasound. It wasn't exactly how I envisioned my first ultrasound to be. I was worried. Another 2 hours waiting for the machine to become available and then the doctor confirmed what I already instinctively knew, I was miscarrying. There was no little heartbeat. The doctor was good to me. She said, "Let's wait and see what happens. Let's check your hormone levels today and on Monday and see how they look then do an ultrasound on Tuesday." So I said Ok. It was a good plan. Even though it included more waiting. My Mom had been with me (Thank you Mom) so she drove me home and then I went to work. A little crazy perhaps but I needed to keep busy I guess and be around people who care about me. We had already told family and friends that I was pregnant. We even told James. It was easier that way (I could take James to doc appointments with me) and I couldn't hold it in any longer. Now I had to tell people that I was miscarrying. I was glad that I didn't have to hide my pain and sadness. And I did start to have pain. I ended up going home early. The next morning, Friday, there was more blood and I passed some tissue. I took a deep breath and knew what was happening. It went on that way for the whole weekend.

"Where are the monster trucks", you must be wondering. Well, Friday afternoon, we went to Virginia Beach with my sister and her family to see the monster truck show on the beach! We considered staying at home but I really didn't want to have to explain to James why we were going to miss all the fun and I really wanted him to have a good time. No sense hanging around the house. So I packed my bathing suit and the ibuprofen and we went to the beach. I didn't wear the bathing suit. I ate she-crab soup at almost every meal and drank 2 beers and a sangria. Seafood and alcohol are two things I was already missing so I had a little of both. I even enjoyed the monster truck show. It was weird when I first arrived because we met everyone at dinner and I realized that all the adults there knew what I was going through and no one said anything. It wasn't the right time or place I know. That made me feel better. Later, my sister asked me if I was doing ok. And she understand when I would sneak away to lay down. And the next morning, another friend caught me alone and broached the subject. I was glad she did. James had an awesome time and I am glad we went.

 

 
 


I had to tell James what was happening. I explained that sometimes with pregnancy some things don't develop right and it all stops and goes away. Then I reminded him of little Colton who went to Heaven (in the book "Heaven is for real!). A little girl came running up to him and hugged him and wouldn't let go. He was kind of alarmed at her excitement. He was even more surprised when she exclaimed, "I'm your sister!!!". See, Colton's mother had a miscarriage too. I told James that we would see this little one in Heaven one day. They will be waiting for him there. He's been great. He's five. He saw monster trucks. Life goes on.

So, today is Mother's Day. And I am blessed! I have a wonderful little boy, an awesome & hunky husband and great friends and family who have taken this short journey with me. I must admit though. With all the excitement of the weekend gone, I am a little weepy today. This pregnancy was a promise of more children that I so desperately want! And even though the ending is not the ending I wanted, I still have hope. I got pregnant on my own. No treatments. I joked with Chris today, "Maybe this is God's way of telling us to have more sex!!". He laughed and said very seriously, "Ok.".

For all the Moms out there who have been through this, you're not alone. And, today, squeeze your babies tight and know that on this day, you are being celebrated for your most rewarding and wonderful title: Mom. Mother. Mommy. Mama.

Buying More Curriculum!!

Well, as of today, I have had to buy the next levels for James' reading, writing and math curricula. I am just in shock that he has completed so much work this year already. We started off in September nice and slow. My goal this year was to start with the fundamentals and not rush James. I would teach to his pace. There were days he would ask for more...so I said OK! Who would say "No!", am I right?!?!?! I did wonder what would happen come December. We would be in the middle of the year and James would be hitting the 5 1/2 years-old mark. I thought the pace might pick up a bit then. And by February he was done with the pre-reading level. Cool! Now we are 18 lessons in the Level 1 reading course and HE is reading to ME! I do love that so much! We finished the math program about 2 or 3 weeks ago and just got the new student workbook today. I had been printing worksheets that I found and using those to reinforce what we had been doing there. AND, I got to place some old books and manuals on consignment at the homeschool store. Bonus!!

We never miss a play date and we have made plans to see friends during those weeks there isn't a park play day planned. And I can't forget soccer! James has 3 more games this season. He's excited about this Saturday's game because I am the Mom who is bringing snacks for the team. :) It's the little things. I have planned/organized my first field trip for this Friday and I'm really excited!!! We're taking a trip to the planetarium! 20 people are going! I haven't been there myself since I was a kid in school. I remember going into the big doomed room and lying on the floor, gazing up at the stars...and learning all about the constellations from "Connie Constellation"! LOL

It's been a while since I have posted pictures of James. He's getting so big!!! And handsome! (I am totally biased!)

Happy Easter! Bach! Bach!

Bits and Pieces

There is so much going on right now and I want to document it all so today's post is is formatted in my ever-favorite bullet points. I'm sure not to forget anything when I can think within a list.

• James just completed the Math-U-See Primer. I am not sure if I want to go ahead and buy the Alpha level yet. Until I figure it out, I am printing out worksheets on www.education.com and using those to review and continue learning. James likes mazes so I am printing those plus worksheets for subtraction and telling time. If he progresses well, I will start looking for worksheets on money.
• I absolutely LOVE the All About Reading reading program! I had to buy the Level 1 since James completed the pre-reading level in February. He is continuing to learn the sounds of letters but when he reads them, he tried to guess the word without looking at the individual letters. He does the same thing with math. He tries to figure out the word based on his own knowledge instead of reading the word. He reminds me everyday to color in a star on his progress chart. :)
• Our co-op semester is coming to an end tomorrow. It's been a great year! James has made some really great friends...and so have I. It went by so fast this semester and we will miss seeing our friends every Friday.
• I have taken the bull by the horns and planned my first field trip. We are going to the Morehead Planetarium & Science Center next month. We will being seeing two Planetarium shows: Earth, Moon & Sun and Solar System Odyssey. During our co-op this semester, James was taking an Outerspace class and I thought this would be a great time to go. I still remember visiting the plantetarium when I was in school. This will be James' first trip to the Planetarium.
• No Tech Tuesdays are back!!!! Since discovering Minecraft, James has been obsessed with playing it and watching the Youtube videos of guys who SHOW you how to play it. He has actually spent more time watching the videos and learning about playing than actually playing it. Soooooo, he needed to take a real break from screens. This past Tuesday was our first one and it was the BEST day. We talked more, read more books and had a very nice day. I think it's very freeing to be without the entertainment of the computer, TV  phone and make your own entertainment. He wanted me to read to him ALL the Shutterfly vacation books I have made (there are 6 of them). He ran around the house pretending to be someone. I wasn't sure who exactly. He could have been a Transformer or a Minecraft character. But what I do know is that he was having fun!! He also says "I love you" more.
• The Action Bible is still a HUGE hit! James enjoys storytime every night with Daddy. He grabs his Action Bible and they read. They were reading about Sampson this week. I think James liked that story. The best part is that James is comprehending and remembering the stories. We reading a story last week and Passover was mentioned and I asked him if he remembered what Passover was and he responded, "It's when the Angel of Death came. The people put blood on their door so the Angel would not take their first born.". Wow!!! 
• Minecraft! Nana and Pop-Pop bought the Minecraft gift card as an Easter gift. He LOVED it! Now he is playing more than watching. I like that. Is Minecraft the Ultimate Education Tool?
• With our schedules being so hectic right  now, James is spending a lot of time with Chris at work. He goes with him to make deliveries. James loves being with his Dad. He also spends some time with MawMaw & DiDi each week as well. I don't know what we would do without my parents willingness to help us out on the super busy days. 
• We have made all sorts of friends this semester. Lots of play days at the park, birthday party invitations, and soccer is back in full swing too. We have field day to look forward to and trips to the beach. We get so busy with the day to day schedule that we are ALL looking forward to some family time away from the daily grind. 

Happy Springtime!!! It's here!

Words of the Day: Convergence Insufficiency

So, on the advice of my mother, I took James to the eye doctor with me last week for an eye exam. My nephew has an eye issue and she wanted me to take James for peace of mind. How could I be defiant about that?? (I don't fully understand my nephew's eye issue but I know that one eye is great but he can't see very well at all out of the other. Corrective lenses do not help either.)

Well, suffice it to say, I need new lenses! Dang it! I swear I am creeping slowly towards bifocals every year. But enough about me! James was nervous about going to the eye doctor. He is nervous about most doctors. I explained what he would experience from beginning to end. He has been with me before for MY appointments so I just helped him remember what occurred. He DID NOT like it when the nice lady took pictures of his retinas. That was worse for him than the little puff of air to check eye pressure. I gave him a lollipop I happened to have in my purse for being such a brave boy.

Once we got to the exam room, he sat in my lap and I told him that this would be his favorite part- he gets to talk! I told him that the doctor would ask him to look at pictures or letters and he had to tell him what he sees and THEN the doctor would use his funny glasses to look at his eyes. It went well. James is a great communicator. He was able to see the pictures and respond accordingly. And as the doctor looked at his eyes with his silly glasses, James could tell him if "this" was better or worse. In the end, James has 20/20 vision...and also convergence insufficiency. Basically, he can't cross his eyes. A more clearer explanation is that when he is trying to focus on something up close, his eyes don't work together. He doesn't have binocular vision for that. The cause is simple and it's easily remedied. Eye muscles develop just like all the other muscles in the body. In child development, we hear about gross motor skills and fine motor skills, when to look for new abilities etc.

Convergence insufficiency or Convergence Disorder is a sensory and neuromuscular anomaly of the binocular vision system, characterized by an inability of the eyes to turn towards each other, or sustain convergence. (I got this definition from Wikipedia and the heading "Prevalence" shows very interesting statistics for children.)

Eye muscles are associated with fine motor skills and James is a little behind...even for boys. Boys are typically behind girls in that regard but he is a little more so. The goal here is  to strengthen the muscles so they can work together and the eye doctor gave us a FUN way to do that! He called it the flashlight game. Chris or I and James each have a flashlight and we shine them on the wall. James has to use his flashlight to follow where ever Chris or I move our flashlight. Doing this just 5 minutes a day will improve eye muscle strength.

Convergence insufficiency is important to understand because it can impact a child academically. If they can't focus on things up close, how are they going to be able to see well enough to read? Or do math? What MAY look like a learning disability may not be that at all. It explains a few things about James. He has never liked to color and has never shown interest in small blocks or Legos. That was doubly interesting to me because in going my research about CI, I found another new word I had never heard- dysgraphia. Apparently these two things are often seen together.

For someone with dysgraphia, it is often like having the ability to read and speak like Shakespeare with the inability to express it in written form. Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects the ability to communicate the thought process through hand writing. 8 Signs your child has dysgraphia

I got nervous when I read about the signs of dysgraphia. That's where I saw that these kids HATE to color, don't like small blocks or Legos, have strong verbal skills...I am not overly worried however. And I don't think James has dysgraphia. He can write as well as a 5-year-old boy should be able to write I suspect. If he were 10-years-old and displayed these signs then I would worry but not now. He likes to play games on his phone (that is up close work!) and he can handle his Wii remote very well so I know his little fingers work fine. As for reading and math, he is also doing great. We are progressing nicely into the next reading level. He read his first stories to me today! It was wonderful! He liked reading to Mommy. He is doing great with math also and that includes the manipulative blocks that we use daily. We will finish it next week and I will have to buy the next level. I am excited and surprised that he has moved so quickly through reading and math this year. He has exceeded my expectations for this year. :) I am especially glad to know that a diagnosis is not an impairment for him. Or me for that matter.

A good problem to have?!?!?!

Well, I happily reported to my mom and mother-in-law last night via email that James is about to complete the All About Reading Pre-reading program. Yep, we will be completely done and I can have a little ceremony to give him the cute little certificate of completion next week on Tuesday. And THEN, I am looking at our Math-U-See Primer curriculum, and it looks like we will be finishing that up by the end of February. How did that happen??? I never expected to run out of curriculum before the end of the year!

And so, I get to do the fun thing....I get to go to the homeschool store and check out curriculum again! I am all set to move James onto the next level of the All About Reading program Level 1. We will also continue with Math-U-See Alpha program. With all of this moving-right-along thing we got going, I think I am going to take a really good look at adding some really meaty science to our lessons. Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy. It would be a great time to make this addition. James is taking an Outer Space class in the co-op we attend this semester (every Friday morning for 8 weeks) and we just got The Action Bible! It is the coolest thing ever!!!!!! I give it FIVE stars!! I mean I have taken James to see ALL the action hero movies. I am THAT mom! When we went to go see The Avengers, I ordered us T-shirts to wear! LOL

Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden

I had been struggling to find a good devotions book or bible that we could use together. And last week during the Mom's R & R hour at our co-op, a mom recommended The Action Bible. What a great way to introduce the bible to little boys! I am sure there are some little girls out there that would love this book. I have watched James and his friends pretend to be spies, dragons and ninjas, robots and superheros. This bible captures his attention with great short stories and awesome illustrations. We read, probably, 4 or 5 stories in a row today. And, because I am THAT mom, I loved reading the stories which made them more interesting to hear. Don't you remember when you were little, you KNEW which books your Mom or Dad loved to read because they read it with such passion. I think James will remember us sitting and reading The Action Bible....and Guess How Much I Love You. I love that freakin' book. It permeates our day.

Me: I love you to pieces!!
James: Well, I love you to the moon!
Me. I love you to the moon and back again.
James: I love you to the moon, around the sun, bouncing back up to the moon a-hundred and two thousand billion percent.
Me: I love you like all that AND doing a little dance!

And each time it's different. But James does love his percents and really big numbers!

So, here we are. Doing our thang. It's so good to be a homeschool mom. sigh.

Harmony re-established after the storm

Moms, having a unique bond with their children, experience the ebb and flow of harmony. Some days you are in harmony with your children and some days, not so much. Over the past several days, a tension was building in our home and it grew to a fevered pitch over the weekend. My beloved son had been saying, "You don't know nothing" to any sort of correction about anything. It was accompanied by: "No!" or "You can't make me!" or "Give me one more chance!" or the very overused, "That's not fair!". He got sent to bed without a story on Friday night and screamed and cried about it. For a long time. This was unusual. Fed up with his behavior and feeling that I was losing control, I went downstairs, collected all of the Skylander characters, unplugged the Wii and put them all in a box. My husband was only too eager to help. We also put his "phone" in the box.(James has an old phone of ours in which to play games. There is no cell service on it, just the ability to access our wifi in our home.) Saturday morning, as I still lay in bed, James noticed the Wii and the Skylanders were not in their usual place. I heard him mention it to my husband and Chris told him that they were put away for a while. There were no hysterics to my surprise. He seemed to take it in stride. By Sunday, the harmony between my son and I had ebbed farther than I would have anticipated.

Chris planned to take Sparky for a walk and naturally James wanted to go. But he wouldn't get dressed! Then I decided to come along. That put James over the edge. Not only was he STILL not dressed he was now repeatedly asking Chris, "Why did you tell her!!!!" and then coming to find me in my bathroom and telling me that he didn't want me to go. Ah, warm fuzzies abound! Well, James was now CRYING in his room and I told Chris to just go ahead and take Sparky for a walk and I would stay home with James. I was not prepared for what happened next. James came into the bathroom again asking me why I had to go and I informed him that Daddy left just now. He wasn't dressed, didn't follow directions. He lost control. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed that this was my son. He ran screaming out of the bathroom with his shorts in his hands, down the stairs SCREAMING, "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! I'm scared! Daddy!" (Chris later told me that he could hear him outside). My first response was anger but it quickly turned to concern. He was trying to run out of the house while he is visibly angry, out of control and....scared. As I stood between him and the garage door, he stood and put on his shorts. His little hands were shaking because he was so worked up and....lost. Too many big emotions to handle. Still screaming, crying and now with snot running down his face, I told him to go upstairs to his room. I was thinking, "It's safe there.  No doors leading to the outside". I felt I needed to stay in his room with him. I was afraid he would hurt himself. He was still screaming and crying and calling for his Daddy. I tried to hug him and I felt him give in just for a split second and then he stiffened and readied himself for the struggle. He needed me to   help him gain control again. He needed to know that he was not too much to handle. I used the Parent Hold.

The Parent Hold is a strategy I learned in "Beyond Time-Out: From Chaos Calm". I guided James to the floor and sat him in front of me, his back to my chest. I grabbed his flailing arms by the wrists and crossed my legs Indian style over his legs. It was hot and we both began to sweat from the effort. He flailed and yelled at me, "Get off of me Mommy: I can't breath Mommy! You're hurting me Mommy!" He was behaving and screaming exactly the way the book said children do. It was a textbook example. I told him as gently as I could that I would let go as soon as he settled down. He tried to bite me once and then flung his head into my chest once. I really don't know how long we were like that. It felt like an eternity. He was so angry and scared. Finally he began to fight less so I loosened my hold on his arms. He had grabbed one of his shirts (his security blanket if you will) with his toes and took it into his hands to hold. He got quieter so that he could now hear my voice and I shushed him and told him it was OK  He went limp. I removed my legs from over top of his and stroked his hair. He just sat against me silently. We stayed this way for a while too. I felt such relief to be on the other side of it. He finally turned to me to tell me again that he wanted to walk with Daddy and Sparky. I reminded him that Daddy had asked him to get dressed and he didn't. It was then I realized that we had failed James. We hadn't provided the leadership HE needed. So. I renewed my effort to stay consistent with clear and concise rules and follow through. Here is what we talked about yesterday:

1. A friendly bid for cooperation
2. "I mean business" reminder
• If you need another reminder you are going to your room.
3. Off to your room (with door open)
• escorted to his room
• set terms of time out

There are two more parts to this. If James can't remain quietly in his room with the door open, then we shut it. And, lastly, is the Parent Hold. I never thought I would have to use it.

I also implemented the "Kitchen closes at 7pm" rule and "Eating at the table" rule. This has been a surprisingly FUN rule to James. He likes to pretend to play restaurant. The kitchen is now known as "Connie's Kitchen". He scoots a chair to the bar, stands on it and orders food. He has added another element. He has to PAY for his food.

James was exhausted from his efforts yesterday. He slept until 8:45 this morning. As a spirited child who seems driven to test all limits of authority he needs limits and most importantly, he needs his parents to maintain those limits. He remembers ALL the rules. James can't articulate why he lost control yesterday or what it felt like. But he knew he had gone beyond bad behavior even before he lost it. He didn't know how to calm down. He didn't know where to go. What to do. As much as I have gotten teased for reading and doing too much research on whatever I want to know about, I am grateful I knew about the Parent Hold. To see James so lost and scared like he was, I could not leave him in his room alone to figure it all out. He doesn't have the capability to do so. I doubt I will ever have to use it again. I pray I don't. James seems much happier today with the reaffirmed and clear rules. He wants to be a good boy. But he desperately needs his parents to set the limits and maintain them. And, today, I am hearing the randomly said, "I love you Mom". Ahhhhh. Harmony is in balance again.

Happy New Year! Looking ahead

With the Christmas break behind me, I am now getting back to some semblance of a routine. We started back to school this week. We took a good 2 1/2 weeks off from our lessons and it was a great vacation. We spent Christmas this year with my husband's parents in Orlando. It was the first Christmas we have spent with them in the 12 years we have been together (dating and being married).

Even  JoeJohn the Elf flew down to Orlando for Christmas. He is a good little elf

Opening presents on Christmas morning

On Christmas morning, James was happily surprised to see that Santa had brought him a Wii and the Skylanders Giants game and the Monster Jam monster truck game. Chris and I have debated the idea of getting James a gaming console for a couple of years now. At the last minute, on Christmas Eve, we decided that it would be OK for James to have a Wii. Santa brought a refurbished Wii. We decided that since James likes to play video games so much that we could better monitor what he is playing, limit his time better and use it as leverage for good behavior etc. I have to confess that when Chris hooked it up and James got to play on Christmas day, I got worried. He didn't want to talk to anyone, didn't want to eat, take a break...nothing but play Skylanders. However, once we got home, he settled down a bit and I began to establish the rules for playing on the Wii. We do lessons Monday through Friday and they must be completed first before being able to play. He can also lose the privilege if he is not listening or if he hasn't done his chores (cleaning his room and putting clothes where they belong). I have been pleasantly surprised that he is doing great. He still likes to be with me doing things during the day and he has been spending a lot of time just playing with his action figures and cars like little boys do. I love to see and hear him play like that. Sometimes when he catches me watching him he says, "Don't laugh ok?". And I tell him, "I promise.". And I never do.

Soon, we will be starting our 8-week semester with the homeschool co-op. I am teaching a reading class again. This semester I am working with a new co-teacher and we are reading from Five in a Row Volume 3 reading list. You gotta love Amazon! We will have 14 students (so far) and I am looking forward to it. James will be in my class this semester (last year he chose a different class!). He will be taking my reading class and a class on Outer Space! He is going to have a great time.

We are also gearing up for soccer to begin again soon and we are still active with the Park Play days. All the moms with boys show up! It cracks me up. The boys REALLY need the outdoor play so much. They all bring their scooters to the various parks and whiz around together. It's really awesome. Another activity that James and I did together over the holiday was a 5K! Yep, we walked/ran a 5K in downtown Raleigh. We were very festive and had a great time together.

The Jingle Bells 5K

I have signed up for my first 5K of 2013 and it will be a family affair....James and Chris are doing it too! A boy who is a homeschooler and a cub scout is putting on a 5K to raise awareness -and food- for the local food pantry. The entry fee is 20 cans of food for the pantry. :) I plan to train for a 10K this Spring so I will signing up for one soon.

As for the academics and the crux of homeschooling, James is doing great! I find that the challenges of homeschooling is not the academics...but everything else. I am still working (and working more than last year. Thanks Obama) but we are  making our crazy life work. James can now write all his capital letters, count by 2's, 5's and 10's. He can add single, double and triple digits. He can sing the ABC song and say the Pledge of Allegiance. The Skylanders game is actually helping him develop critical thinking skills, strategy and sequencing.  All in all, Chris and I are very pleased with our progress this year. 

Ok, gotta run. Lunch time!