Another Favorite Food Blog:

OK, so when I first posted about the Primal Palate blog several months ago, Court & I were just dabbling with the idea of eating Paleo.  After much talk, Court finally talked me into giving up my beloved morning oatmeal with blueberries and tall glass of skim milk and we've gone completely Paleo.  This diet change immediately sent us in search of recipes and the blog that I use the most is The Foodee Project.  So far, everything we've made has been FABULOUS!

Giving up whole grains and dairy hasn't been as traumatic as I thought it would be.  In fact, I don't miss those foods at all.  When I do cheat on occasion, I regret it.  I feel fat, bloated and spend part of the night in the bathroom (sorry for the visual).  We've been eating this way since mid-March and I've even lost a few extra pounds that I'm certain I won't miss!

Check 'em out!

Mission-Minded Kids

As adults, we should do what we can to help others in need and share the love of God to hurting people.  But how do we pass compassion on to our kids?  How do we teach them to have compassion for others and to give of themselves?  I'm not exactly sure, but I have some ideas and I'd like to hear yours.

I guess the best idea I can think of is leading by example.  If your child sees you helping others and giving of yourself on a regular basis then he is more likely to see the importance of those actions and want to help others himself.  I also think we need to teach them what the Bible says about loving others and giving of ourselves - and then live it out in our daily lives.  Then it becomes more than just words on paper.  It becomes action. 

I've been doing those things to the best of my ability at home (of course, I can always use some improvement!).  However, we live in a comfortable American suburb and my children do not know what it means to be in need or have a real hurt beyond getting a boo-boo at the playground.  I tell them stories about people in different countries who do not have the comforts that we do and their eyes just glaze over - they have no idea what I'm talking about...I realized I needed to show them these needs.  But how?  

Well, I found a great resource that I'm happy to share with you.  The International Mission Board has a special site just for kids called Kids on a Mission.  Kids can watch videos, learn the needs of others, pray for people around the world and then learn what that they can do to help.  There are lots of local missions to get involved in locally, too.  Last week, we stopped by our area's food pantry to donate Girl Scout cookies from our troop.  The kids were able to see that there are people who cannot afford even the basics.  It was good for them to visit there and we were invited to come back to volunteer - we most definitely will!

Check out Kids on a Mission here!  And afterward, stop by the International Mission Board's site to donate to the Japan relief efforts here.  They have people already working on the ground in Japan and your dollars will go to those who need it most.

Kid Art

I love kid art.  It's so colorful and honest.  The process is always more important than the outcome and they feel a sense of accomplishment when their works of art are finished. 

My daughter said this was a picture of me taking her and her brother to play at the mall play area on a rainy day.

My son drew the picture below on our marker board.  He is very much into Earth science and space so his drawings tend to be related to whatever he's obsessing about at the time.  Right now, he's into extreme weather.  This is his drawing of a hurricane.  He said the dot in the center was the eye of the hurricane.

Playdough and clay gives me at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time!  On this particular day, the kids created quietly for an hour - a whole hour!!

My daughter created an Egyptian scence (see the three sarcophagai? she said the mummies were in there)...

While my son created a medieval knight scene.

My son sometimes gets frustrated if he cannot draw something he has in mind.  That's when sister comes to the rescue and draws for him.  In this picture, people are running away from the large tornado.  If you look closely, 'The Dominator' from Discovery Channel's "Storm Chasers" is following the tornado:

 

 What sort of things do your children like to create?

Toobaloo

Let me introduce you to a great learning tool that we added to our homeschool - the Toobaloo, by Learning Loft.  It is a simple device that magnifies the child's voice so they can clearly hear their reading, phrasing and speech. 

Ella's reading has really improved by leaps and bounds this year.  We use a phonics approach to reading rather than whole language (for reasons I will divulge on another post), so it is important for my daughter to hear what is coming out of her mouth.  She is a perfectionist and wants to read at the same speed that I do - I am constantly having to slow her down so that she reads each and every word on the page.  I noticed that she would sometimes skip words or exchange simple words (like 'a' for 'the').  The Toobaloo lets her hear what she is reading so that she is more likely to catch mistakes herself.  

We tried it for the first time today.  On several occasions she corrected mistakes without my prompting and she seemed to have an easier time sounding out words that she did not know.  Paying attention is a challenge for her so this tool, I believe, works well for her.  We call it our "school phone".  When she reads, I ask her to "call" her friend and read the story to her.  If you can turn a subject into a pretend game or fairy tale, then Ella is all ears!

This tool is also great for children who struggle with speech.  My daughter does not have any major speech issues, however, there are certain words that she does not pronounce correctly.  I think the Toobaloo will help with that.

Learn more about the Toobaloo at Learning Loft's website.  Toobaloos are available at most teacher supply stores.  Or, you can find it here at Amazon.

Monster Tooth Pillow via The Long Thread

It's been forever and a day since I've had the time and inspiration to craft (so sad).  However, I found a simple project at The Long Thread that I would love to try:  Monster Tooth Pillow.

image via The Long Thread

Cute concept - after your child loses his/her tooth, 'feed' the tooth to the monster pillow just before bedtime.  The pillow makes it easier for the Tooth Fairy to find the tooth :o)  This project is a perfect candidate for a recycled craft, using old clothing or fabric scraps.

You can find the full tutorial here.

Math & Fairytales

I've been researching math curricula for my daughter's second grade year and I came across a wonderful resource that I hope to add to our school: Arithmetic Village, by Kimberly Moore.  

Arithmetic Village is a set of books that explain mathematic concepts in fairytale-like stories.  Children are introduced to characters such as Polly Plus, Linus Minus, Tina Times and King David Divide.  My daughter LOVES fairy tale stories so I think she would respond really well to this.  The entire 5-book set is available for $50 through their website (otherwise, you'll pay approx. $15 per book through Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

The Arithmetic Village website is full of games, activities and worksheets that reinforce the concepts learned in the book.  I really love Kimberly Moore's approach to teaching math (read more here). I sure wish Tina Times had been around when I was learning multiplication in 3rd grade!

Check it out!

Progress Report

It's hard to believe that we are half-way through our second year of homeschooling.  I thought I might share some of the things we've experienced so far, such as, what are the benefits? or, on the other hand, the disadvantages?

Benefits

Homeschooling for me and the kids has become as natural as breathing.  It is simply a part of our daily rhythm.  In fact, it would feel unnatural for to wake up, rush out the door and send the kids away for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.  Our mornings are typically peaceful - everyone has plenty of time to wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed, clean up and get ready for school.  School time is enjoyable - yes, even for me!  We play math and phonics games, read books, do science experiments in the kitchen, draw, paint, read about world history, watch educational videos on our iPad, read stories, use Bible verses and famous quotes for handwriting practice, make up songs to help us memorize facts, etc., etc.  Not only is it fun, but my children are learning (and I've learned a lot, too!).  My daughter is learning to tell time, count money, add/subtract, measure, etc., and she is reading really well.  My son loves nothing more than to listen to me read a book about space or carnivorous plants - he has even taken an interest in his preschool workbooks and asks if he can 'do school'.  The best part is we are doing it together in a nurturing environment.

Another benefit is that I know what my children know and what they need to work on.  If my daughter is struggling with a subject, we spend more time on it.  If she 'gets it' quickly, we move on.  There is no question of how my child is doing in school, which is a great comfort to a parent.

A social benefit to homeschooling is that there is no one telling my child what is cool and what is not.  She likes what she likes and she is totally confident in her choice of what is 'cool'.  I love that about her.  As my children grow, I hope they will be proud to be who they are and will not base their opinions, likes and dislikes on what is popular.  

Flexibility is another benefit we enjoy.  We can vacation during off-seasons, avoid crowds by visiting zoos/museums during the week and not worry about missing school if someone is sick.  If family comes to visit from out of town, the kids are home during the day to enjoy them.  We decide when Christmas break begins and ends.  And we can school through the summer if we want.  If Daddy gets to come home early, then the kids get to enjoy him being there. 

Disadvantages

The great thing is that since I'm the parent, teacher and the principle at my 'school', I'm able to make changes if something isn't working.  When we first started homeschooling last year, I began to feel a bit isolated from the world.  I only knew one other homeschooler and my daughter was in need of some playmates.  My solution: I joined a local homeschool association, a teaching co-op, and I put my daughter in Girl Scouts (and I'm now her troop leader).  Now my children get plenty of interaction with other children, in addition to being involved at our church and the YMCA.  Plus, they get to be taught by other moms once a week in our teaching co-op.  And now I don't feel like such a loner for choosing to homeschool.  

Another disadvantage can be burnout.  This is not unique to homeschoolers - every educator and student experiences burnout after some time.  What do I do about it?  My solution is to take a break from the norm and do something different: plan a field trip, take a nature walk, or take a break from the curriculum and spend a week working on a lapbook.

Some moms may see homeschooling as an overall disadvantage because they won't get a break from their kids.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard moms say that they "can't wait" for their kids to be in school.  I understand their feelings.  As a homeschooling mom, I'm often in need of a break, too (that was a serious understatement). However, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.  Our family is close and I believe one major reason for that is that we spend quality and quantity time together without being rushed to and from school, then to after-school activities, PTA meetings, etc. 

My children are happy, well-socialized, and learning a lot.  So far, it's been a good year.  In fact, I'd give it an 'A' :o)