Christmas was excellent. Sadly, we already had to take down our tree, in order to accommodate for all the toys Lollipop and Sweet Girl received from our Christmas Marathon (as i so lovingly refer to Christmas Eve- December 27th, where we celebrate 6 different times with our various families) But, looking forward now.... Lollipop's Homeschooling Journey officially starts January 4th, and we will be putting a schedule in place. Every other blog I have found has several different ideas on how schedules should be in place, and I'm sure that by the time I have enough experience at this I will be the same. But this is it for now:
7:00am- Mom gets up and works out
8:00am- Everyone else gets up Breakfast & Morning chores
8:45 - Dad leaves for work PBS goes on, and mommy takes her quiet time (i'm very much not a morning person without at least 2 cups of coffee)
10:00 - Morning School Time
We don't really have a curriculum as I haven't found one that perfectly fit Lollipop's needs and wants. So, i've meticulously set up some fun games for the rest of this year to teach the concepts I want to be mastered.
Writing- We use Kumon Uppercase Letters
Math- We have a variety of games including:
Chutes and Ladders
Candyland,
Sorting/Counthing pompons,
a toy clock to learn time,
play money to learn values of money,
UNO,
and mindsprinting.com
He gets his pick for each day
Pre-Reading- is the same as math, with various things to do like:
Leapfrog card game,
Lots of Reading
Mindsprinting.com
Progressive Phonics
Starfall
Leapfrog Word Whammer
and Superwhy Board Game
Bible- We will be using Carissa's Raising rockstars program she has made. She is so creative!
http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/RaisingRockStars.html
Art Project or Computer Time- He can do whatever he wants for art, but I prefer the Playdoh Table or Magic Paintbrush from Crayola. Hopefully he'll be happy with those for awhile. We go to fisherprice.com or pbskids.com or uptoten.com for fun, age-appropriate computer games.
12:00 - Lunch Time
1:00 - Nap
3:00 - Afternoon School Time
Science- we read books from the library, based on 2 different topics. Usually an animal habitat and something fun. This month we will be focusing on pets and snow. :) We also do whatever projects and experiments come to mind.
Scripture- we, again are using Carissa's plan for this also.
Music or Movement- Lollipop has the choice to play a game, go outside, play his guitar, drums or piano, or play his Vmotion video games.
Once Lollipop is done with this activities for the day, he can do whatever he wants, my problem is, he usually asks for more school.
5:00 - Dinner and then my evening chores (which include making a plate for dad, cleaning up dinner, and picking up the house.
8:30 - Daddy gets home! (the highlight of Lollipop and Sweet Girl's day!)
9:00-9:30 - Bedtime
During most of this, if you were wondering, Sweet Girl is attached to me in one form or the other, since it seems that I can do nothing or go nowhere without her.
With the allotment that Monday morning is Story Time at the library, and Monday evening is Tumble Class for Lollipop and Tuesday night is Dance Class for Mommy and Wednesday night is Church, we follow this schedule as closely as I can. I hope all goes well in the new year!
Daddy and I got the new Wii fit Plus, and are now apparently on a competition to get to our healthy goal weight first (I say this as I munch down on sweethearts ha!) wish me luck!
I will post pics of Christmas soon.... as soon as I find my camera ;)
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Taking an Opportunity
We attempted an imagination game this week, I'm sorry to report we have no pictures, because the game turned into a scripture memorizing time as Lollipop kept saying "i can't do that" to every activity we picked out. So instead of pretending to be elves, we learned 'Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength.' Yes, we modified it for his age, but with the attitude i've seen come through as of late, I bet he'll be learning this verse in no time!! But, here are some other cute snapshots of this week :)
Even when he vehemently refuses to do anything educational, (which practically never happens) we can always count on learning something with playdoh.
Does helping Ompa decorate the house for Christmas count as math, since he has to put the garland around corners? ;)
Sweet girl is always learning
Even when he vehemently refuses to do anything educational, (which practically never happens) we can always count on learning something with playdoh.
Does helping Ompa decorate the house for Christmas count as math, since he has to put the garland around corners? ;)
Sweet girl is always learning
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Christmas Projects
This is our first year doing Christmas projects. I did end up doing most of the work, but am proud to say that Lollipop can take most of the credit! He painted, used his imagination, and was the one who picked out all the projects we did this year.
We made Lanterns, which is the first time Lollipop got to paint. (I know, i'm horrible for not letting his artistic side out until now, but i'm not very artsy, and i hate the mess it makes)
But the end result was worth it, the lanterns turned out beautiful.
We also made Christmas Cards, you cant really see it, but they're Lollipop's thumb prints, and finger prints, made into snowmen and it says "And may all your Christmases be white" i thought they were adorable!
Today was an exciting day for Sweet Girl too, she had her first taste of real food. Today we tried Applesauce!Lollipop insisted on helping :)
We also were looking at the Leapfrog Tag Reading System. Any thoughts on it anyone? I've read awesome reviews, but I don't know what REAL people think... Lollipop loves Tad and all the Leapfrog movies. He likes Leapfrog games, and I even find him repeating quotes from the movies, and he is ALWAYS singing the Alphabet song. But does the Tag system keep this up. I saw it had books for short vowels and long, and I thought he may like that as another form of learning.
We made Lanterns, which is the first time Lollipop got to paint. (I know, i'm horrible for not letting his artistic side out until now, but i'm not very artsy, and i hate the mess it makes)
But the end result was worth it, the lanterns turned out beautiful.
We also made Christmas Cards, you cant really see it, but they're Lollipop's thumb prints, and finger prints, made into snowmen and it says "And may all your Christmases be white" i thought they were adorable!
Today was an exciting day for Sweet Girl too, she had her first taste of real food. Today we tried Applesauce!Lollipop insisted on helping :)
We also were looking at the Leapfrog Tag Reading System. Any thoughts on it anyone? I've read awesome reviews, but I don't know what REAL people think... Lollipop loves Tad and all the Leapfrog movies. He likes Leapfrog games, and I even find him repeating quotes from the movies, and he is ALWAYS singing the Alphabet song. But does the Tag system keep this up. I saw it had books for short vowels and long, and I thought he may like that as another form of learning.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Phonics Fun
I started searching again for a good beginning reading program, and came to a conclusion: too many people pay WAY too much to teach their children how to read. Some programs I found for the "gifted" children cost up to $600, which was definitely not in my budget. Thankfully, I learned how to ask the right questions, and was directed to a couple of websites that Lollipop has, so far, loved. www.starfall.com and www.progressivephonics.com between the two, and of course our beloved PBS regiment of Superwhy, Sesame Street, and Word World, Lollipop is slowly learning to read, before even turning 3:) I am one proud mother. He hasn't taken any tests, and I don't even know the requirement involved, but as a mother, I have to say that he is one gifted child.
The Search has begun!
I began my homeschooling research when my son started begging to do more during the day than play. I assumed that "school" didn't really begin until kids were 5 or 6, so I had plenty of time. Well, let me back up...
I didn't know I was going to be a homeschooling mom. It kind of just "came to me" you could say. Lollipop, my 3 year old son, was a surprise, and after he was born, it was impossible to go back to work and leave him. My dh and I both agreed that staying home with him was better for our family, and i am so thankful! Since then, I think I've learned just as much, if not more than my bundle of joy.
I first asked the only person I knew who was successful at homeschooling... and got a lot of advice. I took her word for everything, since she was the only person I knew who had children still being home-schooled, and were thriving. She sent me to ACE. So right away, I bought their pricey preschool curriculum, planning on starting Lollipop on it when he turned 3. But by 2 1/2, he had already exceeded the curriculum, and all he would have learned was how to sit still, and be quiet. (as if a curriculum could actually get a 2 year old to do that, ha!) So the search began again.
I joined SEVERAL groups on Yahoo. One for each program I thought was interesting. I've spent too much time at the library, and now understand the MelCat system pretty well.
I finally learned that in order to get answers from people gone before you, you must ask the questions. That is why i started this blog. To give information to those who, like me, are still searching. And also, in hopes that some old-school homeschool-ers might happen upon this, and point me in every right direction available.
As I gain tid-bits of information, I will post, because this is also a way for me to keep my thoughts open and organized, instead of buried under piles of paper that i'm already beginning to have as a homeschooling parent. I'm so excited, let the journey begin!
I didn't know I was going to be a homeschooling mom. It kind of just "came to me" you could say. Lollipop, my 3 year old son, was a surprise, and after he was born, it was impossible to go back to work and leave him. My dh and I both agreed that staying home with him was better for our family, and i am so thankful! Since then, I think I've learned just as much, if not more than my bundle of joy.
I first asked the only person I knew who was successful at homeschooling... and got a lot of advice. I took her word for everything, since she was the only person I knew who had children still being home-schooled, and were thriving. She sent me to ACE. So right away, I bought their pricey preschool curriculum, planning on starting Lollipop on it when he turned 3. But by 2 1/2, he had already exceeded the curriculum, and all he would have learned was how to sit still, and be quiet. (as if a curriculum could actually get a 2 year old to do that, ha!) So the search began again.
I joined SEVERAL groups on Yahoo. One for each program I thought was interesting. I've spent too much time at the library, and now understand the MelCat system pretty well.
I finally learned that in order to get answers from people gone before you, you must ask the questions. That is why i started this blog. To give information to those who, like me, are still searching. And also, in hopes that some old-school homeschool-ers might happen upon this, and point me in every right direction available.
As I gain tid-bits of information, I will post, because this is also a way for me to keep my thoughts open and organized, instead of buried under piles of paper that i'm already beginning to have as a homeschooling parent. I'm so excited, let the journey begin!
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