Tag: homeschooling

Momming Basket

ChelseaLeave a comment

Yep you read that right. Momming. Nope it isn’t a real word but I am not talking about a morning basket and for lack of a better imagination Momming is the best I came up with.

Most homeschoolers by now have heard of a morning basket. A calm start to the say where you can read, play, and just work into the day. These are beautiful ways to start the morning with your children. From poetry or reading to board games and beads, your morning basket can be anything you want it to be and be used anyway you want it to be also. But enough about that because that isn’t what you came here for. You came here for a momming basket.

What is a Momming Basket?

Well just like a morning basket helps ease the children into the day, a momming basket eases YOU into the day. That is, it helps you go from sleeping to functioning in a basic but productive, engaging, positive way. It is the beginning of your day signaling your brain that sleep is no longer an option however maybe the waking hours aren’t all that bad. And it eases your brain and body into a basic functioning level to be ready for the demands and requests from the beautiful little monsters you corral each day.

Basic

We are not looking to disprove the theory of evolution here. We are simply trying to wake up the brain. Make it think about more than R-O-Y-G-B-I-V and Fractions., while also not over working it to the point that it gives up and can barely think of names. You want this to be light thinking. My favorites are EASY crosswords (they make me feel smarter when I do them on my own) or Sudoku. I also found this fun Jeopardy Challenge crossword book at my local Barnes & Noble that lets you solve jeopardy clues to find in the word search. I love Jeopardy (RIP Alex Trebek, it isn’t the same with out you) so this is just a fun little incentive for me to do it more.

Another option would be learning a new language. I am committing to learning more ASL this year so I am doing a shorter basics class on Udemy. I also am taking a break at this point but will eventually pick back up DuoLingo for Italian and Japanese. 5-10 minutes for a lesson is perfect for a momming basket because it doesn’t take up a ton of time but it isn’t so short you feel like you aren’t learning anything.

Engaging

You want to look forward to it. Help it be one of the reasons you look forward to getting out of bed in the morning. Or not. You could sit it right next to your bed and do it before you even rise for the day. If am the person that if I stay in bed I will just go back to sleep so the faster I get up and moving the better off I will be. Plus, I am not really awake until I have had that first sip of coffee in the A.M. This can mean that it have something fun for you to do. What do you enjoy doing? Something with your hands would be a great addition. Think coloring, knitting/crocheting, cross-stitch, painting (a little messier but you do you boo-boo), drawing, even painting your fingernails. Something that gets your hands moving and lets a little creativity out!

No one is going to see this if you don’t want them to. You can be as creative as you want and you don’t have to be good at it. You just have to enjoy it. Do you love to draw but don’t think you are good? Draw anyway, or better yet follow a drawing channel on YouTube. I love Art for Kids Hub because I can follow along and they make me feel like I am a really good artist. They also have a few tutorials on Art Next that is geared for older people that I really enjoyed and thought were excellent. Have you always wanted to learn how to knit. Watch some how to videos and make small dishrags until you get the hang of it and are more comfortable with making more intricate things.

Positive

You could also find yourself buying or creating a journal for thoughts actions and gratitude. Think of 3 things each day that your are thankful for. It is also a little boring to write that you are thankful for your house, and husband and kids. And while those are important, I definitely think you could probably be a little more original. Journaling is just one of many ways you can do all of these things. You could choose to do a video, a dream/vision board, read a book or anything that helps you have a positive outlook on the day

Last, you want this to be full of those feel good feelings because we want to start the day off right and seep that positive energy into our body and surrounding environment. This can be as easy as a short (or long) meditation. Focusing on your breathing and inhaling positive and exhaling negative

How do you implement this?

So when do you find the time to do this? Well if you are like me you have 2 options. Set the alarm clock for 1 hour before your children get up. Hit snooze 4 times and then get to it while your children are all (semi)settled with breakfast but have to cut it short because milk just got spilled and then you forgot and so you will finish it when you get home later.

Or… If you have any sense of self-control and the ability to wake up on time for anything in their life, you can do it before your children wake up or after if you have the ability to enjoy it while your children are jumping off the refrigerator. Oh, that is just mine? Cool.

This isn’t meant to last all day or even half the day it is just something for you to do to take care of your brain and your mental care. I wouldn’t dedicate more than about 30minutes to an hour to it. 15 minutes is even enough to get this started. If you don’t finish something you can put it off until tomorrow. Like I said, this isn’t going to be seen by anyone else, This is just for you. Have fun with it and come back and show me what you put in your first momming basket.

Why I chose to attempt the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge

ChelseaLeave a comment

Have you ever just felt called to do something? It isn’t often that I get this feeling but every once in a while, I just know I am doing the right thing. I felt it with being a mom. I felt it with staying home and homeschooling. I felt it with this. Notice how it all centers around my kids? Yeah. There are mistakes I have made in my life. So many choices I have wondered or known weren’t the best. But my kids are not even close to one of them. With them, I know I am meant to be their mama. And I know I needed to attempt this challenge.

I love my children dearly, but with 4 pulling me in different directions, we have gotten away from time. Time together, time to ourselves, and time with nature. In this digital age, everything is instant gratification. Everything is here and now. But in nature, you have to wait for the ground to thaw, the plants to bloom, the leaves to fall, and the sun to rise. It always happens but only on its own time. I used to feel a connectedness to nature. Like I was home when I was outside. Some of my favorite memories from growing up are from being outside. I remember being outside from the time I woke up to the time I went to sleep practically in the summer. I remember being on my bike the entire day, rolling down the neighborhood hills.

Grandma and I gardening

This past year we had a great school year. We did a lot more together, it was more organized and we had so much fun (well if you ask me, if you ask Monkey and Monster, they probably have a different idea of how it went). But I still felt like something was missing. Then I read Call of the Wild+Free by Ainsley Arment (not an affiliate, just a fan) and wow. Then I read Home Grown by Ben Hewitt (also not an affiliate). I felt such a purity in the way they were living life. Exploring nature, spending time connecting to Earth and each other, living off of their land and it just called to me. This is what is missing. In my wanderings through the internet, I came across 1000 Hours Outside page and a wonderful community started and growing through the efforts of Ginny Yurich. We all know how competitive I am, so naturally we were going to do 1000 hours. But see, I didn’t think about it. I didn’t plan for it, and we fell WAY short. Because 1000 hours outside doesn’t seem like much until you calculate that that is almost 2.75 hours a day! Do you spend 3 hours outside a day? Yeah, most people don’t. So it takes some serious intentional planning. So I’ve started my plans. And along the way it may turn into not having to. But right now I have to say yes, when I want to say no. I have to make the plan, when I want to stay home.

Monkey has a screen addiction, lets face it my whole family does. But screens affect his mood a lot more than the rest of us. He eats, sleeps, and breathes screens. Shows, games, now web searches, and it doesn’t matter what. Tinkerbell, Barbie, Pokémon, if a screen is on, it has his attention. So to break us all of the habit I decided to hit us hard with not only starting our 1000 Hours Outside challenge but also taking away screens at the same time (at least during the week) right at the beginning of our year!

Monster punting the football at 7am on a Saturday

They pretty hated me for two days because they got their chores done and *gasp* didn’t get screens afterwards (insert horror scream here). Instead they played with LEGO, we have gone to the park, we have ridden bikes, played football with the neighbors, and gone on a walk, made chalk pictures, and eaten ice cream. We started 6 days ago and already have almost 21 hours hours logged. They won’t hate it forever. Because soon it will become part of them.

Playing in the stream in the Smoky Mountains

They will see trees, sticks, streams, insects, and everything in between, as home. They will learn to observe nature, care for nature, and experience nature and all of its beauty. They will ground themselves in their surroundings, get natural vitamin D, learn to listen to their body, explore, learn, and live. Is it the right thing for us to do? I don’t know. But I do know that I have said yes to going outside a lot more than I have said no to screens in the past 2 days. And for that, I may just make it to 1000 this year.

Take the stress out of tests

ChelseaLeave a comment

Let me be the first to say that standardized testing is NOT for everyone. But here in Virginia, end of the year as a homeschooler also means having to show Proof of Progress (POP) to our county’s Superintendent. And this is where the worry starts to set in. Have we done enough? Will they pass? When do I have to start testing them? When do I have to have the test scores submitted? What if they don’t pass? Will I still be able to homeschool? My child did horrible in public school on tests, there is no way they will be able to test to show progress. YOU.ARE.NOT.ALONE!

My children regularly test well above the standard for Virginia and they are excellent test takers (they even find it fun… weirdos) and I still stress more at this time of year than any other.

Ok so let’s start with who needs to test? In Virginia, if your child is 6 no later than September 30th of that academic year (Ex. for this year it would be 6 on or before Sept 30, 2021) you must provide Proof of Progress to your superintendent that year. If your child was still 5 as of September 30th, you get to wait another year, save the rest of this for next year and enjoy your summer.

If you are like me and have to show proof of progress, let’s keep going. You are going to need to decide which method of Proof of Progress you will use. In Virginia, your options are limited and not, at the same time. The law states:

§ 22.1-254.1(C) The parent who elects to provide home instruction shall provide the division superintendent by August 1 following the school year in which the child has received home instruction with either

(i) evidence that the child has attained a composite score in or above the fourth stanine on any nationally normed standardized achievement test or

or an equivalent score on the ACT, SAT, or PSAT test, or

 (ii) an evaluation or assessment which the division superintendent determines to indicate that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress…

Assuming you choose to show POP through a testing option, you then can choose which Nationally Normed Standardized test you will use. There are quite a few options you can choose from but the important thing to note is that these tests are NOT the same as the Virginia SOL (Standards of Learning) Tests that are administered to public schoolers starting in 3rd grade. Using this link, and information provided by HEAV (Home Educators Association of Virginia) you can get a quick overview of what the tests are like, who can administer them, and if they will suit your needs. Personally we use the untimed, online version of the California Achievement Test (CAT) through Academic Excellence and have been happy with it but all of the testing options are going to have their pros and cons.

How do you know if they passed? Here is where it gets confusing. Each test is going to have different sections on it that are all scored. Some tests include history and science, some only test Math and Language/Reading. No matter which test you child takes. You only are required by law to send in the combined score from the Math, Language, and Reading sections. This combined score can be called base score, composite score, etc. It doesn’t matter what it is called as long as you know what it is that you have to send in. If you test results do not come with this score automatically, usually you can call the testing company and have them send you that specific score separately although it may cost a few dollars extra. So you have all of your scores. The raw scores are great to know specifically where they need help for you. However, only the percentile or Stanine number matter to the district. If your child has scored in the 24th percentile (4th stanine) or ABOVE for their combined Math/Language/Reading score, congratulations! Your child has passed and now you just send in those results and enjoy your summer!

I think it is important to note for parents and children alike, that your child is not likely to know every answer on the test. This is done on purpose. The test will not count those answers against them per say if they are not in the normal range of knowledge for that child’s age. If your child does know them though, that is fantastic.

What if my child won’t test well? Most children test just fine, even those with differing abilities, however, you also have the option to choose to have your child evaluated rather than tested. Evaluations are done by a licensed teacher or a person holding a Master’s Degree in any academic discipline who also has knowledge of the child’s academic progress. An evaluator has final say on how they will evaluate each student. It can be through a self made test, it can be based off a portfolio supplied by the parents, it can be a discussion with the student or many other ways. The evaluator will then supply a 1-3 page report on the progress of the student and if that is sufficient progress for that student. In a few districts, the superintendent may allow parents to submit a portfolio of work directly to them to be examined and evaluated but this is unorthodox and not widely used. If you choose to attempt this method, I recommend contacting the superintendent’s office and asking if it will be accepted. If it won’t be, use the portfolio as part of the progress shown to an evaluator instead and let them write the report or letter stating progress is sufficient.

What if progress isn’t shown? In the event that your child does not score high enough on their standardized test AND and evaluator will not write a letter stating they have shown sufficient progress, what are your options? There unfortunately aren’t many. My first suggestion would be if you child does not score high enough on a test, go with an evaluator. If the evaluator will also not provide proof of progress, you do have the option to retest (if done early enough) using a different test, or following the test makers recommendation on how long to wait between testing (usually 2-3 months at least). If you choose to send in the low (non-passing) scores, the superintendent has the right to place your homeschool on probation. At that point you will have to provide evidence that you have the ability to provide adequate education to your child as well as a remediation plan to make sure that your child has sufficient progress the following year.

If you are placed on probation AND your child does not show progress for a second year, your superintendent has the right to require you to enroll your child in a formal school (not necessarily public school) setting.

What if my child has a documented learning disability or needs accommodations for testing? If your child has these conditions, it is possible to have the test still administered. Contact the vendor of the test you are using or the test maker themselves to find out how to get the accommodations your child needs.

But I don’t think my child needs to be tested… There are a few other exceptions to the proof of progress rule. If you are homeschooling under an accepted religious exemption through the state of VA then you do not have to show Proof of Progress. If your child has graduated, your child is exempt from the Proof of Progress clause. If your child is being taught under the certified tutor option, they are also exempt from the proof of progress requirement whether the “tutor” is the parent or otherwise.

It seems scary and stressful but it doesn’t have to be. If you have any questions about it, comment below and I will answer to the best of my ability.

The Snuggles Don’t End Here

Chelsea3 Comments

I read an article today. And as I was reading it, I could relate to it by being a mom, but as a homeschooling mom, I just kept thinking, “How sad!” This article was talking about soaking up the snuggles. Enjoying the peace of the early years and especially the early months because the snuggles end, kids need you less, and you can’t always protect them or watch over them.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy those early snuggles too. You know, the ones before they can wiggle out of your arms. The ones where they look at you like you are the beginning and end of their world (because you are). The times where you can just sit and be with them because they don’t need you to do anything other than hold them. Those early days are great.

But this article was stating how you have to let go and miss those days when kindergarten starts. How they become less dependent on you as time goes by. How as they get older, they don’t want to snuggle with you. And that makes me sad. It makes me sad because it doesn’t have to be that way. Not if you foster the relationship. Now, I’m not saying stunt them and make them rely on you for everything but it is ok for them to still want to connect with you.

See in our little world, weekly snuggle sessions are just a given with all of our children. Hugs and kisses through out the day, I don’t care how old you are. I teach my children to be independent and do for themselves but just because they can do it for themselves, doesn’t mean I won’t still do it for them also. If they want me to make them a smoothie, I will make it if I am able to. Are they also able to make it, absolutely. But they are also learning that sometimes it is ok to ask for help. Just because you are capable, doesn’t mean you are alone. I think independence is important but I also think learning that family is who you can depend on is also important. My children are 10 ½, 8 ½, and 3. They all snuggle with me. They all hug me everyday. They all depend on me for different things at different times. They all also understand I will support them in any way I can, while I foster their learning and personal growth. I carry them while teaching them the skills to be independent. I allow them to spread their wings with the safety of me being there to catch them.

I would never say this is unique to homeschoolers as I am sure many public school children are still this way. I would also never say homeschoolers can’t be less snuggly and more independent, I know many of them. What I am saying is I don’t have to miss those moments. I don’t have to wonder what is happening at school today and if they will tell me. When they get hurt, I get to make them feel better, not a teacher who has 30 other children to also deal with. But me, their mama, who has been there comforting them since the moment they were born. When they have a great success, I get to share their joy. I get to watch over and protect them. They get the freedom they need with the safety net to make mistakes and be caught by someone who won’t ever stop loving them. They get to learn that mistakes are going to happen, but I will always be here to help them clean them up. They get to learn boundaries while being reassured that they are allowed to feel however they feel.

Yes, the days are long, and the years are short. But I get to see it all. I get to still be needed even after school begins. They don’t have to look to a teacher. They don’t have to look to a friend. Mom and Dad are always here, always willing to help, and always willing to learn along side you. We are in this all together and I love every second of it.

Yep… That’s me… I bet you’re wondering how I got here…

ChelseaLeave a comment
Monkey, Monster, Mermaid and I in the OBX
May 2021

So it all started just over 11 years or so ago. Pregnant, 24, and making barely over minimum wage as a 2’s teacher in a daycare. Let me just say my paycheck wouldn’t have paid for the daycare bill. So a choice had to be made. Staying home wasn’t something I had ever wanted. I wanted to work, I wanted to contribute, and to make a name for myself doing something. It was just supposed to be a season of life. One day it would change back to normal.

After giving birth, I loved that little boy with everything I had. It was an adjustment but more in that I was taking care of one little potato that cried rather than herding 16 cats children around a classroom all day. I was tired and stressed and very over whelmed (sleep deprivation and I have never gotten along, but that is another story) but I couldn’t have imagined leaving that little Monkey with anyone all day long. I hated to be away from him. My heart physically hurt leaving him anywhere.

I still can’t imagine it. While I have grown a little bit and let myself get breaks in the form of child-less weekends or nights occasionally, I still can’t imagine missing all the little things in our day to day. I get stressed and yell and I get overly critical about things at times but I also get to snuggle, read, teach, and play with them all day. I can’t imagine not being there when they read their first sentence. Celebrating when they did their first multiple digit addition problem. Or taking the day to go to the park to play with friends or family just because it is a beautiful day and we can’t waste it inside.

So, 3 (soon to be 4) kids, almost 11 years, lots of tears, lots of laughs, and here we are. I may lose my mind before they are all out of the house. I may have already lost my mind and that is why I continue on this journey. But this is my path. I am the semi-crunchy, yelling, homeschooling, crafty, pinterest-worthy party throwing, feral (because there is definitely nothing domestic about me) housewife and mom who attempts to help with family finances buy selling handmade clothing, shirts, sweatshirts, tumblers and more. I struggle with being enough and I continue to question every choice I have ever made in my life (oh, hey anxiety!). But I honestly do love my kids and my life and I am thankful for everything it had brought me. So if you are new here, Welcome! I can’t wait to share my life and musings with you.

Finding your perfect space

ChelseaLeave a comment

As a homeschooling mom, when I first started, I thought I needed the perfect set up. They needed a little space they knew was for school and that work could get done simply, messily (they were 5 and 3), and then be quickly picked up and we could move on. *Wishful thinking* I worked for weeks on painting their play room and setting everything up just so. I had everything I thought I would need including a smaller table and chairs set that was easy for them to sit at. I had a cute bookshelf I had redone and a rug for a reading nook. I had space for art work to go and everything was set up so cute.

Our little corner before it was completely done.

Within weeks it deteriorated into chaos. There was stuff everywhere, we rarely used it, the toys in the playroom were a huge distraction for them and I found it easier to sit on the floor and work with Monkey on reading and math. Plus, we also (after time) realized there were some major allergies to the carpet in this room and so they actually NEVER went in it because they would start coughing and wheezing every time they did. (That has since been fixed and now they are actually about to move into this room as their bedroom)

But as I said chaos still reigned so I was still trying to find a solution. I “needed” a school room. I felt like I wasn’t really doing this if I didn’t have a room. So I tried again in a different area that was more accessible to us and them and I actually used this space for 2 years in various set ups.

I also was watching a friend baby daughter so I had space to rock her and for her to play in. I did actually love this space.

This space worked so well for us that from about halfway through Monkey’s Kinder year through his 3rd grade year, this is where we were. The stuff changed as they learned about new stuff and toys were added, furniture moved. But overall this was our “School Room”.

However these days it is the play room. With a TV for video games and kid shows/movies, a couch, a bookshelf, and a toy shelf. There isn’t much in the way of school there. But that is because over time I have realized I don’t need a room. I just need storage and to minimize. So I got rid of all the extra tables, maps, and such. I now use our dining room table. The boys both focus so much better there than anywhere else and it is big enough to fit all the kids plus their school stuff and not be cramped. Our dining room is also attached to a sitting room area that we have their computer in, their gecko in, a desk (just in case) and the shelf that holds all of our school stuff. It holds all of our curriculum and resource books. It hold projects, my “teacher” stuff, activity books, and extra supplies like glue and pencils. The bottom of it even has cabinets so I can close the doors on some of the mess and keep it contained. All of our art stuff is on a 3 tiered cart that is easily accessible and they can use when ever they want. The trick with this room is that other than a wall map and a couple cute school-ish type signs for decor, it is completely functional as something other than a school room. It also has sitting chairs, a fire place, a beautiful window to look out, and a peaceful feeling.

I guess what I want to say to the new homeschooling mom who gets jealous of all the beautiful spaces they see on Pinterest and Instagram, “Don’t worry, your children will learn just as well curled up on a chair, or sitting at your dining room table, or out back on the ground as they will in a special room just for school.” You don’t need a room, you just need you, your child, and the love and will to teach them from your home and heart.

Beginning Our Year Off Right

ChelseaLeave a comment

Last year was tough for everyone. People stopped working, kids weren’t going to school in person, people were getting sick, people were getting laid off, people were basically stuck in solitude. So much changed and so quickly. Certain things were easier to handle for homeschoolers, because many of us are already stay-at-home parents and our kids are already home. But a lot of people thought we had it easy.

In ways we did, but in a lot of ways we were just as inconvenienced, annoyed, and affected by the changes. Despite the stigma around homeschooling, we are not the unsocialized recluses we are usually made out to be. We go out and experience the world on a daily basis participating in classes, field trips, co-ops, clubs, groups, meet-ups, and just learning through life. By the end of the year, our family was so tired of being shut out from the world that we were all struggling just being around each other. Not being able to get away from each other takes its toll on any relationship and that doesn’t exclude homeschooling families.

So after a ROUGH end to last year, I knew things needed to change. By rough, I mean tears were involved for more than one (ok, ALL) of us and we didn’t even finish our curriculum (sorry, not sorry). However, even without finishing the curriculum, the boys did fabulous on their end of the year testing. They tested way above what they needed to show proof of progress for our state and hit much higher than their grade level.

Monster with the only part of our curriculum we did finish last year

So what was I really worrying about? Keeping up? Finishing curriculum? My children falling behind? Failing them?

The truth is, all of the above. But the biggest issue with all of that is, with as bad as it sounds, no one besides me cares. I don’t need to keep up with anyone. No one checks to make sure I have given them all the worksheets from the curriculum or that we worked 180 days or x amount of hours for the year. My children consistently test well above the minimum required to show progress in our state. I am obviously only failing them in thinking I am failing them. They are actually thriving despite my extremely high expectations. At this point I knew the problem wasn’t with them. It was with 1 of 2 things. 1) Our Curriculum or 2) Me. Let me tell you, it wasn’t our curriculum…

I had taken the fun out of learning because I was so worried that I wasn’t doing “enough”. I didn’t think we worked on Language Arts enough. I didn’t think we worked on Science or Art enough. I didn’t think we talked about History enough. But what really wasn’t enough was having fun and instilling the love of learning. I had forgotten one of the main reasons we started homeschooling to begin with. So over the summer, I really came to terms with what was enough and thought hard about our lifestyle and what would bring some joy back into our school day.

The first thing I implemented was allowing them to have a say in what they learned. Does this mean I let them choose whether they got to do math or not? Of course I didn’t. But they each picked subjects they wanted to dive into. We set up an entire basket that we sift through monthly. In our “Daybreak Basket” (AKA Morning Basket) I set up fun activities, games, puzzles, sensory activities, and more all centered around that topic. I add in lots of fun, factual books for them to explore and read to learn about the topic. For some families who use this, it is a small part of their day but for us it is almost as long as our “formal” school. We sit together as a family and bond over activities, reading, and having fun. It has been a great transition into our day and really helps keep the rest of the day on track.

Working at the table on Language Arts
Working together on Language Arts

The second is being more present. I am sitting with them, teaching them, and involved with them from the time they start until the time we are done. This seems like a simple task, but as a mom who also has a 2 year old and runs a small business out of the house at the same time, it was very easy to get distracted by other things and leave them to their own devices. Especially because the curricula we use is open-and-go. For Math, a video can teach them and they get it. Language is pretty self explanatory and a lot of learning through reading, which they both do amazingly. Everything else is similar or could, in theory, be dropped because it is not tracked. So for me, scheduling my day so I can take the time to make sure that they are on task and understanding is critical. Because they are getting what they need and staying on track, the fights are basically non-existent.

Just these two things have made such a difference in the couple of weeks that we have been doing school this year. It has allowed us to stay on track and get all of our subjects in while having fun. Some days are more stressful and scheduled than others, especially during football season. Some days are a little looser and we still take Fridays off (or we use it to catch up if we didn’t finish because that 100% happens). But as this continues, it is becoming easier and I am realizing it takes much less time to get through our day than it did last year. We are learning so much more and the joy has spilled over into all aspects of our life. It is helping us enjoy each other’s company and by the end of the day they have had so much fun and worked so hard, I enjoy letting them get extra treats or fun stuff.

Exploring chemical and physical differences for science.

What has been the best part of your school year so far?

Water Fun Wednesday

Chelsea1 Comment

Water play is important all through out childhood. It helps with fine and gross motor skills, eye hand coordination, it encourages sensory acclimation, and it is just plain fun. And what better time than in the heat of summer to make it a regular time each week? So this summer we are getting it in every Wednesday after being out in the heat with riding lessons in the morning, there is nothing better than coming home, grabbing a quick lunch and then going out and cooling off in the water.

This summer I started by grabbing a new sprinkler and a new baby pool. We have dogs who have no boundaries (Yeah I said it, lol) They aren’t trained perfectly and they tend to tear things apart. So we need things that are easily picked up. I would love a bigger pool (if only for selfish reasons) but this one is plenty for the kiddos. What is really great, is I can set it up with minimal effort each Wednesday morning and fill it. While we are out at riding lessons, the sun will be warming it up and getting it perfect for play when we get home.

Target.com Colorful 3 Ring Pool
Target.com Colorful 3 Ring Pool

Some other great ideas the kids have wanted to do this summer are water balloons and the slip and slide. I am not sure about the slip and slide because my kids have a tendency to hurt themselves and I don’t want any hospital trips. But I love water balloons. You can find them cheap at the dollar stores or even get the easy fill sets for not a completely unreasonable price if you want that ease. If you have young children or pets, be careful of the little pieces (we make it a game to see how fast they pick them all up).

I do plan on taking them to the beach on the river or bay. We will hit a small local beach rather than going some place more populated because with 3 kids who love the water and a husband who works in an office 5 days a week, I will be doing it on my own. That means I need to be able to keep a hold of the Mermaid while Monkey and Monster run in the waves. Bigger waves means a bigger chance of one of them wiping the boys out. I will say, I did this one last year. After driving an hour and a half to get there, precisely 1 hour and 10 minutes later, my oldest got stung by a jelly fish. (A few tips are below!)

And last but not least water guns! Anything from cheap dollar store ones to high end “super soakers” (Are those even a thing anymore? I may need a few!) This one is great as a quick cool off also. Fill it up and let them run around for 10 minutes squirting each other, and I bet 10 minutes later they will be dried off. No need to even get in bathing suits.

As you can see this isn’t a in depth list. Mainly because most weeks we will keep it simple with the pool and the sprinkler. My kids love them so I don’t see it getting “boring”. They will also get trips to Nana’s and Grandma and Grandpa’s house with big real pools. And we will try to make it down to Granddaddy’s house again so they can fish on the marina (which they absolutely loved). We also have a water table on the porch they can always play in (mainly Mermaid). Water play doesn’t have to be scary, even for toddlers. Don’t want to put a pool up or have room for one? A simple bigger bowl with a couple cups and scoops and they can keep themselves entertained for a while.

What ways are you looking forward to incorporating water into your summer? Want to see other ideas for everyday of the week? Check our my original post Summertime Fun!

Ok so for tips for Jelly fish stings: I am by NO MEANS a Doctor but thank goodness for smart phones and Former Coast Guard Dads.
– Tip 1: DO NOT believe Friends and DO NOT urinate on the area.
– Tip 2: Ice really helped him. Wiping it did not. Tylenol may have helped a little.
– Tip 3: Watch water and food intake. He got really nauseous from the pain and ended up throwing up (poor kid!)
– Tip 4: This is going to sound really weird, but he had started feeling better and we decided to stop at a Mead shop to get a surprise for Daddy and the amazing Sales Associate there said that honey can help. He popped open a jar and slathered his arm and covered it with a paper towel and Monkey said it started feeling better by the time we got to the car! (BTW if you are in VA and want to try some amazing Mead, check out Silver Hand Meadery, Glenn and his crew are amazing!)
– Tip 5: Know what kind of jelly fish if at all possible. Where we were, it was a Sea Nettle and I found out (thanks Dad!) that carrying some meat tenderizer and sprinkling it on helps neutralize it and ease the pain.

April Preschool Activities: Weather

ChelseaLeave a comment

🎶🌞Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on meeeee.🌞🎶

I seriously love teaching preschoolers. I love the relaxed curriculum while learning big things through play. Before being a mom I taught infants to 4 year olds for almost five years on top of babysitting most of my teen years and helping my mom in her daycare out of our house in my middle school and elementary years. Needless to say, if there is one thing I confidently know, it is children. I know some of you are lost when it comes to preschoolers. What do you teach them? How do you teach them? Where? When? Do they ever stop moving? (No!) Is everything messy? (Yes!) Do they have to sit still forever, because I don’t know how long they will last if they have to sit. I will admit, I am not scared of a mess. I don’t like it when they make them but it is just a part of life these days

We use unit study themes for our house at this age (Mermaid is 2 years and 2 months) because it gives them a long time to work within a theme and continue working on the same skills and knowledge. Repetition is key for children. But so is fun and engaging learning through play and reading! I will pull these out to keep her busy for 10-20 minutes so that I can work with her brothers on their school work, clean something up, or get dinner going. When she is done, we clean it up and move on. While she is playing, even if I am not right next to her, I will still be talking with her about what she is doing and experiencing.

Our pillars of learning:
1- Reading- A basket of books relating to the topic. These are always accessible for her and we read them at least once a day. Maybe not all the way through if she is being busy but we will read as long as she will sit.
2- Sensory- Sensory play is SO important for cognitive development. It helps with emotional responses, it helps with problem solving, language skills, aids in memory development, and encourages motor skill development.
3- Motor skill work- Gross and fine motor skills are the building blocks to almost any kind of movement your child will ever do. When thinking about motor skills you want them to focus on the big muscles (GROSS: think legs, arms, back) and the small muscles (FINE: think fingers, hands, and feet).
4- Art- Fun exploration of different mediums encourages them to find creative ways to model the world around them.

So each month we will focus on these things and will switch them our daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the activity:

Weather Reading: (Switched out monthly based on theme)
Our book basket this month includes:
The Sunny Day- Anna Milbourne
The Windy Day- Anna Milbourne
Lift the Flap Questions and Answers: Weather- Katie Daynes
Oh Say, Can you Say What’s the Weather Today?- Tish Rabe

Other Titles I suggest are found here:

If you buy from this site, I am an independent consultant and will earn a commission from the sale.

Sensory: (Switched out weekly but played with daily; Could also be prepped and allow them to choose which one they want to do each day)

Bin #1: Stormy weather: Black Beans, Cotton Balls, Pipe Cleaner Lightning

Bin #2: Snowy weather: Floof and mini snowman pieces (these pieces are choking hazards so please monitor your children)

Bin #3: Rainbow dyed rice, pom poms, tongs, and color sorting cups

Bin #4: Blue water beads with Ivory soap clouds (this was really fun to do with my 7 and 9 year old and then use it for Mermaid’s sensory bin

Microwave Ivory soap for 1 minute. Remove what expanded and do it again for 1 minute

Motor Skills: At least one of these is done daily. If she chooses to do more, we will do one but that is also why they are pretty easy prep and mostly easy to clean

Puddle Jumping– Construction paper “puddles” and jump from one to another. (Older kids, add letters of their name or numbers and have them jump in order)

Sponge cloud: Use a dropper to pull up water and then drip it on a sponge. How much water is needed before the sponge starts “raining”

Rainbow Color mixing– Put sizable dabs of paint in a zipper storage bag. (Red and yellow, red and blue, blue and yellow, red blue and yellow) Seal the tops. Allow children to use their hands, rollers, etc to mix the colors together. What new colors are they making?

Cloud writing: This can be a pre writing or writing activity. Use lines, curves and angles for pre writing, or use letter and number to develop writing skills. Use shaving cream, whipped cream, or similar and put on a plate. Have them use their fingers, paintbrush, cotton swab, or other utensil to write the same letter/shape that is on an index card. Spread the cream back out and start a new one! (Be careful of some shaving creams and the menthol level, it can burn some children and watch for food allergies if using whipped cream or other food based product)

Make and decorate a rain stick– Using a paper towel tube, glue a few cotton balls at different intervals inside the tube. On one end create and glue on a cap from card stock. Secure with a piece of ribbon glued around the edge to get a better finish. Fill 1/4 with beans or rice. Create a cap and secure the other end. Allow to dry and then paint and decorate.

Art: This is done just a couple times a week (No you do not have to keep everything your child ever makes. Put them on the fridge for the week they did them until they do something different and then, in the words of Elsa, “LET IT GO!” Some of our art projects this month:

Cotton ball clouds glued to paper
Paper Kite
Solar Prints on Constructions paper
Rolling Pin Rainbow
Water Drop Printing
Rainbow Milk Jug Wind Sock
Paper Plate Sun
Wind Painting

So that is it. That is the type of things we do on a daily basis. It probably wouldn’t even take an hour to do all of it at one time but that rarely happens. I hope you enjoy the weather activities. If you want to see where I got most of the ideas you can check out my Pinterest Board for Tot School: Weather here. I will always change mine up a bit from what they do though because that is just who I am.

If you want to follow along with some of our activities, you can also join my group on Facebook. I will be reading one of the books live for story-time each week on Tuesday at 10am (EST) and I will be sharing recipes, going live and doing other activities!

Want to get these ideas in more detail? Sign up for my email list and get a monthly email with more in depth activities lists and instructions.

Until next time…

Boys aren’t harder… Children are hard

Boys aren’t harder… Children are hard

ChelseaLeave a comment

So something set me off a little. Someone said teaching boys is “harder” than girls. Let me first say this, I have taught both at the preschool level. Girls tend to be quieter and calmer, but not always. Boys are a completely different beast than girls. Biologically, physiologically, psychologically, they are different. But does that mean they are harder? NO! A loud and resounding no!

We need to get it out of our heads that boys “being boys” is a bad thing or that they are trying to make things more difficult for us. Don’t get me wrong, I have two boys. They wear me out. They talk back, they argue, they fight, they never stop moving, and they make me want wine more nights than not. (Sorry, not sorry!) But you know what, my daughter is 2 and also talks back, and argues (as well as a toddler can), and fights with swords, and ALSO never stops moving. Those are not boy/girl qualities. Those are natural personality traits that also are taught or nurtured in them.

My boys are very different creatures. Monkey is 9 years old. He is a talkative but sensitive soul. He thrives on perfection and words of affirmation. He loves cuddles and kisses on his terms but he will do anything to help anyone at any time. He also is logical, loves to learn and is very susceptible to the messages being sent to him through body language, spoken words, print and anything else. Monster is 7. He is loud, never stops moving from the time his feet hit the floor in the morning until he passes out each night. He loves running, jumping, isn’t always talkative but loves to tell stories. He has an imagination like no one else and a confidence I could only ever dream of. He is the sweetest most caring kid in the world and he loves to snuggle. He is the definition of ride-or-die and is always along for whatever adventure someone wants to go on. He just wants to spend time with you and will do anything for attention.

With that being said there are a few things I have learned from teaching these two very different kids the past 5 years (Geez… how has it already been that long).

  1. Meet them where they are. Stop listening to what they “should” know. That is arbitrary when they don’t already know it. Your 5 year old doesn’t know their colors? Not a big deal. Spend a week sorting colors, doing color hunts, pointing out colors everywhere. Your 5th grader doesn’t understand multiplication? Spend the year really delving into it. Helping them understand the concept, then the basics, then the tables, then how to understand what a multiplication problem may look like in the real world. Just work with them on what they need for the foundations that go to the next step, whatever that may be. You would be surprised at how easy the next step is when they actually grasp the principle before it.
  2. If they are a mover, don’t try to keep them still. All this does is frustrate them and you. Monster learned to read jumping up and down at a table. He is a strong reader, even if he doesn’t always like doing it. Was it frustrating to watch him bounce constantly while trying to sound out words… yes. But it was more frustrating to try to stop him and him whine and complain that he didn’t want to do it. Now at some point do they need to learn to sit still. Yes. But that point isn’t at 5. Kids want to move. Let them. (Also, to this day he prefers to stand to do work or sit on a balance ball. He has stopped jumping though). No matter the subject, movement can be part of it.
  3. Keep it simple. The first 3 years (K-2nd) I keep it so simple: Math, Reading, and Writing. Then I add in difficulty as they are able to. History, Geography, Science, it all comes. In 4th grade, Monkey is doing some science and History. We are doing Geography through cooking. It is a lot of hands on. If your child reads to learn, give them lots of rich books about the topic you are working on. If your child learns by watching, documentaries or accurate movies are great.
  4. When you don’t know, learn with them. My kids will ask questions I don’t know. We look up the answer together. We both learn something new and they love that they stumped me. And they love that I take the time to do it with them.
  5. When the day is hard, stop. We have the luxury in our state, to not have to log hours or days. This gives us the freedom to do as we wish when it comes to timing. If I am having a rough day (as I do with my own mental health) I will try to take a step back. What is better for them in the long run? Learning those lessons with Mommy losing her mind with frustration (Yeah, I am far from perfect and I am still learning to not take out my frustrations on my family), or taking the day off so that I can focus on me and they can have fun. I can tell you, I don’t know what I learned on what day in school. I do remember being told as a senior in high school on a particularly stressful day, that I wasn’t going to school and I was having my books taken away from me. I was allowed to do whatever I wanted as long as it didn’t involve school. And that mindset shift led to me getting straight A’s for the first time ever.

I am not saying teaching boys is easier. But teaching boys isn’t any harder than teaching girls. It isn’t an issue with their sex. It is learning to teach to each child’s way of learning. That is why it is so difficult for public school teachers to teach so many students. What works for one, doesn’t work for the other. It isn’t their fault. They have 30 kids in their class with all different styles. I almost guarantee that we would have been told at least one of our children has ADD or ADHD or are even just “problem” children. Are they? Maybe. There are certain things like a lack of focus and inability to complete a task that may warrant a discussion. But they are 7 and 9. They are still learning. Just like Mermaid will still be learning at that age. Will it look different? Probably. Will it be harder? Not if I trust myself and listen to my child, even when they aren’t talking (no matter how rare that is).