I just came in here to try to calm down. I put C down for nap an hour ago and then he had to go the bathroom and then he was up playing and then... I got busy with K's piano practice. Even though I could hear him in his room talking, I decided I'd go up in a minute. Well, I came up and he had crawled on top of his dresser, found the Sharpie pen I had hidden there next to a stack of hand me downs. I was marking initials on the clothes. (The pen has been there for months, he's the 7th grandson on D's side of the family and as the seasons are changing we're getting clothes from 3 cousins and passing down to a cousin.) He marked all over himself, his dresser, his walls. I'm not sure where else b/c I lost it. He started crying and I put him to bed and closed the door. I'm just not ready to deal with it. What's the proper punishment? I left the pen there. The dresser is about 4 feet high but he can climb up on it from his bed BUT he's never done that prior to today. Tonight is Halloween, should he have to stay in? That seems extreme but he knows not to draw on the walls. It's quiet in there now. The only good thing is we're planning on painting his room in the next month or so. I'm still trying to pick out colors and sheets.
Halloween starts in an hour. I'm ready for it to be over, we've had so many parties and costume wearing occasions, I'm worn out.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
Ballet and Religion
Today K's ballet class did a little Halloween show. They wore their costumes to class. It was very cute. It was nice to see that they are learning since we don't get to see in the classroom very often. K loves ballet.
We've switched to these new books at school. They have short stories and then questions at the end. They are older and the stories are more historical - about Chicago, magicians, etc. It's great for comprehension practice. I think her ability to read is fine but comprehension is the next step.
On Sunday K asked about religion. Why do we go to one church and other people go to other churches - mainly cousins. I think part of it was our discussion about religion when we went to visit the Catholic school. I tried to explain about schools attached to religions and how they work. So, I had to explain about different religions. I don't feel that strongly about Catholic school. I went to 2nd grade in Catholic school and then we moved. I loved it though. It was more challenging than the public school. And I got along with more of the kids. Those are the two main things I remember. Right now I'm leaning toward home schooling or private school. I don't like the lack of accountablity you get from the public school. (not that I've had that much experience...) But with the screening, I had to call and call and call to get things done. It took 2 months to get it resolved. It reminds me of dealing with the DMV or something. It's not really what I want to do with respect to my kids' education.
We've switched to these new books at school. They have short stories and then questions at the end. They are older and the stories are more historical - about Chicago, magicians, etc. It's great for comprehension practice. I think her ability to read is fine but comprehension is the next step.
On Sunday K asked about religion. Why do we go to one church and other people go to other churches - mainly cousins. I think part of it was our discussion about religion when we went to visit the Catholic school. I tried to explain about schools attached to religions and how they work. So, I had to explain about different religions. I don't feel that strongly about Catholic school. I went to 2nd grade in Catholic school and then we moved. I loved it though. It was more challenging than the public school. And I got along with more of the kids. Those are the two main things I remember. Right now I'm leaning toward home schooling or private school. I don't like the lack of accountablity you get from the public school. (not that I've had that much experience...) But with the screening, I had to call and call and call to get things done. It took 2 months to get it resolved. It reminds me of dealing with the DMV or something. It's not really what I want to do with respect to my kids' education.
Piano Recital
C has been very into having his piano lesson too. D did a lesson with him this weekend since he was so insistent. So, today he insisted on doing piano practice like K too. Well, maybe I should have him at the recital because he can play the C scale! I was shocked. He was very focused, practicing doing the scale without mistakes. I taught him Stepping up but he is so independent he refuses to learn from you.
He learns SO differently than K. He has to see and assimilate it himself and just about master something (although you never hear him working at it) and then he'll do it for you. The alphabet, colors, numbers, the piano. I'm figuring out that he is teaching himself to read. He recognizes certain words - Ohio State, stop, his name. But he's not interested in his letters or the sounds of letters like K. But I know one day he'll just know all his letters. When K and I were counting by ones, tens, hundreds, thousands she was getting confused. I was asking her what comes after 1000 counting by thousands and she was saying 1001 or 1100. Finally, C says two thousand. He's going to be a challenge.
He learns SO differently than K. He has to see and assimilate it himself and just about master something (although you never hear him working at it) and then he'll do it for you. The alphabet, colors, numbers, the piano. I'm figuring out that he is teaching himself to read. He recognizes certain words - Ohio State, stop, his name. But he's not interested in his letters or the sounds of letters like K. But I know one day he'll just know all his letters. When K and I were counting by ones, tens, hundreds, thousands she was getting confused. I was asking her what comes after 1000 counting by thousands and she was saying 1001 or 1100. Finally, C says two thousand. He's going to be a challenge.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Visit to the Catholic School
On Thursday I took K to visit the Catholic school while C was at preschool. We had a good visit. She liked it which is a good sign. They seemed better set up to handle kids who are ahead of their grade level. It's a small school about 3 1st grade classes with 20 kids each. The school is just K-3rd and then 4th through 8th is at a different building 10 minutes away (2 different churches combined for the school). I have to get moving on visiting other schools in the area.
Great Grandma
Wednesday we went to visit my Grandma, the kids' Great Grandma (GiGi). We went in the evening, our first mistake. The kids brought Halloween art that they made. We went to her apartment and I realized that she was confused. As the day goes on, she gets more confused and I know this but there I was. We ended up going back to the lobby because she had guests in her living room we had to entertain. But, back in the lobby a resident was playing the piano. Kaitlin watched and then she climbed up next to her and played about 3 songs - Jingle Bells, Mary had a little lamb and Stepping Up. She was very confident, I was surprised she went and sat up there and played. She LOVED it. So, now I'm realizing the one problem with doing piano at home is no formal recital. I'm thinking of just putting together a recital and invite some family members to come over. We'll see.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Book Club
Last night was the first night for book club. I decided to put K in it instead of Girl Scouts or American Heritage girls because of the time (C naps in the afternoon when the others meet). She loves to read and most of these girls attend a mixed age school that I'm debating sending K to next fall. The club was nice but K was so shy! She clings to me and doesn't open up at all. I probably should have left her there but I told her I would stay the first time. The other girls all know each other since they are in school together so that can be initimidating. There were 11 girls there. The book they read was Kirsten Learns a Lesson (see my link under K's current reading). First they discussed the book and the 2 Moms running the club did a good job. There is one other 5 year old, about 5 6-7 year olds and 4 older girls 8 and up. When I called there was only one 8+ girl. Of course the 4 older girls dominated the conversation but the other girls talked too. K didn't but she did listen. Then they did a craft, a book bag for the year and a snack similar to what Kirsten would have had for lunch at her school. Then they played a game about all the different American girl dolls. Of course K does not know them at all. But thankfully, she got up, they put the name of the doll on her back and then she had to ask yes or no questions to figure out which doll it would be.
She liked it and was sad it only meets once a month. Her shyness is hard on me. I feel like I've been involving her in so much and doing preschool so she is used to socialization and other kids and it seems like it has not worked. I was shy as a girl so I know what it is but I was hoping to have her not be painfully shy. She has started this habit of sucking on her fingers or the end of her shirt. It was way out of control last night. I'm not sure how to fight that.
She liked it and was sad it only meets once a month. Her shyness is hard on me. I feel like I've been involving her in so much and doing preschool so she is used to socialization and other kids and it seems like it has not worked. I was shy as a girl so I know what it is but I was hoping to have her not be painfully shy. She has started this habit of sucking on her fingers or the end of her shirt. It was way out of control last night. I'm not sure how to fight that.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Piano & the Park
K has been doing piano practice for 30 minutes each day this week. It's going surprisingly well. On Wednesday she composed her own song.
E E F F E E F F G G
Apple, apple, apple apple, yes, yes
C D E F G
I don't like oranges
C G A G C
But grapes are your friends
C D E F G A B C
And, strawberries are your friends too
It's silly but I was impressed she wanted to try to do it and figure out the words and notes. Especially since she's only just started piano lessons. I think it's a good sign that she's enjoying it. I try to keep her on target for practicing but also give her time to do some creative things. Since I know next to nothing about piano, it's hard for me to help with her practice (and unfortunately she knows this).
Today we went to a park class about monarch butterflies. It was interesting, aimed at a little older crowd. My two were moving around a lot so I thought they weren't listening. Then we got nets and went to catch some butterflies. K was sad she couldn't catch one. On the way home, C tells me all about the life cycle of a butterfly (he can't say chrysallis but tells me c..something) and K tells me about the monarch migrating to Mexico. I guess they were listening. It was a beautiful fall day so it was great to just be outside enjoying it.
E E F F E E F F G G
Apple, apple, apple apple, yes, yes
C D E F G
I don't like oranges
C G A G C
But grapes are your friends
C D E F G A B C
And, strawberries are your friends too
It's silly but I was impressed she wanted to try to do it and figure out the words and notes. Especially since she's only just started piano lessons. I think it's a good sign that she's enjoying it. I try to keep her on target for practicing but also give her time to do some creative things. Since I know next to nothing about piano, it's hard for me to help with her practice (and unfortunately she knows this).
Today we went to a park class about monarch butterflies. It was interesting, aimed at a little older crowd. My two were moving around a lot so I thought they weren't listening. Then we got nets and went to catch some butterflies. K was sad she couldn't catch one. On the way home, C tells me all about the life cycle of a butterfly (he can't say chrysallis but tells me c..something) and K tells me about the monarch migrating to Mexico. I guess they were listening. It was a beautiful fall day so it was great to just be outside enjoying it.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Busy week
I have myself so busy with kids stuff that I rarely have time to do any house stuff, like grocery shopping. We're doing OK with our one field trip a week.
The other day Kaitlin came downstairs and asked me do I have to die to go to heaven? I was on the phone so it was hard to answer but I said yes. And she said And I'll never come back? and started crying. I'm not sure where she even got this idea but after I hung up I tried to talk to her about it. The only thing would be Dave's 95 year old Grandmother visiting us. Maybe she overheard me say something.
The other day Kaitlin came downstairs and asked me do I have to die to go to heaven? I was on the phone so it was hard to answer but I said yes. And she said And I'll never come back? and started crying. I'm not sure where she even got this idea but after I hung up I tried to talk to her about it. The only thing would be Dave's 95 year old Grandmother visiting us. Maybe she overheard me say something.
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