I came across this article today... I'm not real sure what to think about unschooling. Pretty much the idea is that the kid drives the learning. The parents are just facilitators. Not interested in reading, hopefully you will be some day. Don't like math? The parent will teach it when they are interested in learning it. I think it could work for some families but definitely not everyone. I wonder how the kids do in the work force. They'd probably do great in some kind of research field but sometimes our interests don't make a whole lot of money.
All kinds of different ways of schooling out there. I wonder how they would do on state mandated testing.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Noticings
Lately I've noticed that I've been given the excuse of having two small children at home. I personally haven't used it but when I say why I don't do certain things... like shop search for deals at Goodwill, someone will say, "Well you've got two small babies..." Well I do have two small babies but I CAN but I don't want to. I realize that having a baby is a time sucker. You spend a lot of time taking care of the baby but it isn't a valid excuse for not getting things done. I can do almost all of the stuff that I used to before baby, it just might take 5 times as long. We go shopping, out to dinner, to friends houses, etc. I also don't think that having two is too much different than one (except it is a little difficult to run errands alone if you have to feed them by yourself while out), but I've never just had one. So I guess I'm wondering if I should start using the excuse... ha ha or why having children makes people think you can't do anything?
Lately I've noticed that I get called Sweetie a lot. I don't know what it is but in the last week I was referred to as Sweetie almost once a day. Well a couple of times by a female co-worker, a waitress, a Starbucks barista and jokingly by a friend. I'd like to point out that the waitress and barista were obviously younger than me. It makes me feel young, not a good young but a condescending young. It brings me back to when my first principal called me kid.
Lately I've noticed that I get called Sweetie a lot. I don't know what it is but in the last week I was referred to as Sweetie almost once a day. Well a couple of times by a female co-worker, a waitress, a Starbucks barista and jokingly by a friend. I'd like to point out that the waitress and barista were obviously younger than me. It makes me feel young, not a good young but a condescending young. It brings me back to when my first principal called me kid.
Monday, August 15, 2011
7 Months!
Today you two turn 7 months old. Where has the time gone? It still seems like you are little tiny babies, but you're just MY little tiny babies. Paul is still astounded at the size of the 12 month PJs I just bought for S and can't believe that our 7 month old is wearing them and not a 3 year old. Today I also started a new school year. It was hard to leave your smiling faces this morning. S, you were doing your flirting routine, smiling at Mrs. D and then turning to hide in my shoulder. Why do you have to be so darn cute when I have to leave? It will take a little while for me, and you two, to get used to working again.
Little Em
Where to begin... You are such a joy. You are still working on sitting on your own. Your hands are too busy to hold you up when you're sitting and so you don't sit unassisted too long before you topple over. You REALLY want to be sitting though. You don't enjoy laying on your back as much as you used to. Often when we put you back on your back you hold your head and feet up as long as you can in an attempt to sit up. Someday little Emster you'll be able to sit on your own but you may be crawling first. Speaking of laying on your back, you don't stay there too long. You are rolling onto your stomach all the time these days and somehow you forgot to how to roll back onto your back. You are content to be on your tummy for quite a while but will fuss and cry if you're there too long.
You still love your brother. Whenever he is nearby you reach and grab at him. Good thing he is a good sport and doesn't seem to bothered by your tugging on his ears, poking his face and grabbing his feet. You are a toy stealer and pacifier stealer too. Sometimes you take the pacifier right out of S's mouth. The two of you interact more and more every day. Sometimes it seems as though you are talking to each other. You love your Aunt Amanda too. She was the greatest entertainer while she was visiting. You laughed and laughed at her. Unfortunately you don't take to everyone and sometimes cry with new people. The OT, and us, think that you are a little hypersensitive and that you need to be protected from those situations and external stimuli that scare you. You seem to have the most trouble when you are tired and hungry. Public restrooms seem to terrify you and you scream whenever I try to change you in one. This makes running errands a little harder.
You are eating great and I'm sure still growing a ton. You eat 7 oz. of formula 3 times and day and then you eat oatmeal in the morning and food in the evening. You seemed to like peas, beans, and squash. You made a yuck face when you ate carrots the first time but you ate them just fine the next 3 days. Sippy cups are a little hard for you still and you don't seem to get any water out of them yet but you will drink water I give to you out of a straw.
You still love books and to make noise. You also love the jumperoo. Reading the paper together is one of your favorite things too. By reading I of course mean tearing it apart. You also love to feel cold drink glasses or cups. You are making more noises these days in addition to your "singing". I'm pretty sure you said mama yesterday.
McSamerson
Oh Samsonite I think you are going to be a Mama's boy. You are still my little snuggler and I love it. You are very social and like to be held and talked to. You often cry to be held and I'm happy to spoil you that way. You have discovered the dogs this month. They seem to make you laugh when they aren't doing much of anything. When Maddy licks your hands you grab her tongue and luckily she doesn't seem to mind.
You are sitting on your own! The day before your OT visit you figured it out. You happily sit while leaning on your hands until you slowly fold in half. We have to be careful about you sitting too soon after you eat or we have a mess on our hands. The OT isn't as concerned about your "low tone" since you have improved so much but we will go again at the end of September. You roll onto your stomach quite often and sometimes back to your back. You can get up onto your hands when you're on your tummy and can move a tiny bit forward. You do an excellent job of turning in circles while you're on the floor.
You tolerate your sister poking at you and taking your things. You pat her on the head if she's within arms reach. You really seemed to notice her this month too. You still charm strangers with your smile. That smile is often accompanied by a "shy" head turn. You have been making all kinds of noises lately. I can see you exploring and moving around your tongue. Blowing bubbles or making raspberry sounds is a fun new trick for you too.
You seem to love cold water. You've started drinking from a sippy cup. I have given you water from a water bottle and out a straw too. You still are a great eater. You've eaten peas, beans, carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes. You've just started fruits too. You eat 7 oz. of formula 3 times and day and then you eat rice cereal in the morning and oatmeal and food in the evening.
Little Em
Where to begin... You are such a joy. You are still working on sitting on your own. Your hands are too busy to hold you up when you're sitting and so you don't sit unassisted too long before you topple over. You REALLY want to be sitting though. You don't enjoy laying on your back as much as you used to. Often when we put you back on your back you hold your head and feet up as long as you can in an attempt to sit up. Someday little Emster you'll be able to sit on your own but you may be crawling first. Speaking of laying on your back, you don't stay there too long. You are rolling onto your stomach all the time these days and somehow you forgot to how to roll back onto your back. You are content to be on your tummy for quite a while but will fuss and cry if you're there too long.
You still love your brother. Whenever he is nearby you reach and grab at him. Good thing he is a good sport and doesn't seem to bothered by your tugging on his ears, poking his face and grabbing his feet. You are a toy stealer and pacifier stealer too. Sometimes you take the pacifier right out of S's mouth. The two of you interact more and more every day. Sometimes it seems as though you are talking to each other. You love your Aunt Amanda too. She was the greatest entertainer while she was visiting. You laughed and laughed at her. Unfortunately you don't take to everyone and sometimes cry with new people. The OT, and us, think that you are a little hypersensitive and that you need to be protected from those situations and external stimuli that scare you. You seem to have the most trouble when you are tired and hungry. Public restrooms seem to terrify you and you scream whenever I try to change you in one. This makes running errands a little harder.
You are eating great and I'm sure still growing a ton. You eat 7 oz. of formula 3 times and day and then you eat oatmeal in the morning and food in the evening. You seemed to like peas, beans, and squash. You made a yuck face when you ate carrots the first time but you ate them just fine the next 3 days. Sippy cups are a little hard for you still and you don't seem to get any water out of them yet but you will drink water I give to you out of a straw.
You still love books and to make noise. You also love the jumperoo. Reading the paper together is one of your favorite things too. By reading I of course mean tearing it apart. You also love to feel cold drink glasses or cups. You are making more noises these days in addition to your "singing". I'm pretty sure you said mama yesterday.
McSamerson
Oh Samsonite I think you are going to be a Mama's boy. You are still my little snuggler and I love it. You are very social and like to be held and talked to. You often cry to be held and I'm happy to spoil you that way. You have discovered the dogs this month. They seem to make you laugh when they aren't doing much of anything. When Maddy licks your hands you grab her tongue and luckily she doesn't seem to mind.
You are sitting on your own! The day before your OT visit you figured it out. You happily sit while leaning on your hands until you slowly fold in half. We have to be careful about you sitting too soon after you eat or we have a mess on our hands. The OT isn't as concerned about your "low tone" since you have improved so much but we will go again at the end of September. You roll onto your stomach quite often and sometimes back to your back. You can get up onto your hands when you're on your tummy and can move a tiny bit forward. You do an excellent job of turning in circles while you're on the floor.
You tolerate your sister poking at you and taking your things. You pat her on the head if she's within arms reach. You really seemed to notice her this month too. You still charm strangers with your smile. That smile is often accompanied by a "shy" head turn. You have been making all kinds of noises lately. I can see you exploring and moving around your tongue. Blowing bubbles or making raspberry sounds is a fun new trick for you too.
You seem to love cold water. You've started drinking from a sippy cup. I have given you water from a water bottle and out a straw too. You still are a great eater. You've eaten peas, beans, carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes. You've just started fruits too. You eat 7 oz. of formula 3 times and day and then you eat rice cereal in the morning and oatmeal and food in the evening.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
End of Summer
Tomorrow I go back to work. Summer, as usual, has quickly passed by. I think it is harder to leave S and E this time. They do so much more now and actually react when they see you. So to commemorate the end of summer here is a list of what I will miss most.
1. Cuddling from 6:30- 8 in order to get a little more sleep
2. Drinking my coffee and reading the paper
3. "Reading" the paper with S and E
4. Spending all day with my babies
5. Family walks
6. Staying up late after the kids go to bed so I can get some me time
7. The occasional nap
8. Spending all day with my babies
9. Spur of the moment plans
10. Hanging out with friends no matter the night
11. Exposing S and E to a ton of new experiences
12. Spending all day with my babies
1. Cuddling from 6:30- 8 in order to get a little more sleep
2. Drinking my coffee and reading the paper
3. "Reading" the paper with S and E
4. Spending all day with my babies
5. Family walks
6. Staying up late after the kids go to bed so I can get some me time
7. The occasional nap
8. Spending all day with my babies
9. Spur of the moment plans
10. Hanging out with friends no matter the night
11. Exposing S and E to a ton of new experiences
12. Spending all day with my babies
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Fill in the Blank Friday
1. My go to outfit for a dress-up occasion like a wedding is a black polka dotted dress I bought years ago.
2. This week has been good. I'm not even sure what I did this week other than saw my aunt, uncle and cousins.
3. When it's dinnertime and I'm feeling lazy I'll usually eat penne with whatever vegetables I find the fridge.
4. My favorite pair of shoes is my Teva flip-flops. I hate when I have to start wearing "real" shoes again.
5. A random item that I own that is completely unnecessary, but that I could never part with is hmm... this is a hard one. Probably my angel mirror that I got as a gift a number of years ago.
6. My favorite person is Paul, Sam and Emily.
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