All posts by Nichole

Homeschool

I’m not sure how long I can handle the puppetry

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Our first week of the 2010-11 school year went quite well. I’m trying to be more relaxed with our schedule this year. Last year I wanted to sit down in the morning and get everything I had planned finished before we moved on to anything else. home/schoolThat wasn’t a terrible thing, but here’s what we’re doing this year: A little work, a break, a little work, a break, etc. and so on until bedtime. It’s easier on Poppy, who is a wiggly, energetic girl with the attention span of, well, a kindergartner. It’s easier on Pete, who only has to keep quiet(ish) for short pockets throughout the day. And it’s easier on Mommy, who always has an easier day when the children aren’t irritable. And being frustrated with or about schoolwork? That makes for irritable children.

The only real complication we had this week was yesterday. I watch a friend’s 2-year-old on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. She was here Monday through Friday until last week, but we adjusted the schedule because Poppy has mid-day activities on Wednesdays and Thursdays now. Anyway, Monday and Tuesday went fine with her here, but I think Fridays might be difficult. The kids were both really excited to see Addy after she wasn’t here for a few days, and Poppy had a hard time concentrating while Addy and Pete were playing without her. So I’m going to need to figure that out.

Anywho: Our roundup. Since Monday was our First Day of School, I gave it its own post. Here’s what we did for the rest of the week: Continue reading I’m not sure how long I can handle the puppetry →

Family matters

Half a lifetime ago

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Things I did when I was 16 that I can no longer do

  • Drive far too fast on the curvy, curvy road to my mom’s house, where I grew up.
  • Stay awake straight through ’til morning.
  • Win a tennis match. (I couldn’t do it all that often then, and I’m 99.9% certain I couldn’t do it now.)
  • Sleep until noon. (I’ll bet I could still do this, given the chance.)
  • Eat a Taco Bell taco with three packs of Fire Sauce.
    • Homeschool

    The first day of school

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    home/schoolToday was Poppy’s first day of kindergarten. Rockford was able to work from home for part of the day today, and it was great to have him here as we started our school year (and not only because it meant that Poppy and I got to go out for a mommy-daughter lunch). Poppy climbed into our bed first thing this morning, and we spent a few minutes cuddling before getting up and brushing teeth. Then we climbed back into bed to start our “work.”

    Harold and the Purple CrayonOur book this week is “Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crockett Johnson. I’d never read the book before. It’s a sweet, simple little adventure story — perfect for reading while cuddling. After we were all dressed and fed, Poppy and I talked about what a neighborhood is, then she drew a picture of our neighborhood — complete with an extra-large Marsha and one of the neighbors’ ducks. We had our handwriting lesson after that, and then Poppy and I went out to buy ballet shoes and have lunch. Later this afternoon we’ll read the first chapter of “The Story of Doctor Dolittle,” and tonight we’ll have a Bible lesson.

    It’s been a gentle, lovely first day of kindergarten.* I’m going to try to post a schooling roundup once a week; let’s hope I can continue to share gentle and lovely stories!

    *Mostly. There was the part where Pete and his pal Addison locked Rockford, Poppy and I out of the house and ran amuck until Rockford found a neighbor with a ladder tall enough to reach our back porch. But that’s another story for another day.