The Learning Nook

READ ALOUD: 35 minutes

Played on computer

Worked on clubhouse

Read Lad and the Fat Cat to Dad

Swimming

Discussed local government. Defined representative and constituents. Discussed recent arrest of citizen during a meeting.

Played Life with Mom & Dad (really did great with sportsmanship though, of course, she won - fair and square)

Read Usborne's A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Read the rest of Sunday April 30, 2006

Once upon a time there were 3 beautiful skydancers. And they each lived in 3 pink with blue and red dotted mushrooms.

One had a special talent for making mermaids. One had a special talent for making flowers. One had a special talent for water.

Each of them liked their talents. It was really special to them and their friends (Ick, Mick, Nick, Zick, Click, Wick, Hick(up), and Lick).

Then an evil sorcerer came and turned each of them into a mermaid and they could no longer use their talents ever again.

The End

Read the rest of The New Skydancers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Written by: Sydney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 29, 2006

The past few weeks has been less than pleasant in my house. Sydney gets into very nasty snits and then it has been hard for either of us to move out of them. Last night we talked about it. She said she thought I'd been grumpy too. Point taken. So we decided that we would work on it today.

I sometimes leave her love notes in her dresser at night - so she'll find them in the morning. Last night I wrote one with a sunshine picture that said. "We are going to have a pleasant morning and a day filled with energy and love! We will show our love in everything we do because our family is most important to us. Love, Mom"

It has worked! It put ME in a great frame of mind, first of all. Then after Sydney read it, she came out in a great mood. All 3 of us have been enjoying our day and there has been no back-talk at all!

I may need to do this more often.

Read the rest of The power of positive thinking

Read final 2 chapters of Cleopatra. Discussed suicide.

Sydney wrote a story (I did the handwriting) and illustrated a book.

Created an elaborate outdoor Skydancer show.

Play on Clifford Thinking Skills CD-ROM

Listened to Boxcar Children - Mystery of the Star Ruby audiobook

Helped sort through old toys and set aside some to give away

Read the rest of Friday April 29, 2006

Homeschool group PE Field Day! Participated in many events and exhibited excellent sportsmanship (I was so proud!)

Read 2 chapters from Cleopatra.

Read the rest of Friday, April 28, 2006

I am SO excited! Sydney has made it abundantly clear - she learns best when material is presented in an interesting story format. Magic School Bus has been our best friend for years now!

I bought a ton of Usborne books from A. months and months ago. Of course, being the hyper-organized person that I am, I filed them by genre on the bookshelf and promptly forgot about them.

Fast forward to yesterday. I pulled out Cleopatra (from the Famous Lives series) and suggested I read it aloud to the budding scholar. She'd have none of that. Henry, Jessie, Violet & Benny (Boxcar Children) were visiting an island and had just discovered an Indian encampment and skeleton! HAD to get back to that one.

But she surreptitiously got that copy of Cleopatra last night after lights out and devoured it. Twice. Today it found it's way to her hands even during a playdate.

By 7 pm she couldn't stand it and begged me to read it to her. After 4 chapters, I had to call it a night. But she was enthralled. Totally into Cleopatra and her traitor sisters and Caesar helping her gain the throne and sailing down the Nile and....

Wow! What a difference it makes when you present material to a child in a way they learn best.

I am looking forward to the convention in May - hopefully I can find tons of books like this in ALL the subjects to add to our collection. If not, I always know where A. lives.

For now, I have Alexander the Great, a whole set of Greek Myths, and the story of Ulysses. I also borrowed some Brave Kids books from the library. These are about early America, but still will open the door to an interest in history. Can't wait to see her dive in.

Read the rest of Learning through literature

READ ALOUD: 30 minutes

Playdate with Emma B.

Visited library

Listened to Spanish Fun for Kids CD

Created a store and used pretend money. Worked on paper currency identification, combination, and multiplication. (i.e. 8 $5 bills is $40, so 8 X 5 is 40)

Read 3 chapters from Usborne Famous Lives - Cleopatra (HUGE hit!!!)

Discussed sportsmanship again in anticipation of Field Day tomorrow.

Read the rest of Thursday April 27, 2006

READ aloud: 45 minutes

Computer play

Drama class

Played Cadoo with Mom & Dad

Read the rest of Wednesday April 26, 2006

READ ALOUD: 1 hour; and 15 minutes

More work on clubhouse

Surfed internet - played on a few favorite sites

Gymnastics class

Swimming

Worked on Barbie catalog she is creating

Discussed sportsmanship in anticipation of upcoming field day

Read the rest of Tuesday April 25, 2006

I have an anger problem. Isn't the first step admitting you have a problem? But I've always let little things bother me. I wish I were the kind of person that was always upbeat and in a good mood. Always gave the benefit of the doubt and could, above all, remain calm and centered. It is something I'm working on. And working on. And working on.

Today Sydney was in a snit because I asked her to get out of the pool. Nevermind it was already an hour past dinnertime, she didn't want to get out and got reeeeaaaallllyyyy torqued about it. Of course, being Mom, I was the target of her abuse. I tried redirecting her, demanding she stop, ignoring it, everything. Finally, I could feel myself responding to her mood - it was becoming contagious. I was starting to get really, really cranky.

Then it hit me - STOP! That is NOT who you want to be. So I fought through the scream that was forming and instead started reciting our special "poem."

I love you when you're happy.
I love you when you're sad.
I love you when you're silly.
I love you when you're mad.

After these 4 lines, we always just fill in with whatever. It changes every time.

I love you when your face is like THAT!
I love you when you're smart.
I love you when you fart.

It was like a curtain was pulled away from my cherub's face and the smile shone through. She laughed her head off! Her mood improved immensely. *I* was able to do that. I am still blown away that I kept her mood from infiltrating mine AND was able to help her move into a better place.

I love it when she smiles. Which, truly, is often.

Read the rest of I love you when…

If you are christian and are unable to accept the views of others, I'm warning you to stop reading right now. I know a few christians that are accepting and embrace the differences in others; but I know many more who would be better characterized as fundamentalists. If you are in the latter group, you should move on now. I better not get any hate mail, because you've been warned.

Why is it that so many fundamentalist christians believe that it is absolutely impossible to be a moral person unless you have god in your life? Or that, if you call yourself a christian, all will be forgiven so it doesn't really matter what you do (no, they don't actually say this - but they live it). I consider myself a very moral, honest, ethical person and to be told that I am worthless unless I believe in what I consider to be a fairy tale REALLY sticks in my craw.

What started this tirade was my search for homeschooling curriculum. ARGH! Must EVERYTHING be christian based? Is it really necessary that little Johnny learns Spanish and/or math from a christian-based book?!?! What are they so afraid of?? Isn't there enough opportunity for brainwashing, er, I mean teaching, during bible studies? I understand biblical based Science - even History. But Spanish and MATH!!

Sydney learns best from stories. It is amazing what she has retained from Magic School Bus and Magic Tree House. So I've been on the lookout for a literature based curriculum because textbooks and workbooks just don't cut it for this creative kid. I thought I found a perfect solution - Beautiful Feet Books. Highly recommended, they offer a history curriculum based on quality literature. THEN I read a sample from the study guide. ARGH! "Did Leif Erikson provide us with a good example of a christian leader? and then... Columbus is another special individual god used in the discovery of Amercia." What the &^%@! I'm sure the natives appreciated how special god thought Columbus was, right? OK, that's a separate complaint.

I belong to the Florida state homeschool association - the FPEA. They are a secular, all-inclusive group. Yet the ONLY class ring they offer this year has their logo on one side and a HUGE cross on the other. (I am sure my Jewish friend appreciates that.) I've tried to have discussions with the director, but she let me know that was how it was and if I wanted another option, I was welcome to go to Wal-Mart (sans the FPEA logo). She also suggested I speak with the vendor offering the rings and let them know of my displeasure. (Yeah, I'm sure Gilstraps Christian Class Rings really wants to hear from me.) After that, she has refused to answer my questions. Nice.

I would love for education to be about education. I would love to have open, intellectual discussions about methods of learning and various curriculum without it becoming about god every time I turn around. Am I dreaming?

Read the rest of The holy ground…

READ ALOUD: 1 hour, 30 minutes and 15 minutes

Worked on creating "clubhouse" on porch. Decorated and wrote signs.

Singapore Math - Lesson 17

Stepping Stones - 4 pages

Read from Usborne World Religions and discussed prayer & worship

Visited zoo with friends - walked the Dinosaur exhibit and identified herbivores & carnivores. Went on a fossil dig. Spoke with zoo volunteers about specific types of dinosaurs.

Created Mermaidia playland with blocks, clothing, props, etc. and recreated the movie.

Read the rest of Monday, April 24, 2006

I feel like I have been dredged through a lake of gravel and amazingly made it to the other side intact. Last week I had horrible news that nearly shattered my world. I knew that it would come to pass this weekend and, though I dreaded it, I did my best to center myself with what I know to be true - I cannot control anything outside myself. Nor should I try. D. read my cards more than once last week and the message was the same - my future demanded I nurture myself. Whatever else shall pass is outside of my control.

D. suggested I envision the problem being worked out. Visualize happiness, and send my energy to those that need it. In the past, I would call that denial, but instead I concentrated on using positive thoughts and seeing with my mind's eye a happy resolution.

Today I received word that not only will my world not be shattered, life is happy, and great, and a new beginning. I am going to use this experience to refocus my family on what is real and important and yet so fragile.

Never, never take those you love for granted.

Read the rest of New beginnings…

READ ALOUD: 1 hour; 30 minutes; 45 minutes; 10 minutes

Went to dentist - discussed dental care

Attempted ear piercing - long discussion on knowing our personal limits and trusting ourselves

IHN Field trip to Medieval Times

Worked on KidPix & Disney Artist Studio CD-ROM's

Handwriting practice on cards & clubhouse signs

Played Squiggle with mom (and beat the pants off me!)

Swimming

Inspected snake skin and estimated length (skin was missing head). Discussed the habitat of a snake and tried to figure out where in our yard he disappeared to.

Wrote in her journal - shared a few pages with me. She drew/wrote about a medieval clothing store and drew clothes for boys and girls. Handwriting practice.

Read 1 page aloud to me from The Boxcar Children - The Amusement Park Mystery

Read the rest of Thursday April 20th - Sunday April 23, 2006

I am feeling better today. D. is right - I know exactly what I need to do and I shouldn't worry about what others think. I obsess when I need to. Obviously, it works. Syd has had one reaction. Ever.

OK, so today I am going to embrace her peanut allergy. I am concentrating on what I love about it. How does it make my life better? Why does it make me thankful?

1. It has caused us to be very aware of the foods we eat and, hopefully, that will remain with Sydney and encourage her to make healthy choices.

2. Restaurant meals are virtually eliminated. Huge $$$ savings.

3. PA is sooooo easy to deal with compared to multiple food allergies. I am grateful we just have PA. I can make Sydney practically anything. No substitutions.

4. It could be so, so much worse. I have known 2 little girls in my life who have died from leukemia. I consistently gave blood to one of them over a period of a year, naively thinking I was making a difference. At least with PA I do have some level of control. I have a good chance of keeping Sydney well, and alive.

5. PA brought us to homeschooling. I had never considered it before. Though we are now committed to homeschooling and would continue even if the allergy disappeared tomorrow, we wouldn't be here right now if not for PA.

6. It has helped me see people as they really are. How they feel on the inside. There are people who get it, people who don't, and those that get it but refuse to care. I have known them all. I can recognize them all. Without PA, I might have thought some people had a good heart, just by the facade they project.

Read the rest of What I LOVE about this Peanut Allergy

I can feel myself going through another cycle. I feel like I am talking too much about Syd's peanut allergy again. Maybe because the 4 year anniversary of her reaction was a month or two ago. When people ask me questions, I feel like I tend to give too much information. Or too much enthusiasm. I feel like I am *always* talking about it. I don't want to bore my friends, but it seems like we always end up on that topic. And I don't want to! There is so much more to Sydney than this damn allergy. Yet it permeates every facet of our lives. My friends analyze what they eat when we're not even around! LOL! I don't want Sydney to hear it brought up so much that she starts identifying with her allergy alone.

We have such wonderful friends. They have shown nothing but love and understanding. I can't believe how lucky we are. A year and a half ago we had to stop visiting my in-laws because they refused to protect Sydney. It is so amazing to me that we are surrounded by so many great people.

Maybe I am talking about it more because it has been so long since her reaction. I fear every day for a reaction. I barely recognized the first one. Would I see it in time if it happens again? Would it happen quicker this time? People die within 5 minutes. I won't get much time to debate myself. What would Sydney do this time? She'd remember it, that's for sure. She might stop trusting me, if I let her eat something that causes a reaction. Or she might not make it. I can't even describe the feeling that thought gives me.

I am going to the FPEA convention in May with some friends. I started hyperventilating when I realized I would be away on Sydney's last day of gymnastics camp. There are *so* many things that could go wrong. Sometimes I get paralyzed with fear. I thought about not going to the convention. Or not letting her go to last day of camp. But there are so many ways she/we are restricted already - I don't want to impose limitations out of fear. I don't want to be like that.

Most days we get along fine with this PA. But sometimes I want to stand on a roof and scream at the top of my lungs "IT"S NOT FAIR!!!!!!" Other times, I want to curl up in a fetal position in my closet and cry for what we have lost. No, I still have Sydney, but we lost much of the simple joys of childhood. I mourn the life she'll never know. I mourn my chance at being a normal Mom.

Read the rest of The voices in my head

D. read my tarot cards today. Regardless of the bad rap tarot cards get in mainstream society (due to ignorance - check out their origins and then pass judgement), no one could have denied their clarity today.

D. said my "present" card showed a heavy weight, something that I have been thinking about that is weighing me down. I started to cry. She was spot-on. I hope I didn't freak her out. The good part was my "future" card. It was calming, centered. We basically interpreted it to mean that I can nurture myself and my small world, but there is nothing I can do to control the vastness of, well, everything. That reassured me that no matter what happens, I have to do what is right for me and I cannot fix other people's problems. Nor should I try.

Life has a way of throwing you curves when you least expect it. I need to remember that control and normalcy are just an illusion.

Read the rest of Mysteries of the world….

READ ALOUD: 30 minutes

Drama class

Play time at friends house

Created a picture for dentist appt. tomorrow

Made another Figure It Out game for Tom & I

Independent reading at bedtime

Read the rest of Wednesday, April 19, 2006

READ ALOUD: 15 minutes

Spectrum Phonics 1st Grade - 2 pages Mutually decided not to continue with this book. She's way past this.

Stepping Stones - 2 pages (Breakthrough: Syd got stuck on one page and instead of having a meltdown just said "Let's skip this page." WOW!!)

Singapore Math K 2A - Lesson 16

Practiced skip counting by 5's

Sidewalk chalk drawings on chalkboard (made a self-portrait) and driveway (created a seashell store)

Discussed Stranger Danger and role played possibilities

Sorted candy for party by type and counted each group

Gymnastics class

Listened to School House Rock - Science Rock! CD

Listened to Spanish Fun for Kids CD

Visted Riverwalk Park - viewed art from sidewalk chalk art contest; helped transfer a baby horseshoe crab into the touch tank (Syd remembered the name of the crab when asked by Gayle!); demonstrated to Gayle how to use their Digital Blue microscope; identified sea urchins in tank; inspected a Luna Moth that had just emerged from its cocoon; walked to the lagoon and identified different spiders, learned about their webs; spent time at the lagoon, learned a lagoon is 50% salt water and 50% fresh.

Created a Figure it Out game show for me & Tom to participate in, modeled after the TV version

Read the rest of Tuesday April 18, 2006

READ ALOUD: 20 minutes

Art co-op - made beaded necklaces

Swimming with friends

Visited library & self-selected books

Practiced reading by reading the book titles and authors off my library fine receipt list!

Discussed friendship and how much it means to have friends take care of your peanut allergy - explained how this allergy affects the lives of others

Had a discussion about babies, ovaries, eggs, and fertilization

Watched Supernanny and talked about the kids behavior. Sydney came up with some positive and negative reinforcements for herself, should she misbehave.

Read the rest of Monday April 17, 2006