Tuesday was about as mellow as they come around here...we are definitely slowing down. Devotional happened while the older ones were at seminary, but then it was time for scattering. Liliputian was having a harder morning so we spent time together doing a very calm, supportive piano lesson. I would rub her shoulders and praise her often, softening the hurt I could see all coiled up inside of her. After we finished, she went elsewhere to read, much more calm.
At that point, lacking energy still, I asked Pipalicious if she wanted to read with me, since we hadn't gotten to it the day before. As I sat there snuggling with her, I thought about all the needs I was meeting at once: snuggling (physical affection), praising her (verbal affirmation), the obvious of helping her learn how to read and, finally, the moral lessons of hard work, love of family, and respect that she reads about in the Pathway Readers series. I love them! We are definitely doing more one-on-one times lately, but I think the kids are fine. The Goob feels it a little, but he has been diligently working on some amazing stop motion cartooning with stick figures. I love to see his humor emerge as he does it. The other kids are developing more responsibility in following their own lists of scholastic goals for the day, checking them off, and reporting to me. All great lessons!
After lunch complete with cool placemats with everything from maps to anatomy to telling time in front of them, we had some reading time while I tickled Chugger-dude's tummy as we lay in the hall. We talked about the section of "Little Britches," looking for examples of charity. Then I sat in the hallway with Liliputian doing a math workbook on one side of me and Hava on the other, snuggling, while Spooner went to sleep in the crib in the next room. Hava read a chapter to me before Spooner fell asleep, just in time for Avot to start sign-language choir and dance.
The kids worked for about two hours polishing up their dances and sign-language songs because we had some friends coming over to play basketball that afternoon with us at the church and then they were going to come to our house afterward. Our friends said they were willing to watch our performance so the kids were ecstatic :)! It was fun to listen to their singing and dancing while I drifted in and out of sleep. About mid-point between my "nap," my four year old came in to snuggle and ended up falling asleep as well. Lots of snuggling today!
We had a great time with our friends and hopefully my husband will upload the videos of their performance onto our youtube station. They did an African dance since we are focusing on Africa this month and it was very energetic. After doing an assortment of Disney songs and other fun numbers with sign language, they invited everyone in the room to a "dance off" doing the African moves as well. Our friends were great sports, joining in enthusiastically. I was the only one who didn't make it (the repetitive jumping up and down did "wonders" for the ligaments under my tummy, but I had to give it a try :)!). Then the kids all ran off and played together while I enjoyed some talking time with my friend.
Looking at the day, it was good even if it was slower paced. No history chapter was read at lunch per the plan. Geo Safari never emerged. However, the kids played some math games on their own, got a lot of exercise, learned leadership and collaboration skills, did some kinesthetic learning, reading and had their "core" development with family reading and devotional. Their work was completed on time and responsibly and they reported at our late "dinner" that night of waffles, yogurt and syrup...not the healthiest meal ever since my 10 year old talked me into all white flour waffles. "We never have those any more...just...*sigh*...wheat ones." Poor dear. Mother torturing him with health food :). It worked, though, although the rest of them were more tactful at enjoying it without comparing it with the usual wheat ones. They know their mother well!
I feel it is important to include the "different" looking days and point out the learning that happens all around us. Even at the end of the day, my son learned how to make waffles that night, learned some skills in negotiation (he ended up loading the dishwasher for me and clearing the countertops off as part of the "deal" of white waffles), and we spent time together. My second oldest shared some interesting points out of a book he is reading, "Gifted Hands," that were particularly inspiring. Like I said, a good day.
At that point, lacking energy still, I asked Pipalicious if she wanted to read with me, since we hadn't gotten to it the day before. As I sat there snuggling with her, I thought about all the needs I was meeting at once: snuggling (physical affection), praising her (verbal affirmation), the obvious of helping her learn how to read and, finally, the moral lessons of hard work, love of family, and respect that she reads about in the Pathway Readers series. I love them! We are definitely doing more one-on-one times lately, but I think the kids are fine. The Goob feels it a little, but he has been diligently working on some amazing stop motion cartooning with stick figures. I love to see his humor emerge as he does it. The other kids are developing more responsibility in following their own lists of scholastic goals for the day, checking them off, and reporting to me. All great lessons!After lunch complete with cool placemats with everything from maps to anatomy to telling time in front of them, we had some reading time while I tickled Chugger-dude's tummy as we lay in the hall. We talked about the section of "Little Britches," looking for examples of charity. Then I sat in the hallway with Liliputian doing a math workbook on one side of me and Hava on the other, snuggling, while Spooner went to sleep in the crib in the next room. Hava read a chapter to me before Spooner fell asleep, just in time for Avot to start sign-language choir and dance.
The kids worked for about two hours polishing up their dances and sign-language songs because we had some friends coming over to play basketball that afternoon with us at the church and then they were going to come to our house afterward. Our friends said they were willing to watch our performance so the kids were ecstatic :)! It was fun to listen to their singing and dancing while I drifted in and out of sleep. About mid-point between my "nap," my four year old came in to snuggle and ended up falling asleep as well. Lots of snuggling today!
We had a great time with our friends and hopefully my husband will upload the videos of their performance onto our youtube station. They did an African dance since we are focusing on Africa this month and it was very energetic. After doing an assortment of Disney songs and other fun numbers with sign language, they invited everyone in the room to a "dance off" doing the African moves as well. Our friends were great sports, joining in enthusiastically. I was the only one who didn't make it (the repetitive jumping up and down did "wonders" for the ligaments under my tummy, but I had to give it a try :)!). Then the kids all ran off and played together while I enjoyed some talking time with my friend.
Looking at the day, it was good even if it was slower paced. No history chapter was read at lunch per the plan. Geo Safari never emerged. However, the kids played some math games on their own, got a lot of exercise, learned leadership and collaboration skills, did some kinesthetic learning, reading and had their "core" development with family reading and devotional. Their work was completed on time and responsibly and they reported at our late "dinner" that night of waffles, yogurt and syrup...not the healthiest meal ever since my 10 year old talked me into all white flour waffles. "We never have those any more...just...*sigh*...wheat ones." Poor dear. Mother torturing him with health food :). It worked, though, although the rest of them were more tactful at enjoying it without comparing it with the usual wheat ones. They know their mother well!
I feel it is important to include the "different" looking days and point out the learning that happens all around us. Even at the end of the day, my son learned how to make waffles that night, learned some skills in negotiation (he ended up loading the dishwasher for me and clearing the countertops off as part of the "deal" of white waffles), and we spent time together. My second oldest shared some interesting points out of a book he is reading, "Gifted Hands," that were particularly inspiring. Like I said, a good day.
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