Charlotte and Wilbur

I'm fairly new to life as a homeschool mom, but not as new as I was a year and a half ago.  That small amount of experience has taught me to relax a little bit.  In fact, I am finding that it is best if kids are not super focused on academics at this age.  We "do school" every weekday.  We work on things like math, writing, reading, etc.  We study history and science because those subjects fascinate the kids.  But I'm learning to let go of my previous expectations.  I'm learning to fit our lessons into times that work best for the kids.  I've stopped interrupting them when they are deep in imaginary play. 

We spend hours each day simply reading.  Lately we have been re-reading Charlotte's Web.  While I made dinner tonight, Charlotte and Wilbur appeared in our living room.  Big sister, Charlotte the spider, got out magnetic letters and spelled Some Pig, Terrific, Radiant, and Humble in her web.  Little brother, Wilbur the pig, said words like Salutations and talked about what they meant.  As a home educator, I think of these activities as spelling, vocabulary, etc.  But even more important, these experiences allow us to bond as a family.  They give us the opportunity to laugh together.  The kids are learning to love learning.  I sat by a cute little pig during dinner and the pretty little girl sitting across from me became a little girl named Fern.

Homeschool seemed very mysterious  to me before I started doing it.  Since then, I've come to appreciate the simplicity of home education.  Teaching young kids is about building relationships, not knowledge.  Teaching is about nurturing a love of reading and learning.  It is about encouraging imagination, creativity, and curiosity.  It doesn't take much more than picking up a great book, reading it together, and giving kids time to play.

Judgement or Grace

Sally Clarkson is an author I have grown to really appreciate.  If you are a mom, I highly recommend her books to you.  Any of them!

You can get a little preview of her writing and her heart in this great post on her blog.

A house is not a home...

I love cats and books.  I always have.  If I wasn't married with kids, I imagine I'd be an old spinster with oodles of cats and piles of books.  I suppose I would work in a library.  You can picture it right?

But since I have been blessed with an amazing husband and darling children, I spend hours every day reading to my kids.  Funny thing, they love books too!  We snuggle on the couch and read great books.  I'm learning an awful lot about history and science.  From time to time I get kicked in the head by my four year old son who doesn't exactly "sit" and listen.  And I am reminded to laugh.  When my voice gets tired I hand the book to my six year old daughter and she does the reading.  We cuddle up, we learn, we laugh, we love.  Life is good.

When I was about fourteen, I desperately wanted a cat.  I had unsuccessfully asked my parents if I could have a cat.  Then I figured it out, my house didn't feel like a home without a cat.  And I said so, "Mom, a house really isn't a home without a cat."  Who knew that simple heartfelt statement would work?  It wasn't long before I got to bring Milo home.  Milo, my friend with long, orange fur.

I've been thinking about this lately.  When my kids go to bed, I snuggle up on the couch with more great books, a cup of tea, and my two black cats.  I feel very much at home.  But it isn't the cats, or the books, that make me feel at home.  It is the love that fills our house.  It is knowing that my husband is in the room with me, that my kids are tucked safely in their beds, and that we tucked them in with words of love.

As a teenager I felt like I was in a house that wasn't quite a home, not because the people weren't loving, but because my parents were often gone.  It is easy to realize how much young kids need their parents to be home, how much they need their parents' time and attention.  Little kids tell you, they make their needs known.  No matter what they say, or don't say, I believe that bigger kids need their parents to be available just as much as the little ones do.  As my little kids get bigger, I plan to still be here.  I plan to keep on reading to them.  Even if I drive them crazy and they wish I'd go away.  I hope that my presence and love will continue to make our house a home.  And if I'm mistaken on this point?  Don't worry, we've got the cats.

Summer days in the Sunflower House

Near the beginning of the summer, the kids and I planted a Sunflower House.  I wrote a little about it in this post.

Arik and Anna in the Sunflower House in July.

The sunflowers grew fast.  They grew huge. 

Anna near the sunflowers in August.

Anna and Arik spent many happy hours playing in their Sunflower House.  We read stories in the shelter of huge blossoms. 

Joel and the kids camped in the backyard, right next to the Sunflower House of course.

Language learning

Long before my kids were born, I had plans to teach them more than one language.  I mentioned that desire, and how well my initial attempts went, in this post.

So I was off to a later start than I anticipated, but not willing to give up my efforts.  I heard from multiple sources that Rosetta Stone was a great program to use for acquiring a second language.  Last year I taught my daughter at home, but with assistance from a county funded charter school.  The charter school provided us with free access for using Rosetta Stone.  I was so excited!  And then so disappointed to discover that it didn't fit with my daughter's learning style (at least at this age).

Hmm... what to do?  I don't expect my kids to become fluent in another language at this age.  But I do want to expose their minds and ears to other languages and make it easier for them to learn when they are old enough to value the benefits of knowing a second (or third, or fourth...) language.

Then it dawned on me.  I taught my kids how to speak English!  I didn't purchase an expensive curriculum to assist in my efforts.  They speak English very fluently (in fact they rarely stop using their language skills).  In just a few short years, they have been quite successful at largely mastering English.  So what did I do?  I talked to my kids, I played with them, and I read books to them.  They still like it when I talk to them, play with them, and read to them.  Can I teach them Spanish in much the same way?

I'll give it a try!  I took about 3 years of Spanish in high school and college.   My knowledge base and pronunciation of the language leave a little (well quite a bit) to be desired.  We purchased a children's Spanish dictionary.  Other than that we have been relying on the library to aid in our learning journey.  We have been checking out duplicate copies of children's picture books, one in Spanish and one in English, and reading them side by side.  I have found books by Eric Carle to be especially useful for this.  His books have fun illustrations, a fairly simple storyline, and lots of repetition.  We've also been borrowing CDs in Spanish, both stories and music.  I figure that will help us with pronunciation, even if we are not able to understand all that we hear.

We have been playing games to help the kids remember what they are learning.  For example, when learning colors, the kids ran to an object that was the color I said.  I have also been trying to mix some Spanish words into my everyday conversations with the kids.  "Can you please bring me the shirt de rojo?"  So far everyone is having fun learning a new language!

Dictionary in hand

I'm reading, with a dictionary nearby.  I had mentioned in this post that I was hoping to start reading some classic literature.  When I stopped to think about it, I was quite amazed to realize just how few classic books I've read.  I've always loved reading.  But quite often I read pretty mindless books as a method of relaxation.  Or parenting books with the hope of finding some miraculous bit of wisdom.

It seems I had a mental block regarding "classic" literature.  Maybe it had something to do with Cliffsnotes?  Obviously, if you need a book to explain a book, it must be pretty boring or challenging to read, right?  That mental block is now gone.

The first book I chose in my new venture was Uncle Tom's Cabin.  No dictionary was needed.  It was interesting to read, heartbreaking, and inspiring.  I am now reading Pride and Prejudice.  I have benefited from the use of my dictionary for finding the definitions of words like filial, asperity, and obsequiousness.  But for the most part, it is simple to understand and a very amusing read.  Both are great books that I highly recommend.

A sunflower house

Last fall, the kids and I discovered this book:  Sunflower House by Eve Bunting.  They wanted to read it many times.  And then, they wanted to plant their very own Sunflower House.

They patiently waited for the arrival of summer, sunflower time.  Repeatedly, they reminded me "Don't forget about the Sunflower House!  Don't forget to buy seeds."  In June, I dug up the soil for the sunflower seeds and the kids joyfully planted.

The sunflowers are growing quickly.  We are curious when the blossoms will appear.  Anna decided she could be the blossom for now.  "Look, Mom, I'm a sunflower!"  "Why yes, you are my darling girl!  Keep on growing and blooming.  I'll try to provide enough water and nutrients.  Let Jesus be your sunshine!"

Lots of books, and a mean little girl

 It is summer! We are taking a break from full days of school at our house. We've had lots of time for chores, playing, gardening, and oodles of reading.

Here are some of the books the kids and I have read together in the past week or two. We have been spending 2 or 3 hours reading together each day. Today we read The Boxcar Children, the entire thing. My son was doing somersaults on the couch as I read, but he was listening. I had my daughter do a narration of some of the chapters. I'd take a break to do some chores and the kids would beg me to read more.

 Yesterday we read The Hundred Dresses. It is a story about a poor girl who is teased by the other children. The little girl telling the story didn't tease her, but realized the teasing was wrong and yet did nothing to stop it. When I was in grade school and junior high I treated some of my classmates terribly. I was one mean little girl. To this day I feel awful about that, and I wish I could see those people I treated so badly and have a chance to apologize. If you have kids of any age, or are a teacher, this is a wonderful book to read to them.

We've been reading and learning from these books each day as well.

 No book can compare to reading the Bible. Just this week, the book of Mark has given me the chance to teach my kids about circumcision, adultery, and divorce! All topics I would rather they learned about from me than from someone else. It has also given me the chance to teach them about the God who loves us so much that he sent his Son Jesus to save us. And about Jesus, the King who came to Earth as a servant and a teacher.

In the evening, I spend some more time reading! Here are the books I've read this month. What are you reading at the moment? I'm planning to read some classics next. Do you have a favorite that you would recommend?

Lessons from Pooh

An excerpt from The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne, Chapter 6:

... (Pooh) tripped over something, and the fir-cone jerked out of his paw into the river.  "Bother," said Pooh, as it floated slowly under the bridge, and he went to get another fir-cone which had a rhyme to it.  But then he thought that he would just look at the river instead, because it was a peaceful sort of day, so he lay down and looked at it, and it slipped slowly away beneath him... and suddenly, there was his fir-cone slipping away too.
"That's funny," said Pooh.  "I dropped it on the other side," said Pooh, "and it came out on this side!  I wonder if it would do it again?"  And he went back for some more fir-cones.  It did.  It kept on doing it.  Then he dropped two in at once, and leant over the bridge to see which of them would come out first; and one of them did; but as they were both the same size, he didn't know if it was the one which he wanted to win, or the other one.  So the next time he dropped one big one and one little one...
And that was the beginning of the game called Poohsticks, which Pooh invented, and which he and his friends used to play...

Lessons to be learned:
1.  Read the original Winnie the Pooh Books and poetry by A.A. Milne.  It is great!  Read it to your kids, too.  Read lots of great classic literature!
2.  Spend time enjoying nature.
3.  Experiment and let your creativity flow.  This is how we learn and grow and is especially important for kids.  Unstructured, relaxed time is so beneficial.
4.  Spend time playing with your friends!
5.  When frustrating things happen, just say "Bother!" and move on.

I'm probably missing some great lessons that can be pulled from this.  These are just a few that stood out to me.  My daughter just turned 5 and for the past year or so we have been reading many great chapter books for kids.  At first I was surprised by how long she was able to listen and how well she was able to narrate the story back to me.  Sometimes she was wiggly, sometimes she colored or cut paper while I read, but those things seem to aid in concentration for young kids rather than distract.  I was also surprised by how much I've enjoyed reading these books with her!  We've had lots of fun laughing together and we've learned together as well.

Some of our favorites:
1.  Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (we also enjoyed Trumpet of the Swan and Stuart Little)
2.  Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
3.  Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books by Betty MacDonald (I edited the content a little as I read them, also if you have kids who like to try everything they hear you may want to avoid these!)
4.  Casey the Utterly Impossible Horse by Anita Feagles

This is just a brief list.  I'm sure I've forgotten some!  And these are just the "chapter books."  We've had so much fun with picture books, too.  That list might show up in another post.