Zander: hey Dad, did you know that someone once sold a corn flake in the shape of Illinois for $1,300?
Dad: wow, that's some cornflake.
Zander: yeah.
Dad: (thinking) here it comes...
Zander: Do we have any cornflakes?
Dad: (going in to Adon's bedroom) time to wake up, big kid --
Adon: ...
Dad: you know I know when you're faking being asleep, right?
Adon: ...
Dad: do I need to send Louie (the chihuahua) in here to lick your face?
Adon: that would be kind of nice, actually.
11/18/10
11/1/10
10/18/10
getting the proverbial act together
Where to start... where to start... is essentially the problem. Waking up, trying to get the day going, and being paralyzed by all the little things that need to be done. The way forward is just to take on one little thing at a time, see some progress, and use the momentum to get as much done as possible and be happy about what's left on the list. Getting the boys to buy into this idea, well, that's a different challenge.
There is danger in living this lifestyle, in terms of "getting things done," anyway. Being able to wake up whenever I want leads to things like... doubts about whether I actually need to take showers on a regular basis. Before you say "eeewww" to yourself, keep in mind that unless you are interfacing with other adults that clean themselves head to toe on a daily basis, you really don't need to. Feeling like I can choose when things get done, however, leads to not doing said things in a timely manner. Shirking! One of the lesser-known deadly sins.
I have organizational skills; nay, compulsions, that need to be engaged on a regular basis in order to feel like life is under control. However, sometimes I look at the organizational situation and see a pattern of building blocks that need to be themselves reorganized in order to suit my needs. Sometimes the groundwork for laying those building blocks just involves too much work, and I come down with a case of the fuckits.
Compounding the situation is the fact that I recently was diagnosed with Crohn's disease -- an autoimmune disorder that causes gastrointestinal problems, and in my case, arthritis and severe fatigue. These symptoms got worse over the summer, to the point where I got the fuckits immediately after waking up in the morning. Fortunately, with this diagnosis, I am now getting some help and therapy and feeling much better.
So, now is the time to figure out how to get this organizational plan together. I need to accommodate the boys' needs first: school, play, appointments and chores. If I am properly prepared, they can do some of that stuff on their own, which leaves me time for the second priority: my schoolwork. After that, I need to do freelance work, then housework. I also need to get more exercise; being a summer shirker and treating the disease that was actually making me keep some weight off has led to a couple extra ellbees, and I need to get a plan in place now before I wake up someday soon and I don't fit out the door anymore.
Unfortunately the proper order for those priorities does not always fit into the flow of the day. I also get hung up on doing my schoolwork when the house is not clean! So annoying. We are also exploring what it's like to be part of a charter school this semester, and that places new responsibilities on both me and the kids, ones that we are not used to (more on that later). Unexpected crazy inventiveness from the #2 boy also shaves of a huge chunk of time, and random appointments and errands take away the parts of the week I mentally reserved for regular upkeep. However, these are things I need to honor and not dismiss.
What to do? I'm not saying I know at this point. We just bought a couple of extra items of furniture for the area around the computer desk, in an attempt to create more compartments for organization. I am excited about this. I think I will then decide on a few chunks of time per day or week that are committed to certain chores, and keep them like appointments. If I don't get too carried away with that idea, then I can still have "unorganized" time to use for whatever. And maybe I will feel like I am getting some sort of act together!
There is danger in living this lifestyle, in terms of "getting things done," anyway. Being able to wake up whenever I want leads to things like... doubts about whether I actually need to take showers on a regular basis. Before you say "eeewww" to yourself, keep in mind that unless you are interfacing with other adults that clean themselves head to toe on a daily basis, you really don't need to. Feeling like I can choose when things get done, however, leads to not doing said things in a timely manner. Shirking! One of the lesser-known deadly sins.
I have organizational skills; nay, compulsions, that need to be engaged on a regular basis in order to feel like life is under control. However, sometimes I look at the organizational situation and see a pattern of building blocks that need to be themselves reorganized in order to suit my needs. Sometimes the groundwork for laying those building blocks just involves too much work, and I come down with a case of the fuckits.
Compounding the situation is the fact that I recently was diagnosed with Crohn's disease -- an autoimmune disorder that causes gastrointestinal problems, and in my case, arthritis and severe fatigue. These symptoms got worse over the summer, to the point where I got the fuckits immediately after waking up in the morning. Fortunately, with this diagnosis, I am now getting some help and therapy and feeling much better.
So, now is the time to figure out how to get this organizational plan together. I need to accommodate the boys' needs first: school, play, appointments and chores. If I am properly prepared, they can do some of that stuff on their own, which leaves me time for the second priority: my schoolwork. After that, I need to do freelance work, then housework. I also need to get more exercise; being a summer shirker and treating the disease that was actually making me keep some weight off has led to a couple extra ellbees, and I need to get a plan in place now before I wake up someday soon and I don't fit out the door anymore.
Unfortunately the proper order for those priorities does not always fit into the flow of the day. I also get hung up on doing my schoolwork when the house is not clean! So annoying. We are also exploring what it's like to be part of a charter school this semester, and that places new responsibilities on both me and the kids, ones that we are not used to (more on that later). Unexpected crazy inventiveness from the #2 boy also shaves of a huge chunk of time, and random appointments and errands take away the parts of the week I mentally reserved for regular upkeep. However, these are things I need to honor and not dismiss.
What to do? I'm not saying I know at this point. We just bought a couple of extra items of furniture for the area around the computer desk, in an attempt to create more compartments for organization. I am excited about this. I think I will then decide on a few chunks of time per day or week that are committed to certain chores, and keep them like appointments. If I don't get too carried away with that idea, then I can still have "unorganized" time to use for whatever. And maybe I will feel like I am getting some sort of act together!
9/22/10
hard day
Adon had a tough day yesterday. It started out all right but ended with teasing, fighting and disappointment with his so-called peers... heavy sigh. As a parent, it's hard to see your kid get picked on, and even harder to help them through it without wanting to cast aside your own advice and strangle whoever hurt them in the first place. Adon needed something, though, so I wrote him a little poem to (hopefully) help him get through the cusp of teenagerhood:
growth 9/22/10
for Adon
good morning, little tree
a night’s rest
was good for you
your leaves shine in the sun
your branches reaching for new light
a little rain, a little wind
pushing you, strengthening you
it comes and goes
twigs fall, leaves grow
life is long
and your spirit strong
lithe and tough
from years
of shoots intertwined
of roots seeking deeper truths
hard bark
splitting, re-knitting
making strong and supple armor
growing tall, holding fast
I see you’re a little taller –
yesterday was good for you
stretching, seeking, reacting, distracting
all good for you
even the worst storms
reveal the most strength
underneath
the roots hold fast,
the trunk stays strong,
branches flex in the wind
and revel in it all
I know your happy leaf-faces
are waiting for the shining sun
even enjoying the rain
for the new life it brings
and the chance
to grow a little taller
tomorrow.
growth 9/22/10
for Adon
good morning, little tree
a night’s rest
was good for you
your leaves shine in the sun
your branches reaching for new light
a little rain, a little wind
pushing you, strengthening you
it comes and goes
twigs fall, leaves grow
life is long
and your spirit strong
lithe and tough
from years
of shoots intertwined
of roots seeking deeper truths
hard bark
splitting, re-knitting
making strong and supple armor
growing tall, holding fast
I see you’re a little taller –
yesterday was good for you
stretching, seeking, reacting, distracting
all good for you
even the worst storms
reveal the most strength
underneath
the roots hold fast,
the trunk stays strong,
branches flex in the wind
and revel in it all
I know your happy leaf-faces
are waiting for the shining sun
even enjoying the rain
for the new life it brings
and the chance
to grow a little taller
tomorrow.
8/25/10
summer curriculum recap
Astronomy: Adon and I stayed out late and saw some Perseid meteors; we lounged in our patio chairs and saw 1 about every 5 minutes between 11 and 11:30 PM on the night they peaked. He is well-steeped in astronomy already, it was more a relaxing observation than a lesson. I discovered he needs to bone up on his constellations, though.
Art: Both boys are intent on drawing comics. Adon's are pretty funny; Zander's are a little derivative since he is mostly copying Adon's ideas so far. I will post 1 or 2 when I can.
Literature: The boys always read a lot; they recently got into Tintin comics at my suggestion. Adon has also been reading the Wizard of Earthsea series, and Zander is reading "science experiment" and chemistry books. Thus:
Chemistry and physics: We explored viscosity, displacement, and density here:
Cuisine: Adon and Mom spent a lot of time and energy preparing a yummy chicken satay dinner for us, with homemade peanut sauce. Like, from peanuts. The boys did a lot of shelling!
Exercise / Sports: The boys have been progressing nicely in their martial arts training. Adon became a green belt recently and Zander is about to go up to purple. The gratifying things about their training are that they are dedicated to practicing and exercising at home as well as in class, they have a sense of accomplishment and purpose to go along with their goals for improvement, and they have incorporated respect, determination, and cheerful obedience into their attitudes.
Math: Adon and Zander love the online resource Khan Academy in addition to the other math learning and practice we do. Check it out; I love the way Mr. Khan presents such a massive amount of material in such easy-to-absorb units.
The boys continue to amaze me with their creativity and passion for LEGOs, games, drawing, making movies, playing with garage Band to make music, and all the other miscellaneous things they are free to explore, share, and fall in love with!
Art: Both boys are intent on drawing comics. Adon's are pretty funny; Zander's are a little derivative since he is mostly copying Adon's ideas so far. I will post 1 or 2 when I can.
Literature: The boys always read a lot; they recently got into Tintin comics at my suggestion. Adon has also been reading the Wizard of Earthsea series, and Zander is reading "science experiment" and chemistry books. Thus:
Chemistry and physics: We explored viscosity, displacement, and density here:
Cuisine: Adon and Mom spent a lot of time and energy preparing a yummy chicken satay dinner for us, with homemade peanut sauce. Like, from peanuts. The boys did a lot of shelling!
Exercise / Sports: The boys have been progressing nicely in their martial arts training. Adon became a green belt recently and Zander is about to go up to purple. The gratifying things about their training are that they are dedicated to practicing and exercising at home as well as in class, they have a sense of accomplishment and purpose to go along with their goals for improvement, and they have incorporated respect, determination, and cheerful obedience into their attitudes.
Math: Adon and Zander love the online resource Khan Academy in addition to the other math learning and practice we do. Check it out; I love the way Mr. Khan presents such a massive amount of material in such easy-to-absorb units.
The boys continue to amaze me with their creativity and passion for LEGOs, games, drawing, making movies, playing with garage Band to make music, and all the other miscellaneous things they are free to explore, share, and fall in love with!
8/24/10
homemade strawbabies
hand grown strawberries, cultivated by the Scholl boys:
not our first crop, but probably the largest so far.
not our first crop, but probably the largest so far.
7/26/10
experiment day
Zander checked out 5 or 6 science-experiment books at the library last week, and today we are working on some of the simpler ones. Adon is helping with some of the more difficult bits, and I am explaining the science as they go. So far:
Density and displacement
One of the experiments calls for three layers of liquid with different densities, to show the kids how they separate and "float" on top of each other. We used pancake syrup, water with green food coloring, and corn oil. Then it asks them to drop different objects in (carefully) to see where they end up in the suspension, showing how an object will sink to the depth where it has the same density as the fluid around it.
Zander, being Zander, wanted to drop all kinds of stuff in, so we had to talk about how some of his objects also caused displacement in the liquid, and would float in a lighter density liquid than the actual density of the item. We went about it semi-scientifically; when he came up with a new item to try, he and Adon both guessed where it would end up before we dropped it in. We ended up with the following items in our suspension:
The boys are working on a "grain elevator" now, I will update with the results later!
Density and displacement
One of the experiments calls for three layers of liquid with different densities, to show the kids how they separate and "float" on top of each other. We used pancake syrup, water with green food coloring, and corn oil. Then it asks them to drop different objects in (carefully) to see where they end up in the suspension, showing how an object will sink to the depth where it has the same density as the fluid around it.
Zander, being Zander, wanted to drop all kinds of stuff in, so we had to talk about how some of his objects also caused displacement in the liquid, and would float in a lighter density liquid than the actual density of the item. We went about it semi-scientifically; when he came up with a new item to try, he and Adon both guessed where it would end up before we dropped it in. We ended up with the following items in our suspension:
- rice
- blueberry
- M&Ms
- Gobstopper
- bottle cap
- Chik-O-Stik
- Lucky Charms marshmallow bit
- marbles
- penny
The boys are working on a "grain elevator" now, I will update with the results later!
6/2/10
5/24/10
ah... summer
Well, I'm done with my second semester of grad school! Whew. The last few weeks have been extra busy, but now we can relax a bit and roll into the summer schedule. I've had to put off some of the projects around the house and some activities with the boys, but we'll get back into it now that I'm not completely consumed with research and writing. The boys need to keep working on some school subjects (math, hello!), but it's not a huge deal for them since they aren't chomping at the bit to be released from a six- or eight-hour grind. They actually haven't done much academically at all the last few weeks, since I have been too busy to provide good guidance or activities. So, ironically, my guys get to participate in more school stuff during the summer, since I have more time to teach them! Lucky devils.
We will also have more time (and better weather) to get out and exercise and practice baseball and soccer. We're still going to focus on martial arts over other organized sports, for now. Zander just got his green belt, and we love how much the boys are learning about focus, respect, dedication, and commitment, as well as the physical skills. Otherwise, we'll keep practicing our other favorite sports on our own, preparing for the day when our family schedule can handle more real extracurricular activities.
We used our weekend to get started, playing baseball every day for the last three. We also got back into working on Cub Scout stuff with Zan, who will be moving up to Bear cub this week. We got twenty more electives done, which means two more silver arrow points before he moves up. We also FINALLY repaired Zander's electric car, which had been damaged and wouldn't run for 9 or 10 months. I took the sucker apart, with some trepidation from the boy ("I kinda trust you, Dad." gee, thanks, son --), tightened up some things, relocated some things, and got it all back together. Zander breathed a big sigh of relief when we took it off the charger the next day and it actually worked as good as new. He's been bombing around on it ever since!
The boys love comics and have been drawing comics of their own just about every night. They are developing quite a repertoire of doodles, and are starting to understand how practicing a LOT can give you the skill to whip out an idea without sweating the details of the drawing too much. (I'll post some actual drawings when I get some scanned).
Adon was has been beta-testing a new MMO videogame; we can't tell you the details since we are sworn to secrecy, but suffice to say that it combines one of Adon's big loves with another. It's a lot of fun. Zan and I have also been jumping on, using extra character slots in Adon's account, so we get to have fun too. Once the testing period is over, we will post news of our adventures in virtual reality!
We will also have more time (and better weather) to get out and exercise and practice baseball and soccer. We're still going to focus on martial arts over other organized sports, for now. Zander just got his green belt, and we love how much the boys are learning about focus, respect, dedication, and commitment, as well as the physical skills. Otherwise, we'll keep practicing our other favorite sports on our own, preparing for the day when our family schedule can handle more real extracurricular activities.
We used our weekend to get started, playing baseball every day for the last three. We also got back into working on Cub Scout stuff with Zan, who will be moving up to Bear cub this week. We got twenty more electives done, which means two more silver arrow points before he moves up. We also FINALLY repaired Zander's electric car, which had been damaged and wouldn't run for 9 or 10 months. I took the sucker apart, with some trepidation from the boy ("I kinda trust you, Dad." gee, thanks, son --), tightened up some things, relocated some things, and got it all back together. Zander breathed a big sigh of relief when we took it off the charger the next day and it actually worked as good as new. He's been bombing around on it ever since!
The boys love comics and have been drawing comics of their own just about every night. They are developing quite a repertoire of doodles, and are starting to understand how practicing a LOT can give you the skill to whip out an idea without sweating the details of the drawing too much. (I'll post some actual drawings when I get some scanned).
Adon was has been beta-testing a new MMO videogame; we can't tell you the details since we are sworn to secrecy, but suffice to say that it combines one of Adon's big loves with another. It's a lot of fun. Zan and I have also been jumping on, using extra character slots in Adon's account, so we get to have fun too. Once the testing period is over, we will post news of our adventures in virtual reality!
4/7/10
torn
When I first saw this, I laughed like crazy. Calvin is a cultural icon that speaks to the rebellious, devious, and (over)imaginative little kid in all of us. I was all set to broadcast my approval of this funny and post it to Buzz (sorry, I hate FB), when I had second thoughts. As an adult with children (one of whom is very close to having his name changed to Calvin, due to his uncanny resemblance), I have developed two different appreciations of Calvin.
On one hand, I love the free spirit and imagination of the natural born troublemaker. Calvin is fun. My kid is fun. On the other hand, I wonder "Why can't the little spaz do what his parents want JUST ONCE? Just once!" My wife and I have had our share of anguish about our kid's temper tantrums, inability to focus (read: sit still and be quiet), and attitude problems. We, like many other parents, considered medication. However, we are extremely fortunate to be able to spend a large amount of our time and energy to deal with outbursts and other inappropriate hyperactive behavior, and work with our child to bring his behavior into line without using drugs.
Of course, my wife and I at times have felt like WE were the ones who needed the drugs. We cried in our pediatrician's office just talking to her about it. However, even in the face of our little breakdown, she advised us against it, and said: keep doing what you're doing, it will turn out all right. * heavy sigh.*
We are also friends with or know plenty of people who do need to medicate their children, and we do not judge them for their choices. So, rushing to post this comic felt like a little bit of a betrayal. People without kids think it's funny to put down people who medicate their children, not having walked that proverbial mile in their shoes.
On the other hand, I do uphold the belief that parents should do everything they can, and more than they think they can, in order to avoid imposing an artificial limit on their childrens' personalities. Relatives might not understand, teachers might be frustrated, but it's too important to give your kid a chance to be themselves, and learn how to live within the rules on their own, even if it's hard for you as a parent. How can we preach to our kids that it's "OK to be yourself," and then turn around and take that away from them?
As I argue with myself (and mentally hear my readers arguing with me), I also realize that certain kids are not happy, out of control, and chemically unbalanced. Someone I know has a child who went on Ritalin at thirteen, after spending his life up to that point being held back and looked down on, who transformed into a confident, well-spoken teenager. He ended up in the armed forces, and is making a career out of it. She says now that he would never have had the opportunities he does now if he had struggled through without medication, and knowing him, I believe it.
My conclusion? There is no conclusion. We do what we do as parents every day to give our kids everything we can. We adapt, grow, sometimes just survive. Whatever gets you through, lets you sleep at night, and gives you a bit of hope for the future. Good luck.
2/20/10
Return of the Dangerous Book for Boys
This week Zander dragged out the Dangerous Book for Boys again. I say again, because it was gift to me from my Dad for Father's Day three years ago. At that time, we used the book as the inspiration to make bows and arrows, learn (or re-learn, in my case) how to tie some knots, and most importantly, to build a tree house:
This time around, Zander is a much better and more active reader, so he came out with the book one morning and had a whole bunch of new ideas! He flagged about twenty pages.
We started with making paper airplanes -- since Adon is a major paper airplane engineer, we were interested to see if the DB's "Greatest Paper Airplanes in the World" lived up to their billing. We like the Bulldog Dart, but that's about as far as we got before we moved on to the next thing, Morse Code.
Zander is writing a book in which one of the main characters is a space alien who speaks in Morse Code (since we humans can't understand his language). Zan translated the phrase "leave now" using the book, then wanted to play marbles.
Finally, we decided to try to make the homemade battery. We needed 10 quarters, 10 squares of blotter paper, 10 squares of aluminum foil, small gauge copper wire, an LED, apple cider vinegar, and salt. We got everything together but realized we still needed apple cider vinegar, so we had to put this one off for a couple of days. When we finally got the vinegar, we soaked the blotter paper in a vinegar and salt solution and stacked foil/paper/quarters until we had a pile. We attached the wires to the foil on one end and the last quarter on the other, then attached the wires to the LED, and... viola! Nothing happened.
Zan was bummed after waiting so long. Not being sure what the problem was, I told him we might need a different solution, or thicker blotter paper (to hold more solution), or better wires. He wasn't havin' it. In this, he is no scientist -- he doesn't want to sit around all day trying things, he just wants the cool trick to HAPPEN. I may go back to it myself, just to figure out what went wrong. Adon has supplies to make a little more robust battery in his science kit, so maybe I'll get him going on that, and have Zan participate in order to see a little different approach that will probably actually work! He might not sit still for it for long, because what he REALLY wants to make from the DB is a go kart! :)
Off we go to garage sales, looking for wheels --
 |
| Tree House |
This time around, Zander is a much better and more active reader, so he came out with the book one morning and had a whole bunch of new ideas! He flagged about twenty pages.
We started with making paper airplanes -- since Adon is a major paper airplane engineer, we were interested to see if the DB's "Greatest Paper Airplanes in the World" lived up to their billing. We like the Bulldog Dart, but that's about as far as we got before we moved on to the next thing, Morse Code.
Zander is writing a book in which one of the main characters is a space alien who speaks in Morse Code (since we humans can't understand his language). Zan translated the phrase "leave now" using the book, then wanted to play marbles.
Finally, we decided to try to make the homemade battery. We needed 10 quarters, 10 squares of blotter paper, 10 squares of aluminum foil, small gauge copper wire, an LED, apple cider vinegar, and salt. We got everything together but realized we still needed apple cider vinegar, so we had to put this one off for a couple of days. When we finally got the vinegar, we soaked the blotter paper in a vinegar and salt solution and stacked foil/paper/quarters until we had a pile. We attached the wires to the foil on one end and the last quarter on the other, then attached the wires to the LED, and... viola! Nothing happened.
Zan was bummed after waiting so long. Not being sure what the problem was, I told him we might need a different solution, or thicker blotter paper (to hold more solution), or better wires. He wasn't havin' it. In this, he is no scientist -- he doesn't want to sit around all day trying things, he just wants the cool trick to HAPPEN. I may go back to it myself, just to figure out what went wrong. Adon has supplies to make a little more robust battery in his science kit, so maybe I'll get him going on that, and have Zan participate in order to see a little different approach that will probably actually work! He might not sit still for it for long, because what he REALLY wants to make from the DB is a go kart! :)
Off we go to garage sales, looking for wheels --
2/18/10
Outdoor Lunch by ZJS Catering
One of Zander's Cub Scout activities (the second to last that he has to do before becoming a Wolf Cub, woohoo!) is to help plan and cook an outdoor meal with the family. We are having lovely warm weather right now, so we took the opportunity to grill some homemade burgers for lunch. Zander came up with the menu, wrote up a shopping list, collected everything at the store, helped prep the food and cook the burgers, and set the patio table. The burgers were delicious (they got the Gourmet Adon Seal of Approval), the ambiance was very pleasant, and Zander got a big glow of satisfaction for a job well done!
2/3/10
"Typical" homeschool kitchen table?
Are you a homeschooler or unschooler? Does this look familiar? :) Please share!
Click to see a larger version:
Click to see a larger version:
1/25/10
SketchUp!
Adon wandered up to me while I was cleaning the fishtank, and with a strange, almost petulant tone, said "Dad, when can I learn how to do 3D digital design?
:|
Uh, anytime you want? Was I preventing you from learning 3D digital design? Hie thee to the computer!
"Well, could you show me how to do it?"
Ah, now we're talkin'. Of course! Let's just goooooo, download SketchUp! from Google, watch the tutorials, and you're in business! Now, you know this is not 3D animation, right?
"Yeah, I figure I'd better start with the basics."
I love this kid!
30 minutes later (I went back to cleaning the fishtank), he had created this:
:|
Uh, anytime you want? Was I preventing you from learning 3D digital design? Hie thee to the computer!
"Well, could you show me how to do it?"
Ah, now we're talkin'. Of course! Let's just goooooo, download SketchUp! from Google, watch the tutorials, and you're in business! Now, you know this is not 3D animation, right?
"Yeah, I figure I'd better start with the basics."
I love this kid!
30 minutes later (I went back to cleaning the fishtank), he had created this:
1/19/10
vacation's over!
Although, for us, vacation is pretty much whenever we feel like it. In this case, I was done with my semester on December 14th, so at that point the boys and I kinda took it easy on schoolwork (although since I had more time to devote to helping them, we took some opportunities to study anyway).
Kart Racing
We celebrated Zander's birthday by taking him to a local indoor kart racing track called RPM Racing. Eight is their minimum age, so we bought both boys the Junior Membership, which includes training and track time.
The boys, of course, had a blast. They raved about it to Grandpa Stan, who very generously gave all three boys (including me) race passes for three more races each for Xmas. We have used two so far and are saving the last one for a time when Mommy can come watch.
Xmas Time
We were also eagerly anticipating Xmas, though our schedule was going to be a bit crazy. Mommy has been planning a trip to India and Bangladesh to conduct research for her Master's thesis for some time now, and as it turns out, she was set to leave on December 26th! So, the boys and I did our normal thing (with a little shopping thrown in) until Xmas Eve, when we had a nice dinner with Grandpa Stan and relatives from Southern California. Then we had Xmas Day to ourselves, and the boys made out like bandits.
Mommy, however, eventually had to finish packing, and then the next day we drove her to SFO for the start of her big adventure. We spent the day after that with Grandpa Dave, my sisters and their families. After that, the boys and I were on our own for the next three weeks. We had a nice New Year's Eve; the boys managed to stay up to watch the ball drop and drink sparkling apple and blueberry juice. Woohoo!
"Vacation"
While Mommy was away and our friends were on break from public school, we decided to take a break as well. We have very few rules about what HAS to get done during any particular school day; part of our approach is to allow as much time as possible for any particular project or area of interest for the day, the other part is to not force the children to do things they hate in the name of "education." However, we do find it useful to require the children to earn "screen time" (which includes TV, non-educational computer, and video games) by reading or working on workbooks. So, we still tried to keep from zombifying ourselves, but didn't enforce the usual screen time rules.
The boys are still going to karate, however, and part of the program involves encouraging the students to keep up with chores by recording daily progress on a chart. Once the chart is complete, they can turn it in for a special star-shaped patch that they can sew on their gi. Students can earn different-colored stars for lots of different things, including good grades (gold star), consistent attendance (silver star), reading a certain number of books (navy blue star), or helping the dojo (red star). The boys decided to be a little more consistent about earning the chore-chart star for the month of January. We're still working on it, but it helped us initiate a daily karate-practice routine combined with some exercise.
Miscellaneous
In the meantime, we have spent some time on learning! Adon is interested in astronomy, so he spent his Barnes and Noble Xmas gift card on two astronomy books. He also got a cool science kit from Grandpa Dave and Grandma Tina, which has been really fun to set up and fool around with.
Zander continues to come up with funny ideas for video mash-ups and animations, so we have been trying to follow up on that as much as possible, but what I really want is for him to use the tools we have for video capture and editing to make his vision a reality. Being an eight-year-old boy in this day and age, however, he has little patience for anything that takes too long or too much effort or explaining. He just wants his imagination to spring to life as soon as he utters the concept. So I have been easing him into it a bit at a time, working with him on simple stuff that he can learn to do himself, yet not berating him or doing it FOR him when his attention flags. Sometimes he gets into it and follows through, sometimes he gets distracted and bails. You can see some of the results on our YouTube page.
Both boys are also writing books. We were talking about our goals for the new year, and I mentioned that I want to write, paint, and draw more, in addition to my studies in grad school. Adon piped up and said that he wanted to be a writer, too. He wants to write songs and books, so we started talking about some of his ideas, and I finally (gently) pointed out that if he wanted to be a writer, he needed to actually write some of this stuff down! So he went straight to the computer and began a new book. Zander couldn't be left out and started his own book too.
Last week we went to Explorit in Davis again. This time, the theme was "Exploring our Universe." Adon had a field day. At one point he even corrected the instructor when she showed us a picture of a quasar and called it a black hole. She asked him (in a typical teacher's "oh, yeah?" voice) what a quasar is, and he nailed it. The other parents mentioned later how impressed they were, but they were all homeschoolers too, and it's just one example of what a kid can do when they learn on their own terms.
Kart Racing
We celebrated Zander's birthday by taking him to a local indoor kart racing track called RPM Racing. Eight is their minimum age, so we bought both boys the Junior Membership, which includes training and track time.
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| From Zander's Eighth Birthday |
The boys, of course, had a blast. They raved about it to Grandpa Stan, who very generously gave all three boys (including me) race passes for three more races each for Xmas. We have used two so far and are saving the last one for a time when Mommy can come watch.
Xmas Time
We were also eagerly anticipating Xmas, though our schedule was going to be a bit crazy. Mommy has been planning a trip to India and Bangladesh to conduct research for her Master's thesis for some time now, and as it turns out, she was set to leave on December 26th! So, the boys and I did our normal thing (with a little shopping thrown in) until Xmas Eve, when we had a nice dinner with Grandpa Stan and relatives from Southern California. Then we had Xmas Day to ourselves, and the boys made out like bandits.
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| From Xmas 2009 |
Mommy, however, eventually had to finish packing, and then the next day we drove her to SFO for the start of her big adventure. We spent the day after that with Grandpa Dave, my sisters and their families. After that, the boys and I were on our own for the next three weeks. We had a nice New Year's Eve; the boys managed to stay up to watch the ball drop and drink sparkling apple and blueberry juice. Woohoo!
"Vacation"
While Mommy was away and our friends were on break from public school, we decided to take a break as well. We have very few rules about what HAS to get done during any particular school day; part of our approach is to allow as much time as possible for any particular project or area of interest for the day, the other part is to not force the children to do things they hate in the name of "education." However, we do find it useful to require the children to earn "screen time" (which includes TV, non-educational computer, and video games) by reading or working on workbooks. So, we still tried to keep from zombifying ourselves, but didn't enforce the usual screen time rules.
The boys are still going to karate, however, and part of the program involves encouraging the students to keep up with chores by recording daily progress on a chart. Once the chart is complete, they can turn it in for a special star-shaped patch that they can sew on their gi. Students can earn different-colored stars for lots of different things, including good grades (gold star), consistent attendance (silver star), reading a certain number of books (navy blue star), or helping the dojo (red star). The boys decided to be a little more consistent about earning the chore-chart star for the month of January. We're still working on it, but it helped us initiate a daily karate-practice routine combined with some exercise.
Miscellaneous
In the meantime, we have spent some time on learning! Adon is interested in astronomy, so he spent his Barnes and Noble Xmas gift card on two astronomy books. He also got a cool science kit from Grandpa Dave and Grandma Tina, which has been really fun to set up and fool around with.
Zander continues to come up with funny ideas for video mash-ups and animations, so we have been trying to follow up on that as much as possible, but what I really want is for him to use the tools we have for video capture and editing to make his vision a reality. Being an eight-year-old boy in this day and age, however, he has little patience for anything that takes too long or too much effort or explaining. He just wants his imagination to spring to life as soon as he utters the concept. So I have been easing him into it a bit at a time, working with him on simple stuff that he can learn to do himself, yet not berating him or doing it FOR him when his attention flags. Sometimes he gets into it and follows through, sometimes he gets distracted and bails. You can see some of the results on our YouTube page.
Both boys are also writing books. We were talking about our goals for the new year, and I mentioned that I want to write, paint, and draw more, in addition to my studies in grad school. Adon piped up and said that he wanted to be a writer, too. He wants to write songs and books, so we started talking about some of his ideas, and I finally (gently) pointed out that if he wanted to be a writer, he needed to actually write some of this stuff down! So he went straight to the computer and began a new book. Zander couldn't be left out and started his own book too.
Last week we went to Explorit in Davis again. This time, the theme was "Exploring our Universe." Adon had a field day. At one point he even corrected the instructor when she showed us a picture of a quasar and called it a black hole. She asked him (in a typical teacher's "oh, yeah?" voice) what a quasar is, and he nailed it. The other parents mentioned later how impressed they were, but they were all homeschoolers too, and it's just one example of what a kid can do when they learn on their own terms.
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