going to school, cleanning up
noemi hiraishi
This morning my dd and I joinned the school activity at the pound
of our nearby park. This is the second activity that dd joinned
since the school year began in April. The first activity she
joinned was the field trip.
She is 7 yo and is listed as a student at the ps designated by
the ward. Here in Japan all children are authomatically listed
in one of the ps nearest his/her home. The principal knows that
we are homeschooling and has openned the school for us. We are
to come and go as we wish. The vice principal and dd class
teacher even told us to "utilize" the school as best fit to our
needs.
As they keep us informed of the activities, dd chose to join the
activity today.
We, as parents, feels that this is a good arrangement. There is
no other hs around. Since we are open to the school and the
school to us we have been in peace with them. dd has been
playing daily with her "school mates". Little by little dd is
getting courageous and expressing her education choice. Little
by little the children in our neiborhood are learning to respect
our choice. When I tell them that Aya learns at home, at park,
at museums, at libraries ...etc, they all get envious.
I wished she read more and wrote more. She is too busy playing
outside, and while inside home she is too busy drawing. Learning
to write Japanese, the 5000 plus ideograms, is as much the same
as learning to writing English. Children do it naturally when
the right time/needs come. I once doubted that, until I saw a
Japanese unschooled 8 yo.
.......
Cleanning up.
I am having a hard time at home. Books, papers, pencil,
magazines and toys are everywhere. I keep reminding me of when dd
was hospitalized and our 36 m. square place was clean and well
organized, I should be grateful that dd is very active...
I know that. That is, my brain knows that but my mouth screams.
How much cleanning up after a child mess do you allow?
I try not to tell dd to put back all little objects she takes
out. I have told her know how much I appreciate clean places and
that I do not like messes and how much messes irritates me. I
have places designated for most of the objects and toys and
books. She has her own places that she can keep as she wants, but
we have to share all of the 36 m square we live in...
noemi in warm Tokyo living the World Soccer cup on day to day
basis as husband is crazy about it. Besides his talks, the peace
around us is as usual.
of our nearby park. This is the second activity that dd joinned
since the school year began in April. The first activity she
joinned was the field trip.
She is 7 yo and is listed as a student at the ps designated by
the ward. Here in Japan all children are authomatically listed
in one of the ps nearest his/her home. The principal knows that
we are homeschooling and has openned the school for us. We are
to come and go as we wish. The vice principal and dd class
teacher even told us to "utilize" the school as best fit to our
needs.
As they keep us informed of the activities, dd chose to join the
activity today.
We, as parents, feels that this is a good arrangement. There is
no other hs around. Since we are open to the school and the
school to us we have been in peace with them. dd has been
playing daily with her "school mates". Little by little dd is
getting courageous and expressing her education choice. Little
by little the children in our neiborhood are learning to respect
our choice. When I tell them that Aya learns at home, at park,
at museums, at libraries ...etc, they all get envious.
I wished she read more and wrote more. She is too busy playing
outside, and while inside home she is too busy drawing. Learning
to write Japanese, the 5000 plus ideograms, is as much the same
as learning to writing English. Children do it naturally when
the right time/needs come. I once doubted that, until I saw a
Japanese unschooled 8 yo.
.......
Cleanning up.
I am having a hard time at home. Books, papers, pencil,
magazines and toys are everywhere. I keep reminding me of when dd
was hospitalized and our 36 m. square place was clean and well
organized, I should be grateful that dd is very active...
I know that. That is, my brain knows that but my mouth screams.
How much cleanning up after a child mess do you allow?
I try not to tell dd to put back all little objects she takes
out. I have told her know how much I appreciate clean places and
that I do not like messes and how much messes irritates me. I
have places designated for most of the objects and toys and
books. She has her own places that she can keep as she wants, but
we have to share all of the 36 m square we live in...
noemi in warm Tokyo living the World Soccer cup on day to day
basis as husband is crazy about it. Besides his talks, the peace
around us is as usual.
Nancy Wooton
on 6/5/02 11:12 PM, noemi hiraishi at noeminh@... wrote:
who could pick up the legos fastest and who could make the loudest sound
dropping them into the bucket! Make a routine of picking up everything
several times a day: before going to the park, before lunch, before dinner,
before bedtime, for instance. Help her learn to put away what she takes
out. I try to not insist on only one activity out at a time, because my
kids might be combining stuff: the timer from one game, the cards from
another, drawing materials for creating a whole new game; to me, it might
just look like a giganitic mess, but it's not to them. My kids are older
now (12 and 14) and their stuff is more compact (how much room do 20 game
cartridges take, after all?); our clean-up is usually before dad gets home,
and before bed. These are good life skills to have; its a way of showing
respect to the other people you live with, whether they're parents, spouses
or roommates.
of play with you. Don't leave her alone with orders to clean up, and don't
make cleaning a punishment; I think that's why so many women have trouble
keeping their homes clean.
Nancy in a HOT San Diego, CA
> Cleanning up.Have her help pick up; make a game of it. My son and I used to race to see
>
> I am having a hard time at home. Books, papers, pencil,
> magazines and toys are everywhere. I keep reminding me of when dd
> was hospitalized and our 36 m. square place was clean and well
> organized, I should be grateful that dd is very active...
>
> I know that. That is, my brain knows that but my mouth screams.
> How much cleanning up after a child mess do you allow?
>
who could pick up the legos fastest and who could make the loudest sound
dropping them into the bucket! Make a routine of picking up everything
several times a day: before going to the park, before lunch, before dinner,
before bedtime, for instance. Help her learn to put away what she takes
out. I try to not insist on only one activity out at a time, because my
kids might be combining stuff: the timer from one game, the cards from
another, drawing materials for creating a whole new game; to me, it might
just look like a giganitic mess, but it's not to them. My kids are older
now (12 and 14) and their stuff is more compact (how much room do 20 game
cartridges take, after all?); our clean-up is usually before dad gets home,
and before bed. These are good life skills to have; its a way of showing
respect to the other people you live with, whether they're parents, spouses
or roommates.
> I try not to tell dd to put back all little objects she takesShe won't learn how to do it on her own; she's not motivated. Make it part
> out. I have told her know how much I appreciate clean places and
> that I do not like messes and how much messes irritates me. I
> have places designated for most of the objects and toys and
> books. She has her own places that she can keep as she wants, but
> we have to share all of the 36 m square we live in...
of play with you. Don't leave her alone with orders to clean up, and don't
make cleaning a punishment; I think that's why so many women have trouble
keeping their homes clean.
Nancy in a HOT San Diego, CA
[email protected]
Dear Noemi,
I know how hard it is to keep a small home tidy. Our house is very small
and can look messy if one thing is out of place. ( And it always looks
messy! )
But when you're old and Aya is grown and living her own life away from
you, and when you look back on your life, knowing your home was always
clean won't bring you any happiness. Knowing Aya was free to play and
learn and grow will be the thing that makes you smile. When she is
grown you'll have all the time in the world to keep your home looking
nice. Right now is the only time your sweet daughter has to be a happy
child.
Love & Peace,
Deb L
I know how hard it is to keep a small home tidy. Our house is very small
and can look messy if one thing is out of place. ( And it always looks
messy! )
But when you're old and Aya is grown and living her own life away from
you, and when you look back on your life, knowing your home was always
clean won't bring you any happiness. Knowing Aya was free to play and
learn and grow will be the thing that makes you smile. When she is
grown you'll have all the time in the world to keep your home looking
nice. Right now is the only time your sweet daughter has to be a happy
child.
Love & Peace,
Deb L
Fetteroll
on 6/6/02 2:12 AM, noemi hiraishi at noeminh@... wrote:
she'll be too old! So whatever it is that kids get out of the playing they
do as children, they need to do it now or it will be too late. She has the
rest of her life to read and write. She only has now to play.
Joyce
> I wished she read more and wrote more. She is too busy playing outsideAnd in a few years she won't be able to play the way she does now because
she'll be too old! So whatever it is that kids get out of the playing they
do as children, they need to do it now or it will be too late. She has the
rest of her life to read and write. She only has now to play.
Joyce