[email protected]

Hi,

My guy, almost 10, has been cracking the reading code his own way since about 8. Words are everywhere and he notices them, reads them, sounds them out, asks questions every day. He reads some books when he wants too, reads the monopoly cards, but he still is not a confident reader yet. He is ok with this, I am ok with this. Recently he was in a local Nutcracker production. Each group hangs out together when not on stage and play games. They were all playing apples to apples and the leader, a young 14 year old happily read to my guy as needed, no big deal. However, when my son asked a peer to read something for him, she made a big deal about him not being able to read. She went so far as to say, "Is it because your stupid?" My guy responded with grace, as he does, and told her he homeschools, and reading isn't required at a certaim age... But I was wondering, I want to give him some quick line that gets the point across, shuts down the negative confrontation and helps my guy feel ok
with himself. Something like "many great men have been later readers and I intend to be one too."

Any thoughts for me to pass to him? Any later readers out there who have coping advice stories I can share with Riley?

Happy Winter,

Mary

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Schuyler

Simon isn't reading yet. He's 9. I've had friends of his ask me why he isn't
reading and I just say its a code he hasn't broken yet. But, because they
know him, it isn't in the face of being asked if he's stupid. His sister,
Linnaea, who is 6 is reading. And when she first read a book I was worried
that Simon would feel stupid. And I asked him if it bothered him and he said
"I'm better at other things that Linnaea isn't so good at. Reading is just
something she figured out before me." And that kind of self-esteem, gosh, I
can't even imagine that some stranger would shake it. Your son sounds like
he has the same great sense of self. I wouldn't worry about him needing
something snappy to say. I think he handled the situation with incredible
aplomb and grace.

Schuyler
www.waynforth.blogspot.com
----- Original Message -----
From: <mfhickman@...>
To: "unschooling basics" <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 5:36 PM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] later readers and social situations with peers


> Hi,
>
> My guy, almost 10, has been cracking the reading code his own way since
> about 8. Words are everywhere and he notices them, reads them, sounds them
> out, asks questions every day. He reads some books when he wants too,
> reads the monopoly cards, but he still is not a confident reader yet. He
> is ok with this, I am ok with this. Recently he was in a local Nutcracker
> production. Each group hangs out together when not on stage and play
> games. They were all playing apples to apples and the leader, a young 14
> year old happily read to my guy as needed, no big deal. However, when my
> son asked a peer to read something for him, she made a big deal about him
> not being able to read. She went so far as to say, "Is it because your
> stupid?" My guy responded with grace, as he does, and told her he
> homeschools, and reading isn't required at a certaim age... But I was
> wondering, I want to give him some quick line that gets the point across,
> shuts down the negative confrontation and helps my guy feel ok
> with himself. Something like "many great men have been later readers and I
> intend to be one too."
>
> Any thoughts for me to pass to him? Any later readers out there who have
> coping advice stories I can share with Riley?
>
> Happy Winter,
>
> Mary
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

laura g

i dont know what would be good to say but i can think of several things i
would have been tempted to say.


>From: mfhickman@...
>Reply-To: [email protected]
>To: [email protected] (unschooling basics)
>Subject: [unschoolingbasics] later readers and social situations with peers
>Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 17:36:26 +0000
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>
>Hi,
>
>My guy, almost 10, has been cracking the reading code his own way since
>about 8. Words are everywhere and he notices them, reads them, sounds them
>out, asks questions every day. He reads some books when he wants too, reads
>the monopoly cards, but he still is not a confident reader yet. He is ok
>with this, I am ok with this. Recently he was in a local Nutcracker
>production. Each group hangs out together when not on stage and play games.
>They were all playing apples to apples and the leader, a young 14 year old
>happily read to my guy as needed, no big deal. However, when my son asked a
>peer to read something for him, she made a big deal about him not being
>able to read. She went so far as to say, "Is it because your stupid?" My
>guy responded with grace, as he does, and told her he homeschools, and
>reading isn't required at a certaim age... But I was wondering, I want to
>give him some quick line that gets the point across, shuts down the
>negative confrontation and helps my guy feel ok
> with himself. Something like "many great men have been later readers and
>I intend to be one too."
>
>Any thoughts for me to pass to him? Any later readers out there who have
>coping advice stories I can share with Riley?
>
>Happy Winter,
>
>Mary
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

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laura g

my kids love to draw and i try to keep all the materials they need very
accessable cause they draw, cut, glue, and tape at all our of the day and
night. they spread this stuff everywhere but i think it is important for
them to be able to get to it. besides if i tried to put it up they would
find the stuff, they are very good at using chairs to reach things. One
thing that is bothering me though is my almost 4 year old thinks he should
be able to draw on anything. I find his name and other letters, skulls and
crossbones, ships, rockets on the walls, the furniture, the floor. I never
see him doing this, just walk in the kitchen to get something and come back
and there it is. He is very proud of his drawings and claims them
everytime. My dh gets angry so i try to keep it cleaned up but some of it
wont clean off some surfaces and like he gouged marks with a pen in our
dresser. Dh actually threatened to spank him last time he drew on my moms
walls (he has never spanked him and wouldnt either but he was mad
obviously). I think dh thinks it is my fault cause i just talk to him about
it. And point him toward paper. Our house is a mess cause I cant keep up
with them (and i dont make house keeping a priority) and dh is kind of
embarressed about the house at times and this adds to its overall look. We
dont have to many nice things but the few we do are written on. Anyway, any
ideas. I talked to him today about it cause he had drawn all over the t.v.
cabinet. Is a few weeks from 4 to young to expect this kind of impulse
control?

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[email protected]

In a message dated 12/19/2006 1:49:27 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
lalow@... writes:

ideas. I talked to him today about it cause he had drawn all over the t.v.
cabinet. Is a few weeks from 4 to young to expect this kind of impulse
control?



HUGE PIECES OF BUTCHER PAPER all over the walls and furniture. Taped up so
that almost every surface is paper. Then you reward with big hugs and kisses
when he draws on the paper. Try to stay calm while showing him you aren't too
excited about any future drawings on furniture or walls, but of course it is
normal, LOL. Then you can start making the surfaces with the paper smaller,
less paper, more walls, kind of like training the puppy to pee on the
newspaper? Please remind your husband that this is only now, it gets better and it
lasts such a short time. Also tell him that this "drawing all over everything"
will be such a funny story to tell when you are being interviewed because
your son is 30 and has his art displayed in museums. You really TRULY never
know with kids. What if he becomes a famous artist who specifically draws on
furniture and sells his pieces all over the world? It would be sad to stifle
that. Hope the paper thing works. It is all I could think of!!!!!!!!

Adriana




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Debra Rossing

I don't think it's too young in some ways and it is in other ways (how's
that for a non-answer lol). What is it he gets out of it?

For instance, painted walls or wallpaper have different textures, the
writing looks different there. If that's related, maybe get some
inexpensive (free) wallpaper samples or sections of board you can paint
and hang as "art areas" in various places. Paint over it (primer
necessary) whenever it starts getting crowded - maybe take a digital
photo of it first.

Maybe it's just handy when he has an idea right at the moment and "can't
wait" to find paper to sketch it out. If that's the case, maybe creating
safe to draw on areas in each room - using chalkboard paint for instance
or putting up whiteboards or wallpapering a section with a sheet of the
brown butcher paper stuff (we have several rolls, it comes in packs of 4
or 6 rolls at Sam's Club and other places).

Also, put any permanent inks up or remove them from the house and leave
more readily washable writing implements at hand for a while.

Back long ago when I was in college, they were coming through to repaint
the dorm hallways and public areas. Since they had to prime it anyhow,
they gave us notice as to when they would be by for that and said Go
ahead and write on the walls if you want, the primer will cover it. So
we did - we got pens and markers and made a huge mural all down the
walls. Then they came and painted over it. It was really fun - and I was
19 at the time!

Deb

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Michelle Leifur Reid

On 12/19/06, laura g <lalow@...> wrote:
> my kids love to draw and i try to keep all the materials they need very
> accessable cause they draw, cut, glue, and tape at all our of the day and
> night. they spread this stuff everywhere but i think it is important for
> them to be able to get to it. besides if i tried to put it up they would
> find the stuff, they are very good at using chairs to reach things. One
> thing that is bothering me though is my almost 4 year old thinks he should
> be able to draw on anything.

Butcher paper or newsprint!! Butcher paper is nice in that it is
white and easily stored and has a waxy back so marker doesn't bleed
through to the back. Newsprint is cheap as most newspaper offices
will give or sell it cheaply (I think our newspaper sells end rolls
for $3-$5 and there is still quite a bit of paper left on the roll).
Tape it to your walls. Let him go to town! My kids love wall art
because it is big and wide and they aren't limited by an 8.5 x 11
sheet of paper. It also is easy to clean up. Another idea is to
paint a wall or section of a wall with chalkboard paint and get him a
big box of colored chalk. Again this is giving him a place to create
that is for him. If you own your own house consider painting his room
(or the hall or another wall that you are willing to give him) with a
semi-gloss or gloss paint and just resolve to the fact that when you
move or he moves out of this stage you will just paint the wall, but
being gloss has a better ability for cleaning if need be before then
(those magic erasers will take off almost anything from the walls!)

My dream has always been to have a "quotes wall" Grafitti in the
house. A plain colored walls that friends and family and guests can
write quotes on. Big, small, fancy, in their own handwriting or
fonted. Quotes on paper could be glued on or mearly tacked or taped.
Marker, paint, crayon, I don't care the medium. I"m a tad older than
your son and I still want to write on the walls :)

Michelle

Debra Rossing

>My dream has always been to have a "quotes wall" Grafitti in the house

A friend's daughter did that (with their okay). Whenever she read a
Bible passage or saw a quote from someone that touched or inspired her,
she'd write it down somewhere on the walls or framing (around the
windows and door). This was over years and years, from probably around
10 or 11 years old on up until quite recently (she's in her early 20s
now I think). Over time, it became a visual reminder of her growing up
and becoming who she is now.

Deb

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

laura g

Thanks for the ideas. I will try the tacking some paper to the walls. The
other thing I keep thinking as I type with a monitor with a blue magic
marker mark across it is 1) I need to keep a better eye on him and 2) he
draws on whatever is there when he gets the impulse to draw. So maybe paper
available all over the house instead of in two places not near where he gets
the impulse. He is a sweet little boy and he loves to see what will happen.
He will dissappear in the bathroom with a smile and I will follow him
asking what he is up to. "just a speramint Mama" as he unravels all the
toilet paper and puts it in the sink or fills up the sink with water and
dunks his toys in it. I am afraid to think of all the things he has
flushed. :)

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[email protected]

Hi,

Riley's feelings were hurt by the insult. He's venturing out more into the mainstream world too, around more people who don't get trust and self learning. He'll be flying down to San Diego next month, off to New mexico next summer. I see more and more raised eyebrows the older he is and he's a guy who feels hurts very deeply, that's why I'm wondering what others with later readers have experienced.

Mary

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Carrie Yandell

I had a friend who really loved graffiti with spray cans. His mom,
hung up giant sheets all over his bedroom and he just went to town. It
was the coolest thing ever! I think the paper hanging up all over the
house is an awesome idea :)

Carrie

plaidpanties666

--- In [email protected], "Debra Rossing"
<debra.rossing@...> wrote:
>Over time, it became a visual reminder of her growing up
> and becoming who she is now.

One of the communes I lived in had a door frame where the kids'
heights were all marked - in permanent ink on the frame. Over time
adults heights were added. Now when we go back for a visit its like
a "guest book" - you can see who has been visiting, who's grown up
already, who has new kids.... It makes a great place to start
conversations and reconnect as a larger community.

---Meredith (Mo 5, Ray 13)

laura g

we actually have a door to our basement where we do this. It had the growth
marks of two generations of kids that grew up in this house prior to our
moving in. We didnt have the heart to paint over it so we just added our
kids. It is kind of fun to mark the kids height on it and measure then in
comparison to the kids we dont know.

Thanks for all the ideas. I will look at his art as him expressing
himself.. and will try to convince his Dad to too. The wall and door jams
all need to be painted anyway.



>
>One of the communes I lived in had a door frame where the kids'
>heights were all marked - in permanent ink on the frame. Over time
>adults heights were added. Now when we go back for a visit its like
>a "guest book" - you can see who has been visiting, who's grown up
>already, who has new kids.... It makes a great place to start
>conversations and reconnect as a larger community.
>
>---Meredith (Mo 5, Ray 13)
>

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plaidpanties666

Something just occurred to me - can you get some scrap wood somewhere?
A crafty neighbor, maybe. I was thinking of your guy gouging your
dresser and I could just *feel* that in my hands - the satisfaction of
the pen sinking into the wood. Ahhhhh. Or maybe wander around a craft
shop looking at everything as a possible writing surface.

Another "surface" to consider is glass - windows and mirrors. Water-
based markers come right off (Crayola markers write the best) and
tempera paints produce a lovely stained-glass look.

---Meredith (Mo 5, Ray 13)

Debra Rossing

Oh and don't forget the bathtub crayons so he can scrawl all over the
bathroom tiles and it washes right off (well, mostly anyhow, I think
there's still a tiny shadow of green in one area where it didn't get
washed off for several days).

Also, any Crayola product will have information on their website as to
how to remove it from various surfaces.

Deb

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Shelly

Our twin boys, age 3, have chalkboard paint on their wall. 3 green
walls one black. They LOVE it as do our older 3 sons. Fortunatly
I've discovered the "Magic Eraser" cleaning sponge because they now
enjoy writing on our diningroom walls as well. :-)

The chalkboard paint works like a charm for those who are wondering.

Shelly M.
Mom to 5 boys


--- In [email protected], "Michelle Leifur Reid"
<pamperedmichelle@...> wrote:
>
> On 12/19/06, laura g <lalow@...> wrote:
> > my kids love to draw and i try to keep all the materials they
need very
> > accessable cause they draw, cut, glue, and tape at all our of the
day and
> > night. they spread this stuff everywhere but i think it is
important for
> > them to be able to get to it. besides if i tried to put it up
they would
> > find the stuff, they are very good at using chairs to reach
things. One
> > thing that is bothering me though is my almost 4 year old thinks
he should
> > be able to draw on anything.
>
> Butcher paper or newsprint!! Butcher paper is nice in that it is
> white and easily stored and has a waxy back so marker doesn't bleed
> through to the back. Newsprint is cheap as most newspaper offices
> will give or sell it cheaply (I think our newspaper sells end rolls
> for $3-$5 and there is still quite a bit of paper left on the roll).
> Tape it to your walls. Let him go to town! My kids love wall art
> because it is big and wide and they aren't limited by an 8.5 x 11
> sheet of paper. It also is easy to clean up. Another idea is to
> paint a wall or section of a wall with chalkboard paint and get him
a
> big box of colored chalk. Again this is giving him a place to
create
> that is for him. If you own your own house consider painting his
room
> (or the hall or another wall that you are willing to give him) with
a
> semi-gloss or gloss paint and just resolve to the fact that when you
> move or he moves out of this stage you will just paint the wall, but
> being gloss has a better ability for cleaning if need be before then
> (those magic erasers will take off almost anything from the walls!)
>
> My dream has always been to have a "quotes wall" Grafitti in the
> house. A plain colored walls that friends and family and guests can
> write quotes on. Big, small, fancy, in their own handwriting or
> fonted. Quotes on paper could be glued on or mearly tacked or
taped.
> Marker, paint, crayon, I don't care the medium. I"m a tad older
than
> your son and I still want to write on the walls :)
>
> Michelle
>

Dawn Bennink

So does the magnetic paint. We have a section of our younger son's wall
painted with magnetic paint under chalkboard paint and it is WONDERFUL!

Dawn

>
> The chalkboard paint works like a charm for those who are wondering.