Heather Woodward

We all have to remember that Ms. Bauer (who is quite "accomplished", an
author of not only homeschooling books and a college prof) is writing to
a legion of homeschooling Moms who are looking to emulate her. These
folks really think that all this is necessary for homeschooling.

I read her book when I first started homeschooling. I don't think I actually used any of it - but it sounded good. How can people read what she wrote here - and then take her book seriously? Where is the happiness? The joy of learning?

My day -

9:30 - Everyone has breakfast of their choice - and I have coffee ;-) I show them a picture of elephants helping to clean up after the tsunami from an article in the newspaper that I am reading and everyone thinks this is interesting. They talk about the tsunami and the different ways people are helping.

10:00 Brianna wants to write a historical essay/poem/short story for this contest put out by Hershey, so while she was thinking of what she'd like to write about, Chase says "The Civil War! Can we go back to the museum again?!" "Sure, I say. and maybe we can find another one."(We live near Gettysburg. He then runs off and comes back with a book on the Civil War which he wants me to read to him. He makes all sorts of comments throughout the book. Wants to know why the kids(slaves) didn't have shoes. And was surprised at how young the kids were when they accompanied the army.

10:30 Lexi pulls out Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego - Jr. Detective Board Game that we bought yesterday at a thrift shop. Some of the pieces were missing, so Brianna has an ingenious idea of copying the one we do have and coloring in the matching color needed. We also find the directions on line and print them out. We play two rounds of the game - Chase notes where Iraq is( he does this all the time) and Lexi laughs as she tries to pronounce Kazakhstan. Brianna starts to sing from a Geography songs tape we had at one time..."The Russian Federation.... etc."

11:30 Brianna and Lexi continue to play Arthur's Library Game - another one we bought at the thrift store. I make up some lunch - soup for Brianna and Chase - Pasta for Lex.

12:30 I take a shower (Yeah - and how often I feel guilty because it is noon - I'm not a morning person)

1:00 - Brianna practices piano (I never ask her to practice- actually we laughed with her teacher last night because Chase asks - "Did you finally get some new songs" She hadn't been in a couple of weeks and he says "She keeps playing the same thing over and over!" Brianna says" It's scales Chase!" and we laugh.

1:30 - I call York Little Theater to find out about the auditions for a play "Ramona" based on the Beverly Clearly books. Brianna saw this in the newspaper - and wanted to try it. She has never done an audition or a play at a theater before - but the lady was really nice and said it is low pressure, they don't need to have any experience - they just read in a small group. So she is excited to do this on Tuesday. I may read as well - I heard Ms. Frizzle in my head "Try new things! Make Mistakes!"

2:00- My kids assault the mail lady - well not really - but they are always excited when she comes. Brianna exclaims Chase there is something for you! It is Chase's bank statement and as he rips it open - Brianna explains "See Chase - you made 4 cents in interest!" They all get excited and run up to their rooms to get their bank books and want to stop and put more money in. Brianna remembers that she didn't write down her interest - and then wants to know how they figure out how much is interest to give you. She remembers a website from Commerce Bank that was on her activity book, which she got from a field trip we went on. The kids all go to my computer and pull up the website and go through several of the activities.

3:30 - We head off to Home Depot- as I have decided that after the prices I got for new cabinets I will just keep mine and paint them. Everyone helped me choose paint colors - and they really liked using the little computer thing. Chase "designed" his room. Grass Green and some sort of bright blue. I haven't quite figured out how to incorporate this yet - but it's only paint - the great thing is you can always change it if he hates it once its up. So I get my paint(which is not bright green and blue - but "Vermont Cream" and "Rockwood jade" - and then need to buy a palm sander. Chase knows the exact spot and listens intently while the man explains the differences between a couple I was looking at. Chase loves tools and is known for making his Dad's tools disappear. At the register - Chase remembers we need batteries for his command center thing and Lexi need some for her flashlight.

We stop off at the bank for them to put in some of the money they have saved. They write in their deposit amounts in their bank books and add them. Brianna helps Lexi with ehrs. The Teller gives the kids a lollipop and a
hersheys kiss. (Ohhh - theres' that sugar! ;-)

4:30 - We head to Borders to pick up the Strawberry Shortcake cookbook that Lexi ordered. All the kids have gift cards from their Grandma. Chase buys a kit where you dig out a mummy, a rainforest kit, a new Hank the Cowdog book, and the new Magic Tree House books on Audio. Brianna buys some Amelia book by Marissa Moss, that she hasn't been able to find at the library, a shrinkydink charm bracelet kit, a decorate your own clock kit, Calvin & Hobbes books that were on clearance, and a fine art drawing book (with these really neat pages - I think its like crayon resist?) Lexi buys her Strawberry Shortcake book, a paint your own tea set, 2 Felicity books (as she got the doll for xmas) a velvet art coloring set, and a Fairy craft set. Chase and Lexi read the recipes from Lex's new cookbook in the car and decided they wanted to make fudge and strawberry shortcake. We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things.

5:45 - Lex, Brianna and I made fudge from her new book. Chase watched a new Scooby Doo DVD. John came home from work with Chinese takeout. We all had dinner - did the Bible Readings, the kids colored and worked on some of their new craft stuff - Brianna went up to read a book she has on Clara Barton(she chose Clara Barton for her history story) Lexi and I read some Maisy books and Chase and John read from his new Hank the Cowdog book. John does voices - its really funny.

9:30 - Brianna is asleep, Chase is playing with Legos, Lex fell asleep -but got up to go to bathroom and I asked her if she wanted to try her fudge(it had been too gooey before) She smiles and goes downstairs with me to try it. She brings the cat back up with her and snuggles with him.

I did laundry while I watched Third Watch. Overall it wouldn't seem that we did much today- but the great thing is that no one thinks of anything they do in terms of academics. I do sometimes worry that we aren't "doing enough" but after reading Suan's description of their day - mine was much happier.

**Oh and one disclaimer, the kids do have their moments. Chase and Lex argued over who would sit in the certain seat in the van. It has its own radio - which doesn't work at the moment - but it seems to be the coveted seat. Lexi let Chase color one of her velvet art pictures but then got mad because he was coloring the stars orange and the fire blue. Chase made a mess of his crackers with his soup, so I needed to vacuum. It's far from perfect here-


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

Cally Brown

Excuse me?! I don't see anwhere where your poor neglected babies had
any exposure to the passive pluperfect?!

But maybe they did - trouble is I wouldn't recognise it if it bit me
on the leg.

Cally

Heather Woodward wrote:

> We all have to remember that Ms. Bauer (who is quite "accomplished", an
> author of not only homeschooling books and a college prof) is writing to
> a legion of homeschooling Moms who are looking to emulate her. These
> folks really think that all this is necessary for homeschooling.
>
> I read her book when I first started homeschooling. I don't think I actually used any of it - but it sounded good. How can people read what she wrote here - and then take her book seriously? Where is the happiness? The joy of learning?
>
> My day -
>
> 9:30 - Everyone has breakfast of their choice - and I have coffee ;-) I show them a picture of elephants helping to clean up after the tsunami from an article in the newspaper that I am reading and everyone thinks this is interesting. They talk about the tsunami and the different ways people are helping.
>
> 10:00 Brianna wants to write a historical essay/poem/short story for this contest put out by Hershey, so while she was thinking of what she'd like to write about, Chase says "The Civil War! Can we go back to the museum again?!" "Sure, I say. and maybe we can find another one."(We live near Gettysburg. He then runs off and comes back with a book on the Civil War which he wants me to read to him. He makes all sorts of comments throughout the book. Wants to know why the kids(slaves) didn't have shoes. And was surprised at how young the kids were when they accompanied the army.
>
> 10:30 Lexi pulls out Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego - Jr. Detective Board Game that we bought yesterday at a thrift shop. Some of the pieces were missing, so Brianna has an ingenious idea of copying the one we do have and coloring in the matching color needed. We also find the directions on line and print them out. We play two rounds of the game - Chase notes where Iraq is( he does this all the time) and Lexi laughs as she tries to pronounce Kazakhstan. Brianna starts to sing from a Geography songs tape we had at one time..."The Russian Federation.... etc."
>
> 11:30 Brianna and Lexi continue to play Arthur's Library Game - another one we bought at the thrift store. I make up some lunch - soup for Brianna and Chase - Pasta for Lex.
>
> 12:30 I take a shower (Yeah - and how often I feel guilty because it is noon - I'm not a morning person)
>
> 1:00 - Brianna practices piano (I never ask her to practice- actually we laughed with her teacher last night because Chase asks - "Did you finally get some new songs" She hadn't been in a couple of weeks and he says "She keeps playing the same thing over and over!" Brianna says" It's scales Chase!" and we laugh.
>
> 1:30 - I call York Little Theater to find out about the auditions for a play "Ramona" based on the Beverly Clearly books. Brianna saw this in the newspaper - and wanted to try it. She has never done an audition or a play at a theater before - but the lady was really nice and said it is low pressure, they don't need to have any experience - they just read in a small group. So she is excited to do this on Tuesday. I may read as well - I heard Ms. Frizzle in my head "Try new things! Make Mistakes!"
>
> 2:00- My kids assault the mail lady - well not really - but they are always excited when she comes. Brianna exclaims Chase there is something for you! It is Chase's bank statement and as he rips it open - Brianna explains "See Chase - you made 4 cents in interest!" They all get excited and run up to their rooms to get their bank books and want to stop and put more money in. Brianna remembers that she didn't write down her interest - and then wants to know how they figure out how much is interest to give you. She remembers a website from Commerce Bank that was on her activity book, which she got from a field trip we went on. The kids all go to my computer and pull up the website and go through several of the activities.
>
> 3:30 - We head off to Home Depot- as I have decided that after the prices I got for new cabinets I will just keep mine and paint them. Everyone helped me choose paint colors - and they really liked using the little computer thing. Chase "designed" his room. Grass Green and some sort of bright blue. I haven't quite figured out how to incorporate this yet - but it's only paint - the great thing is you can always change it if he hates it once its up. So I get my paint(which is not bright green and blue - but "Vermont Cream" and "Rockwood jade" - and then need to buy a palm sander. Chase knows the exact spot and listens intently while the man explains the differences between a couple I was looking at. Chase loves tools and is known for making his Dad's tools disappear. At the register - Chase remembers we need batteries for his command center thing and Lexi need some for her flashlight.
>
> We stop off at the bank for them to put in some of the money they have saved. They write in their deposit amounts in their bank books and add them. Brianna helps Lexi with ehrs. The Teller gives the kids a lollipop and a
> hersheys kiss. (Ohhh - theres' that sugar! ;-)
>
> 4:30 - We head to Borders to pick up the Strawberry Shortcake cookbook that Lexi ordered. All the kids have gift cards from their Grandma. Chase buys a kit where you dig out a mummy, a rainforest kit, a new Hank the Cowdog book, and the new Magic Tree House books on Audio. Brianna buys some Amelia book by Marissa Moss, that she hasn't been able to find at the library, a shrinkydink charm bracelet kit, a decorate your own clock kit, Calvin & Hobbes books that were on clearance, and a fine art drawing book (with these really neat pages - I think its like crayon resist?) Lexi buys her Strawberry Shortcake book, a paint your own tea set, 2 Felicity books (as she got the doll for xmas) a velvet art coloring set, and a Fairy craft set. Chase and Lexi read the recipes from Lex's new cookbook in the car and decided they wanted to make fudge and strawberry shortcake. We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things.
>
> 5:45 - Lex, Brianna and I made fudge from her new book. Chase watched a new Scooby Doo DVD. John came home from work with Chinese takeout. We all had dinner - did the Bible Readings, the kids colored and worked on some of their new craft stuff - Brianna went up to read a book she has on Clara Barton(she chose Clara Barton for her history story) Lexi and I read some Maisy books and Chase and John read from his new Hank the Cowdog book. John does voices - its really funny.
>
> 9:30 - Brianna is asleep, Chase is playing with Legos, Lex fell asleep -but got up to go to bathroom and I asked her if she wanted to try her fudge(it had been too gooey before) She smiles and goes downstairs with me to try it. She brings the cat back up with her and snuggles with him.
>
> I did laundry while I watched Third Watch. Overall it wouldn't seem that we did much today- but the great thing is that no one thinks of anything they do in terms of academics. I do sometimes worry that we aren't "doing enough" but after reading Suan's description of their day - mine was much happier.
>
> **Oh and one disclaimer, the kids do have their moments. Chase and Lex argued over who would sit in the certain seat in the van. It has its own radio - which doesn't work at the moment - but it seems to be the coveted seat. Lexi let Chase color one of her velvet art pictures but then got mad because he was coloring the stars orange and the fire blue. Chase made a mess of his crackers with his soup, so I needed to vacuum. It's far from perfect here-
>
>
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