Two questions
[email protected]
Dear Friends,
I am back on this list after a busy summer with my son and an incredible
foster daughter, who was with us from July until two weeks ago. (How I miss
her!) Now we have a foster son, Jimmie, who is nine. We will be able to
adopt him after the first of the year, and we're thrilled. He's a great kid
with none of the emotional baggage you find in a foster placement. I am
homeschooling him for now, and we are hoping later this month to get our
homeschooling officially approved by the court. (We have discovered you
can't blow your nose in the foster system without a court order, but I
digress...) Anyway, my one problem with Jimmie is that he is totally
addicted to video games. We have a Nintendo that has been used in
moderation, but if I left it up to Jimmie, the Nintendo would be on 24 hours
a day. When we go anywhere in the car, he's got his Game Boy with him, so
this is something we battle every waking hour. How do I teach him some
moderation without insulting his choices? I have to admit, I have wanted to
say, "Turn that silly box OFF and do something that involves a BRAIN!!!" I
have restrained myself so far, but I could snap at any minute. How would the
rest of you handle this?
My second question involves suggestions for a study we're starting. We
want to learn about Christmas/Holiday customs around the world, including
music, crafts, traditions, cooking, etc. Does anyone know of any books,
magazines, videos, CDs, whatever, that would help? Thanks for your help.
Carol
Mom to Colton (10) and foster Mom to Jimmie (9)
I am back on this list after a busy summer with my son and an incredible
foster daughter, who was with us from July until two weeks ago. (How I miss
her!) Now we have a foster son, Jimmie, who is nine. We will be able to
adopt him after the first of the year, and we're thrilled. He's a great kid
with none of the emotional baggage you find in a foster placement. I am
homeschooling him for now, and we are hoping later this month to get our
homeschooling officially approved by the court. (We have discovered you
can't blow your nose in the foster system without a court order, but I
digress...) Anyway, my one problem with Jimmie is that he is totally
addicted to video games. We have a Nintendo that has been used in
moderation, but if I left it up to Jimmie, the Nintendo would be on 24 hours
a day. When we go anywhere in the car, he's got his Game Boy with him, so
this is something we battle every waking hour. How do I teach him some
moderation without insulting his choices? I have to admit, I have wanted to
say, "Turn that silly box OFF and do something that involves a BRAIN!!!" I
have restrained myself so far, but I could snap at any minute. How would the
rest of you handle this?
My second question involves suggestions for a study we're starting. We
want to learn about Christmas/Holiday customs around the world, including
music, crafts, traditions, cooking, etc. Does anyone know of any books,
magazines, videos, CDs, whatever, that would help? Thanks for your help.
Carol
Mom to Colton (10) and foster Mom to Jimmie (9)
Valerie
My second question involves suggestions for a study we're starting. We
want to learn about Christmas/Holiday customs around the world, including
music, crafts, traditions, cooking, etc. Does anyone know of any books,
magazines, videos, CDs, whatever, that would help? Thanks for your help.
Carol
Mom to Colton (10) and foster Mom to Jimmie (9)
Well, I can't help with the first question, sorry. But the second I have
some experience in. You could start with Advent, the four weeks before
Christmas. There's a lot of info about Advent on-line from a Catholic
source. If I can manage to dig up my paperwork on it I'll let you know. (We
do an "Advent workshop" every November at church...mainly holiday crafts.)
There's a Dorling Kindersley book (well, I'm pretty sure it was DK) about
Christmas or Winter holidays around the world. I'm sure a librarian could
direct you to it.
Then there's the history of Santa, Christmas trees, etc, etc. You can get
tons of historical information on-line.
One book I didn't like was The Winter Solstice. Actually had bad info,
couldn't believe that. (about St Lucia in Sweden) I think it was over-hyped.
I like listening to Christmas music from around the world. Your library
probably has tapes and CD's. Along with videos. And cookbooks. You could
pick just one culture to study (your ancestors maybe) or really go all out
and try a different one every week for 6 weeks or whatever.
A trip to the library would be the best first step, IMO. There's an
overwhelming amount of resources. No point in buying it all.
--Valerie
want to learn about Christmas/Holiday customs around the world, including
music, crafts, traditions, cooking, etc. Does anyone know of any books,
magazines, videos, CDs, whatever, that would help? Thanks for your help.
Carol
Mom to Colton (10) and foster Mom to Jimmie (9)
Well, I can't help with the first question, sorry. But the second I have
some experience in. You could start with Advent, the four weeks before
Christmas. There's a lot of info about Advent on-line from a Catholic
source. If I can manage to dig up my paperwork on it I'll let you know. (We
do an "Advent workshop" every November at church...mainly holiday crafts.)
There's a Dorling Kindersley book (well, I'm pretty sure it was DK) about
Christmas or Winter holidays around the world. I'm sure a librarian could
direct you to it.
Then there's the history of Santa, Christmas trees, etc, etc. You can get
tons of historical information on-line.
One book I didn't like was The Winter Solstice. Actually had bad info,
couldn't believe that. (about St Lucia in Sweden) I think it was over-hyped.
I like listening to Christmas music from around the world. Your library
probably has tapes and CD's. Along with videos. And cookbooks. You could
pick just one culture to study (your ancestors maybe) or really go all out
and try a different one every week for 6 weeks or whatever.
A trip to the library would be the best first step, IMO. There's an
overwhelming amount of resources. No point in buying it all.
--Valerie
Cara
>Anyway, my one problem with Jimmie is that he is totallyCarol:
> addicted to video games. We have a Nintendo that has been used in
> moderation, but if I left it up to Jimmie, the Nintendo would be on
>24 hours a day. When we go anywhere in the car, he's got his Game
>Boy with him, so this is something we battle every waking hour. How
>do I teach him some moderation without insulting his choices? I
>have to admit, I have wanted to say, "Turn that silly box OFF and do
>something that involves a BRAIN!!!" I have restrained myself so
>far, but I could snap at any minute. How would the rest of you
>handle this?
>
> Carol
There is an interesting article about video games at a site I found
recently. You might get some ideas or some new insights into video
games in general. The link is below. The site itself, Taking
Children Seriously, is a little extreme for my educational
philosophies but I find some of their stuff very enlightening and
interesting.
Cara
http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~tcs/Articles/VideoGamesInterview.html
[email protected]
In a message dated 11/07/2000 7:57:10 PM Pacific Standard Time,
lawtkw@... writes:
<< into vid >>
Maybe a way to get your child off the game but with out him feeling like he
has to loose focus on something he loves is to take him to a good bookstore
or computer store that has magazines on video games, so he can read those.
Also i know that there are chapter books out, both in the young adult, and
dult sections, that are based on video games. Don't make your child read
them. Just buy thema nd stick them on the table or in the car where he sits,
he might pick one up.
max
lawtkw@... writes:
<< into vid >>
Maybe a way to get your child off the game but with out him feeling like he
has to loose focus on something he loves is to take him to a good bookstore
or computer store that has magazines on video games, so he can read those.
Also i know that there are chapter books out, both in the young adult, and
dult sections, that are based on video games. Don't make your child read
them. Just buy thema nd stick them on the table or in the car where he sits,
he might pick one up.
max
[email protected]
In a message dated 00-11-07 22:57:11 EST, lawtkw@... writes:
<< I have wanted to say, "Turn that silly box OFF and do
them. I suspect you would find them very difficult to grasp or to operate,
let alone to master. They take a great deal of thought, strategy, memory, and
the same skills that programmers use--deduction, patterning...
I have three kids who play games. At the moment they're playing a Simpson's
version of Clue--four kids and an adult friend. "Marge in the Bowl-a-rama
with the Extendo-Glove," I just heard. They *could* be playing one of the
four video systems in the house (not counting Game Boys) but they have chosen
to play a board game. Earlier they were playing Disk Wars--a game using
cardboard disks. They're socializing, reading, strategizing, and exercising
their minds hugely.
Sandra
<< I have wanted to say, "Turn that silly box OFF and do
>something that involves a BRAIN!!!" I have restrained myself soI think before you say video games don't involve a brain, you should play
>far, but I could snap at any minute. How would the rest of you
>handle this? >>
them. I suspect you would find them very difficult to grasp or to operate,
let alone to master. They take a great deal of thought, strategy, memory, and
the same skills that programmers use--deduction, patterning...
I have three kids who play games. At the moment they're playing a Simpson's
version of Clue--four kids and an adult friend. "Marge in the Bowl-a-rama
with the Extendo-Glove," I just heard. They *could* be playing one of the
four video systems in the house (not counting Game Boys) but they have chosen
to play a board game. Earlier they were playing Disk Wars--a game using
cardboard disks. They're socializing, reading, strategizing, and exercising
their minds hugely.
Sandra
Elizabeth McCullough
An example of a great video game that teaches the things Sandra lists below:
Someone on this list recently recommended the video game Logical Journey of
the Zoombinis -- and I want to say THANK YOU! What a wonderful game, and
what a workout for the brain. Even I sit down just about every evening and
play a couple of rounds of it. It's a high quality game, great graphics,
amusing, challenging, but not too hard -- you really can't "lose," because
the worse that can happen is that you have to go back to the beginning and
start again, and it becomes progressively more difficult in managable
increments.
I'm beginning to see the skills that the kids are picking up from this game
transfer to other areas, plus I've been able to give them a brief
introduction to logic and probability by referring to elements of the game.
But more importantly, the kids are experiencing the way logic and
probability work in a way that would be difficult to replicate in "real
life." I know they would never sit down with me for more than 2 minutes and
roll dice or work through syllogisms, but they love this game!
Sandra: what's Disk Wars?
Elizabeth McCullough
Virginia
-----Original Message-----
From: SandraDodd@... [mailto:SandraDodd@...]
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2000 12:44 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Two questions
I think before you say video games don't involve a brain, you should play
them. I suspect you would find them very difficult to grasp or to operate,
let alone to master. They take a great deal of thought, strategy, memory,
and
the same skills that programmers use--deduction, patterning...
I have three kids who play games. At the moment they're playing a Simpson's
version of Clue--four kids and an adult friend. "Marge in the Bowl-a-rama
with the Extendo-Glove," I just heard. They *could* be playing one of the
four video systems in the house (not counting Game Boys) but they have
chosen
to play a board game. Earlier they were playing Disk Wars--a game using
cardboard disks. They're socializing, reading, strategizing, and exercising
their minds hugely.
Sandra
Someone on this list recently recommended the video game Logical Journey of
the Zoombinis -- and I want to say THANK YOU! What a wonderful game, and
what a workout for the brain. Even I sit down just about every evening and
play a couple of rounds of it. It's a high quality game, great graphics,
amusing, challenging, but not too hard -- you really can't "lose," because
the worse that can happen is that you have to go back to the beginning and
start again, and it becomes progressively more difficult in managable
increments.
I'm beginning to see the skills that the kids are picking up from this game
transfer to other areas, plus I've been able to give them a brief
introduction to logic and probability by referring to elements of the game.
But more importantly, the kids are experiencing the way logic and
probability work in a way that would be difficult to replicate in "real
life." I know they would never sit down with me for more than 2 minutes and
roll dice or work through syllogisms, but they love this game!
Sandra: what's Disk Wars?
Elizabeth McCullough
Virginia
-----Original Message-----
From: SandraDodd@... [mailto:SandraDodd@...]
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2000 12:44 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Two questions
I think before you say video games don't involve a brain, you should play
them. I suspect you would find them very difficult to grasp or to operate,
let alone to master. They take a great deal of thought, strategy, memory,
and
the same skills that programmers use--deduction, patterning...
I have three kids who play games. At the moment they're playing a Simpson's
version of Clue--four kids and an adult friend. "Marge in the Bowl-a-rama
with the Extendo-Glove," I just heard. They *could* be playing one of the
four video systems in the house (not counting Game Boys) but they have
chosen
to play a board game. Earlier they were playing Disk Wars--a game using
cardboard disks. They're socializing, reading, strategizing, and exercising
their minds hugely.
Sandra
[email protected]
In a message dated 00-11-08 08:08:22 EST, emccullough@...
writes:
<< Sandra: what's Disk Wars? >>
I have to take the kids really soon to play Disk Wars for the whole afternoon
at Active Imagination, the gaming shop up the road.
http://expage.com/sandradoddbio has a Kirby paragraph with a disk wars site
link.
I can get Kirby to tell more later if you don't find sufficient info there.
Sandra
writes:
<< Sandra: what's Disk Wars? >>
I have to take the kids really soon to play Disk Wars for the whole afternoon
at Active Imagination, the gaming shop up the road.
http://expage.com/sandradoddbio has a Kirby paragraph with a disk wars site
link.
I can get Kirby to tell more later if you don't find sufficient info there.
Sandra