An unschooled lesson in balance
jmcseals SEALS
What a fun afternoon! My 5 yr old daughter, Lauren, was playing with a fork
today. As I was watching her, I noticed she was figuring out how to balance
the fork on the edge of one finger. Moving it back an forth so that it was
closer to the tongs, where the weight was. She finally got it and ran over
to show Nicholette, almost 7. Nic was impressed and decided to grab her own
fork and try it. It worked! I just sat quietly observing and smiling with
pride. :)
Ethan, 35 months, walked in the room and Lauren showed him how it worked.
Well, he decided to grab a stick and try it with a stick instead. So cute,
watching him try to balance it at the end, as they were doing with the
forks. Of course, the stick was fairly evenly balanced at each end, so he
had to try it in the middle. He figured it out after several tries on his
own. Finally, it was Ethan that decided to show me this new trick. He
balanced the fork, the stick and tried a big earth digger truck, but it was
too heavy for his little finger to hold. <g>
Not wanting to give up the secret just yet, I asked the kids if they wanted
to go outside and see if the same thing happens with bigger objects and
people. Nicholette chimed in that, "OH YEAH!!! The see-saw!!!" I love it
when they have those light bulb moments. <bg>
So, we played on the see-saw for well over an hour. Trading positions with
heavier and lighter members of the family to see how we could balance it
evenly in the air. The kids thought it was so funny that three of them
could sit together on one end but only Mommy was on the other. LOL!
Suddenly, it occurred to Lauren that she had a name for this
phenomenon...BALANCE!!! "MOMMY!! We can all balance the see-saw together!"
We talked about why they thought it wouldn't work with just one person on
one end and no one on the other. Why Mommy could sit on one end but three
of the kids sat on the other end to make it balance. We talked about weight
and force and how they effect the see-saw, but in very simplistic terms.
All this led into a discussion on catapults, which we had just watched a
show on PBS about this morning. Suddenly, the show, of which they had
little interest in this morning, became real and alive for them! Nicholette
made the connection that the swinging catapult had to be balanced in order
to 'throw' the ball.
So, tomorrow we are going to make catapults to throw water balloons at each
other...Nic's idea <bg>. I suspect there will be an 'un-lesson' in that as
well!
What did you do today???
Jennifer
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today. As I was watching her, I noticed she was figuring out how to balance
the fork on the edge of one finger. Moving it back an forth so that it was
closer to the tongs, where the weight was. She finally got it and ran over
to show Nicholette, almost 7. Nic was impressed and decided to grab her own
fork and try it. It worked! I just sat quietly observing and smiling with
pride. :)
Ethan, 35 months, walked in the room and Lauren showed him how it worked.
Well, he decided to grab a stick and try it with a stick instead. So cute,
watching him try to balance it at the end, as they were doing with the
forks. Of course, the stick was fairly evenly balanced at each end, so he
had to try it in the middle. He figured it out after several tries on his
own. Finally, it was Ethan that decided to show me this new trick. He
balanced the fork, the stick and tried a big earth digger truck, but it was
too heavy for his little finger to hold. <g>
Not wanting to give up the secret just yet, I asked the kids if they wanted
to go outside and see if the same thing happens with bigger objects and
people. Nicholette chimed in that, "OH YEAH!!! The see-saw!!!" I love it
when they have those light bulb moments. <bg>
So, we played on the see-saw for well over an hour. Trading positions with
heavier and lighter members of the family to see how we could balance it
evenly in the air. The kids thought it was so funny that three of them
could sit together on one end but only Mommy was on the other. LOL!
Suddenly, it occurred to Lauren that she had a name for this
phenomenon...BALANCE!!! "MOMMY!! We can all balance the see-saw together!"
We talked about why they thought it wouldn't work with just one person on
one end and no one on the other. Why Mommy could sit on one end but three
of the kids sat on the other end to make it balance. We talked about weight
and force and how they effect the see-saw, but in very simplistic terms.
All this led into a discussion on catapults, which we had just watched a
show on PBS about this morning. Suddenly, the show, of which they had
little interest in this morning, became real and alive for them! Nicholette
made the connection that the swinging catapult had to be balanced in order
to 'throw' the ball.
So, tomorrow we are going to make catapults to throw water balloons at each
other...Nic's idea <bg>. I suspect there will be an 'un-lesson' in that as
well!
What did you do today???
Jennifer
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In a message dated 5/2/03 7:52:20 PM, jmcseals@... writes:
<< What did you do today??? >>
Jennifer, I liked your see-saw story! If it's one where they can sit
anywhere, they can mess with where the position people, too. (probably they
already have done that! <g>)
At the moment, Kirby's at the new X-Men movie with a guy who works with him.
Then he's going the the anime club meeting, which meets late after the comic
book shop closes.
Marty and Jeremy (another homeschooler) are in the back yard fencing. Jeremy
got fencing equipment for his birthday. There's no moon and it's dark, so
Keith groused some about safety, but we have some floodlights, not great
ones, and after Keith coached them a bit, Sadie (former homeschooler, now
fulltime college student) is out there "marshaling." Holly was on the swings
watching, but is inside watching the Simpsons now. Joey (homeschooled, kinda
lives quietly in the shadows at our house a lot, but was at a family dinner
tonight because a cousin came to town) is outside watching.
An hour ago, Holly and I were at a fabric store buying cloth for a new top
for the little medieval tent she's using Memorial Day. We found something
good for $1.97 and it turned out to be half price. Woohoo! It's an old
tent, top is worn, sides are fine, faded black. Got faded-black and
not-so-white striped stuff which will look wonderful.
Two hours ago, Keith's best friend Bob was here. He brought a banjo for
Marty to borrow to see if he wants to pursue that as an instrument. Only bad
thing is Marty's a lefty. So he can either learn to play it right handed, or
we can spend big bucks for a left-handed banjo. But for now he can at least
look at some chord charts and picking patterns and get an idea of the
situation. And maybe he'll be one of those guys who can just do it.
Kirby worked today. Before he went to work (still working backwards), the
rest of the family went to Garduño's, a nice New Mexican restaurant, for
Holly's 11-and-a-half birthday lunch. We had a really good time.
Before that, Holly had been off with other friends who were in a dance
recital. She had left the house at 8:10 and got back at 12:30. Marty hadn't
gotten up til noon. Kirby was up going through some of the stuff from his
room-cleanup. Packed three boxes of detritus into one box and stored it in
his closet.
Somewhere in there Holly and I went to the grocery store, Marty and I had
breakfast together, Keith and Holly and I had sandwiches together on homemade
bread, talked about the return of Hulk Hogan (as Mr. America, with a mask),
and about a card game Kirby had brought out that he had told me about, called
"Gother Than Thou." Very humorous cards.
Tomorrow morning Keith, Marty, Holly and Sadie are going to Edgewood to help
clean up the site where we'll all be camping Memorial Day weekend. A couple
of thousand people (or a few hundred fewer), medieval village for a long
weekend. This is the thirtieth annual Grand Outlandish Tournament. I totally
missed the first two, went for a few hours of #3, attended full-blown #4, and
organized and ran #5. Tired and old now, I'll organize the kids' clothes,
camp food and schedule and make sure all the necessary kitchen equipment is
out there, but will probably day trip.
Each kid will have an individual medieval-style tent. Kirby's and Holly's
are revivals (new frames and ropes) of a couple of basically arming
tent/storage room things, tall enough to stand in but not huge. Center pole,
hanging square frame at 5', and four corner ropes. Holly's will have a new
roof. Marty will be in a new tent and new design to us. No center pole, two
poles and two ropes. 10' on each side at the bottom, room to stand just
right in the middle. It's a Viking tent thing based on making a tent with
two oars and a sail.
Luckily, it's very unlikely to rain in New Mexico in May at that elevation.
Oh. After sandwiches, Keith and I went through the four songs we're doing
for a friend's wedding in two weeks. We're playing recorder, by ear/memory,
for Bride's entry, candle-lighting ceremony, recession, and the intro of the
bride and groom at the reception. And we talked about the progress on the
three tents.
Sandra
<< What did you do today??? >>
Jennifer, I liked your see-saw story! If it's one where they can sit
anywhere, they can mess with where the position people, too. (probably they
already have done that! <g>)
At the moment, Kirby's at the new X-Men movie with a guy who works with him.
Then he's going the the anime club meeting, which meets late after the comic
book shop closes.
Marty and Jeremy (another homeschooler) are in the back yard fencing. Jeremy
got fencing equipment for his birthday. There's no moon and it's dark, so
Keith groused some about safety, but we have some floodlights, not great
ones, and after Keith coached them a bit, Sadie (former homeschooler, now
fulltime college student) is out there "marshaling." Holly was on the swings
watching, but is inside watching the Simpsons now. Joey (homeschooled, kinda
lives quietly in the shadows at our house a lot, but was at a family dinner
tonight because a cousin came to town) is outside watching.
An hour ago, Holly and I were at a fabric store buying cloth for a new top
for the little medieval tent she's using Memorial Day. We found something
good for $1.97 and it turned out to be half price. Woohoo! It's an old
tent, top is worn, sides are fine, faded black. Got faded-black and
not-so-white striped stuff which will look wonderful.
Two hours ago, Keith's best friend Bob was here. He brought a banjo for
Marty to borrow to see if he wants to pursue that as an instrument. Only bad
thing is Marty's a lefty. So he can either learn to play it right handed, or
we can spend big bucks for a left-handed banjo. But for now he can at least
look at some chord charts and picking patterns and get an idea of the
situation. And maybe he'll be one of those guys who can just do it.
Kirby worked today. Before he went to work (still working backwards), the
rest of the family went to Garduño's, a nice New Mexican restaurant, for
Holly's 11-and-a-half birthday lunch. We had a really good time.
Before that, Holly had been off with other friends who were in a dance
recital. She had left the house at 8:10 and got back at 12:30. Marty hadn't
gotten up til noon. Kirby was up going through some of the stuff from his
room-cleanup. Packed three boxes of detritus into one box and stored it in
his closet.
Somewhere in there Holly and I went to the grocery store, Marty and I had
breakfast together, Keith and Holly and I had sandwiches together on homemade
bread, talked about the return of Hulk Hogan (as Mr. America, with a mask),
and about a card game Kirby had brought out that he had told me about, called
"Gother Than Thou." Very humorous cards.
Tomorrow morning Keith, Marty, Holly and Sadie are going to Edgewood to help
clean up the site where we'll all be camping Memorial Day weekend. A couple
of thousand people (or a few hundred fewer), medieval village for a long
weekend. This is the thirtieth annual Grand Outlandish Tournament. I totally
missed the first two, went for a few hours of #3, attended full-blown #4, and
organized and ran #5. Tired and old now, I'll organize the kids' clothes,
camp food and schedule and make sure all the necessary kitchen equipment is
out there, but will probably day trip.
Each kid will have an individual medieval-style tent. Kirby's and Holly's
are revivals (new frames and ropes) of a couple of basically arming
tent/storage room things, tall enough to stand in but not huge. Center pole,
hanging square frame at 5', and four corner ropes. Holly's will have a new
roof. Marty will be in a new tent and new design to us. No center pole, two
poles and two ropes. 10' on each side at the bottom, room to stand just
right in the middle. It's a Viking tent thing based on making a tent with
two oars and a sail.
Luckily, it's very unlikely to rain in New Mexico in May at that elevation.
Oh. After sandwiches, Keith and I went through the four songs we're doing
for a friend's wedding in two weeks. We're playing recorder, by ear/memory,
for Bride's entry, candle-lighting ceremony, recession, and the intro of the
bride and groom at the reception. And we talked about the progress on the
three tents.
Sandra
jmcseals SEALS
Wow Sandra, that sounds like a packed day! I often wonder what it will be
like with 7 teenagers in the house, all wanting to do their own things! I
think there will be a strong need for growing extras of everything...arms,
legs, ears...an extra brain might not hurt either! LOL
Unfortunately, our see-saw is a plastic Little Tykes alligator. They can
sit in the middle, but it has a wide, deep base, so no balancing act there.
I told Chris, my husband, that he needs to help us build a *real* see-saw
when he gets home at the end of the month. Poor guy, I have so many
woodworking projects in the works for him! I really want to go buy tools of
my own (he has to take his when he goes on trips) and learn to do woodwork
with the kids. We'll be moving soon and the kids and I have come up with
great, though ever changing, plans for a wooden swing set and playhouse.
The playhouse seems like a doable first project....four walls, a roof and a
floor!
We've had HUGE thunderstorms for the past two days. One thing I do like
about Texas is May. We usually have wonderful storms! Yesterday, we had
hail the size of baseballs!! Another great lesson! The girls asked all
about lightening, thunder, why ice falls when it's over 80 degrees outside.
It amazes me sometimes that they even think about those things...the ice
falling in hot weather.
Today, when the thunderstorm came through, they were all thrilled, rather
than scared! Our electricity blinked out a few times and they all hoped it
would go out so we could get out the candles and flashlights. <bg> I got a
bright idea and secretly shut off all the breakers, which sent them into
screaming fits of joy and laughter! We made shadow puppets on the walls and
scarey faces in the candle-light. BIG problem though! DOH! I forgot
dinner was in the oven! ROFL!!! Not to spoil the secret, we made sandwiches
an stuck the lasagna in the fridge to finish cooking tomorrow.
It's really been a great day!
Jennifer
_________________________________________________________________
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
like with 7 teenagers in the house, all wanting to do their own things! I
think there will be a strong need for growing extras of everything...arms,
legs, ears...an extra brain might not hurt either! LOL
Unfortunately, our see-saw is a plastic Little Tykes alligator. They can
sit in the middle, but it has a wide, deep base, so no balancing act there.
I told Chris, my husband, that he needs to help us build a *real* see-saw
when he gets home at the end of the month. Poor guy, I have so many
woodworking projects in the works for him! I really want to go buy tools of
my own (he has to take his when he goes on trips) and learn to do woodwork
with the kids. We'll be moving soon and the kids and I have come up with
great, though ever changing, plans for a wooden swing set and playhouse.
The playhouse seems like a doable first project....four walls, a roof and a
floor!
We've had HUGE thunderstorms for the past two days. One thing I do like
about Texas is May. We usually have wonderful storms! Yesterday, we had
hail the size of baseballs!! Another great lesson! The girls asked all
about lightening, thunder, why ice falls when it's over 80 degrees outside.
It amazes me sometimes that they even think about those things...the ice
falling in hot weather.
Today, when the thunderstorm came through, they were all thrilled, rather
than scared! Our electricity blinked out a few times and they all hoped it
would go out so we could get out the candles and flashlights. <bg> I got a
bright idea and secretly shut off all the breakers, which sent them into
screaming fits of joy and laughter! We made shadow puppets on the walls and
scarey faces in the candle-light. BIG problem though! DOH! I forgot
dinner was in the oven! ROFL!!! Not to spoil the secret, we made sandwiches
an stuck the lasagna in the fridge to finish cooking tomorrow.
It's really been a great day!
Jennifer
_________________________________________________________________
The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE*
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
<<What did you do today??? >>
Today I bought a push mower ~ the kind without a motor. I decided it's my
exercise program for the summer. (As I live on a hilled corner, I'm gonna be
BUFF!!:::flexing biceps:::) While I was experimenting with the green stuff
in the front lawn, three different adults stopped their cars to offer me
their lawnmowers!!! Meanwhile, all the kids who noticed wandered over to see
what the heck that lady is doing <bg> "I've never seen one of those before,
can I try?" "SURE!" Most were too short to make it work effectively, but it
was amazing to see them all give it their best shot: adjusting the angle of
the handles to ensure the wheels are turning, thinking about the clumpy weed
patches [convinced I was wrong about it not working well on them] and going
over and over the spots.... then all the really grassy parts were done and
the kids went home, the weeds are still 6" taller than the mowed grass, but
it was one heck of a time :)
Meanwhile I was caring for a friend's 2 yo, who was very sad for his mommy...
he cracked up when he saw me head for the weedy patch with the lawn mower (at
full run!), soon he was pushing Hannah's baby stroller over the grass calling
"help you, help you!" sooooo sweet!
Great day! :)
diana,
The wackiest widow westriver...
“I'm just a human being trying to make it in a world that is very rapidly
losing it's understanding of being human" John Trudell
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Today I bought a push mower ~ the kind without a motor. I decided it's my
exercise program for the summer. (As I live on a hilled corner, I'm gonna be
BUFF!!:::flexing biceps:::) While I was experimenting with the green stuff
in the front lawn, three different adults stopped their cars to offer me
their lawnmowers!!! Meanwhile, all the kids who noticed wandered over to see
what the heck that lady is doing <bg> "I've never seen one of those before,
can I try?" "SURE!" Most were too short to make it work effectively, but it
was amazing to see them all give it their best shot: adjusting the angle of
the handles to ensure the wheels are turning, thinking about the clumpy weed
patches [convinced I was wrong about it not working well on them] and going
over and over the spots.... then all the really grassy parts were done and
the kids went home, the weeds are still 6" taller than the mowed grass, but
it was one heck of a time :)
Meanwhile I was caring for a friend's 2 yo, who was very sad for his mommy...
he cracked up when he saw me head for the weedy patch with the lawn mower (at
full run!), soon he was pushing Hannah's baby stroller over the grass calling
"help you, help you!" sooooo sweet!
Great day! :)
diana,
The wackiest widow westriver...
“I'm just a human being trying to make it in a world that is very rapidly
losing it's understanding of being human" John Trudell
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jmcseals SEALS
Ahhh! That does sound sweet!
When I was a little girl one of our elderly neighbors used a push mower. I
remember thinking it was SO cool! (Kind of like my kids with my old 33
records, LOL!)
What a GREAT idea for productive exercise. If our yard weren't so darn big,
I might try that myself! I just can't imagine pushing that sucker over half
an acre of giant weeks in 110 degree weather. I do well to even follow the
self propelled (does that pertain to mowers??? <bg>) one we have now!
Thanks so much for sharing your day! I'm seriously considering a yahoo
group for things just like this. Something to inspire unschoolers on those
doubtful days and something to enjoy reading and sharing everyday. It seems
like the only examples out there for new unschoolers to see as evidence of
kids learning is through reading stories...how unschoolers learn to read,
etc... I know so many people hear ideas of what *could* be done in an
unschooling situation that constitutes math (or whatever) like shopping with
Mom, but actual accounts are hard to find. For me anyway...am I missing
something?? Would anyone here be interested in that sort of thing?
Jennifer
Meanwhile I was caring for a friend's 2 yo, who was very sad for his
mommy...
he cracked up when he saw me head for the weedy patch with the lawn mower
(at
full run!), soon he was pushing Hannah's baby stroller over the grass
calling
"help you, help you!" sooooo sweet!
Great day! :)
diana,
_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
When I was a little girl one of our elderly neighbors used a push mower. I
remember thinking it was SO cool! (Kind of like my kids with my old 33
records, LOL!)
What a GREAT idea for productive exercise. If our yard weren't so darn big,
I might try that myself! I just can't imagine pushing that sucker over half
an acre of giant weeks in 110 degree weather. I do well to even follow the
self propelled (does that pertain to mowers??? <bg>) one we have now!
Thanks so much for sharing your day! I'm seriously considering a yahoo
group for things just like this. Something to inspire unschoolers on those
doubtful days and something to enjoy reading and sharing everyday. It seems
like the only examples out there for new unschoolers to see as evidence of
kids learning is through reading stories...how unschoolers learn to read,
etc... I know so many people hear ideas of what *could* be done in an
unschooling situation that constitutes math (or whatever) like shopping with
Mom, but actual accounts are hard to find. For me anyway...am I missing
something?? Would anyone here be interested in that sort of thing?
Jennifer
Meanwhile I was caring for a friend's 2 yo, who was very sad for his
mommy...
he cracked up when he saw me head for the weedy patch with the lawn mower
(at
full run!), soon he was pushing Hannah's baby stroller over the grass
calling
"help you, help you!" sooooo sweet!
Great day! :)
diana,
_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jmcseals SEALS
Giant weeKs??? Um, read that weeDs. Serious typo considering the 'k' and
'd' are quite far from one another. Ah well.....maybe I was thinking of how
*looong* it would take???? Who knows...
Jennifer
**I just can't imagine pushing that sucker over half
an acre of giant weeks in 110 degree weather.**
_________________________________________________________________
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
'd' are quite far from one another. Ah well.....maybe I was thinking of how
*looong* it would take???? Who knows...
Jennifer
**I just can't imagine pushing that sucker over half
an acre of giant weeks in 110 degree weather.**
_________________________________________________________________
MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
delavega31973
Yes, Yes, Yes!!! That is exactly what I am looking for! I would
love it if you would start a yahoo group like that! I am a fairly
new member here, but have just been lurking around trying to get a
feel for the list. I have two boys, Caleb,7 and Seth,2, and we have
been on an unschooling journey for a couple of years. We started out
sort of "schooly" two years ago, but are way more relaxed now. We
live in Ohio and raise grass-fed meats on our farm. I have been
enjoying this list, although it's a little hard to keep up with all
the posts, I think I'm starting to get the hang of it now. Anyway, I
LOVED your post about your unschooling day, and would really like to
hear lots more like it. So, please keep me informed if you do decide
to start a group like you mentioned.
Thanks,
Heather
---
love it if you would start a yahoo group like that! I am a fairly
new member here, but have just been lurking around trying to get a
feel for the list. I have two boys, Caleb,7 and Seth,2, and we have
been on an unschooling journey for a couple of years. We started out
sort of "schooly" two years ago, but are way more relaxed now. We
live in Ohio and raise grass-fed meats on our farm. I have been
enjoying this list, although it's a little hard to keep up with all
the posts, I think I'm starting to get the hang of it now. Anyway, I
LOVED your post about your unschooling day, and would really like to
hear lots more like it. So, please keep me informed if you do decide
to start a group like you mentioned.
Thanks,
Heather
---
>yahoo
> Thanks so much for sharing your day! I'm seriously considering a
> group for things just like this. Something to inspire unschoolerson those
> doubtful days and something to enjoy reading and sharing everyday.It seems
> like the only examples out there for new unschoolers to see asevidence of
> kids learning is through reading stories...how unschoolers learn toread,
> etc... I know so many people hear ideas of what *could* be done inan
> unschooling situation that constitutes math (or whatever) likeshopping with
> Mom, but actual accounts are hard to find. For me anyway...am Imissing
> something?? Would anyone here be interested in that sort of thing?his
>
> Jennifer
>
>
>
> Meanwhile I was caring for a friend's 2 yo, who was very sad for
> mommy...mower
> he cracked up when he saw me head for the weedy patch with the lawn
> (atgrass
> full run!), soon he was pushing Hannah's baby stroller over the
> calling
> "help you, help you!" sooooo sweet!
> Great day! :)
> diana,
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.
> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
joanna514
>banjo for
> Two hours ago, Keith's best friend Bob was here. He brought a
> Marty to borrow to see if he wants to pursue that as aninstrument. Only bad
> thing is Marty's a lefty. So he can either learn to play it righthanded, or
> we can spend big bucks for a left-handed banjo. >>Can't you restring a banjo backwards?
My brother is a lefty, and plays guitar(acoustic) for a living. He
now has to buy left handed guitars because he has to plug them into
the sound system, and he needs the controls on the top of his guitar
so he can adjust volume and things easily, in the middle of a song,
but for the first few years of him playing (before doing it in
public) he always had a right handed guitar that he strung reversed.
I was wondering why a banjo couldn't be the same.
Joanna
unolist
--- In [email protected], "delavega31973"
<delavega31973@m...> wrote:
interested...
the info page with links:
http://hometown.aol.com/unolist/index.html
here is the actual email list subscribe page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolersNetworkOhio/
Ang
<delavega31973@m...> wrote:
> Yes, Yes, Yes!!! That is exactly what I am looking for! I wouldhave
> love it if you would start a yahoo group like that! I am a fairly
> new member here, but have just been lurking around trying to get a
> feel for the list. I have two boys, Caleb,7 and Seth,2, and we
> been on an unschooling journey for a couple of years. We startedout
> sort of "schooly" two years ago, but are way more relaxed now. WeHey Heather...there is a fairly new Ohio unschooling list if you are
> live in Ohio
interested...
the info page with links:
http://hometown.aol.com/unolist/index.html
here is the actual email list subscribe page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolersNetworkOhio/
Ang
24hrmom
<<jmcseals SEALS wrote:
What did you do today???>>
Great story about the seesaw! It figured in our day as well ... but a bit later.
Last night Alyssa (just turned 9) decided she wanted to learn how to ride her bike. Previous summers she had made some attempts with her training wheels off, but got frustrated and scared and asked for them back. So last night out we went and Rocco tuned up the bike (which is now decidedly too small - oh well) and off she went. She asked me to help, and promptly got frustrated, but I soon managed to unobtrusively disappear so she could figure it out in peace. I went to the garage and practically cleared it out for an upcoming yard sale my Mom is having! During the next hour and a half she kept at it, up and down the sidewalk. When she finally came in she said she worked at it but didn't feel much further ahead, but it was said very matter-of-factly, not frustrated.
Anyway, this morning she got dressed and went back out to her bike. Michael (5) decided he wanted his training wheels off as well. In fact, as I was gazing over the situation, he had already pulled out the wrapped up wrench set and said "Here you go"! LOL Unfortunately one side was very tight and we had to leave the lubricating oil on to soak in. About an hour or so later, as I was quickly working my way through my backlog of emails from here, she came in and announced she could now ride a bike. I went out to see her ride ... I must say, she was pretty good!
During the afternoon she was searching ebay for stuff and found a big box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans which she bought with some of her birthday money. She asked me to spell a few words for her - since searching mis-spelled words wouldn't work very well! Joseph (11) was up and playing his gameboy, researching stuff on the internet, and hanging around.
I emailed Rocco back at work about a discussion we've been having. I had sent him a blurb a couple days ago about the discussion here on leading busy, interesting lives and he had replied about not really being interested in being "busy" in the goal-oriented, materialistic sense he felt many North-Americans pursued. I replied that I hadn't meant that at all and that the suggestions he had given were wonderful ways to keep "busy", as opposed to "fast-paced".
Rocco managed to get home relatively early and Michael accosted him to remove the second training wheel and then Alyssa asked to build the teeter-totter (seesaw) she and Rocco had designed on paper last night. Next time I stopped by the front door, Alyssa and Michael were seesawing! They added handles (so Michael didn't go flying), and stabilizers so it didn't roll off the buckets being used as the fulcrum.
Then Alyssa asked if we could order pizza and have a Mario Party night. We decided to go ahead so I put the steak back in the fridge for tomorrow and Rocco picked up a pizza. We all sat downstairs and munched pizza and Rocco and the kids played Mario Party 4. Joseph put his player on computer mode and was still researching on the computer downstairs and playing his gameboy but often came over to comment on the mini-games etc. I sat with them and was reading my copy of The Out-of-Sync Child book ... interesting.
When the game was over, Alyssa asked if I could read some more of the Harry Potter Goblet of Fire book (our 4th time through) and she added "to celebrate my being able to ride a bike". I just know she threw that in to try to keep me awake longer! LOL So I got Michael set up for bed in his room watching one of his Scooby Doo tapes (he's not interested in hearing the book again and again!) and I read a couple chapters to Alyssa and Joseph in her room - she also just bought a heated throw blanket with some of her birthday money - cozy! And Rocco had some alone time to pursue his interests.
All in all, a pretty cool unschooling day, I think.
And tomorrow we're going to Kortright, the local conservation centre, for the Four Winds Kite Festival.
Pam L.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
What did you do today???>>
Great story about the seesaw! It figured in our day as well ... but a bit later.
Last night Alyssa (just turned 9) decided she wanted to learn how to ride her bike. Previous summers she had made some attempts with her training wheels off, but got frustrated and scared and asked for them back. So last night out we went and Rocco tuned up the bike (which is now decidedly too small - oh well) and off she went. She asked me to help, and promptly got frustrated, but I soon managed to unobtrusively disappear so she could figure it out in peace. I went to the garage and practically cleared it out for an upcoming yard sale my Mom is having! During the next hour and a half she kept at it, up and down the sidewalk. When she finally came in she said she worked at it but didn't feel much further ahead, but it was said very matter-of-factly, not frustrated.
Anyway, this morning she got dressed and went back out to her bike. Michael (5) decided he wanted his training wheels off as well. In fact, as I was gazing over the situation, he had already pulled out the wrapped up wrench set and said "Here you go"! LOL Unfortunately one side was very tight and we had to leave the lubricating oil on to soak in. About an hour or so later, as I was quickly working my way through my backlog of emails from here, she came in and announced she could now ride a bike. I went out to see her ride ... I must say, she was pretty good!
During the afternoon she was searching ebay for stuff and found a big box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans which she bought with some of her birthday money. She asked me to spell a few words for her - since searching mis-spelled words wouldn't work very well! Joseph (11) was up and playing his gameboy, researching stuff on the internet, and hanging around.
I emailed Rocco back at work about a discussion we've been having. I had sent him a blurb a couple days ago about the discussion here on leading busy, interesting lives and he had replied about not really being interested in being "busy" in the goal-oriented, materialistic sense he felt many North-Americans pursued. I replied that I hadn't meant that at all and that the suggestions he had given were wonderful ways to keep "busy", as opposed to "fast-paced".
Rocco managed to get home relatively early and Michael accosted him to remove the second training wheel and then Alyssa asked to build the teeter-totter (seesaw) she and Rocco had designed on paper last night. Next time I stopped by the front door, Alyssa and Michael were seesawing! They added handles (so Michael didn't go flying), and stabilizers so it didn't roll off the buckets being used as the fulcrum.
Then Alyssa asked if we could order pizza and have a Mario Party night. We decided to go ahead so I put the steak back in the fridge for tomorrow and Rocco picked up a pizza. We all sat downstairs and munched pizza and Rocco and the kids played Mario Party 4. Joseph put his player on computer mode and was still researching on the computer downstairs and playing his gameboy but often came over to comment on the mini-games etc. I sat with them and was reading my copy of The Out-of-Sync Child book ... interesting.
When the game was over, Alyssa asked if I could read some more of the Harry Potter Goblet of Fire book (our 4th time through) and she added "to celebrate my being able to ride a bike". I just know she threw that in to try to keep me awake longer! LOL So I got Michael set up for bed in his room watching one of his Scooby Doo tapes (he's not interested in hearing the book again and again!) and I read a couple chapters to Alyssa and Joseph in her room - she also just bought a heated throw blanket with some of her birthday money - cozy! And Rocco had some alone time to pursue his interests.
All in all, a pretty cool unschooling day, I think.
And tomorrow we're going to Kortright, the local conservation centre, for the Four Winds Kite Festival.
Pam L.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
zenmomma2kids
>> What a GREAT idea for productive exercise. If our yard weren't sodarn big, I might try that myself! I just can't imagine pushing that
sucker over half an acre of giant weeks in 110 degree weather. >>
We've always had an old fashioned push mower. The trick is to mow
regularly and keep the lawn healthy and NOT overfed. Then the mowing
is kind of fun. I usually take care of it here and work up a good
sweat. Of course it's possible to avoid the hot weather by mowing in
the early morning or evening here. I'm sure it would be differnt in
those humid areas. :-P
Life is good.
~Mary
jmcseals SEALS
We had a similar experience with Nicholette last year with her bike. She
just decided she was too old for training wheels and asked her Dad to take
them off. She was very frustrated that she couldn't just jump on and take
off. She didn't ask for the training wheels to be put back on, though. For
days, she would come in crying because she couldn't ride without them.
Biting my tongue, I decided not to offer to put them back on. We played
'hot lava', which was a game we made up on the spot and changed as we went
along. Basically, we would all sit on our bikes and try to keep our feet
off the hot lava...the ground. It was really hard at first for her but she
soon decided she was going to last longer than I could with our feet up.
She made the rules that we had to start with our whole feet on the ground.
But since it burned to have hot lava on our feet, we could life our heels
up. Each step was a count to three. Next, we could only use our toes,
until finally, we could only balance on our big toes! By the end of the
day, she was riding on her own without training wheels!
She played hot lava with Lauren (5) and Hannah (4) last month and they are
both training wheel free now! She is SO proud! :)
Jennifer
From: "24hrmom" <24hrmom@...>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] An unschooled lesson in balance
Date: Sat, 3 May 2003 06:47:03 -0700
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
just decided she was too old for training wheels and asked her Dad to take
them off. She was very frustrated that she couldn't just jump on and take
off. She didn't ask for the training wheels to be put back on, though. For
days, she would come in crying because she couldn't ride without them.
Biting my tongue, I decided not to offer to put them back on. We played
'hot lava', which was a game we made up on the spot and changed as we went
along. Basically, we would all sit on our bikes and try to keep our feet
off the hot lava...the ground. It was really hard at first for her but she
soon decided she was going to last longer than I could with our feet up.
She made the rules that we had to start with our whole feet on the ground.
But since it burned to have hot lava on our feet, we could life our heels
up. Each step was a count to three. Next, we could only use our toes,
until finally, we could only balance on our big toes! By the end of the
day, she was riding on her own without training wheels!
She played hot lava with Lauren (5) and Hannah (4) last month and they are
both training wheel free now! She is SO proud! :)
Jennifer
From: "24hrmom" <24hrmom@...>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] An unschooled lesson in balance
Date: Sat, 3 May 2003 06:47:03 -0700
_________________________________________________________________
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
24hrmom
<<jmcseals SEALS wrote:
We played 'hot lava', which was a game we made up on the spot and
changed as we went along. Basically, we would all sit on our bikes
and try to keep our feet off the hot lava...the ground.>>
Cool game! That's how Alyssa started out yesterday, just trying to balance. I think it also gave her confidence that she could catch herself when she did lose her balance. I'll definitely mention the game version to Michael.
Pam L.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
We played 'hot lava', which was a game we made up on the spot and
changed as we went along. Basically, we would all sit on our bikes
and try to keep our feet off the hot lava...the ground.>>
Cool game! That's how Alyssa started out yesterday, just trying to balance. I think it also gave her confidence that she could catch herself when she did lose her balance. I'll definitely mention the game version to Michael.
Pam L.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/3/03 7:33:34 AM, Wilkinson6@... writes:
<< he always had a right handed guitar that he strung reversed.
I was wondering why a banjo couldn't be the same. >>
Five string banjos have the fifth string on top, with it's own tuning key
five frets in, and the way it's played is that's another "bass" string (sort
of, although it's a higher note). If he played it upside down he'd be
playing bass with his little finger (wouldn't work).
Even a lot of guitars can't just be restrung without reversing the head part
where the strings lie (which tends to have notches just the size of the
strings, fatter on the low end) and the bridge, too. Your brother probably
knew how to switch the guitar around, or happened to find one where that
wasn't an issue.
Marty's fairly ambidextrous so maybe it won't matter.
There's a picture of a five string there (too fancy, but I didn't find a
plain one in the short time I gave myself <g>)
http://www.trussel.com/f_banj1.htm
There are four string banjos too, but they're not as up-to-the-moment cool
<LOL>
Sandra
<< he always had a right handed guitar that he strung reversed.
I was wondering why a banjo couldn't be the same. >>
Five string banjos have the fifth string on top, with it's own tuning key
five frets in, and the way it's played is that's another "bass" string (sort
of, although it's a higher note). If he played it upside down he'd be
playing bass with his little finger (wouldn't work).
Even a lot of guitars can't just be restrung without reversing the head part
where the strings lie (which tends to have notches just the size of the
strings, fatter on the low end) and the bridge, too. Your brother probably
knew how to switch the guitar around, or happened to find one where that
wasn't an issue.
Marty's fairly ambidextrous so maybe it won't matter.
There's a picture of a five string there (too fancy, but I didn't find a
plain one in the short time I gave myself <g>)
http://www.trussel.com/f_banj1.htm
There are four string banjos too, but they're not as up-to-the-moment cool
<LOL>
Sandra
Mary
From: <HaHaMommy@...>
<<What did you do today??? >>
I haven't seen one of those since I was about 5. Didn't know you could still
buy them.
Back home in PA, there was a older man, probably about 70's that lived
downtown from where my dad had his business. He uses a pair of those hand
clippers. The kind you squeeze and scissor with to cut his whole lawn. He
would sit on the grass with his legs stretched out and do it all by hand.
His yard wasn't huge but enough so that it took him a long time. Seems like
everytime we went by his house he was out there!!
Mary B
<<What did you do today??? >>
I haven't seen one of those since I was about 5. Didn't know you could still
buy them.
Back home in PA, there was a older man, probably about 70's that lived
downtown from where my dad had his business. He uses a pair of those hand
clippers. The kind you squeeze and scissor with to cut his whole lawn. He
would sit on the grass with his legs stretched out and do it all by hand.
His yard wasn't huge but enough so that it took him a long time. Seems like
everytime we went by his house he was out there!!
Mary B
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/3/03 10:45:15 AM, mummy124@... writes:
<< Back home in PA, there was a older man, probably about 70's that lived
downtown from where my dad had his business. He uses a pair of those hand
clippers. The kind you squeeze and scissor with to cut his whole lawn. He
would sit on the grass with his legs stretched out and do it all by hand.
His yard wasn't huge but enough so that it took him a long time. Seems like
everytime we went by his house he was out there!!
out dandelions. She just wanted to be by herself out in the sunshine and
smoke cigarettes and not be around the baby Kirby, though. She's always been
a very twitchy, nervous person, and that was therapeutic for her, so although
it was a little embarrassing (we were afraid the neighbors might think we
TOLD her to do that, even though we had a motorized lawn mower), she liked it.
Sandra
<< Back home in PA, there was a older man, probably about 70's that lived
downtown from where my dad had his business. He uses a pair of those hand
clippers. The kind you squeeze and scissor with to cut his whole lawn. He
would sit on the grass with his legs stretched out and do it all by hand.
His yard wasn't huge but enough so that it took him a long time. Seems like
everytime we went by his house he was out there!!
>>My mom lived with us for a while and used to cut our lawn like that, and pull
out dandelions. She just wanted to be by herself out in the sunshine and
smoke cigarettes and not be around the baby Kirby, though. She's always been
a very twitchy, nervous person, and that was therapeutic for her, so although
it was a little embarrassing (we were afraid the neighbors might think we
TOLD her to do that, even though we had a motorized lawn mower), she liked it.
Sandra
Tia Leschke
>>At the moment, Kirby's at the new X-Men movie with a guy who works withhim.
Then he's going the the anime club meeting, which meets late after the comic
book shop closes. >>
Did you know that a bunch of that movie was shot near here? It used to be a
military university, now just the regular kind. Our orchestra has played a
Viennese ball there.
>>Two hours ago, Keith's best friend Bob was here. He brought a banjo forMarty to borrow to see if he wants to pursue that as an instrument. Only
bad
thing is Marty's a lefty. So he can either learn to play it right handed,
or
we can spend big bucks for a left-handed banjo. But for now he can at least
look at some chord charts and picking patterns and get an idea of the
situation. And maybe he'll be one of those guys who can just do it.>>
I've never quite understood why a guitar or banjo would be either right or
left-handed. Is the picking part that much harder than the fingering part?
I know there are lots of lefties playing other stringed instruments.
Tia
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
saftety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin
leschke@...
Tia Leschke
> Giant weeKs??? Um, read that weeDs. Serious typo considering the 'k' andhow
> 'd' are quite far from one another. Ah well.....maybe I was thinking of
> *looong* it would take???? Who knows...Same finger, other hand though, if you touch type.
Tia
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
saftety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin
leschke@...
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/3/03 12:14:57 PM, leschke@... writes:
<< I've never quite understood why a guitar or banjo would be either right or
left-handed. Is the picking part that much harder than the fingering part? >>
Yes. The strength is holding a whole chord for sometimes a long time, so
that's harder than the one finger at a time of a cello or something. And the
finger picking is more precision-based, so there's the dumb strong hand
(left, in my case) doing chords and the nimble, clever hand (right, for me)
doing the "don't miss that string, you only have one chance" stuff.
There was a time (hundreds of years back) when recorders were manufactured
for either right or left handed players, with the bottom hole being on both
sides, and you just stuffed the one you weren't going to use with wax. Not
everybody plays a right handed model. Lots of holes have been moved to be
more accessible to right-handers. But on that, the slow strong hand is on
top, holding it still.
Sandra
Sandra
<< I've never quite understood why a guitar or banjo would be either right or
left-handed. Is the picking part that much harder than the fingering part? >>
Yes. The strength is holding a whole chord for sometimes a long time, so
that's harder than the one finger at a time of a cello or something. And the
finger picking is more precision-based, so there's the dumb strong hand
(left, in my case) doing chords and the nimble, clever hand (right, for me)
doing the "don't miss that string, you only have one chance" stuff.
There was a time (hundreds of years back) when recorders were manufactured
for either right or left handed players, with the bottom hole being on both
sides, and you just stuffed the one you weren't going to use with wax. Not
everybody plays a right handed model. Lots of holes have been moved to be
more accessible to right-handers. But on that, the slow strong hand is on
top, holding it still.
Sandra
Sandra
jmcseals SEALS
**Same finger, other hand though, if you touch type. Tia**
Good point, I do, so that was probably it. :)
Jen
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Good point, I do, so that was probably it. :)
Jen
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[email protected]
In a message dated 5/3/2003 11:38:24 AM Central Daylight Time,
SandraDodd@... writes:
really quiet, and it's easy to sing over them.
Tuck
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
SandraDodd@... writes:
> There are four string banjos too, but they're not as up-to-the-moment coolThere are also banjo-ukuleles! They are for performing, because ukes are
> <LOL>
>
really quiet, and it's easy to sing over them.
Tuck
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
zenmomma2kids
>> My mom lived with us for a while and used to cut our lawn likethat, and pull out dandelions. >>
Uh oh. Are my neighbors looking at me like I'm strange? <g> I use a
push mower and have always pulled weeds by hand. How else do you get
those little suckers out without spreading lots of poisons, making
lots of noise or using lots of gas/electricity? ;-)
Life is good.
~Mary
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/3/03 3:36:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
zenmomma@... writes:
"poisons".. lol... So, guess that is not an option for you. But for me and my
yard, Roundup rules!
Teresa
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
zenmomma@... writes:
> How else do you getI was gonna say "Roundup!".. but then I reread your sentence and saw
> those little suckers out without spreading lots of poisons, making
> lots of noise or using lots of gas/electricity? ;-)
>
"poisons".. lol... So, guess that is not an option for you. But for me and my
yard, Roundup rules!
Teresa
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jmcseals SEALS
<<<Uh oh. Are my neighbors looking at me like I'm strange? <g> I use a
push mower and have always pulled weeds by hand. How else do you get
those little suckers out without spreading lots of poisons, making
lots of noise or using lots of gas/electricity? ;-)>>>
The weed popper...or at least I think that's what it's called. Leaves huge,
unsightly holes all over the lawn though. :-) I guess you could always keep
a large assortment of lawn decorations on hand to cover them up! LOL A pink
flamingo here, a little gnome there.....
Jennifer
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
push mower and have always pulled weeds by hand. How else do you get
those little suckers out without spreading lots of poisons, making
lots of noise or using lots of gas/electricity? ;-)>>>
The weed popper...or at least I think that's what it's called. Leaves huge,
unsightly holes all over the lawn though. :-) I guess you could always keep
a large assortment of lawn decorations on hand to cover them up! LOL A pink
flamingo here, a little gnome there.....
Jennifer
_________________________________________________________________
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/3/2003 4:32:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jmcseals@... writes:
least HE'S cute!
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jmcseals@... writes:
> The weed popper...or at least I think that's what it's called. Leaves huge,So does "SodaPop", my beagle! <g> I'm sure we could arrange something! AT
>
> unsightly holes all over the lawn though. :-)
least HE'S cute!
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
zenmomma2kids
>> So does "SodaPop", my beagle! <g> I'm sure we could arrangesomething! AT least HE'S cute!>>
So am I, and I don't mind pulling the weeds. <g> It's peaceful. It's
a zen thing. ;-)
Next house we're thinking of getting a goat. We'll have to go much
less suburban I think.
Life is good.
~Mary
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/3/2003 4:49:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
zenmomma@... writes:
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
zenmomma@... writes:
> So am I, and I don't mind pulling the weeds. <g> It's peaceful. It'sMe too. My lawn is "organic". "Organic" is techno for "pull a lot of weeds".
> a zen thing. ;-)
>
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
delavega31973
Thanks, I'll check it out!
Heather
--- In [email protected], "unolist" <unolist@a...>
wrote:
Heather
--- In [email protected], "unolist" <unolist@a...>
wrote:
> --- In [email protected], "delavega31973"fairly
> <delavega31973@m...> wrote:
> > Yes, Yes, Yes!!! That is exactly what I am looking for! I would
> > love it if you would start a yahoo group like that! I am a
> > new member here, but have just been lurking around trying to geta
> > feel for the list. I have two boys, Caleb,7 and Seth,2, and weWe
> have
> > been on an unschooling journey for a couple of years. We started
> out
> > sort of "schooly" two years ago, but are way more relaxed now.
> > live in Ohioare
>
> Hey Heather...there is a fairly new Ohio unschooling list if you
> interested...
>
> the info page with links:
> http://hometown.aol.com/unolist/index.html
>
> here is the actual email list subscribe page:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolersNetworkOhio/
>
> Ang
Olga
--- In [email protected], "24hrmom" <24hrmom@s...>
wrote:
We just sort of went through the same break through with our almost 5
year old :) He has been trying to learn to ride a bike for a while
(with training wheels) but never could get it, and never lasted more
than a few minutes, I am talking over a year here. We never really
pushed it, but suddenly he got on and with a few pointers took off.
Now he is a little pro. Goes back to what everyone says about the
right timing and something clikcking in the brain. I was just
telling hubby today, I think he had that click. I am happy we never
pushed. What huge benfit would it have made for him to struggle to
ride. Instead, his quick success only is a boost to his
confidence...Yeah!!
Olga
her training wheels off, but got frustrated and scared and asked for
them back. So last night out we went and Rocco tuned up the bike
(which is now decidedly too small - oh well) and off she went. She
asked me to help, and promptly got frustrated, but I soon managed to
unobtrusively disappear so she could figure it out in peace. I went
to the garage and practically cleared it out for an upcoming yard
sale my Mom is having! During the next hour and a half she kept at
it, up and down the sidewalk. When she finally came in she said she
worked at it but didn't feel much further ahead, but it was said very
matter-of-factly, not frustrated.
well. In fact, as I was gazing over the situation, he had already
pulled out the wrapped up wrench set and said "Here you go"! LOL
Unfortunately one side was very tight and we had to leave the
lubricating oil on to soak in. About an hour or so later, as I was
quickly working my way through my backlog of emails from here, she
came in and announced she could now ride a bike. I went out to see
her ride ... I must say, she was pretty good!
some of her birthday money. She asked me to spell a few words for
her - since searching mis-spelled words wouldn't work very well!
Joseph (11) was up and playing his gameboy, researching stuff on the
internet, and hanging around.
leading busy, interesting lives and he had replied about not really
being interested in being "busy" in the goal-oriented, materialistic
sense he felt many North-Americans pursued. I replied that I hadn't
meant that at all and that the suggestions he had given were
wonderful ways to keep "busy", as opposed to "fast-paced".
the teeter-totter (seesaw) she and Rocco had designed on paper last
night. Next time I stopped by the front door, Alyssa and Michael
were seesawing! They added handles (so Michael didn't go flying),
and stabilizers so it didn't roll off the buckets being used as the
fulcrum.
for tomorrow and Rocco picked up a pizza. We all sat downstairs and
munched pizza and Rocco and the kids played Mario Party 4. Joseph
put his player on computer mode and was still researching on the
computer downstairs and playing his gameboy but often came over to
comment on the mini-games etc. I sat with them and was reading my
copy of The Out-of-Sync Child book ... interesting.
added "to celebrate my being able to ride a bike". I just know she
threw that in to try to keep me awake longer! LOL So I got Michael
set up for bed in his room watching one of his Scooby Doo tapes (he's
not interested in hearing the book again and again!) and I read a
couple chapters to Alyssa and Joseph in her room - she also just
bought a heated throw blanket with some of her birthday money -
cozy! And Rocco had some alone time to pursue his interests.
wrote:
We just sort of went through the same break through with our almost 5
year old :) He has been trying to learn to ride a bike for a while
(with training wheels) but never could get it, and never lasted more
than a few minutes, I am talking over a year here. We never really
pushed it, but suddenly he got on and with a few pointers took off.
Now he is a little pro. Goes back to what everyone says about the
right timing and something clikcking in the brain. I was just
telling hubby today, I think he had that click. I am happy we never
pushed. What huge benfit would it have made for him to struggle to
ride. Instead, his quick success only is a boost to his
confidence...Yeah!!
Olga
> Last night Alyssa (just turned 9) decided she wanted to learn howto ride her bike. Previous summers she had made some attempts with
her training wheels off, but got frustrated and scared and asked for
them back. So last night out we went and Rocco tuned up the bike
(which is now decidedly too small - oh well) and off she went. She
asked me to help, and promptly got frustrated, but I soon managed to
unobtrusively disappear so she could figure it out in peace. I went
to the garage and practically cleared it out for an upcoming yard
sale my Mom is having! During the next hour and a half she kept at
it, up and down the sidewalk. When she finally came in she said she
worked at it but didn't feel much further ahead, but it was said very
matter-of-factly, not frustrated.
>bike. Michael (5) decided he wanted his training wheels off as
> Anyway, this morning she got dressed and went back out to her
well. In fact, as I was gazing over the situation, he had already
pulled out the wrapped up wrench set and said "Here you go"! LOL
Unfortunately one side was very tight and we had to leave the
lubricating oil on to soak in. About an hour or so later, as I was
quickly working my way through my backlog of emails from here, she
came in and announced she could now ride a bike. I went out to see
her ride ... I must say, she was pretty good!
>big box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans which she bought with
> During the afternoon she was searching ebay for stuff and found a
some of her birthday money. She asked me to spell a few words for
her - since searching mis-spelled words wouldn't work very well!
Joseph (11) was up and playing his gameboy, researching stuff on the
internet, and hanging around.
>I had sent him a blurb a couple days ago about the discussion here on
> I emailed Rocco back at work about a discussion we've been having.
leading busy, interesting lives and he had replied about not really
being interested in being "busy" in the goal-oriented, materialistic
sense he felt many North-Americans pursued. I replied that I hadn't
meant that at all and that the suggestions he had given were
wonderful ways to keep "busy", as opposed to "fast-paced".
>to remove the second training wheel and then Alyssa asked to build
> Rocco managed to get home relatively early and Michael accosted him
the teeter-totter (seesaw) she and Rocco had designed on paper last
night. Next time I stopped by the front door, Alyssa and Michael
were seesawing! They added handles (so Michael didn't go flying),
and stabilizers so it didn't roll off the buckets being used as the
fulcrum.
>night. We decided to go ahead so I put the steak back in the fridge
> Then Alyssa asked if we could order pizza and have a Mario Party
for tomorrow and Rocco picked up a pizza. We all sat downstairs and
munched pizza and Rocco and the kids played Mario Party 4. Joseph
put his player on computer mode and was still researching on the
computer downstairs and playing his gameboy but often came over to
comment on the mini-games etc. I sat with them and was reading my
copy of The Out-of-Sync Child book ... interesting.
>the Harry Potter Goblet of Fire book (our 4th time through) and she
> When the game was over, Alyssa asked if I could read some more of
added "to celebrate my being able to ride a bike". I just know she
threw that in to try to keep me awake longer! LOL So I got Michael
set up for bed in his room watching one of his Scooby Doo tapes (he's
not interested in hearing the book again and again!) and I read a
couple chapters to Alyssa and Joseph in her room - she also just
bought a heated throw blanket with some of her birthday money -
cozy! And Rocco had some alone time to pursue his interests.
>centre, for the Four Winds Kite Festival.
> All in all, a pretty cool unschooling day, I think.
>
> And tomorrow we're going to Kortright, the local conservation
>
> Pam L.
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/3/2003 12:45:15 PM Eastern Standard Time,
mummy124@... writes:
I often read these emails looking and searching for what others do with
their children. We do a lot with the kids but sometimes I find it difficult
to beak down the days when asked.
The past few days I have been asked many questions about Homeschooling and
Unschooling. Our son was asked by a neighbor the other day what he does all
day, he explained it so much better than I would have. I also have a friend
looking into HS so she has been wanting to know about our days.
Let me give this a shot.
Dustin our 11 yr. old taught himself how to skim board. He wanted to surf but
the water is still a bit cold here. We attended a HS meeting, the kids played
and had a blast. Dustin went to see X2 the X Men Movie last night with his
dad. He wanted to tell me all about the movie last night but they got back
at 12:30 and Dad said to tell me in the am. So im in bed this morning and I
roll over and there he is "Mom do you want to hear about the movie now," lol
too funny
Today we went to the dump, we have a very small dump it is more like three
trailer sized dumpsters. There is a free-be barn at our dump where you can
get or drop off books, desks, bikes, toys etc.. Our little one Cassidy likes
to find treasures, she has a good eye for cool toys.
After that we picked up two ride toys at a yard sale dropped them off at
home, took out our Brittany pup one more time, then off to Best Buy to look
for another VCR for Cassidy.
Dustin went ahead to Best Buy to play video games and Cassidy, Nicholas and I
went to Old Navy. My little girl is three and is such a sweetie, sometimes I
have to look twice at her to make sure she is still 3. She handed me a
bathing suit today and she says Mom I'll take this one it will look "weally"
good on me. She loves to shop!
Then to Best Buy to meet Dustin and search for a VCR with Auto repeat.
We came home the kids played with their new found ride toys, Jumped on the
trampoline and Collected rocks (Cassidy collected and the puppy chewed).
Later Dustin and I went to Stroudwater Books. They are closing so we searched
the entire store for a good deal. Spent a good hour and a half there. He
choose a book on Navy Seals and 1001 commonly used Spanish words. He wants to
learn Spanish but really wanted audio tapes he is convinced if he plays them
when he sleeps he will learn it.
We then went to Goodwill, where we stumbled on a VCR for Cassidy, a CD tower
for Dustin and a VCR tape drawer. I love this store they always have
something I am looking for.
Our last stop was to the grocery store. Dustin loves to tell people he is
Homeschooled (He says HS but explains Unschooling, people here only know one
term) so tonight he is at the register and somehow finds a way to slide it in
there. I think tonight he said something about no bed time. Lol That got the
clerks attention. ( I did add to the conversation that he has no bed time but
is asleep usually before 11 and up at 7-8) Well to make a long story short he
answered all her questions with pride and as we walked away we could hear her
talking to the next customers in line. I didn't catch all of it but I could
hear her saying how great a kid he was and how cool it all sounded. I didn't
think he herd her but when we got out side he said Mom did you hear her! I
said yeah I did. So he made sure he brought his cart back in the farthest
door so she saw him returning the cart. That made his night.
On the way home we herd the about the Man in the Mountain breaking away in NH
and discussed some of the history behind it all. The rock face is no more a
great piece of NH. I would imagine people will still visit but if they never
saw it in person sad to say they never will....
Today was more running than life I think.
Laura D
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
mummy124@... writes:
> <<What did you do today??? >>See saws are great! What a fun day you had!
I often read these emails looking and searching for what others do with
their children. We do a lot with the kids but sometimes I find it difficult
to beak down the days when asked.
The past few days I have been asked many questions about Homeschooling and
Unschooling. Our son was asked by a neighbor the other day what he does all
day, he explained it so much better than I would have. I also have a friend
looking into HS so she has been wanting to know about our days.
Let me give this a shot.
Dustin our 11 yr. old taught himself how to skim board. He wanted to surf but
the water is still a bit cold here. We attended a HS meeting, the kids played
and had a blast. Dustin went to see X2 the X Men Movie last night with his
dad. He wanted to tell me all about the movie last night but they got back
at 12:30 and Dad said to tell me in the am. So im in bed this morning and I
roll over and there he is "Mom do you want to hear about the movie now," lol
too funny
Today we went to the dump, we have a very small dump it is more like three
trailer sized dumpsters. There is a free-be barn at our dump where you can
get or drop off books, desks, bikes, toys etc.. Our little one Cassidy likes
to find treasures, she has a good eye for cool toys.
After that we picked up two ride toys at a yard sale dropped them off at
home, took out our Brittany pup one more time, then off to Best Buy to look
for another VCR for Cassidy.
Dustin went ahead to Best Buy to play video games and Cassidy, Nicholas and I
went to Old Navy. My little girl is three and is such a sweetie, sometimes I
have to look twice at her to make sure she is still 3. She handed me a
bathing suit today and she says Mom I'll take this one it will look "weally"
good on me. She loves to shop!
Then to Best Buy to meet Dustin and search for a VCR with Auto repeat.
We came home the kids played with their new found ride toys, Jumped on the
trampoline and Collected rocks (Cassidy collected and the puppy chewed).
Later Dustin and I went to Stroudwater Books. They are closing so we searched
the entire store for a good deal. Spent a good hour and a half there. He
choose a book on Navy Seals and 1001 commonly used Spanish words. He wants to
learn Spanish but really wanted audio tapes he is convinced if he plays them
when he sleeps he will learn it.
We then went to Goodwill, where we stumbled on a VCR for Cassidy, a CD tower
for Dustin and a VCR tape drawer. I love this store they always have
something I am looking for.
Our last stop was to the grocery store. Dustin loves to tell people he is
Homeschooled (He says HS but explains Unschooling, people here only know one
term) so tonight he is at the register and somehow finds a way to slide it in
there. I think tonight he said something about no bed time. Lol That got the
clerks attention. ( I did add to the conversation that he has no bed time but
is asleep usually before 11 and up at 7-8) Well to make a long story short he
answered all her questions with pride and as we walked away we could hear her
talking to the next customers in line. I didn't catch all of it but I could
hear her saying how great a kid he was and how cool it all sounded. I didn't
think he herd her but when we got out side he said Mom did you hear her! I
said yeah I did. So he made sure he brought his cart back in the farthest
door so she saw him returning the cart. That made his night.
On the way home we herd the about the Man in the Mountain breaking away in NH
and discussed some of the history behind it all. The rock face is no more a
great piece of NH. I would imagine people will still visit but if they never
saw it in person sad to say they never will....
Today was more running than life I think.
Laura D
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]