Nature and Risk Taking: why we should allow children to take risks outdoors

by Meghan // July 2, 2018 // Comments off

Most of us grew up in one of the last generations in our country to have safe freedoms- freedoms that don’t put children in direct danger, but allow them to take risks within safe boundaries.

We know children need to take risks. Risk taking is essential to brain development, emotional well being, and expanding our physical abilities, which are all part of a foundation for success.

Yep.

It is that dramatically important that children are allowed to take risks, without adult guidance, or interference. In the last 60 years we have created one generation after another of children that are more susceptible to mental breakdowns, chaos, and an inability to still their minds.

They simply haven’t had the experiences in childhood to build the stamina needed as adults to process and regulate emotions, environments, and problem solve. It is that simple.

Rigorous school instruction before developmentally appropriate is detrimental to the development and well being of our kids.

In our modern educational world, with access to too much of everything at too young of an age, we have:

limited physical movement and unstructured recess time for children
reduced or removed outside time, thus reducing sunshine and fresh air
removed mental, emotional, and physical risk taking for children
increased sitting (… no, adding a fidget toys or bouncy bands does not replace outside free play. Do they help some children, sure! We use tools here for sensory relief and movement for those cold, windy days, but they are not a substitute for movement or being outdoors)
reduced natural body positions-movement such as squatting, writing in large motions vertically while standing, sitting on the floor, laying on bellies while listening or writing
increased screen time at school and home- screens and technology are addicted and dangerous to the brain, especially developing brains; our brain chemistry literally changes when given too much screen time.
Increased dangerous light sources: “A study published in late 2010 in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found that LEDs contain lead, arsenic and a dozen other potentially dangerous substances. LEDs are touted as the next generation of lighting,” says Oladele Ogunseitan, one of the researchers behind the study and chair of the University of California (UC)-Irvine’s Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention. “But as we try to find better products that do not deplete energy resources or contribute to global warming, we have to be vigilant [about] toxicity hazards….”
reduced nutrition via boxed and canned food, fast food, improper preparation of foods, limiting healthy fats and vegetables
increased toxins via foods, pesticides, plastics, our water sources, beauty products, medicines, fabrics, and cleaning products

We have turned ourselves and our children, into caged animals, over exposed to heavy metals and xenoestrogens, y’all. Miserable, anxious, pacing, animals with occasional recreation time outdoors … which many children don’t enjoy because they are constantly told what not to do by adults that are glancing up from their phones just long enough to give correction.

What happened to free play outdoors? Running barefoot in grass that isn’t covered in chemicals? Climbing trees, rolling down hills, and jumping over creeks are the days of the past for many children, and adults. The solution is as simple as creating an outdoor area in your home that they will want to spend time in; make it inviting, for example visit https://www.lawncare.net/service-areas/missouri/ to learn about better lawn care, do some planting, and fill it with interesting activities. This will then encourage children to go further afield, perhaps exploring nearby fields and forests.

what is happening

When we keep our bodies in a constant state of stress, via all the above bullet points, we destroy our hormones**, drain our adrenals, and create unhealthy environments in our body’s immune system (gut bacteria), resulting in many ailments created in or increased in diagnosis over the last 50-60 years.

So what is a remedy for our children’s bodies, minds, emotions, and ourselves?

Fresh air! Slowing down daily: walking, playing, romping, risk taking, and getting sunshine on our skin are proven to decrease cortisol levels and anxiety while increasing seratonin and the synthesis of nutrients in our bodies. We often feel a closer connection to God, our friends and family, and ourselves when outdoors.

God created a perfect system in His world for our bodies to function-real, nutrient dense foods raised the way He intended, clean water, sunshine, and natural movement are the first steps to feeling better and helping our children overcome the cycle of stress, “failure,” and melt downs as children, which carries on to adulthood. He didn’t design His world for us to be stressed, caged, fat, tired, miserable, depressed, and addicted to screens- none of those things glorify Him.

Risk taking is where boys learn to conquer, be knights in shining armor, and carefully work outside the lines. It is where girls learn to let go, realize they can do all things, and live outside of fear. Risk taking creates freedom from constant boundaries; freeing our bodies and minds.

Is there a time and place for convenience foods, chilling inside, and sitting for instruction or work? Sure! But these should be in balance, basically at the very tippy top of a very large pyramid; when they replace the foundations on which our bodies were meant to build, we end up with a very messy, stressed out life.

Make a plan

Plan a time each day to get outside! Maybe it is in the morning, or after dinner as a family- if you’re a planner, write it out as something you will do! If you homeschool, after morning time, lunch, or before naps/rest may work well for your family.

To keep it safe our family has instructions- if you get lost or injured, confused or scared, sit down and scream! Don’t keep walking, don’t keep circling or panic- sit down and yell. We WILL find you. Last year for Christmas we each got safety whistles to use in case of emergency during our walks in the woods or on the property; even with the best supervision, we all know children can escape our sight, so this is a good precaution. Don’t let fear or worry keep you from exploring or getting outdoors.

Many of us are living by to-dos; let go of the to dos for 30 minutes- finish the dishes, tidy the house quickly so you can come back feeling refreshed, leave the rest for later-and GO!

Don’t fill your time outdoors with demands, tasks, and stuff- sure chores need to be done, outdoor toys are fun and healthy- but be intentional about quiet and natural movements, natural play, being creative and noticing Gods creation!

There you will find peace; there we can quiet the noise, be closer to Him, build stronger connections, and enjoy living.

Came out taller than the trees

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Homeschool Video-Based Art Curriculum {a review}

by Meghan // June 13, 2018 // Comments off

We have been using Art of the Ancients from ARTistic Pursuits Inc. This is a new edition book from their Art Instruction Books with DVD and Blu-Ray series. Art is always a fun topic in our home; we have really enjoyed ARTistic Pursuits when we reviewed it in the past. This time was no different!

K-3 Volume 2, Art of the Ancients

This beautiful, hardcover, 64 page book consists of 18 lesson, 6 of which are video based lessons focused on chalk pastels and clay sculpture. It comes with 2 discs: 1 DVD, and 1 Blue-ray Disc.

The lessons on ancient art are thorough, allow students to see creativity and life differently than they may in their own culture, and introduce new experiences in chalk pastels and clay. We already had chalks and sculpting clay on hand; we used these chalks, and this clay set. You can use any brand that you may have on hand-one lessons even suggests using sidewalk chalks outdoors!

There are prep notes found at the beginning of every lesson, allowing the parent or teacher to better prepare for teaching. Simple suggestions like how to set up before hand for a group (4 small children at home, anyone?), or moving the lesson outside, are just what I needed to help our lesson go smoothly.

Each lesson in Art of the Ancients gives the history of an ancient culture, and the art they used in every day life- from cave drawings and carved city walls, to more sophisticated statues and pillars, students get an intimate look at the beauty found in ancient history and it’s purpose. There are over 100 illustrations found in the course book!

After the history portion of the lesson, students will find an opportunity for a picture study- our favorite part! Here is a chance to practice some narration (for all your Charlotte Mason homeschoolers!) and pay close attention to details in art. I found that often times, my children are better at finding the details than I am! Simple prompts which ask what the children see (how many, what size, what kind/shape) or where something is hiding in the picture encourages young learners to look at details, while other questions encourage them to see the art as a whole piece.

Lastly, children create! The instructions for creating your own piece of art are easy to understand and implement. The supplies needed are listed in a box at the top of the page, followed by a brief description about the type of art, explanation of new vocabulary, and instructions of how to create.

What We Think

My children have been pleading to do art since we received our book in the mail. Each time we open the book we are glad we did! The simple history lessons are fun, meaningful, and help make history come alive. My 7.5 yo enjoys reading it for fun, and everyone loves the beautiful art found inside. Lessons are short enough to hold young children’s attention & make it easy to fit into an already full life. They are very easy on mama, not parent intensive at all, which is always nice!

My toddler watched the video lessons along with us, enjoying the clay and pinch pot-making. My 3 year old followed right along in her care free way, using chalks and clay independently, while her 2 older siblings were much more serious about their work. 😉

We have loved this program and will likely use more books from the Art Instruction Books with DVD and Blu-Ray series. Thank you ARTistic Pursuits!

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Homeschooling Through Transitions: the hard times and the happy ones

by Meghan // June 11, 2018 // Comments off

**Originally published February 2016** I enjoy these practical tips, even now, during seasons of what feels like temporary chaos. My children are older now, we have a small farm, and much more on our plate in this season than normal. These have been wonderful reminders for me! Maybe they will help you as well!

My oldest child is soon turning 5 years old (say whaaaaa?). I am by no means a homeschool expert; I have researched and read since I was 3 months pregnant with my first child, played around with schedules, dreamed of homeschool room ideas, used a few different curricula and tried different learning activities for my two oldest to try and find them the best personalized learning solutions so that they don’t miss out on their education.

And still, I am a no expert; I don’t think we become experts until we have graduated at least 1 homeschooled child! Haha

In the last few years we have had several family transitions- 2 babies born, rather large moves (one cross country), and job changes for the husband (one job that meant a LOT of travel)- that means we have “schooled” through some tough changes.

No matter how uncomfortable or scary our changes have been for the kids, I have found that homeschool ALWAYS makes our home feel like, well … home. After the latest move my daughter told us she didn’t like this rent house, it wasn’t home. So, as any mama would do I stayed up that night contemplating what would make all the kids (because she was surely expressing what her 2 year old brother was feeling but couldn’t say himself), feel comfortable again, feel at home.

And I almost immediately knew it was school- school, our Bible, reading, activities, learning and working their brains together, that is what made our house home and gave our days intention. Homeschooling isn’t just school- it is a lifestyle, it is IN the center of our home, of which the central focus is Jesus Christ.

Schooling Through Transitions:

1. Prioritize:

What is most important to your family? For us it is reading/phonics, math, handwriting, and Bible/read alouds. My kids are still very young (though my oldest is ambitious), so our main subjects that require “work” are only for the oldest: reading/phonics, math, handwriting, and copywork.

Science and art are on the back burner until the fall, after we move and get settled in the home we are buying. (I did this because getting out all the things we need for science and art is a mess while living out of boxes, and keeping the baby hands off of it in a home that is not exactly set up for homeschooling is hard! But if your children are older and can work independently and more responsibly, then go for it.)

Also, make sure you are doing work that everyone loves- because otherwise you are less likely to make it work during the transition.

2. Start earlier than scheduled in the year:

Even year-round schoolers like us take a break and have a specific date in mind for introducing their full-on school year. When you are expecting a new baby, or making a move, you know school is going to get delayed at some point. For us, we have always moved school earlier, again prioritizing the most important subjects, and then taken a break when needed (the week OF moving/baby being born) and then slowly gotten back into the groove of things.

3. Get back into routine:

Most homeschoolers I have talked with or asked have said getting back into the routine of school after a big life event is not only comforting, but helps all the kids behavior wise as well. (And that is definitely true in our home!)

Most kids do well with structure and expectations, so it would make sense that their routine at home helps with behavior and a sense of stability.

4. Relax:

At this time, it will do everyone good to relax (I know, easier said than done). We kept a general routine, but some days I had to get meals made for the week or things packed up for a move, so the kids just colored while we talked about the letters they heard in words I called out. I know mine are young, but this would be okay to do with olders too! Reviewing math facts, memory work, having them do copy work and art, etc can get you by until things become more formal after your transitions. The beauty of homeschool is that in general, we can take breaks when needed and always have time to catch back up (there aren’t hours spent standing in lines, taking bathroom breaks, etc so we can do double the work in half the time when we really need to!).

So breathe, Mama- relax and find learning opportunities in everyday life to make your life easier through this transition!

How does your family school through big life events?

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Homeschool Cursive Writing with Memoria Press {a review}

by Meghan // June 7, 2018 // Comments off

Recently, we have been using a cursive program from Memoria Press-I love so many of their products and there is always something new on my wish list. This time,we have been using New American Cursive 2 (Famous Americans).

We began learning cursive a few months back at my 7 year old daughter’s request. With a few developmental struggles (vision dysfunction) that make writing difficult, cursive has been a wonderful gift for my daughter when it comes to writing. Memoria Press’s New American Cursive 2 has been a large part of that. After learning the basic letters and connections, this book has stepped in for extra practice and fun learning!

New American Cursive 2- Famous Americans

There are a several things I love about this program, one being the ease of the letter formations. The letters are at a slight slant, extra strokes have been eliminated, and the letters are very similar in appearance to those in print which children read every day via books and on paper. This is makes it easier for them to remember what the letters look like, how to form them, and also accommodates their small hands and earlier fine motor skills. For example, a traditional F in cursive is more intricate to form with loops and curls than the F in New American Cursive. My daughter has learned writing them both ways, and prefers the New American Cursive script.

The Introduction and Teaching Guide in the first 8 pages of the student book are helpful & motivating! For a parent and/or teacher, teaching cursive can be … well, intimidating! But Memoria Press has taken that out of the equation. The simple, clear, and encouraging explanations found in this part of the book offer support:

ideas for extra practice
words of encouragement for our children
tips on what to focus on (progress vs perfection each time)
ideas for testing/grading work (including allowing the child to self-evaluate)
and alternative exercises to help wake up the whole brain, which is so important for fine motor skills like penmanship

Teaching cursive is so easy with this program; it is open and go! I also like that I can apply all their teaching helps to many aspects of our homeschool! Such a great reminder of all our freedoms in homeschooling.

Lesson Structure:

The beginning of this book gives a refresher on forming the cursive letters; it covers the letters themselves and their connections. There are 125 lessons total, with the spiral at the top of the book making it easy for left or right handed writers. The book is geared towards most first graders; I believe you could use it for a student in varying “grades,” based on their development.

Lessons give simple cues for the different types of connections using Mr. Meerkat, who is found throughout the book. I love that each lesson is only a page (most of the time), the instructions are simple and easy for students to follow independently, and students get to circle their best letter in many lessons-this created a sense of ownership for my daughter, taking the “work” out of writing. She loves making her “very best” letters and words.

In later lessons, students focus on different skills of cursive: slant, spacing, and size. There are gentle reminders instructing the student to focus on these areas, which is very helpful.

This book uses quotes from famous Americans like Ben Franklin, to build character and confidence. My daughter recognized many of the quotes from our studies in the past, and enjoyed writing them for practice. We used some of the quotes as reminders in our homeschool these past few weeks, which was fun.

Creative Writing

Between the practice lessons are wonderfully fun creative writing pages:

journaling prompts with illustrations
opportunities for dictation
capital letter usage
writing thank you notes
addressing envelopes
writing proper letters
and more!

In the back of the student book you will find reproducible pages in different line sizes. These are meant to be photo copied for extra practice at your convenience; different students have different fine motor skills. Some children will need smaller lines while others will need larger spaced lines for now.

What We Think

We have LOVED this book! My daughter often picks it up outside of school time to practice. It is relaxing for her, she looks forward to the lessons, and enjoys seeing her progress. Again, Memoria Press has brought a program into our home that is easy on my time, has built my child’s confidence, and allows independence. We will definitely continue using this book all through our summer this year, and move on to the next level when she is ready!

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Learning to Read: Rhyme, Memorization, & Phonics {and a llama llama review}

by Meghan // May 4, 2018 // Comments off

You probably know by now, our family loves to read! My youngest children begin their love of learning with poems and rhyming books from some of the greatest authors of children’s literature. I have videos of my oldest at 18 months old reading a Llama Llama book from memory; that book, as well as many other Llama Llama books have become favorites in our home. But my favorite part of this character series is the rhyming!

The latest book from Anna Dewdey, a teacher, mother, and enthusiastic proponent of reading aloud to children, is Llama Llama Loves to Read. Anna’s passion for children and building their love for reading is evident in all her books. This time our children shared Llama Llama’s love for learning to read in this beautifully illustrated (as always) 40 page picture book.

Llama Llama learns at school.
Counting, writing, reading, rules.
Friends and school — there’s nothing better.
Llama learning all the letters!

All of my children have learned to read organically; simply by listening to others read to them. We know research tells us reading aloud to children increases their own love for learning, as well as relationships, and test scores (yes, especially test scores!). What many may not know, is that reading rhyming books, poems, and nursery rhymes to children increases their overall literacy!

Rhythm and rhyming increase listening and speaking skills, which are the very foundation of learning to read and write. A child will not learn to read as easily if they lack the skill of hearing rhyming patterns and sounds-which is done by being read to early in life. (This is also why educators take courses in all areas of development, including physical education, where we learn to combine rhythm, motion, and rhymes! Think of the hand clapping games from your childhood-they were important, whether you knew it or not!)

Rhyming books like Llama Llama Loves to Read not only help build a child’s confidence as they learn the rhyming words on the pages, these books increase their fluency and set the stage for future independent reading.

Learning to Read With Rhyme and Memory Work

As I type this, I am thinking of my 3.5 year old daughter (3rd born) that read cvc words to me last week. On her own. Without an ounce of formal instruction or prompting from me. I don’t say this to brag, or inflate my mom ego, I say this to you because it truly has to do with our family culture and environment combined with her eagerness to learn to read. She has told me for months she was going to read soon “like Mister!” (her older brother). I told her she could learn as soon as she wanted and it wouldn’t be long; she’s been asking all of us to help her write her letters so she could tell us the sounds, and eagerly listens to any book we will read to her. One day last week she brought her little journal to me at the homeschool table and asked that I write words for her … I randomly wrote cat, asked her each letter sound and then she read the whole word. Just blended it. Boom! She continued on to do several more and I was able to record her on video.

So how do I use rhyming to encourage literacy? Simply, we read a book, and the next time (after all, there is always a next time!) I leave out one word of each line or page. For instance, I would read: Llama Llama learns at school. Counting, writing, reading, rules the first time.

But the next time we read it, I would leave out the word school, and maybe even rules, allowing my kids to fill it in for me as I read. This pulls them even more into the story and encourages not only their comprehension but also application of vocabulary, as well as “reading” along with me. So far of my 4 children, none of them have ever been disappointed with their chance to say the next word. Even my youngest, only a toddler, can fill in the simplest words in rhyming books (Llama Llama Time for Bed being one of them).

We also start learning poetry very young, simply because it is SO fun! My oldest memorized a few poems during each season starting at age 3. I am not sure how many poems my oldest three kids know now, but it is probably more than me (I can’t remember them all like they can without some prompting). That same 3 year old that is reading CVC words has spent this year memorizing more poetry than her 2 older siblings combined! Her absolute favorite is The Fairies by William Allingham, along with several others from A Child’s Book of Poems.

Learning Letter Sounds

Before I began reading lessons with any of my children, we sing a phonics song throughout our days. From the time they are about 18 months old (?) until … well, my oldest is 7.5 and we still sing it haha, we don’t say our ABCS.

We sing them along with their correlating sound; during our morning time we do the song with a little letter chart like this one:

The song goes something like this:

A, /a/, apple

B, /buh/ball

C, /ck/, cat

D, /duh/ dog

… you get the picture. When we sing it while swinging on the swing, playing in the floor, or walking down the driveway, we learn to use other words that make those sounds; instead of E, eh, elephant I may say egg or elbow. It is always fun to hear what other words they can come up with (you will be surprised); sometimes we extend that and just start naming words that rhyme with a word, who knows where we may bunny trail to! But it is a fun and easy, loving, and memorable way to connect with and teach my children naturally, without any formal lessons.

This simple song, along with reading aloud to them, truly lays the foundation for learning to read later. Sometimes when I talk I will just say “t, /t/ train!” when we see a train. Obviously my 7 year old gets less out of this than my 3yo and toddler do, but so often we can forget those little ones are still soaking up everything around them, as Little Miss showed me just last week. Having a literature rich family culture helps support children in their love of learning which, when they are ready, will help them learn to read.

If you want to submerge your children in a literature rich environment, reading rhyming books, poetry, and teaching letter sounds through play are the best places to start!

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Fun Interactive Story Bible {with free app-a review}

by Meghan // April 26, 2018 // Comments off

Our children LOVE Bible stories, and Bible story books; one of the first books my oldest fell in love with was a Bible story book at the age of 3. Our family has gone on to enjoy several story Bibles over the years. We have been using Planet 316 Story Bible and the companion Planet 316 Story Bible App from Planet 316 and WorthyKids/Ideals.

The Planet 316 Story Bible is no exception to a great story book Bible, it is however different than other story Bibles! This is an interactive “come to life” Bible, when combined with the companion Planet 316 Story Bible App. It is easy to use, and fun for all ages! My kids are 7, 5, 3, and a toddler (who wasn’t usually around when we used this Bible because it was at the older’s bedtimes) and they all enjoyed the stories from the Bible, and also the interactive app on our ipad.

We simply open the app on our iPad or phone, point the screen at the page to be scanned, and the illustrations on the Bible page “come to life,” as my 7 year old says, or appear in 3D. The app works really well, we didn’t run into any hiccups; the scanner scans quickly and easily without any fuss. It really is fun to tap the different illustrations and hear them talk, or act out part of the story. The kids laugh and listen as illustrations run across the page (Jacob and Esau), as angels walked to heaven while Jacob snored (haha-Jacob’s ladder), and Joseph’s brothers plotted against him (Joseph’s coat of many colors). There are many beloved stories in the Planet 316 Story Bible, some many story Bibles don’t include (over 100 stories in all).

The language is written clear and sticks to true Biblical stories with no fantastical elaborations or emotions inserted into the stories (this is a HUGE criteria for both my husband and myself when it comes to children’s Bibles). The illustrations are beautiful and fun; most important in a children’s story Bible, they are memorable. The images help solidify the stories which lead to knowing Jesus as our savior, and the Planet 316 Story Bible definitely does justice to said stories.

One really big plus for our family is the diversity found in the illustrations- characters and angels all have different skin and hair tones; some are obviously due to the region in which they take place (Egypt, for example) while others seem to be selected more randomly? Regardless, it is refreshing to see different shades in a story book Bible that probably reflect a somewhat (more) realistic idea of the people at that time.

The Story Bible alone is wonderful, but when paired with the fun interactive Companion App, it is even better! I have no doubt that some of these stories are more memorable for my kids because they have seen and experienced a bit more of the story itself through the app. It has led to some really great conversations and discussions in our family at bedtime (Would Joseph really feel that way? Would you be scared to profess the meaning of dreams to the king? How would you handle a sibling rivalry that determined your future? What would Jesus tell him to do?).

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18-20 Month Baby Schedule & Summary {baby #4}

by Meghan // April 19, 2018 // Comments off

{yes, I am 4 months late on the 18month baby summary … I’m just now realizing it is the year 2018, and spring is here}

Wow. just wow!
My how 18 months has flown! I can’t even keep up with her baby summary posts. My how we love our sweet little baby #4.

Development 18 months vs 20 Months

It has taken her longer than the first 3 children, but Squish has started walking and talking non stop (18 months). She is just totting around everywhere; her vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few months. She is saying everything from her siblings names, to pointing and naming objects she wants/needs.

She tends to drag her right foot, which is worrisome, but hopefully that will resolve itself. If it doesn’t we will talk to our doc in July. Her disposition is still pretty tough most days (18 months), she goes through phases where she is extremely happy for a week or 2, and then is incredibly difficult for a few weeks. I’m guessing it is wonder weeks and development related? I haven’t been tracking WW much anymore, but I probably should!

At 20 months, she is now talking EVEN more, is almost always happy, and has really come into her own. She really, really enjoys playing independently, she is a very smart girl, love counting and talking about everything. I often sneak into her room during independent play, before I get her out, and watch as she reads books, dances, and does finger plays to the songs on Pandora (like itsy bitsy spider). She is so full of herself when alone!

Her favorite words are: Lexie, Maxie, Ila, baby, Huck, and every animal sound she can make. We brought Yona (our Anatolian Shepherd) inside for a week or so while she was getting over some tummy troubles (due to her puppy food!) and Coralie REALLY found an outlet for bossing others. haha I think being the 4th, with her 3 older siblings always talking, bossing, and being active around her, she rarely had a chance to be heard. But when Yona came inside, she had someone that had to listen to HER (our dogs are raised to submit to all family members, be calm and quiet around their animal charges and people), so I guess the cure to some of her frustrations was power… that’s a scary thought!

She still signs for some things, especially if we remind her to do so, but she will also attempt to say the words for most everything around her-cups, water, eat, more, two (which means more …), up, down, snuggles, night night, baby, please, thank you, stinky, poopy, t.t., potty, nasty, num num, blanket, outside, downstairs, seat (which means put me there or she is demanding someone else sit there). So, lots of vocabulary.

She definitely loves animals, talking, dancing, counting, and toting around her baby dolls. We put a newborn diaper on one of her dolls, and it was game. on. She is now mama to her babies, gives them bottles, swaddles them, puts them to bed. She recently took to a baby blanket that was Lexie’s and requests it all day long, taking it with her wherever she goes; Squish will tot to her crib and pull the blanket from between the rails and just looove on it. She is counting like crazy, knows all her body parts, sings songs with us, and loves organizing toys “just so.” This video was taken just last week, and is a perfect example of her personality!

SNUGLLES! Yall, oh my gosh, the snuggles. This girl has never been much of a snuggler, but more of a “give me want when I want it or I dont want it at all” kinda girl. It has honestly been hard to “love” on her, simply because she so often didn’t want that connection. But now?! Oooh, now she is a lovey girl, wanting squeeze hugs, wrapping her arms around our necks, and saying “Nuggle! Nuggle!” It is so fun!

I really can’t say how thankful I am that her personality has blossomed so much; it has been hard for all of us to enjoy her… Not because she didn’t meet our expectations, or our views of having a baby, but because we didn’t know HOW to love her- she didn’t accept the ways we showed her love, if that makes sense? We tried everything, she liked food-check, she liked attention 1:1 with me in the mornings- check, She liked telling everyone else no-check … but nothing really screamed “connection” with her. Oooh how I am thankful for grace and what now feels like peace.

We’ve decided she is exactly like her oldest sibling; if Lady had been the 4th in the family, I suspect her very Type A, independent, determined, sweet self would have been exactly like Squish. They also look pretty identical, and really just have the same personality traits. I predict Coralie will be an early reader, a fast learner, and a determined girl like Lady, but we shall see!

18 months to 21 months has been night and day for her; all of our relationships have flourished with her, even the kids. Her ability to talk more, and finding interest in specific things has truly helped her disposition. I feel like even though we have always known her, we are finally getting a peak at what’s been inside those beautiful blue eyes for the last 20 months, or maybe we are just starting to listen? Either way, it is a blessing!

It is funny to watch how she interacts with each of her siblings: Lady she considers her care taker. She helps with Squish’s bath, getting her dressed, taking her downstairs to play, totting outside, sliding, and reaching things. Mister she sees as her playmate; they are silly together, romp, play silly games, get LOUD, shoot guns, and snuggle. The Miss … well, we are working on that dynamic, because the last several months have been all competition! Miss is learning to help care for Squish, and take some responsibility like the older 2, which I think is helping with how she sees Coralie. They both consider themselves the baby, and it is hard on them to share space, attention, and favorite items, but I feel like things are getting easier.

Overall, I am excited for this new phase with Squish!

just one of the gang, watching duckling splish splash

Schedule

So far Baby #4 is still on a one nap schedule- usually she goes down for nap abut 12-12:15, and gets up at 3:00.

So her days look like this:

7am wake, snuggles, breakfast
playtime/workout with mama time
read school books with us in mama’s room
independent play while we do table work, sometimes a snack first
11:15/11:30 lunch
12:00/12:15 nap
3:00 up from nap, snack
5:30/6pm dinner
6:40 bedtime

She is drinking out of a straw sippy, and Thermos brand sippy cups. She enjoys eating some things with a spoon, and I often let her do the last bite of messier foods with a spoon, everything else she eats with her fingers. Her favorite foods are … pretty much everything! We discovered this winter that she has a cashew allergy, and thus probably has a pistachio allergy. She reacts to the oils and the actual cashew nut; it also appears when she has too much peanut butter she reacts? So we are playing that one safe and avoid peanut butter for her most of the time.

She has recently graduated from her Zipadee Zip to a regular sleep sack. I thought this might lead to thumb sucking, since she sucked on the sleeve of all her zipadees and swaddles, but so far I think we are thumb-sucking free!

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Apologia’s Human Anatomy and Physiology {homeschool elementary science- a review}

by Meghan // April 18, 2018 // Comments off

We have been using (and loving) Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology by a homeschooling favorite, Apologia! Their young explorer series is a favorite elementary homeschool science for our family.

You may remember we reviewed their Astronomy curriculum a while back, and my kids *looooved* it; they soaked up everything we did. It was just the right amount of hands on, listening, and literature learning they needed. Well, the same can be said about Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology!

What’s Included:

We received all the components of the program:

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology Text
Junior Notebooking Journal
Notebooking Journal (for older students- we didn’t use this because I have younger students, but we WILL use it when we go back through the program when they’re older)
Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology MP3 Audio CD <–my second favorite part!

All of my children have been learning with the program, but I use it more intentionally with my 7.5 year old. The text absolutely captivates all my young learners; my oldest however will sit and read it to herself for long periods of time. The book is hardcover with thick, high quality pages and durable binding that will last many years for many children. The book is divided into chapters and sections with fun activities to do between sections, for a quick break and hands on learning.

The Junior Notebooking Journal, *sigh*, is my favorite part of this program! It is perfect for young learners that enjoy hands on activities; it combines writing, diagrams, coloring, drawing, vocabulary games, and scripture for an overall perfect science for elementary children.

How We Use Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology

Our approach to homeschool topics and subjects is very different from what I experienced in public school. We do a sort of “loop” schedule, which you may have been hearing about lately (it has become somewhat of a buzz word/topic in the homeschool circle as of late, but has been widely used for many, many years). We have been schooling this way since we began homeschooling, it just comes naturally. Basically, at any given time we have a long list of fun interests and activities going that we just slowly loop back throughout out the week(s)-history, read alouds, reading/LA, and math are daily, and the other things we loop through- nature study, science, music, handiworks, sensory play, learning games, music studies, etc.

Many homeschoolers avoid “textbook style” learning, and I 100% understand why- because literature and hands on learning are the best ways to learn for most of our children. Literature is more fun, more interesting, more meaningful, and sparks a love for learning, (not to mention all the statistics on the benefits of literature based learning) while most parents loathed the textbook world from which we graduated. I am one of those parents!

Though Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology does have a textbook by definition, it is written in such a way that even I, a mama with a degree in education, forget it is a textbook! The pictures and photography are lovely, the writing is clear, but not a “dumbed down” version of information; it always leads to God’s design of our world and includes scriptures which we love. I especially enjoy how the author has taken what we know through science, and linked it to examples in the Bible- how different cultures viewed the body, what they thought different parts were for, and what the Bible says about those things, is just one example.

What’s even better for our family is the MP3 audio CD! The author has recorded an absolutely lovely reading of the text; my kids become so interested in her reading of the text. Her voice is easy to listen to, soft, encouraging, and takes a LOT of the weight off my shoulders when it comes to science. I can turn on the audio book while my kids follow along in the textbook, my oldest may color in the Junior Notebooking Journal, or doodle while she listens. This is a favorite time for all of us-learning together is such a blessing in homeschool! I enjoy the new facts and refreshers in science that I am learning alongside my kids. The recorded reading of the book is enchanting and attention-grabbing.

The entire program captures the interest of my children without burnout or dread- Apologia keeps that fire for learning burning. We don’t feel like it is something else we have to check off a list, we look forward to science days!

Below is an example of the junior Notebooking Journal pages vs the Notebooking Journal (for older students). Throughout the Junior Notebooking Journal you will find coloring pictures with scripture, copy work which has elementary dotted lines for writing, the diagrams are less involved/larger, thus easier see for little ones. Vocabulary and more hands on games are found in the Junior Notebook. It also has larger spaces for drawing diagrams and labeling, with less required writing.

Notebooking Journal left) vs Junior Notebooking Journal right)

The regular Notebooking Journal has nicely spaced lines for copywork, but they are “wide ruled” style, not dotted with a midline. The diagrams are a bit more detailed, the images are smaller with more space dedicated to writing and note taking.

I love using Apologia curriculum and products in our homeschool, and Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology is no exception! This is such a fun way to learn anatomy; I was truly amazed when my daughter started showing me the work she had done in her Jr. Notebooking Journal. Her cell in lesson 1 looked awesome and when I asked her to tell me about it, I wrote down her narration of each item:

Lady drew her diagram on her own; I wrote down her labels/narration of the cell parts (short hand)

I am thankful for a company and program that feeds my children’s ever growing love of learning, & provides quality texts that show God is clearly working in ALL things, especially science.

Connect with Apologia:

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Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Homeschool Spelling That Sticks! {with Memoria Press, a review}

by Meghan // April 11, 2018 // Comments off

Memoria Press has been a favorite curriculum in our home; we have enjoyed their Latin program. These last several weeks we’ve been using their Traditional Spelling II with great success and enjoyment! Memoria Press is a Classical Christian Education company that offers beautiful classical curricula and resources- they’re very well known in most homeschool circles.

All of my kids write notes and stories, or make books and cards what seems like all. day. long. Lady has been ready for more spelling focus in language arts, but because of a few struggles we needed something that included word study, application, and more intention on MY part. She is a vivacious reader, words and vocabulary are her jam, but at 7.5 years old, spelling … not so much! Piecing together ideas for practicing to go with other spelling programs just hasn’t cut it for us. That’s where Traditional Spelling II comes in!

Traditional Spelling II

This is a phonics based spelling program; it’s different than other spelling programs I’ve looked at or used. For us, Traditional Spelling II has taken exactly what we needed (phonics, routine/schedule, & activities) and applied it to spelling. Lessons include definitions, riddles, dictation, application, and color coding parts of words to create understanding of what one sees and hears to build the skill of spelling. It is to be used after a child has foundations in phonics/reading, and is for the grade 1, 2, 3 student. If you have used Memoria Press’s reading program, you probably alreday have some of the 4 required resources.

Included in our review are all required resources for Traditional Spelling II:

Phonics Flashcards
Classical Phonics Book
Spelling Practice Sheets
Student book (to be use with one student)
Teacher manual

Just copying spelling words isn’t usually enough for most students; just as reading is so important for spelling ability, so is using and manipulating words, breaking them down and building them back like a puzzle, seeing the patterns, and practicing the vowel/consonant teams. This process which is used by Memoria Press is a multi-method approach to learning that is appropriate for young students-by using colors, dictation, riddles, and the other many word study activities, children learn using many methods of encoding!

How We Use It & What We Think

First- I cannot tell you how much we both look forward to our spelling lessons now, versus before. My daughter didn’t dread spelling before, it just didn’t stick, so she was disappointed when when couldn’t spell a words she knew she’d had in spelling. Knowing that each day we have activities laid out, ready and waiting on us, and helping my daughter encode at her level, has been a blessing for me. She enjoys the daily activities (some of which change weekly, keeping things consistent but fun), and it hits all areas of learning, allowing her to soak it all up.

Each Monday I begin by writing the words in sentences on the board, then we read them together and I go over their definitions (they will be used independently in sentences lasted in the week and thus students need to know the definitions). I pull out the phonics cards we need (card numbers are provided in the teacher’s manual for each lesson under “Teaching Overview“) and we talk about the sight words & spelling sounds, reading the words on the back of the cards that correlate with the sounds.

The Classical Phonics book is a great phonetic resource; Lady likes flipping through this on her own for more “studying.” I’ve also been using it with my 3.5 year old for learning letter sounds; she loves it and asks for it almost daily! But the suggested use is for reading the words found within the book which follow that week’s spelling rules to increase fluency. I can give Lady the page numbers and she is able to look them up herself and read to me, creating independence and building confidence!

Next we begin the daily activities. The teacher’s manual lays out everything I need to do or say, gives card numbers for the Phonics cards, and page numbers for the Classical Phonics book. The Guided Student Work activities from the teacher’s manual are often different each day; these are done on days 1 & 2 and include riddles, filling in blanks of words, and other word practices offered each day. I either write them on my board or say them aloud and Lady writes the answer on her dry erase board.

The Teacher’s Manual is NOT overwhelming; what the teacher says is not paragraph after paragraph of mundane script. It is simple, to the point, consistent, fun, and EASY. The TM is only about as thick as the Student Book, so there is no extra “stuff” or script weighing down my part. I love this because scripted lessons can often feel boring and dry, but these definitely aren’t!

Each day after guided practice with me, she begins her student book activities which include: word sort under phonics focus (day 1), a fun/new word activity, plus the Colorful Letters activity (day 2), reading a paragraph and completing sentences (day 3), dictation word and sentence practice (day 4), and day 5 is the final “test.” Some weeks have different activities for Day 2, separate from the Colorful Letters activity- unscrambling, alphabetical order, sorting by syllables, circling word parts, etc. The various ways she uses the words keeps her interest and increases her ability to write them correctly. The other days’ activities are consistently the same, allowing more practice for important skills in encoding.

We have been using the practice sheets as part of our handwriting/copywork. Lady is OBSESSED with cursive writing, so her student book having the cursive form of the words is a huge PLUS. She really likes to write the words in alphabetical order on her practice sheets, then write them in cursive- great meaningful practice (and all her idea).

This isn’t a “write the words, take a test on Friday, and forget it next week” program. The lessons are fairly short, holding Lady’s attention, while also being intentional about how we spend our time.

I don’t want to fill our days with meaningless busywork- we need time for read alouds, tea parties, and playing in the dirt; raising chickens, and playing with baby farm animals. Short, focused lessons mean that we have more time to do all the other things we need to, and especially the things we want. I never considered spelling particularly fun in school, it was just something we did. But with Traditional Spelling II I feel like we have a purpose for spelling each week. The word study and a colorful letters portions really help us see the parts of words without too much “stuff,” required.

There are several other programs The Crew has been reviewing, you can see them on Memoria’s website here:

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Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Homeschool Weekly Wrap-Up {April 7th}

by Meghan // April 8, 2018 // Comments off

The last 2 weeks we’ve spent our days adjusting our routine. I think I’ve said it before … at least I’ve thought it-vaulted ceilings and hardwood floors make reading aloud SO. HARD. I feel like I am yelling over a toddler the entire time. At this stage everyone fusses over my lap, so we’ve moved our reading aloud to my room, on the big king sized bed where they can spread out and hear me better.

Our new routine involves mama tending to the farm chores before the kids wake, getting her workout in after breakfast ,and brain warm-ups for all the kids! Day light savings really threw me for a loop this year as far as waking early goes. I am finally getting used to it. I strive for my mornings to look like this:

5:30/6am- mama wakes, breakfast for the hubs, pack his lunch, coffee with him before he leaves
tend to meat chicks & LGD pup outside
Jesus devotional & coffee with my Help Club for Moms book
Prep Breakfast
7am Kids up, eat, morning basket
Kid chores and 7yo practice violin- dishwasher, waste baskets, laundry, pick up floors if not done night before
8:15/8:30 Mama works out, kid brain warm-ups (videos on youtube for crossing midline)
9:00 Begin read alouds in my room
9:30/9:45 begin table work- each day includes Reading/LArts for each child, math, handwriting/copy work We do other activities on various days, looping them (Latin, Apologia Science we are reviewing, art, messy play, game school)
During that time, the tot (20 months) goes to independent play in her room, and after the 3yo has done school along with us for a while, she also goes to IP
11:30 Lunch
12:15 Tot’s nap, others play outside
12:45 Preschooler’s nap
1:30 5yo naps, 7yo rest time or time with mama
3:00 everyone up from naps-play outside, nature study, handicrafts of their choice
5:30 dinner
This time of year, depending on what daddy is doing outside after work and how everyone napped, we are outside after dinner then come in for baths and wind down. We’ve been spending several evenings a week at the table coloring, doing more learning time (science, or new spelling, writing letters, practicing cursive, etc). I LOVE this time because it brings Daddy into our homeschool setting for just a snippet, allowing the kids to tell him all about what they’re learning, show him new skills, inviting him into their world.

**Some evenings are spent folding laundry as a family while watching Create TV on PBS-Martha Bakes, This old House, Lydia, America’s Test Kitchen, etc. They are our favorites! We have pretty much written off all the mind numbingly ridiculous kids shows on Netflix & Amazon. They truly hurt my brain- We are already very picky about what our kids take in (supposedly targeted for kids … targeted being the key word here) but even the appropriate shows are just stupid. These days our shows consist of Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow, and sometimes the book adaptations of If You Give a Mouse, or The Snowy Day, or nature shows. Nothing else seems worth our time or brain cells. (If you have any suggestions for quality kid shows that aren’t “twaddle,” please share in the comments!) The amount of content out there that you really wouldn’t want your kids seeing really seems to be overwhelming these days but at least parents have access to more information than ever on how to combat this harmful material being consumed by their children.

Our studies this week have included:

David and Saul in the Bible
each day we read The Little Island– focusing on narration and seasons (3yo loooves this living book!)
read The Apple and The Arrow from our Sonlight Core A, and our missionary stories from The Good News Must Go Out
commas in a series, writing sentences, list making and narrating an item from that list (from The Good and The Beautiful LA), spelling from our new Memoria Press (for review), handwriting letter review (5yo),
naming and measuring line segments using linking cubes, writing numbers, skip counting (5yo)
handicrafts- my daughter is finishing a bag for her co-op sewing class, all of the kids are really into card making, and other paper crafts. We made crowns this week
All About Reading level 1-beginning and ending blends, read stories from reader (5yo)
the 3yo is learning her letter sounds, enjoys Starfall 1 day a week, and literally writes and draws all day long
Science right now is coming from Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Anatomy & Physiology We are loving this just as much as their Astronomy, and I will have a review on that very soon!

In between lessons we have planned special plants for our garden, played outside, studied the bees collecting pollen, taken nature walks in the woods, and observed the changes that come with SPRING! (though this morning we have played in SNOW, and made snow cream … Because winter just doesn’t want to leave us!)

Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links; when you use those links you help support my family, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!