Archive for June, 2006

Another Friday

Friday, June 30th, 2006
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Another week has gone by. I guess I feel that we have a busier life than it should be. Then again, being freelance workers, there is no throwing caution to the winds.

The boys have gotten used to the morning routine very well. I think I’ll have to stop writing about that because it’s kind of old news now. The naptime routine is working pretty well. I sometimes forget that they have a nap from 1 to 3 pm, but Kyle’s crankiness never ceases to remind me. ;) And our dinners are slowly working their way to normalcy. I’ve created a five-day menu that is broken down to their snacks. They eat six times a day, and I followed the USDA food guide pyramid (of the 1990s, not last year’s), distributing grains, dairy, meats, blah blah blah throughout the day. Following the menu to a “T” would be ideal, but we don’t always have apples on hand to alternate with the bananas, et cetera ad nauseum.

I’m very tired. I missed the “McLoughlin Group” this week – again – because I was having a hard time putting the kids to bed. It’s frustrating. I wish that show would come on at 9pm like it used to. I mean, I love my kids… it’s just… ::sigh:: By bedtime, I’m at wit’s end, and my patience is thin thin thin. I want to write about the kids, though!! I want to write about Ty’s adventures in checkers, Kyle’s progress in recognizing the alphabet, and Taylor’s development in babyhood. I want to tell you all just how amazing these three are… I am so, so tired.

And I’m about a week behind on housework. I swear, it’s a wonder that I got the clothes washed this week.

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Friday

Friday, June 23rd, 2006
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Friday isn’t over yet, but we’ve had a busy one so far! Things went pretty smoothly. Our Little Einsteins-centered routine is working. The boys woke up extremely early (about 6:30am) and played in their room for a while before they made some loud noise that brought Dad and me out of bed rather quickly.

Breakfast. Showers. Dressed up for the library. Well, not dressed up, but GOT dressed. I checked out three books, but I was planning on checking out six – I guess I forgot a few books on the table in the Children’s Section. ::slaps forehead:: I guess we’ll keep our fingers crossed so that they will be on the shelves next week and not checked out by someone else.

Grocery store, where Kyle threw a tantrum that hurt Ty’s ears. I had gotten a couple of hot dogs for us to share because it was awfully close to lunch time and all of us were getting cranky. Kyle’s bread started falling apart at the end, so he showed us all how mad he can get. The folks at Publix are greatly friendly – and helpful. The bagboy saw that I had my hands full (Kyle wanted to be carried, but I was also carrying Taylor… ::sigh:: It was quite a sight!), so he put my groceries on the checkout console for me. The folks at that particular Publix know that I can usually handle the load of three kids under four… we are regulars there.

We used to go to the park on Friday mornings, but it’s been so terribly hot lately – and the park is taken up by the summer camp kids now. I think I may have mentioned that before. I still want to find a place where we can pratice light gymnastics and some tumbling that’s not in the hot sun.

We’re trying to get a nap routine established. Our schedules (Dad’s and Mom’s) are so hectic and last-minute that the poor children suffer from irregular nap times. Like most households, it looks like 1-3pm is a good time. But the kids aren’t too used to that yet (we started the routine today, so we have to be patient), and it’s nearly 5pm, and Kyle is just waking up from his nap while Ty is aching for his own nap to begin. Sorry, buddy, your nap window is closed.

Going out for Dad’s cheeseburgers now.

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VPK

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006
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I was approached by an older woman, asking whether or not the boys went to preschool. When I said no, she assumed that it was because we couldn’t afford to send them to a private preschool. She mentioned that there was voluntary pre-kindergarten run by the state. Isn’t all preschool voluntary? And how the heck did preschool become an issue of the state? I remember voting “no” on this whole “VPK” thing. Apparently, you didn’t.

Public preschool is putting private preschool out of business. Replacing thriving businesses that provide jobs and tax revenue is bad for the state’s economy and reduces educational and childcare options. Like Head Start, the state scared parents into thinking that if their child doesn’t go to preschool, he will fall behind and never succeed. Institutionalizing tiny citizens is not a prescription for success.

On the contrary, VPK is a prescription for stress. Too early a separation from their parents and a policy to learn math, language arts, science, and social studies harmful to preschool-aged children. Accountability will be required in the form of testing. This kind of academic stress takes a physical toll on young children, reducing tolerance to viral and bacterial infections that result in chronic childhood illnesses. VPK will actually make your children sick!

And let’s not ever underestimate the interests of drug companies in public preschool. Preschoolers will be tested, and funding of preschools will be based on test results. What happens when a little kid doesn’t test well? Will a small child’s inability to focus be diagnosed as ADD? Stress, depression, and bad behavior are common problems for institutionalized tikes that can all be remedied with drugs. Sure, one advantage of VPK is that children will be identified at a younger age as having “special needs” and get “intervention” sooner.

State preschools are artificial environments where children’s time is managed for the purpose of crowd control. Actions and behavior are continuously monitored and judged. Individual needs are diminished or neglected for the sake of group management. A child’s curiosity and questions can only be dealt with when it is convenient for the instructor, and interest in anything has a time limit because, “we have to move on to the next group activity.” Natural body rhythms are ignored and artificial ones imposed in the form of circle time, free time, nap time, snack time, and potty time. A little kid in that environment learns quickly that trusting his own instincts and impulses is wrong – and should be ignored. A tiny kid must submit and surrender the self, so that self-identity, self-interest, self-direction, and self-confidence may not be discovered or explored. Children are forced through persuasion, rewards, and coercion to comply with an authority that does not have their individual best interests at heart.

HOME is a child’s best preschool. Little kids deserve a secure place to spend their days where they are encouraged to learn – especially in the first five years of life, when their brains are growing rapidly. Since the beginning of humanity, parents have provided a safe place, a natural routine, a stimulating environment, nutritious food, and loving interaction. Children become happy, capable learners, fully prepared to successfully tackle academics and life skills when they are developmentally ready to do so. Learning at home with loving parents (who may also thoughtfully use appropriate private preschool programs in their community) is a better model for the healthy development of young children than any state preschool could ever be.

Apparently, all this goes out the window when you see the cute, happy logo that the state drew up.

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Weekend

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006
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Sunday was Father’s Day. The kids got Dad an oversized coffee mug that had a picture of a Boxer on it. I guess you could call it a “Boxer mug mug.” funny haha. And they also made (well, helped design) a picture frame that Dad could hang up, instead of display on a table. Very adorable if you ask me.

The “Rocket Show” (is what they call “Little Einsteins”) routine is going well. It helps, too, that dawn is before 7am, so we’re all up pretty early anyway, early enough to get the kitchen ready for breakfast – Dad adheres to short sabbaths in the evenings after I come home from work. So no housework after 8pm, which makes for difficult mornings in the kitchen

The whining has dropped a lot since I started showing Ty how to ask for help without whining. It’s pretty neat: “Hey, Ma! I need help.” It’s more a staccato, sing-song tone. Very sweet, actually. And Kyle has started imitating. That’s the loveliness of siblings. One is taught well, and the other tends to follow. Kyle’s “Hey, Ma!” (in his broken, two-year-old speech) sounds incredibly cute. “Mom, may I interrupt you, please?” is soon to follow.

The boys are fighting over who will close the door to the car when we are out and about. It’s good to see Kyle’s assertiveness surfacing. He’s always been pretty much the follower, the one who is told what to do by his older brother, the stereotypical second-born. Maybe it’s also the trait that comes with the Terrible Twos, but it’s a good trait, I’d say.

I’d like to make this craft with the boys before June is over.

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That’s Ty’s Bread

Saturday, June 17th, 2006
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It was a busy weekend. Friday morning, we went to the park – where I was most complimented by a schoolgirl. About two weeks ago, we went to the same park, and I started talking to a girl there who asked me how to do cartwheels. She talked to the boys and the baby, then went on her way. Well, she was there again on Friday (the park is hosting summer camp field activities), and recognized me. She waved as she ran past, shouting, “Hi, Girl that was here last time!”
Girl!??! Woohoo! I don’t look like I’m pushing 30!

So we walked home – or *I* walked home while carrying Taylor and pulling the boys in the Radio Flyer wagon… those Army days paid off, I guess. We showered, washed diapers, homeschooled, went to the bank, then grocery store.

And forgot to buy bread.

So I made bread. And the entire loaf was eaten for breakfast on Saturday morning! Must’ve been good. haha! So I made another loaf, and I caught Ty with the WHOLE THING, munching on it like it was an apple. He climbed into Taylor’s crib and hid from Kyle. Kyle came up to me, asking for bread.
“Where’s the bread?” I asked.
“Kylie,” (which is what Kyle calls Ty), “won’t give me bread,” he whined.
“Won’t give you bread?”

HUH?

So I went looking for Ty, and there he was, content as a cricket, binging on what seemed like a delicious loaf of whole wheat bread. Of course, I made it with my own two hands – and the recipe *does* call for putting the love that I have for my family into kneading the dough.

Saturday, we made some crafts, the boys and me. Taylor napped, ate, sat around, put toys in her mouth, napped, ate… you know, the regular routine of hers. We watched Matthew Broderick in The Music Man on DVD, and Ty and I played the “Memory” board game, which he doesn’t really play the way it’s supposed to be, but he has his own rules that he follows meticulously, so whatever. As long as he’s following SOMEONE’s rules.

While I went out with Taylor to the grocery store to buy some bread (I’m not about to bake four loaves in three days), the boys fell asleep, so all is quiet once more.

:::relaxing ahhhhhh…..:::

I love playing with my kids. I also love their angel faces when they are asleep. ;)

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Summer To-Dos

Thursday, June 15th, 2006
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It’s true. Summer has been slowly creeping up on us, and we’re not half as ready as we should be. Last year, we had some savings for the dog-days when work is scarce. But that facet doesn’t bother me as much as what to do with the kids to keep them busy during the hottest days – which aren’t even here yet!

The boys and I have a few crafts in store for the summer holidays (i.e. Father’s Day, the solstice, Independence Day). We *should* get on the ball for Father’s Day, which is this weekend!!! I told them that we’d go to the park tomorrow morning, right after “Little Einstein.” I finally have a morning routine… except it revolves around a t.v. show. ::hmph:: Ah, well, the kids know what to expect.

Note to self: Wash diapers as soon as we get home. It’s ideal to get them up to dry for the noon day sun, but I want to beat the noon day sun. I want to get back from the park before it gets really intense.
I can’t WAIT for the solstice. Why do the days have to be so long? I suppose it’s the price we pay for comfy winters.The boys are having a hard time going to bed at 8pm. They are up 1.5-2.5 hours after bedtime, hanging out, playing farm. Then, they are up at the crack of dawn. How do they do that? All without a nap in between. Good heavens! If only there were a way to harness that energy… use it to run the a/c.

*****
I’ve been checking Taylor’s gums. “She’s teething,” says everybody when she starts to fuss or drool with her fingers in her mouth. Then, she’s been teething for three months now if drooling is a sign of teething.
No actual teeth, though. Just plain-looking gums… and a fetching smile!

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Battery-operated Imagination

Thursday, June 15th, 2006
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As I was making up the Wish List for the site, I came to notice that none of the toys that the boys played with were battery operated. Well, okay, using “none” is a bit of an exaggeration, for they have a few books that play little classical tunes, some of their Fisher Price LittlePeople toys have the buzzing of a fire engine and the sounds of gushing water… lalalalala. But the majority of their toys, mainly their Thomas Tracks and their farm animals, require their imaginations to keep the toys alive.

Play is serious business. I often find myself crouching over the train tracks, manipulating them so that they fit (the bridge frequently becomes a problem as it is a 3-piece set that falls apart when not aligned properly) because Ty frustrates when he can’t do it himself.
“You just gotta try different ways, Ty.” He gets excited when everything looks okay, grabs the trains, attaches them together, and mounts them on the track. OFF THEY GO! His small hands – and Kyle’s even smaller hands – are experts at guiding the train engine up the bridge, around the Crib’s Leg and under the Footstool Tunnel.
“Wheeeesh!” blows the whistle. Batteries didn’t make that scene come to life. It was his own will.

I like the Waldorf philosophy of playing with natural toys – by “natural,” I mean the full, literal meaning of the word. Shells, sticks, rocks, leaves, pine cones. GREAT!! I love it!!
My boys could learn wonderful things about their world, invent magnificent ways to use these toys. But I couldn’t possibly be 100% non-plastic.

But I can live without the batteries.

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First Post

Wednesday, June 14th, 2006
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Testing…

So the day started early when the boys woke up at dawn. We all sat around, thinking of what to do, until “Arthur” came on at 7am. Breakfast and little more television until 8:30am. Daddy went off to work. Boys played trains. Played cars. Played bread dough. Played played played played. It was all fun and games until…

“Okay, boys, time to put these toys back in your room.”
Then, as predicted, it was all protesting and hollering. But everything was under control, as the Free Speech Zone is in the bedroom.

So it’s 10am, and all is quiet on the homefront – except for the sporatic bouts and shouts of frustration. BabyGirl is taking her mid-morning nap.

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