Routines, what routines?

     As we move further and further on our journey, no day or week has been the same. Our daily schedule is kind of dictated by our outside asctivities.

Last week was break week for the oldest at school. The younger 2 did their math work while the oldest did her homework. There was reading, game playing, video game playing and a lot of zoning out. There was even a trip to the library and everyone did some reading....yes everyone! That is a huge step forward for us!

This week is back to normal, whatever that means! The oldest headed out in negative temps to school, the wife is off on a trip and the homeschoolers did their thing. There was math, music practice, investigating things under the microscope, and some reading too.

#2 started her testing this week. However, as homeschoolers, we do not have to use the same tests they use in school. In fact, I opted for a test that is designed to be taken at home and is an untimed test. Halfway through the math section and I can already see improvement from where she was over the summer. #3 does not have to test this year so he is off the hook.

Understanding Dyslexia

The average person (including myself) thinks that Dyslexia is all about flipping letters around. It is so much more than that. The more reading I do, the more obvious it becomes.

http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/parent/indication-of-dyslexia

#3 had many early indicators and indeed even received speech therapy as a toddler for being non-verbal. He also often got stuck on a word. It was like a record player skipping (Yes, I remember record players). He would start a sentence and when he got stuck, he just kept repeating the last word he spoke over and over again until he remembered the word he wanted or we helped him figure it out.

I had no idea that shoe tying could be a sign of Dyslexia either. In fact, he didn't learn to tie his shoes until 2nd grade. Even now, he can't get them as tight as he would like so we have shoes without laces or with elastic laces that don't require him to tie them and he still has independence.

Interestingly, both #2 and #3 were late walkers. They both dislike reading and writing and definitely still get mixed up with calendars and telling time.

Yet, they both have great senses of humor and a talent for sarcasm. I mean, if there was a test for this stuff, they'd be in the 99%th percentile. They have excellent memories. #3 can pull out random facts about topics at anytime. They both show talent in artistic endeavors like drawing and building things.

#2 has said that sometimes when she tries to read, the words seem to move around the page. I'm starting to think that she may see things in a 3 dimensional way: http://www.discoveringdyslexia.com/giveitatry1.html

#1 told me tonight that sometimes her letters and numbers flip around on her but she is able to double check things and they flip back. I told her that it sounded like a milder form of Dyslexia and that she seemed to be doing well so far but to let me know if this changes and she needs help.

My biggest job at this point is helping them with reading and writing but at their pace. At the same time, we have to reframe their thinking and ours! I tell #2 all the time that she isn't dumb or stupid but her brain works differently. Right now, I feel like I'm constantly pushing a boulder up a really, really high mountain!

Art & Imagination

This week has seen a large growth in imaginative play and the creative process. A friend is helping #2 learn to crochet which is not an area I have any skill in...yet.

And #3 has started to realize that he doesn't need an instruction manual to build things with his legos and kinex.

The dog just likes to have everyone hanging around but he has yet to help with the laundry!

Always Changing Directions

Other than Math, my plans and curriculum choices weren't working. Lots of resistance which led to bad moods, distrust and power struggles.

I asked them, "What do you want to do?"

The boy said that he wanted more science projects. The girl said she wants to build a play house.

Well, it's January in Upstate, NY. Building a play house can happen but not right now. I told her she needed a plan or a blueprint. We'll see if she goes anywhere with this idea.

The boy's idea is a bit more reachable. I put the curriculum aside and took out the dig a dinosaur kits, some books on dinosaurs, printed up some worksheets and fun dinosaur puzzles and cued up some things on Netflix.

Today, even with me not feeling 100% and the oldest being home sick, was a pretty good school day (or unschool day?), They watched a few Dino shows and dug out dino bones. This went on for 4 hours. 4 hours of us watching and discussing topics like evolution, the impending ice age, how the continents were one huge land mass and other assorted topics.

Currently, they have pulled out various art supplies to do an art project of some sort. This is completely their spontaneous idea. I hope this spark continues!

We may be moving in an unschool type direction which is a bit scary for me. I think I need more deschooling time!

You can lead a horse to water.....

but you can't make him drink.

Sickness has been rolling through the kids this week and last.

It's possible that more deschooling time is needed before we jump in but there was a ton of resistance today.

However, they are asking for more science projects and more hands on. So, I'm going to look at what we have and go from there. 

In the meantime, I'm going to reboot with some wine! 

Math isn't literal...

We started back with academics this week after deschooling since September.

He was less than thrilled honestly. My daughter was happy to get back into it though.

He finally sat with me to do a math lesson. But, he wanted to work in the workbook and not on the computer. This surprised me but we went ahead. 

Then he got stuck. The problem was: 

6-1= _____

His answer was 6. Now, this is review and I know he has done this basic stuff before. So, I pulled out pennies and he got the answer right. But, back to the worksheet and he still says 6. 

I asked him why his answer was 6. He looked at me and then covered the number 1 with his finger and said the 6 is still there. 

He definitely sees things in a different way! 

Holidaze

Thanksgiving just blew by us! Although, we are still working on leftovers. Today's dinner was turkey enchiladas. Hard to believe we are at December already! The kids took a coin toss to see who would start the advent calendar. #2 won and so it goes.

Today was a lazy kind of day where the kids figured out how to fill their time. Tomorrow, they have an activity to go to where they will make presents for people they choose. At the end of the week, we are taking a field trip to a local animal shelter where the challenge will be not to take anymore cats home.

There will be baking and reading and math and all sorts of other stuff. A highlight last week was them receiving activity crates from Kiwi Crate. We ordered the Tinker Crate and the Doodle Crate. The boxes came addressed to the kids and were well packed with 90%-95% of items needed. I was impressed even though the motor in the Tinker Crate didn't work as expected. Extra parts were requested and sent out quickly. Hopefully, the next one goes more smoothly.

#3 who wants nothing to do yet with traditional worksheet type stuff sat and worked on his motor for 3 hours. This included following the directions (he did need some help), watching videos and looking up more info about motors. I haven't seen him that excited about a learning activity in a long time.

#1 is at the point where we need to look at school placements for 7th grade (how did that happen). I'm also taking the opportunity to see which schools are open to homeschoolers if we decide to go that route when the time comes.

In the meantime, I need to start organizing the new curriculum. It's currently in a huge cardboard box taunting me!