Mom Is Teaching

Let me first tell you that if you are a regular reader or even if you are not, I would love it if you would email me so I will have contact information for those of you have become loyal readers.  I do not know what is up for 451Press.  I am apparently one of the writers who are not locked out and obviously that could change any time.  I am however locked out of my other blogs so I figure I should make the best of what I have while I have it.  However, if the site goes down completely, you know where to find me on Mom~E~Centric or Jerri Ann Reason

Now, moving right along.  I set up a website for my son’s classroom.  I was careful not to specify the exact school and my plans are for it to be opinion free.  I will keep those here (or somewhere else if something happens to 451Press) but the new page is strictly for informational purposes.  Yes, we were told that we would be receiving a “First Grade Bible” and indeed I am going to school on Friday to help assemble these little gems. 

On top of that, the information packet along is quite lengthy but it does cover almost every situation imaginable.  With that said, hope on over there and give it a look, I”ll wait on you Legg’s 1st Grade

You’re back so soon, there’s no way you managed to read all of that.  Now come on.  So, naturally as I promised I’ll do my best to stay opinion free of there but that sure doesn’t bode well for the members of my other blogs. 

I do have to say that the fact that these 3 teachers are so organized is enough to win me over.  Loud? Yea probably so.  Mean?  I don’t think so.  Structured?  Absolutely 100% and I can’t say how much I love that.  So, with that, I wish farewell as we entered into the land of “First Grade Homework Terrors” because they are known for the large amounts of homework they give.

So, hold me, hold my hand, don’t let me cry.

Well, all the proper school supplies have been purchased including one pair of P.E. shoes to leave at school and one pair for every day wear.  The grand total comes somewhere around $135 bucks.  And, 40 of that was shoes.  So, now what?

Well, now we have been given specific instructions on what to label and what not to label.  Obviously thing like tissue and paper towels, baby wipes and hand sanitizer don’t get labeled with the child’s individual names.  But, items like notebooks, crayons, filler paper, binders, etc do require labeling.  So, instead of doing this the ol’ fashioned way because really, what’s old fashion about me?  Nothing I tell you nothing.

I received a nice gift from a man who runs Label Daddy.  I say I received but in reality, my son received this gift.  The envelope was addressed to Walker and he got a great kick out of seeing that and opening the labels.  In side he found the labels in a protect bag and a short note that read something like

“A free present because we like your mom so much.  Scott”.

Now, one might think that I am writing this post simply to push his product.  And I can easily see how that would happen.  But the fact of the matter is, that’s not the case.  Yes, I adore the labels and I adore them so much that I purchased some for our family months ago.  And, Scott has been generous in giveaways and the such on my blogs. 

While at Blogher I was looking through the Expo booths and I hear a man’s voice say, “Ahhh Jerri Ann, we know you” and I turned to see Scott from Label Daddy.  We chatted up about a 2 minute conversation (even then folks were pushing us to get by) and we parted. 

We have some of these labels that we used on baseball gear and quite comically people acted amused.  Most of the kids gear was either not labeled at all (which was a major pain) or it was labeled with a black permanent marker.  So, before I started collecting supplies and marking all over them, I went for more labels…because I am not old fashion and that’s just how I roll. 

Fun times ahead…

I know I’ve talked alot here about how I don’t think homeschooling is for me.  And, I know it isn’t for my husband as he has less patience than I do.  However, he is the one when in a crunch for entertainment will rig up some toy to do something it isn’t made to do, build a remote control something another or let the boys watch as he concocts something in the kitchen. 

He isn’t too fond of the fact that they ask a lot of questions because he is so far above their level that he irritates him (see not a homeschooling kind of dude).  But, he loves to show them the finished product.  I normally just intervene and answer the questions or prod my husband into answering the ones I want to know the answers too myself.

Anyway, on Sunday mornings he lets me sleep in and he gets breakfast for the boys, irons their church clothes and gets them off to my mom’s to go to church.  This morning, I awake to be told “breakfast is in the microwave”.  Ok, that’s cool, I saw the empty muffin packs on the stove (he doesn’t do clean up near as well as he does mess up) so I assumed I was opening the fridge to get a couple of muffins. 

Instead, I get this

I mean really, is this necessary.  When you figure that they were late this morning and pressed for time…one would think that he would have just done the muffin pan thing.  But no, Mr. I-do-not-have-the-patience-for-all-these-questions makes some weird looking muffin cake thing.

He said that Jace, the 4 year old who happens to be a pain in the behind about decisions, was whining because he did not want muffins.  Until…he laid his eyes on this little muffin cake thing and then, all of the sudden he was a reformed kid, hollering for more muffins. 

Oh well, whatever!

Yes, until some other schools get going, you are stuck with my versions of the Back to School topics.  So, you know that means I have to visit the subject of homework.  With that in mind, if you are my son’s teacher and you manage to find this site (since one of the other first grade teachers knows where it is, I am sure you will), please do not take what I say personally.  This is not an attack on you as I know all of the teachers basically work the same schedule, the same work, the same homework, the same assignments.  I was even told that during administrative walk-thru’s that sometimes you guys will be on the exact same reading page if they move quickly enough from one of your rooms to the next.  So please understand that what I have to say is in general and not aimed at you individually. 

That said, holy freakin’ cow at the homework it appears we may have.  Now, take note I said may and I am going to leave that to be determined in a month or two.  In the meantime, I was on Facebook (have I mentioned, I hate Facebook) where I encounter a message from a “friend” and the conversation just took off from there.  I am changing the names of folks to protect their identity.  Not everyone is as brave stupid as I am and speaks out about homework.  So, here goes….what do you folks think…..

Friend 1:  If school doesn’t start back so I can get some peace and quiet, I might run away!!!

Me:  yes ye indeed, sweet school

Friend 1:  (I’m not sure what the original message was here but….here was the reply) Just don’t check the backpacks..and you won’t know it’s there.

Me:  I am part of an anti-homework advocacy group and will be continuing my fight against it again this year as my first born enters first grade (as if a first grader needs homework, or a kindergarten child). If the speaker of the book, The Case Against Homework who is also the author of the website www.stophomework.com could  make a trip to Alabama, I would be stepping up my efforts and would love to have a full tribe going with me.
I won’t preach to you all the negative effects but you can read that on her blog and you probably already know most of it anyways.

I know most everything has a time and a place but most everything also has a place of moderation and common sense….

Stepping off my soap box but feel free to keep up with this on-going project, hopefully by the time my kids graduate we will make some headway (they are 4 and 6 so I’m not dreaming terribly big)

Friend 1:  at first I thought you were kidding.. But you’re serious.

Friend 2:  well speaking for myself as a kindergarten teacher - the homework i send home is reading…which is really to encourage the PARENT to actually SIT DOWN with their child (you know, the one GOD BLESSED THEM WITH) and turn off all TV’s, DVD’s, DS players, IPODS…and for the child to "hear" words read from a human (not recording)…they need that time taken with them…and by sending home a book that must be read nightly…NOT FOR AR POINTS either…it helps the child learn responsibility

Oh I’m not near finished…the child will know how important the reading is…but some of the parents are too #*@#!busy for a 3 minute book…
HOMEWORK isn’t the problem Jerri Ann…its parents who want to be "best friends" or "buddies" instead of parents…you know…us, the ones who sometimes have to be the "bad guy"…and make them stick to … something, even if they don’t "feel like it"…the ones who teach them about chores and other real world/real life situations…
homework…a problem.
what a rip…

Me:  I am serious and I don’t mean to be argumentative in any way, I did my dues in the public school systems and the thing that bothers me about my child having homework is it is so that the parents have to interact with them  & that seems odd. It isn’t the school’s responsibility to see that parents do what they should.
That said, last year the only homework we did…  was the reading, we didn’t do all that sight word stuff. If I am going to spend time with him, I prefer it to be on my terms, playing in the floor, in the yard, playing Go Fish and not more of what he just did all day at school.
I know it isn’t a popular opinion to voice on this matter and it is a very tough subject to speak to teachers about. I have more research, as does Stophomework.com than you could imagine. I had homework growing up and I did it. And, I did it alone.

And by doing it alone, I learned to take responsibility for myself. Homework isn’t for the parents and that is one of my primary issues with it. I get knots in my stomach every time I hear an adult say, "well we have to go, we have a science project due tomorrow" well, you see, "we" shouldn’t be doing the assignment but when the children are … given homework at an age that they require parental assistance to do it, then they expect that mom or dad will always be there to assist them. And, the fact of the matter is, why would they think any differently. If that’s the only way they have ever known as far as homework goes then they expect the parent to keep right on sitting at the table with them, begging and coaxing them until they are grown.
That is my biggest problem. I didn’t have homework until I was older but not once did either of my parents ever touch a project or help with homework. Homework was for the student not the parent.

So, since I started homework at a later age, then I never had a parent babysitting me while I did it and I knew it was my responsibility to do. I had a foster child about 14 years ago and she had someone babysitting her through her homework until she moved in with me. I didn’t do that. It isn’t my place.
I’m ok with "hey can you look at this and see if I did this one right" or " can you do a quick spelling quiz with me" but I am not into these 2 and 2.5 hour homework sessions and to be frankly honest, we won’t do a majority of what is sent home.
Because I have made my opinion so forcefully known, teachers know how I feel. So, I hope I didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings because that wasn’t my intent. But, the research shows that children who consistently sit and do homework fair less on major testing (standardized and common weekly teacher given) than those who do none at all  and it’s different of course when disabilities are factored in.

Obviously there are always exceptions but as a general rule, we won’t be doing any homework that is busy work. He goes to school to learn, that’s where I went to learn and I am not holding school for 3 hours every night when he gets home.
Again, I know it isn’t the popular opinion (actually, I think it is the popular opinion but most people won’t speak out for fear of the repercussions that their child might face because of it) but I have tons of data to back it all up and that’s the reason for the website Again, I didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings or step on anyone’s toes, but I bet if an anonymous poll was done (I"ll do that on my own facebook page tomorrow) and people could reply anonymously, more than 90% of parents would agree with me that their child is not learning what they need to when at home and they do not like the homework issue at all. … I proofed none of this, sorry for the typos

Student 1:  Holy moly, I don’t like homework but the teacher has a BIG point, even though I’m in the 9th grade LOL not K or 1st

Friend 2: ….maybe if you had studied your spelling words more….

Me:  I knew that was coming, lol, my spelling is fine, it’s my typing that reaches a level of not so good by this time of the night. I usually work til around 2 in the morning and I proof the next day before hitting that "send" button…You know what I wish I had studied more? I wish I had studied more about how to have balls and stand up when I’m being run over…  (not here, just life in general) and some creative writing skills and most importantly those doggone grammar rules. I teach online and normally my written presentations go over pretty well, it’s the live ones that get messy. For one thing, I speak true redneck-speak and sometimes people in various parts of the country think I am a lunatic because they don’t get the slang…and as I’ve mentioned several times (and again, probably not here) my ebook has already come from the editor 4 times and part of her job is to correct spelling but I have to correct thoughts and ….grammar, that dreaded grammar stuff…ugh

Friend 2:  hey, i can’t spell…thank the lord for spell check…Jerri i think its cool how you believe in a cause and really put your heart into your "causes"….

Friend 3 (or is he really a friend at all):  Jerri Ann. its good to see that some things never change..You are still f…king crazy.

Friend 2:  I have enjoyed the debate…think you have a future in politics woman.

Me:  Yes and I still talk too much

Me:  hahaha politics hahaha not a chance, I want to reform the world of education without having to form a union, lol, I mean, really, if you want to read where I get really down right nasty about it, I have places online I do paid writing gigs to complain about things like homework, lunch prices, never ending supply lists, items on never ending supply …  etc. Just check out my media site and you can see everything online publishing I’ve done up through the middle of July of this year, I have some Blog Talk Radio shows that haven’t made it up yet and about 10 other published works that I just haven’t had time to get on the site…but you will see….I routinely debate something…..my husband went to bed with these final words "have you started another cat fight?" I don’t mean too, I just ask a lot of questions and I give a lot of unsolicited answers…like tonight….

I won’t tell you all of the ways I plan to combat the whole homework issue but…I will tell you that the XXXX County School System does NOT have a homework policy that is active, in place, enforced or even remotely thought of. So, with that, if you see me on the news and I am chained to a tree in front of the school all hippie like, just nod your head and say, "I knew she should have shut up while she had the chance."

Not so Friend 3:  IDIOT!!

Me:  well gee that was pleasant

Friend 4:  Actually popular opinion doesn’t matter. Research does, and research shows that homework does not increase achievement until possibly the high school years. research also shows that anything more than ten minutes per grade level of homework each night (that would be 90-120 minutes in high school) significantly lowers test scores. you are exactly right! I teach middle school and assign little to no homework. I actually have parents complain that I don’t give enough homework. Go figure!

Me:  Thank you Friend #4, that’s what I was trying to say all along. Research is a big deal to me. It matters and until people understand and want to know more, we are stuck with the unknowing. I taught junior high science and I rarely gave anything for the students to do outside the classroom.
A majority of the time, homework is completed by a disgruntled and discouraged parent instead of the child anyway. So, yea, what Friend #4 said

Friend #5:  I used to teach and am a parent of a child with Asperger’s and I agree with Jerri Ann. Not going to get into it here, but the research does show this. A good parent is going to read with their child regardless. A bad parent isn’t going to even if assigned.

Friend #6:  We also have a son with Asperger’s who just turned 18!! so there are challenges!! We homeschhol now and it works great!

Friend 1: Friend #5…you are right! So eloquently said. Parents make the choice to read with them. A teacher won’t make them do it with a required assignment. Jerri Ann…you are my kind of woman! I fight for things all the time. Namely,the fight against our leaders. Bless you dear for being so strong and confident in this cause. Started to say, "your" cause. ..But in reality, it belongs to us all. I hate doing school projects. I even hate spending the money on the materials required to make them. Once, I spent twenty bucks. From that moment on, I was pissed. For less fortunate parents, the money just isn’t there. Which in turn, makes their child return to school feeling bad that their project is less attractive. Another issue, indeed. It snowballs. to Friend #2…thank you for speaking your side. I enjoyed the debate. I giggled. to Friend #3…you’re just funny.
I didn’t mean to start anything, but if it helps all of us, and I am now informed much more than before, that it was a good thing.
Love….

Friend #6:  Hello all! I am a 2nd grade teacher. On this subject, I have mixed views. I went to AMSTI this summer. I am finally impressed with something the state has to offer in our math curriculum. The higher ups said to timed test in math and keep for our records or as a grade that counts as a small % if at all.Also, it is an assessment to show teachers what they know. It seems they were advising us to go slowly and teach hands on in groups while everyone is doing the SAMETHING. Centers but overseen by the teacher at all times. I am saying all this to say—-We were told less homework and more hands on math will help the student to understand and learn more easily. Hence there is less stressful work for all! I do agree reading should be enjoyed and practiced at home as much as possible! Reading for enjoyment will keep your child always reading. AR is good for that but don’t make it stressful for all either!!! That WILL turn a kid against reading in a hurry.

"Gotta have so many points in a hurry" (bad AR) may turn a child against reading. I have been there and done that. Here is the SISTA in me. Take God out of school and we have the Tower of Babel. I love teaching. LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! However, classwork should be left to the teacher and she/he should be accountable for herself during the … Read Moreclass time. She/he is to lay it out there to the best of her/his ability. Homework should be only if the teacher deems it necessary because she/he has presented the best she/he is able. It really is up to the parents if it is done or not. Also, if a student is able to do one problem lessen the assignment! Now, don’t get me started on DIBELS!

Friend #7:  While we’re in the crazy subject of homework - why don’t we mention all the computer tests. It is fine if you child tests well - but if they don’t - it is a whole other story. As parents- we know the final test score, usually weeks after the test - but don’t know what they were tested on to even have a clue as to what they were expected to know And by the way - DIBELS will get most children hating to read. (This includes strong readers & weak readers will LOATHE reading.) DIBELS is one of the most HORRIBLE programs our brilliant state school boards have ever created. I wish our state dept. was barred from creating any new learning style. Stick with the old style (especially when concerning the basics). Then parents who care - will have a good idea how to help. Then the children who do not do well with this style, there are many strong, proven systems on the market. Use these programs with the other kids.

Friend #4:  Even though I know very few of you I have enjoyed this conversation. I teach Science and use AMSTI. It is amazing. The kids learn they retain what they learn. There is no homework. It integrates reading (and it is higher level reading) and Math skills daily! I know what the research says about homework and have shared that. Research also shows that readers are created or destroyed before they enter school. parents either model reading and speak and read to their child in ways that build vocabulary or not. Vocabulary is the key to reading. Let’s face it can you really make somebody read? You can make them look at a book for a certain amount of time, but you cannot make them read it. We have lost the love for reading by making them read.

Friend #2:  To Friend 7~"Also, if a student is able to do one problem lessen the assignment!" You are a brilliant teacher!

Me:  Wow, it’s great to see that the trend is turning (and I knew AMSTI was going to help lead the way) and as someone said, if a parent is going to read with their child, they are going to do it and if not, an assignment from school is only going to stress the parent and the kid. I figure since we are discussing this, I should also say that the WCBE policy on homework is that they will follow the WCBE policy which does not exist. And that my friends is where the problem exists. We have adults, educated adults telling us we must follow the policy and that’s all well and good, just show me the policy. The conversation goes like this:
"show me the policy"
"that is the policy"
"what is the policy"
"that we follow board policy"… Read More
"so what is the board’s policy"
"to follow the policy"
"which is?"
"to follow board policy"
And you wonder why many a kid comes home confused and many adult goes to the school for clarification.

Friend 2:  XCBE…policies??? LMAO!!!

The best thing to infer from this little debate last night is…I am not alone in this fight in my school system….I have friends…and they have friends…and many of them agree with me..Sara Bennett the author of The Case Against Homework and Stop Homework are you out there and reading this…this could get better sooner than later.

Nothing like an anonymous survey to get things rolling.  Please join in

I’m still wondering if I can get some of you, homeschooling parents to tell me what “Back to School” means to you.  I have at least one homeschooling parent who is going to guest post and I would love to have more.  And, if your child goes to public or private school, wears uniforms or has to buy a long list of supplies or simply just boards the bus on the first day, tell me what “Back to School” means to you as well.

I’m looking for tips to make the process smoother.  I”m looking for ideas on how to manage bedtimes, wake up times, books, supplies, lunches, curriculums, teachers, administrators, program heads, group learning…all of that.  This is a good time to share all of your fresh ideas so that maybe someone else can pick up something that might work.

Being a newbie at the whole back to school thing, we have done it only once, I’m going to share a couple of things I heard in a chat last night about starting back to school.  Here’s what some of those folks said they did…and of course, your lucky, you get my commentary too.

1.  Start at least a week early prepping kids for earlier bedtime and wake-up.  (We started that tonight, had intentions of starting on Sunday night but the boys begged my mom into one more night each at her house and then last night was just a lost cause.)

2.  Take a “First Day of School” photo every year in the same place and compare your child’s growth.  We did take a photo last year and I plan to take one this year as well.  I think most folks will be stunned at the growth.

3.  Make breakfast on the first day of school a meal-out.  (I have considered this and many parents in my area do this during standardized testing week just so they know their kids are getting a better breakfast that what they normally prepare.)

4.  Make the night before or the first night of school dinner a special one.  Either let the child choose a place or the meal itself that’s going to be served at home. (This sounds cool and we will probably do this one).

5.  School supplies, I’ve covered ad nauseum. 

So, this is obviously a list for those of us prepping for back to school out of the home somewhere and that’s why I am asking you, my readers, to share a post telling me about your routine.  I know there are some folks out there with insight on this (Luke, that’s you dude, come on out of hiding and write me a post on what back to school meant to you as a homeschooled student).  And, anyone else, really, I am so very curious.

Here is a link to the Crayola Facebook site if anyone is interested. And here is a link to a coupon and some prizes that Crayola are giving away.  And here is a link to the coupon that you can print out.

By the way, this is not a post sponsored by Crayola, I was just part of the chat last night and had the good fortune to learn about the coupon and thought it was worth passing on.  Just FYI there in this crazy world of blogging. 

Quick Public Service Announcement
If you would like to write a back to school post for this blog as a guest poster or you would like to have a post on your own blog about Back to School linked on this site, please email me at jerriann@jerriann.info Thanks

I certainly am not writing this to brag.  If anything I am hoping to garner some of your trust that I am doing the right thing.  In the past 2 years, I’ve gone from blog-bubble to blog-bubble and adding a blog any and every time someone asked me to do so. 

I wrote about this in depth on my here but for now, I’m going to attempt to give you the quick and dirty version.

1.  I currently author the following blogs:

Jerri Ann Reason

Jerri Ann

Mom~E~Centric

Mom is Teaching

Media Critiques

Mental-Emotional Health

Life in Reality

Michelle Obama Watch

Don’t Eat That 

 

2.  I currently hold domains for the following

Gadget Magnet

Education Uncensored

3.  I currently am launching a group project with other bloggers known as Blogalogues.  We hope to launch no later than 2 weeks from tomorrow. The site is up and functional, just without content.  I will serve as the administrator for that site and handle any anonymous posting and the Blogalogue Awards.

4.  I plan to take over the school’s e-newsletter as soon as we get all of our ducks in a row with matters of privacy and such.

5.  I write paid posts for 3 companies on 3 different blogs.

6.  I write paid reviews, non-paid reviews (reviews where I receive a product and then give the same product away) and I host numerous contests.

7.  I’ve attended the following conferences this year:

January – The Social Networking Conference

February – Blissdom 

March – Mom 2.0 Summit

May – Florida Conference for Women and Atlanta Mixer by Mashable

July – Blogher

8.  I hope to secures sponsorships for the following upcoming conferences:

Type A Mom

IZEAfest

Blog World Expo

9.  I do published work as a Virtual Assistant.

I’m sure there’s more, I’m linking to the thorough post.  But, here’s a recap of sorts of what’s coming up soon.

1.  I will continue to write my personal blog, Mom~E~Centric, do reviews and contests on that blog and bother people with aimless chatter about how great my kids are.  I will continue to be on Twitter as The_Jerri_Ann

2.  I will be dedicating more time to my TV Boyfriends blog.  It has been good to me and I’ve made some awesome connections through that blog (of which I plan to use soon).

3.  I hope to dedicate more time to this blog, learn more about education my own children, homeschool, public and private educations and the readers here in general.

4.  I plan to get Bloglalogues off of the ground and running and bridge some gaps, education some others and plunge forward.

5.  As soon as I am given the all clear from my physician, I am going to start the EASports 30 Day Challenge.  I also have a plan in action (if it doesn’t fall through) to use that blog and join forces with a celebrity/celebrity blogger in the fight against Childhood Obesity.

6.  I will be using that hard earned education that I have to teach Beginning Blogging and Introduction to Social Media via vlogging, youtube and ebooks.  In addition to that, I will be moving from writer for the company that I do Virtual Assistant work for to Instructor for Social Media. 

Remember, if you get lost, you can always go to the media site, Jerri Ann Reason, and find all my published works, my Blog Talk Radio shows, my works dating back to 2001 as well as the most recent interviews from Blogher. 

So, with that, sit tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.

Yes, indeed, we have reached the time of year where my oldest child will return to school.  They start August 11th and if you ask me, that’s plain ridiculous but whatever.  They didn’t ask me by the way.  I’ve asked a few people to do a ~~~~Back to School ~~~~ post on this blog so that we can get a gathering of the minds on this. 

With that, if you would like to put your thoughts together and submit them, I would love to hear how others go about preparing this time of the year.  I know it is different for everyone in many ways but very much the same for others.  Here’s a quick thought or ten on the feelings, thoughts, and ideas that I have regarding the return to school.

Definitely going with the bullets:

• New underwear, socks, bras, and tennis shoes are purchased at this time (another set of underwear and socks can be purchased for Christmas, but normally August and Back To School is when this is done)
• What used to be the giddy excitement of buying school supplies has gone terribly wrong.  I won’t give you the full low-down here, you can read it all over on Mom~E~Centric.  But, let’s just say this, why does a first grader need 2 packs of first grade writing paper, 2 packages of white copy paper, 4 one subject wide ruled notebooks and 2 packages of wide ruled theme paper (notice, no mention of construction paper) and furthermore, why does a first grader need 2 boxes of Kleenex 4 rolls of paper towels, 2 boxes of baby wipes, 1 container of clorox wipes and 2 containers of germ x?
• At one time I equated starting school with buying clothes.  But, with the fact that the start date is slowly inching earlier and earlier, the kids don’t actually need school clothes in August.  And, it’s a good thing because 2 pair of tennis shoes and all those supplies are enough to set a family back big time.  We will purchase more clothes for school as the weather changes and we work our way through the hand-me-downs
• structure and routine – our house has been one major chaos induced bedlam this summer.  With my food in a cast, my blogging over-flowing and everyone simply tired and cranky, we have allowed ourselves to become unstructured.  For those of you who know me, you know that I thrive on organization.  So, we started today prepping the house, the closets the kids rooms, their closets for the great date of August 11th.  They boys have been told that once the furniture is re-arranged in their room, (hopefully tomorrow) they will return to sleeping in their own beds and will return to a bedtime of no later than 8 (but preferably 7:30)
• School starting also means that we cannot get away with having no food in our house.  We can’t keep going out to eat during the week because we get home too late if we do.  And, we will obviously have to purchase snacks to take to school and re-incorporate lunch money into our budget



• School starting also means that we must arise earlier than 9 AM.  This one saddens me deeply, it really does.

I’m going to close this post here.  If I think of any others, I’ll add UPDATE in the title and I will put the newest information on the top.  So, please, send me your thoughts on “What Back to School Means to Me”

I’m waiting…

I am not kidding you.  Taking  a trip away from family, husband and children is good for you.  But, when you’ve been gone as long as I have, you start to wish you were just home with your babies.  I can tell you one thing, when I finally get home, I will NOT be logging on for long periods of time for a few days because I WILL be smooching all over my family….the kids in particular.  Sorry husband and mother, I love you but my babies…oh my babies….I miss them so much.

With that, I think it might be time to find a better way to have some “time away from the family or to have some me-time without driving out of state and then flying 2 hours out, being gone for 10 days and then being stuck in an airport just wanting to see your kids.  Honestly, if my kids were here, I’d be fine but dadgumit, I miss my babies.

Anyway, here’s at least one thing I am going to participate in after I am home and well rested instead of leaving home for a long period of time.

If you have only 15 minutes, just make yourself your favorite drink (diets bedamned) and hide away and read a magazine.  Our bathroom has a revolving door on it…or I say it did have.  The kids were free to come in and out no matter5 who was in there and no matter what they were doing.  But, as they’ve aged, shutting the door has become more of an issue.  And, one I kind of like…oh well, everyone deserves some me-time, right?

I just came from one of the biggest blogging conferences of the year.  And, because of that, I learned more about myself than I did others I think.  But, what I’m wondering most of all is how in the world was I suppose to remember all those names?

When I taught school I had near 60 students at time on a regular basis.  I taught physical education and the children were only with me for 30 minutes at a time.  Sadly, the only children I knew were the ones who were misbehaving.  And, at the conference, the only names I remember were the ones of people I already knew basically. 

I mean, my two best pals were Kim and Beth and I couldn’t even call them by the right name half of the time.  I have determined the problem to be one of the following

1.  I don’t listen.

2.  I am too busy looking for someone else and I don’t pay close enough attention.

3.  I am planning what I will say next.

4.  I am planning my escape.

Now, I have to tell you, I saw absolutely no one that I was planning an escape from (as it is, it did happen in the airport with a non-speaking English man) and I know I was excited to talk to and see as many people as possible.  And the end result was that I ended up not remembering the names of very many new people that I met. 

It’s fairly common for folks to know one another only by their twitter name or the name of their blog but honestly, if I spent at least a half f an hour talking to someone, the least I could do was remember the name.  Right  Is that too much too ask?

Guest Post by Chynna Tamara Laird

CHYNNA TAMARA LAIRD is a psychology student, freelance writer and author living in Edmonton, Alberta with her three daughters [Jaimie (six), Jordhan (four), and baby Sophie (one)] and baby boy, Xander (two and a half). Her passion is helping children and families living with Sensory Processing Disorder and other special needs.

Much research conducted by leading child development experts suggests, and I completely agree, that children learn best when they’re moving and exploring. Unfortunately, most public school settings don’t provide children with enough opportunity for movement.

Yes, children get recess twice a day but this only offers fifteen minutes, twice a day—half-an hour in total—for fun, games and free play. Half-an hour out of their entire school day! And this can be a real problem for those students with specific disorders, such as ADHD or SPD, who have difficulty with sitting still for large blocks of time. Such students need that extra free play and fun time to release their pent up energy or stresses and get their brains and bodies more organized for learning.

Initially, this was a major issue I had when enrolling my daughter, Jaimie, in public school. Jaimie has SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) and she functions best when she’s given extra opportunities throughout her day to move her muscles. Fortunately, Jaimie had a phenomenal Kindergarten teacher who shared my idea of teaching children through movement. And with leading children experts, such as Carol Stock Kranowitz and Dr. Stanley Greenspan, preaching about the importance of the same thing, how could we be wrong in our vision?

Still, not everyone shares this vision. And it can be a real struggle to make some educational professionals understand this idea. But if we teach them that little things worked into the regular curriculum can make a huge difference for these children in terms of learning, attention span and other focusing, perhaps they’ll agree.

The following are fantastic ways to work movement into a regular educational setting, whether children are learning at home or at public school:

Have sing-and-dance time. Jaimie’s teacher worked song with body motions into her learning carpet time. There are so many great tunes out there about everything you can imagine, so no matter what you’re teaching there should be a song you can work into the program. Then you simply create hand and body movements to go with it. Kids love music and interactive songs…work with that!

Plant a garden. This is fun and great exercise. Children love getting right in there digging, planting and, if you teach them the right ones to pull out, weeding. For those children in public school, see if the school can provide a small section of the school grounds to use as a place to learn about plants. If they can see how wonderfully children respond to nature, they’d most likely be open to the idea. For those of us with children at home, dedicate a portion of your garden to your little student’s learning. (If you live in an apartment or other rental location with no backyard—as we did for a couple of years—just use big pots or window gardens.) In expensive alternatives to planting pots can be plastic containers or coffee cans.

Have a run around time. If your child is only able to sit for a specific amount of time, make them a deal: “Get this writing/reading/printing assignment done, then you can have five or ten minutes to run around outside or in the gym (weather depending). For your child at home, you can use a funtime in the back yard, a game of catch or some other activity they love. Always use the activities they love—it’s a much greater incentive.

Stretch it out. Get the class to do stretching exercises or give them the chance to walk around the classroom or down the hall in between lessons. Of course this has to be done respectfully because children can’t be disturbing those students still in classrooms. At home, have a short “recess” or “gym time” but use a child’s yoga tape or simply stretch to music.

Provide special jobs. Children can help new students find their way to the classrooms, take messages or other items to the office, or do special jobs for the teacher—anything that can get them up and moving around for a few minutes. For the child learning at home, get them to do a household duty or a special job outside (eg: shoveling the sidewalk, raking, etc.) Most kids love to help out—just be sure to give them something age and ability appropriate.

Heavy lifting, dragging or pushing. Okay, we don’t expect them to be Arnold Schwartzenagger here. But it’s been shown that heavy lifting—carrying the milk jug for snack time, dragging the mats for floor time, carrying the tub of water for wash-up time, pushing a wheelbarrow, wall pushups or other such physically exerting activities—can be great “calm down” strategies.

These are just a few suggestions. I’m sure a lot of parents out there can think of other things that have worked with their own children. The entire focus of learning through movement is teaching children how to interact with their environments in a healthy, safe and fun way while learning something at the same time.

A good idea to keep in mind is that a lot of children with sensory issues or disorders such as ADHD or autism need a counteractive calming strategy to use after a stimulating one. This teaches appropriate self-regulation as well as learning when he or she needs a stimulating activity to get the sillies out or when a calmer activity to organize their little bodies would be more appropriate. This is especially important for children with SPD, ADHD, Asperger’s, Autism or other similar struggles.

Movement and play are so important to a child’s development. We need to ensure they get that time to explore, investigate and play. We did Play Therapy with Jaimie, which emphasizes giving children a required amount of free play each and every day. It also encourages parents to get right down there and play with their children.

Whatever activities you choose to do, it will make a world of difference in the long run…you’ll see!

___________________________

More about Chynna:

You’ll find her work in many online and in-print parenting, inspirational, Christian and writing publications in Canada, United States, Australia, and Britain. She’s most proud of her children’s picture book, I’m Not Weird, I Have SPD, which she wrote for Jaimie. In addition, she’ll have a memoir about raising a child with SPD out in August of 2009 and a reference book about the Sensory Diet coming January 2011.

Please visit Chynna’s website at www.lilywolfwords.ca to get a feel for her work and what inspires her.

I’m sure most of you have heard this more times than you care to admit but I did spend some time in the public schools as a teacher.  I taught K – 8 physical education, I taught seventh grade Life Science and eight grade Earth Science along with health and I have taught pre-school.  I’ve coached every age from 13 to 18 and I owned a daycare.  I don’t think it is too far fetched to say that education is in my blood, it’s what I do.  And…that’s what I want to do in the future. 

With that, I am about to try my hand at teaching adults.  I am composing my first e-book which revolves around blogging, learning to code using wordpress and learning to monetize your work.  Many people are amazed that this is even something that anyone would partake in but the fact is, conferences (like the one I just attended) are laden with adults begging for more and more information. 

And, with that, I am going to give this a trip.  It’s been something I’ve been thinking about for several months and I started composing some works to put together way back.  But, finally, someone who has the ability to motivate has convinced me that this is something I can do.  I am going to lend my hand at vlogging as well once I have put together a series of thoughtful words.  Trust me when I tell you that….thoughtful words aren’t as easy to string together as one might think when there is a camera in your face.

I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion that my oldest son “needs” the socialization that public school offers.  Having been one of those social types, I really believe that he will do much better in a setting where he has the opportunity to interact.  My younger son is not quite as social but he too will probably attend public school unless something happens to change my mind between now and then. 

However, as I spent the last week traveling, in the presence at one of 1500 people, mostly women and then some, I realized that I am not a crowd person.  I am very much a people person but as for the crowds and the hoopla, I much prefer small groups.  I’ve spent a lot of time and even more money wishing I was at various conferences, but the fact of the matter is, I really enjoy the small intimate ones over the big over the tip type meetings.

I found myself, on night one, enjoying the company of anywhere from 2 to 5 people and was more than remotely excited about the upcoming days events.  However, as I hit the crowds on Thursday morning, slowly became more aware of how much I’d rather just be in a room with less than 10 folks enjoying the conversation, learning about people and knowing who was who and a little about their families. 

On Thursday the event was narrowed to near 50 people but after that….the number of people involved grew in multiples of 100.  I know that sounds crazy but the fact of the matter is, I liked the time spent on Wednesday night with the little group.

So, now I question my thoughts that my son “needs” to be part of the social scene that public school offers.  I mean, you know, with that in mind, I really am concerned as to whether I am making the right decision.  Funny how I never questioned my parenting abilities when the kids were babies and people were worrying about breast milk or formula, this bed, that bed, this blanket, that blanket, no blanket at all, or whatever.  But now, now that we are talking about education, something I should be relatively familiar with, I feel so out of the loop.  I honestly just don’t know if I am doing this right.

I am preparing to go to Blogher.  And, so much prep time has been put into the parties, the clothes, the swag, how to get there, where to sleep, who to see..it has become so over-whelming that I find myself just wanting to say, ok never mind, I’m going with no plan at all.  I’m going and I’m just going to do whatever the person next to me is doing. 

Put honestly, I know that’s not reality either.  So, I figure I’ll write it all here, the post my stay up and it may not, you may see it one day and not the next, but the final line is, I am stressed.  Please realize that I am doing my best to cope with a tinge of humor here so don’t go getting offended and acting crazy because I really am about to write some crazy shit.

Ok, first and foremost, I have a to-do list a mile long.  But, that’s been the case for months on end now.  I catch myself repeating to my kids that “when I get finished with this…..we will play….” and that time never comes.  So, knowing that I am going to be gone away from my kids, my husband and my mother for a full week is hurting my heart.  It’s heavy.  I want to spend every minute between now and the time I leave with them.  I don’t want to worry about all this other stuff.  But, this other stuff?  The other stuff is the reason I am going to the conference in the first place.  So, I can’t just shove it aside. 

So, in order to cope, I’m making a list of things that need/must/will/might get done.  You may not be able to even understand what my little notations mean but I do and hopefully, if I can get it all out on paper, I’ll quit running the streets looking for Michael Jackson’s doctor and asking for some anesthesia.

So it started last night.  I had to pack up the clothes that I intend to wear next Thursday night through Monday.  I packed it in a box and I mailed it to the hotel in which I will be staying.  I also had to figure out what I was traveling in (has to be business casual simply due to the nature in which I acquired my ticket) and that meant shoes and night clothes, underclothes.  All that planning last night so I could mail via UPS to the hotel I am staying at from Thurs thru Monday. 

Now, I am packing a carry on bag with the clothes that I am wearing on Wed night to dinner and Thursday to the Ford Test Drive in a carry on bag because that night I will be staying at a different hotel. 

Are you following me?  So, I will drive to Atlanta on Monday or Tuesday, don’t know for sure yet, sleep and fly out of there.  The rest of this is just all mish mash of stuff I need/want to do and I am just not sure about how much time there will be….but here goes:

• Frigidaire has a team delivering my Washer and Dryer on Saturday.  That’s great, except my laundry room is disgusting and has to be cleaned up before any strangers get near this place.
• I am giving my old washer and dryer to a needy family and we have to get them out of the laundry room so that my cousin can pick them up and deliver them.
• Buy groceries so that my mom and husband and children won’t go hungry while I am gone.
• Organize my email account – right now I have 185 labels and it’s just mass chaos, need organization and structure to survive. 
• Group Blog – the launch day has come, Saturday, today, and it doesn’t appear that it is all well and good and ready.  I”m trying though
• My broken re-paired and not broken leg is giving me fits after being on it today, it puts me in fear of all the fun at Blogher
• I need to get the advertising up on the Group Blog site as well all of it’s subdomains
• I need to get the logo up on the main Group Blog  page and all the subdomains
• I need to put the logo on all the out-going newsletters
• I need to email the code for the button to all the authors
• I want to set up twitads on my twitted account
• I need to buy 2 bags of mixed chocolate bars
• I need to figure out if I am going to Atlanta on Monday or Tuesday and where I am sleeping when I do go. 
• I am getting a manicure & pedicure before I go and possibly a little tan.  Must do tan part on Monday so I can use discount code….so would like to keep on to Atlanta that day, but who knows.
• Email authors of Group Blog about various things like joining in the advertising campaign at Blogher
• Request suggestions from Group Blog authors about advertising stuff
• Figure out if I am staying in Atlanta on the 27th or if I am coming home (probably coming home because my gut hurts.already from missing them)
• Work on the blog that I have been assigned in my virtual assistants position, write posts, comment, work through commenting and bookmarking
• Make sure all the camera batteries are charged
• Make sure the phone battery is charged
• Make sure the Peek battery is charged
• Make sure the mp3 player is charged
• Make sure I pack all the chargers for these gadgets
• Make sure I get cables to hook gadgets to laptop
• Pack as efficiently as possible but be sure to include all cables, clothes, gadgets, etc.
• Write 3 articles for one of my paying blogs.
• Write 8 articles for another paying blog
• Write 13 articles for another paying blog
• Write 13 articles for another paying blog
• Write 7 articles for a semi-paying blog
• Write 3 articles for a semi-paying blog

Did I mention sleeping?  Or the actual drive to Atlanta or the actual flying time, or the obsessing over how to get from airport to hotel, or how to get from one hotel to the next, or how to get to the airport and be on a flight on Monday the 27th at an ungodly hour of 5:40, or the flight time back to Atlanta or the drive home from Atlanta or the missing of my babies omg did I tell you how much I miss my babes already?

Ok I know, I could have done some of this instead of making this horrible list but I didn’t.  I wrote the list.  I am about to do one thing on the list and then I am going to snuggle with my babies.  I’m making no promises how much will get done that doesn’t have to be done for me to actually survive because hello…eating and bathing aren’t on that list anywhere either, oooops!

How often are you gone from your children for extended periods of time?  I went to a couple of conferences earlier where I was gone for 3 and 4 days.  But, this upcoming week, I will be gone from Monday or Tuesday through the next Monday or Tuesday.  I’m going to Blogher which is Friday and Saturday, I’m doing a Ford Test Drive on Thursday and a Ford dinner on Wednesday night and sight-seeing through Chicago on Sunday.

Was that even something you could read?  Anyone with any sense would have written in consecutive days but hey, I never claimed to have any sense?  Anyway, my kids are going through a really tough patch.  They are agitating and aggravating.  They deal my mom misery when she has them alone.  When I step in, the two of us can tag team them and calm them down so we can deal with them.  But, when it is me alone, they put me over the edge and it takes my husband’s intervention to get them back under control. 

I know that I’ve been working A LOT lately and hope that once I return from Blogher and I will have more time.  That makes no sense I know but the fact is, I am going to drop a few projects that aren’t making much money in lieu of a couple of paying gigs.  I hope and please note the word hope, that this can free up some time for us. 

Having this cast on my foot since January has made it impossible for me to run and play with them and I had big plans of hitting the pool but couldn’t do that either.  So, what gives?   They know I am getting ready for a trip and my 4 year old doesn’t really do well when I am not around although he is getting better.  However, I suspect when I return home, they are going to be buck wild again just simply out of missing me.

I really am nervous about leaving them, my gut doesn’t even want to leave them.  I would give anything if they could go with  me.  And, with a little planning, they could have but it would have taken some planning months ago and I didn’t do it like I should have.  But, how will I go a full week without seeing my babies?  How will they make it without me?  Am I foolish to think they will even notice? 

I miss my babies just sitting here thinking about it.