Yesterday, was a bit unsual for learning for us.  Over the past weekend, N wanted waffles for breakfast.  I just wasn't in the mood to be preparing any meal over the hot stove.  Since I only had a certain amount of change, he and I could go eat out (he and I do too much of this really).  So I got up this morning and decided that since we didn't do any learning last week hardly, (paper work), we were going to do it this morning.  So  I asked N if he wanted to go eat waffles.  Of course, his answer is "Yes.  Okay.  if you want to go eat waffles you will have to do work."  Hanging his little head low, "Okay."  So we both bathed, and I packed up my big orange bag with our learning material.  I forgot to mention that I always wanted to go eat breakfast at Gilli's Grill anyways, because there is always a sign hanging advertising breakfast for $5.00. At about 9 a.m. that's where we headed to, Gilli's Grill to eat breakfast and do some work.  I picked out a table that was in a corner, and we wouldn't get much obstruction from other patrons and we wouldn't be disturbing any patrons with our loud chatter.

The waitress came and took our order.  As we waited for our order,  we started an assignment. We ate our breakfast, and then we finished our quick Bible assignment.  Then we finished our quick math assignment.  Completing that assignment, we started our reading assignment to be completed today, hopefully.  And N worked without any fuss, except for reading due to the fact we started reading the next level of the Pathways Reader book.

Other unsual places for doing paper work:  we've gone to the new library, and out in our backyard.

Yes, that's what we were doing, N and I on the way out Paradise Road.  But by accident though.  N asked me what three 3s were.  And I explained to him that there were 3 sets of 3 make 9;

3 x 3= 9.  So he decided he wanted me to do some math.  1+1+1 = 3, 5+5+5 = _____, 6+6+6+6 ___

4+4+4 ____; he wanted me to put the answer on the line.  So I did the math then he used his little fingers to checked to see if I had the write answer. 

Math GAme

Below is a game N and I played on Thursday.  I chose a number like 25.  We have to try and get to the number 25 first.  The opponent chose what numbers they wanted the other to figure out.  It's supposed to be mental math.  For Example, I chose 1,4,1 for N to add up.  Then it's his turn to give me what numbers he wanted me to add up.   We did to 25 rather quickly.  So I decided to chose 60, that way N will have higher numbers and 2 digits numbers to add. He wanted to beat me.   He must have enjoyed it, because he saw it on the table and asked when we were going to play it again.

1	4	2	5	3
1	4	2	5	3
1	4	2	5	3
1	4	2	5	3
1	4	2	5	3

 He mentioned 2 weeks ago about swimming lessons taking too long to start.  He had taken lessons this past summer, and I told him we would do them again, but I didn't tell him when.  I myself had been contemplating waiting till next summer to do lessons again. So instead he went this afternoon to try out for our local swim club.   I guess he met whatever requirement they had for him to start in the Bronze 1.  He will be participating in that Tuesdays and Thursdays for an half hour. He is looking forward to that;  And doing soccer Mondays and Wednesdays for 50 minutes.  He loves soccer.

I don’t want him bogged down with things to do, but he is always dancing around the house or sometimes when we are out in public, acting out Spiderman, High School Musical, or Pirates of the Carribbean, I would like to find a program or a play for his age in our local area.  So if anyone runs across a program, let me know.

So in conclusion of today’s activities,  I will have to be more creative in his learning sometimes, and allow him to play much more than he already plays.

Yes, that is what I am about now, Exasperated.  Ds 6 had a crying episode this morning.  He want to go to school so he can play with other kids.  I suppose as a little kid I can understand that.  We are on a waiting list for a Montessori charter school.  So I don't know how much longer we will homeschool.  I've tried to tell him that he will not do soccer.  He will have to go to school and do work every day compared to our lacadasical learning.  There are many other things I will not be able to teach, which will not be taught at any school he attends; one of them the love and appreciation of African heritage and the love of thyself for being of the African Heritage.  He will not be able to explore piano, dancing, soccer.   I will not put him back in ps and or a private paying school.   Right when I myself was starting to enjoy some of the things I planned on discovering.  Oh, well.

Well, Ms. Pacman is prepared to travel to Kentucky for a visit with her hosts there.  Ms. Pacman is having the same type of visit as Mr. Pacman.  Our host will journal it. And add anything they would like to add, pictures, maybe a flattened flower from their state, maybe a state map, or city map.

Yes, this was a question from a mother who I see on a regular basis, and who has her children in the system asked me.  What possessed you to do that?  Then, of course, I explain our reasoning for possessing to do that.  Then the mother proceeded to try and talk me into taking N over to some Montesorri school to check it out.

I surely wish people will stop asking about N being in school.  One, it brings up the notion to him that he should be in the system.  Two, I sure gets tired of splaining why N is not in school.  He's being schooled just not the old fashion way.  Every time someone asks me this question, I explain the situation.

As the lastest question came from my elderly gentleman neighbor, but I didn't have to explain my reasoning to him.   But he surely was supportive of our decision to homeschool.  He was explaining to me several reasons why, which I won't go into here.  As it's 3:00 a.m., and I should be sleeping.  My neighbord did suggest to me to tell people it's none of their business.  Of course, I laughed when he said it, as much as I'd like to say "None of your business,"  I'd probably say it very cantankerously. 

I've heard where some homeschoolers don't think of exiting their homes during school hours just to avoid such nonsense.  Well, I don't want  to be a prisoner in my own home just to be dodging people.  For one, I use the world for teaching, so we gotta get out of the house.  And secondly, my little fella is filled with energy, and this older mom gotta get him out the house to expell some of that energy.

So anyways, what kind of responses do you all get from people, and how do you respond to their questioning?

Reminds me, gotta file our homeschool affidavit

Well, I had been, from the internet, been hearing about this book Flat Stanley.  It's a good book about a Boy named Stanley who becomes flat and is able to travel everywhere.  N was taken by it.

So I have decided that we will take on a project of Flat Stanley.  Ours will be called Flat PacMan though.  It's on it's way to Virginia.  And the person in Virgina will do a journal inside Flat PacMan.  There is a Yahoo group called Flat Stanley, if anyone is interested.   

So, before I had did my Only Child blog, I had started a project of baking a pie. This is what our morning learning was for today, making an apple pie and apple turnovers from scratch.  They are in the oven as I start this log.  The aroma from the pies is permeating now throughout the house.  As you can see, N was really into helping and fully enjoyed the activity.

Today is our official start of our new learning period.

Today was math.  Decided to do lapbooking instead of the traditional workbook math.

Would like some feedback on learning the basic math facts.  Should the child know the answer to  7+4 by rote memorization, our should the child just know how to get the answer?  I go back and forth on this issue with myself.

Then we did Bible on Creation. 

We are working on memorizing Genesis 1:1; In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

This is another way I plan to do a book report instead of the traditional written page book report.  We are reading Boxcar Children, The Yellow Mystery House for story time..  In doing this exercise, N picks a shape I've made and write on it a character, or something he heard in the story. 

And as you can see we have our word wall in the background.  These are words N learned to read when he was first starting out reading.    

Nathaniel is too funny.  Today, he thought he would try his hands at making some type of dough.  He gave me the ingredients while I was doing a chore of mine:

cup of flour

cup of powdered sugar

butter, probably a half of stick

and water to mix.

Funny thing is it came out to be really dough, sweet dough.

 Lately, my child has been saying that he wants to return to PS.  I become frustrated whenever he mentions returning to school.  So someone suggested asking him what it is that he liked about PS.  Numbers, reading, playground.  Okay, those are easily remedy.  He likes keeping busy with school work I think to myself, but really he doesn't like doing learning everyday (that's paper work).  So we will keep busy with school work, but school work the old fashion way, lots of paper work, is much too tedious to me.  So I am seeking out alternatives to making our learning fun such as  Notebooking, minibooking.  And because I have been seeking out other alternatives, I've been spending too much.  There are two more fun things I want to search out, and that's a fun and not too expensive French learning program and a digital camera.

I have been reseaching Charlotte Mason's philosphy way of learning; and I really like her philosphy.   http://simplycharlottemason.com/  From what I understand so far, instead of doing so much paperwork learning.  I will be doing lots of reading and having Nathaniel recite back to me what he thinks I've read to him.  Copywork:  I like this idea for spelling and English, and I think it could work for English.  Then there's nature study; Well, we have lots of nature out in our backyard, but I will be seeking out nature to hike to for us.

Study of music is another, and to start this study off, we will be listening to lots of classical and jazz music.  Speaking of classical music, listening to it is supposed to help enhance once's learning.  I know I like listening to it because it keeps me calm.