tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32704303239906138962024-03-05T15:06:01.831-05:00Raccoon SchoolWelcome to Raccoon School, a blog about my family's homeschool experience. My intention is to write short, easily-digestible posts about the following topics: homeschooling, Montessori teaching methods, sensory processing, and living a healthy, green and frugal lifestyle.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-63104057788032192322011-09-24T22:49:00.004-04:002011-09-24T23:02:51.195-04:00Felt Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5O9DBHvpfP38exZIUXr45cXUtFpiZEe7X32ol7RHThDAyoejXswXOHd4kZVZZ7ahAkojVYY5wVmUwsjcPeneuayDJbCC21hTNRV1oz37fFazVZ1kzUxAD0t6FBD4n7Kxx745593xzb2N/s1600/DSC06773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5O9DBHvpfP38exZIUXr45cXUtFpiZEe7X32ol7RHThDAyoejXswXOHd4kZVZZ7ahAkojVYY5wVmUwsjcPeneuayDJbCC21hTNRV1oz37fFazVZ1kzUxAD0t6FBD4n7Kxx745593xzb2N/s320/DSC06773.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
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One evening back in August, I had some fellow homeschool mothers over to make some things for our kids with felt. We had so much fun, we did it again at another mom's house a few weeks later!<br />
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My craftsmanship isn't quite where I'd like it to be....but hey - I'm okay with that. My kids love my creations. And I had a blast making them. Sewing is surprisingly therapeutic! <br />
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Felt is such a breeze to work with. It's easy to feel successful making things with felt.....even if you are craft-challenged like me. <br />
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It was wonderful to hang out with my fellow homeschool moms. My pals at <a href="http://autismandsalvation.blogspot.com/2011/09/because-i-felt-like-it.html">Autism and Salvation</a> and <a href="http://sunriselearninglab.blogspot.com/">Sunrise Learning Lab</a> were there, among others. We got lots of creative inspiration from <a href="http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com/">Counting Coconuts</a>, and we felt like this bloggy-friend was there in spirit. <br />
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I've always loved hanging out with teachers, and I especially love homeschool teachers. I learned so much at our felt parties, and I left feeling inspired and energized.<br />
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Here are some of the things I made....<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1FzYjo4Cy3Nr7MNQvIik2hHsCF6wfYJM8hxJ10VtTY3M2DtCEnnCNML6RxVfcYrcBF_HrlH7Z5AY8oNyBUhJFD7-8Hcufq4lNRqCZorRZhZMfq-K0c_T_6AdzDqyTP-FN0gxpA-3BcZP/s1600/DSC06774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1FzYjo4Cy3Nr7MNQvIik2hHsCF6wfYJM8hxJ10VtTY3M2DtCEnnCNML6RxVfcYrcBF_HrlH7Z5AY8oNyBUhJFD7-8Hcufq4lNRqCZorRZhZMfq-K0c_T_6AdzDqyTP-FN0gxpA-3BcZP/s320/DSC06774.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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The button turkey (from <a href="http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com/">Counting Coconuts</a>) and the button spider shown above are great ways for kids to learn how to button. It helps develop dexterity and fine motor strength. Plus, that little turkey face just makes my heart happy when I look at it!<br />
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Fraction circles (also from <a href="http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com/">Counting Coconuts</a>) provide a great multi-sensory way for kids to learn about fractions. I'm not crazy about how the fabric paint numbers look. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyBxdqbqh4TGJ4YRr9UXsKRsScngRbVxE4Xi1D47or55UjbTSrKTxapx33H8B-YBKPbez8ShExN29dKFQK5eGzcMT6oweSezqzewDdCaciGUIYhSgx-1uxMz_9HdvXOIIhxjlP87hVavr/s1600/DSC05743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyBxdqbqh4TGJ4YRr9UXsKRsScngRbVxE4Xi1D47or55UjbTSrKTxapx33H8B-YBKPbez8ShExN29dKFQK5eGzcMT6oweSezqzewDdCaciGUIYhSgx-1uxMz_9HdvXOIIhxjlP87hVavr/s320/DSC05743.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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We made some very inexpensive Montessori-inspired "puzzles" using felt. I will be using these along with some three-part cards to help my kids learn about the parts of a tree, a flower, and a leaf.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_b3gV8nxj9bRknsnDl_5ml0bvwVUaI5ZT9bC9ov9IXonDe3axK1JmON2At-ZmMy9K7fvlJEcyoMFw4nEgyr_lYzsNtEOMBjMIqB-qQ_LFwyqH7e5skQlhDs0oH9rPrRbvFCCVRc4fqm0/s1600/DSC05015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_b3gV8nxj9bRknsnDl_5ml0bvwVUaI5ZT9bC9ov9IXonDe3axK1JmON2At-ZmMy9K7fvlJEcyoMFw4nEgyr_lYzsNtEOMBjMIqB-qQ_LFwyqH7e5skQlhDs0oH9rPrRbvFCCVRc4fqm0/s320/DSC05015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Here's the <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/2011/07/felt-continent-map.html">felt continent map</a> I posted about a while back.<br />
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Feeling inspired to make something with felt?<br />
Give it a try....it's a lot easier than you might think! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjS45JF2XksTN7Zb78070nhIymML1vfcnW8N9ymjbQiJPqtzAhQ1kPzwAgdV7ST2RtV4EGz3oal4T-3Yy89_i3zQRtrRQw6PW3t1iVQ4DwqXxN9wOw0Mg0mwrEfVALJyUQCMaNCRWtmkG/s1600/DSC05732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-21086312624016150102011-08-29T09:28:00.002-04:002011-08-29T15:27:27.170-04:00Baby Turtles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIbga1NjeR6NxjwDfFjXZC-E76-8AQyhR2A5x29uQmnafT6WuU5N7RefjHmpyxWE1BqUn2fa2lTKJUkhEW-BuuO1dAGwsvcEyA6q_8ZVoPdiVUwn3KcfbKT47pzEHNc7HqJqeYstibxCp/s1600/DSC05846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIbga1NjeR6NxjwDfFjXZC-E76-8AQyhR2A5x29uQmnafT6WuU5N7RefjHmpyxWE1BqUn2fa2lTKJUkhEW-BuuO1dAGwsvcEyA6q_8ZVoPdiVUwn3KcfbKT47pzEHNc7HqJqeYstibxCp/s320/DSC05846.JPG" width="281" /></a></div><br />
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On Father's Day we were lucky enough to witness this mother Florida softshell (below) turtle laying her eggs in our backyard. We did a little research and learned that the eggs take approximately nine weeks to hatch. We marked the calendar and waited patiently.<br />
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Nine weeks came and went. We thought we had either missed the big event or perhaps the eggs weren't viable. Then yesterday afternoon (at the ten week mark) we saw ten baby turtles emerge from the ground and immediately start walking to the lake behind our house. It was amazing!<br />
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We captured them so we could study them for a few minutes. Then we walked them closer to shore and released them. It was so interesting to watch their instincts guiding them. It was also interesting to notice the hawk lurking nearby.<br />
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What a wonderful experience for our family! It just goes to show that you never know what kind of wonderful natural learning opportunities are waiting for you in your own backyard. Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-90797712168175918942011-08-16T22:30:00.002-04:002011-08-16T22:35:27.309-04:00Milkweed Plants are Awesome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aXJBMV3RnSqlqb1JT93kbYcXqEKT8x7FdVzAPTajxwsg4xxjohqRWr1pIkldX_dlARPMwgEtMIYby-_5uZB2vKikzWHf7oUwi8RuDDIiHwpu37xwhnrTWJSjnyCQMr4laeGWT4Kygt-3/s1600/DSC05693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aXJBMV3RnSqlqb1JT93kbYcXqEKT8x7FdVzAPTajxwsg4xxjohqRWr1pIkldX_dlARPMwgEtMIYby-_5uZB2vKikzWHf7oUwi8RuDDIiHwpu37xwhnrTWJSjnyCQMr4laeGWT4Kygt-3/s320/DSC05693.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We planted a butterfly garden in May as part of a unit on butterflies. The best part of that garden is the milkweed plant. The garden is just outside our school room window, and we often just sit and watch the butterflies float around. We've even seen them lay eggs a few times. It's awesome! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYfiDddk5Cs1M-wfGPzW83zasV5fFS16bj0H0bXmtVJVQ_bJ5j1NkXGMKvxEw0ICb9jAwFckNTxPEYLAwt9nazTSX-kaqhCscwQT0HWI8ZhQbhNyzbT1Kej7eprbiLrIjRW15Ir8QDspA/s1600/DSC05695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYfiDddk5Cs1M-wfGPzW83zasV5fFS16bj0H0bXmtVJVQ_bJ5j1NkXGMKvxEw0ICb9jAwFckNTxPEYLAwt9nazTSX-kaqhCscwQT0HWI8ZhQbhNyzbT1Kej7eprbiLrIjRW15Ir8QDspA/s320/DSC05695.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then one day last week, we noticed the milkweed was covered in little caterpillars. They devoured the entire plant in just a couple days. We didn't want them to leave in search for food, so we ran out and bought two more milkweed plants (one of which happened to have it's own batch of baby caterpillars on it already). As the more mature caterpillars were finishing up the second plant, they slowed down, hung upside down, and formed their chrysalises. Aren't they gorgeous? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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Sometime this weekend, we should see the butterflies emerge. This is the second time our boys have witnessed this process. The first time, we used caterpillars purchased from Insect Lore, which was well worth the money. However, I must say that watching it happen in nature is a bit more exciting (and certainly cheaper).<br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEuFvQJjOEbW9f3yi6YIoJPlq4TK7UVyXVNrh63yMonfH829-JWvm8Z7FuaiGU938dWIhKWr6lNouhl2hztayhATRlnHh406C1PFDd0bAMt5ne1p2jMIfuZu-kkM-h5DtdZPinxgT6xPV/s1600/DSC05713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEuFvQJjOEbW9f3yi6YIoJPlq4TK7UVyXVNrh63yMonfH829-JWvm8Z7FuaiGU938dWIhKWr6lNouhl2hztayhATRlnHh406C1PFDd0bAMt5ne1p2jMIfuZu-kkM-h5DtdZPinxgT6xPV/s320/DSC05713.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The boys have learned so much from these experiences.<br />
I just love that look of wonder in their eyes. </div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-27041304013543773132011-08-13T10:04:00.001-04:002011-08-13T10:05:39.554-04:00Giveaway Winner & Some Other Stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7Nk_FQgKcjfnF6lRbll51ExV63yeN3OkZI6eUT5NO9w-zB9GHH6gBg0avSg_3OsMfoL8kD5xZOaKjtCJestbDmPehYbMuEIYSXxL_pngd2lV7s36d3-yHKmy7q-FOl6FsfzWJPKj6bzG/s1600/DSC04399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7Nk_FQgKcjfnF6lRbll51ExV63yeN3OkZI6eUT5NO9w-zB9GHH6gBg0avSg_3OsMfoL8kD5xZOaKjtCJestbDmPehYbMuEIYSXxL_pngd2lV7s36d3-yHKmy7q-FOl6FsfzWJPKj6bzG/s320/DSC04399.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Raise your hand if you like Raccoon School!<br />
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<b>GIVEAWAY WINNER</b> <br />
Thanks to each of you you who entered the <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/2011/07/giveaway-montessori-training-curriculum.html">giveaway for online training through Worldwide Montessori Online</a>. The winner is.... NW Homesteader!! Congratulations!!!<br />
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I've never done a giveaway before, and I must say that it's a GREAT feeling to be able to give another mother this valuable training and curriculum. I hope it will be as beneficial for NW Homesteader as it has been for me. Well over 100 people entered the contest, which is a good indication of how highly people regard the program. <br />
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<b>SOME OTHER STUFF</b><br />
Since many of you are new to Raccoon School, I'd like to take this opportunity to say welcome and thank you for being here. One of the main reasons I write a blog is because of that wonderful sense of community I get.<b> </b>I <i>sincerely</i> thank you for being part of it!<br />
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If you're wondering who I am and what I'm all about, read this post: <br />
<a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/p/meet-raccoons.html">Meet the Raccoons</a><br />
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If you're wondering why I blog (or why I don't blog very often), read this post: <br />
<a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/2010/09/is-blogging-worthwhile.html">Is Blogging Worthwhile?</a><br />
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If you're wondering what "sensory processing" is all about, look at this page:<br />
<a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/p/sensory-processing.html">Sensory Processing</a><br />
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Thank you again for being a part of Raccoon School. <br />
I hope to hear from you from time to time! Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-63642413054563677692011-07-28T20:49:00.003-04:002011-07-28T23:09:27.986-04:00Bowling Playdate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7un7BT_9FMo5ij8FX8TOrsl9H0CrFXbyLzUpIPXLWL4NEvPbjdp5VLco_gAHQdX9I8MIWg9l_ZxVYVq4XGiaTHn_TNF4x2PHx9aVvd8CFBgQ_RepuS9RUe1aW_JEdoe-UdMw3I368hBN/s1600/DSC05175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7un7BT_9FMo5ij8FX8TOrsl9H0CrFXbyLzUpIPXLWL4NEvPbjdp5VLco_gAHQdX9I8MIWg9l_ZxVYVq4XGiaTHn_TNF4x2PHx9aVvd8CFBgQ_RepuS9RUe1aW_JEdoe-UdMw3I368hBN/s400/DSC05175.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aeLvVg-hRlUaKysNLCXbmIphtJhJLz3x2ogvsnbQTN1gHb1Gl1OVXo3jT4pR7NdG8Oii8S7du3Kr4ELTEukfeTAHFbu29mty7sri0dLXuhd5lkIN1tidC2UTVkalK2hDtX1ury12IlDX/s1600/DSC05108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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We got to bowl for free today thanks to <a href="http://freebowling.amf.com/">AMF's Summer Unplugged </a>program. We will be receiving a coupon for two free games a week through September 5.<br />
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I was little bummed that we had to pay a shoe rental fee of just over $4 for each child. But....I'd say it was worth it just to see how cute they looked in their little bowling shoes.<br />
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It was a wonderfully worthwhile playdate with four of our favorite playmates. The children got lots of good physical benefits from their bowling experience: <br />
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<ul><li>practice with motor planning skills</li>
<li>fine motor exercise</li>
<li>heavy work </li>
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More importantly, they got to play cooperatively with their peers.<br />
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The children in the group ranged in age from 2 to 6. They all played so nicely together. By the time each child had taken a couple turns, they all had a pretty good handle on how to play the game. They even kept track of whose turn it was with minimal help from the adults.<br />
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My favorite moment was when the oldest boy in the group (who happens to attend a Montessori school) tenderly taught Big Brother the proper way to hold a bowling ball. So sweet! <br />
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To find free bowling near you, check out one of these two websites:<br />
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<a href="http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/">Kids Bowl Free</a><br />
<a href="http://freebowling.amf.com/">AMF Bpwling Center</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aeLvVg-hRlUaKysNLCXbmIphtJhJLz3x2ogvsnbQTN1gHb1Gl1OVXo3jT4pR7NdG8Oii8S7du3Kr4ELTEukfeTAHFbu29mty7sri0dLXuhd5lkIN1tidC2UTVkalK2hDtX1ury12IlDX/s1600/DSC05108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aeLvVg-hRlUaKysNLCXbmIphtJhJLz3x2ogvsnbQTN1gHb1Gl1OVXo3jT4pR7NdG8Oii8S7du3Kr4ELTEukfeTAHFbu29mty7sri0dLXuhd5lkIN1tidC2UTVkalK2hDtX1ury12IlDX/s320/DSC05108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-53357212507701627872011-07-26T21:30:00.003-04:002011-07-27T08:01:14.476-04:00The Indoor Swing & Vestibular Input<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbV0f5neWjpyzhnA3Dgjn61fJFFLXSfAtfRP4MwJUO1yEY-DBmKHkx2ka9A7DCrPWBnV8BQFawwLP7yT3-7DQh2MHrZRufWg7rPfVvWhlbwAB4CO1gta7crY3r9qwauTvhV-BXn-vY4PP/s1600/DSC04348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbV0f5neWjpyzhnA3Dgjn61fJFFLXSfAtfRP4MwJUO1yEY-DBmKHkx2ka9A7DCrPWBnV8BQFawwLP7yT3-7DQh2MHrZRufWg7rPfVvWhlbwAB4CO1gta7crY3r9qwauTvhV-BXn-vY4PP/s320/DSC04348.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Little Brother has an insatiable desire to swing.<br />
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Unfortunately, it's not always reasonable to go out in the <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/2010/11/sensory-fun-on-backyard-swings.html">backyard and swing</a>. Especially during the summer, when the heat is scorching and the mosquitoes are relentless.<br />
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So, we decided to get this nifty <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XPNMFU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=healgreeandfr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=B002XPNMFU">indoor swing from IKEA</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=B002XPNMFU&camp=217145&creative=399369" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. Now both my boys can swing whenever they like as long as they like.<br />
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It's a good thing. Except when it's <i>too much</i> of a good thing.<br />
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The first day we had the swing, Little Brother couldn't get enough. He swung back and forth and twisted all around non-stop for about half an hour.<br />
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Much to my delight, he was finally getting it all out of his system.<br />
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Then, much to my dismay, he <i>literally</i> got it all of out his system....right onto the kitchen floor!<br />
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My children have never vomited after swinging before, so this shocked me a little. I called our occupational therapist, who graciously explained to me that Little Brother's body is under-responsive to vestibular input. His body is not perceiving the swinging motion in a normal way, so it never feels like enough. He craves more even when his body cannot tolerate it any longer. This is why he vomited.<br />
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Ironically, my two children are on opposite ends of the spectrum in this regard. Little Brother is under-responsive, while Big Brother is over-responsive. Big Brother was never a big fan of the swing as an infant. While he's gotten more interested over the years, he's always been very quick to say "enough".<br />
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The good news is that swinging will help both boys regulate their vestibular systems, as long as it is done in a controlled manner (ideally under the guidance of an occupational therapist). For example, when twisting it's important to always go an equal number of times in each direction. Also, it may be helpful to switch positions on the swing if the child can't seem to get enough. Most importantly, watch the child carefully for signs that they've had "too much" even if they don't say so. <br />
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As I write this, I'm laughing at how silly all this sounds. Yes, my child swung too much and threw up. End of story. I know, I know. It just helps me to understand why, and how I can help him in the future.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-18138376951271737722011-07-23T07:37:00.003-04:002011-07-23T07:40:44.254-04:00Dinosaur Match-Up<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ7P6vk5-gAd9haJMfFLbvb8_DAJS1HB6iSTAfQ1J0T42y3XMce2FeHS5hJIkPsrxB32YIF7w-qppx6Te43avmsRJ7UfNU7tgryKpXQVIq0FiqCsrDx2XvOgTERCaAc36cycLUwHGdXdy/s1600/DSC04028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ7P6vk5-gAd9haJMfFLbvb8_DAJS1HB6iSTAfQ1J0T42y3XMce2FeHS5hJIkPsrxB32YIF7w-qppx6Te43avmsRJ7UfNU7tgryKpXQVIq0FiqCsrDx2XvOgTERCaAc36cycLUwHGdXdy/s320/DSC04028.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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Little Brother loves dinosaurs. We've been having fun with this simple match-up game. In a basket, I put seven of our toy dinosaur and the corresponding flashcards ($1 from the Target). Whenever the mood strikes him, Little Brother matches up the dinosaurs with the cards.<br />
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It was really interesting to watch him race through the first five matches and then take a long pause on the last three, which looked very similar. To my amazement, he ended up getting them the all correct.<br />
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Little Brother (3) has always loved dinosaurs. Right now he's really interesting in finding differences and similarities. So this activity is a "perfect match" for him. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1_fNxtPRUi3MjU2xxcDmZO2T169pDrEG16yjzCDYfDTBigif19zUo88wkmDHVLD2zbEt-Wm-dhifGK11wbxfV3XPqoxC-XMCywdGvFsRxD3wl4QcodwocsI5zuZrrowv_3wocKr0ebua/s1600/DSC04020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1_fNxtPRUi3MjU2xxcDmZO2T169pDrEG16yjzCDYfDTBigif19zUo88wkmDHVLD2zbEt-Wm-dhifGK11wbxfV3XPqoxC-XMCywdGvFsRxD3wl4QcodwocsI5zuZrrowv_3wocKr0ebua/s320/DSC04020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-87872440891864231172011-07-22T14:59:00.003-04:002011-07-22T15:10:47.133-04:00GIVEAWAY: Montessori Training & Curriculum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAy_QqX-3EyINR9PpV2Vc-zqtPqJBUVt2mWc6J2S42DHfIUbmxtROl3Q4TJJGmUHUFfwQ3vn5pJUJJ2ru1PyeG7d9zUiMGm5fx3y1XOyiHCVVgsCaTmX6CinLfPAsNMyhw4j_vrKHTBXMF/s1600/Picture+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAy_QqX-3EyINR9PpV2Vc-zqtPqJBUVt2mWc6J2S42DHfIUbmxtROl3Q4TJJGmUHUFfwQ3vn5pJUJJ2ru1PyeG7d9zUiMGm5fx3y1XOyiHCVVgsCaTmX6CinLfPAsNMyhw4j_vrKHTBXMF/s400/Picture+3.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I've never done a giveaway before, but I have the opportunity give one of my readers a very valuable gift. I love to give people free stuff! So, here goes.<b> </b><br />
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<b>WHAT YOU WILL WIN </b><br />
A <b>free</b> spot in the next training course through <a href="http://www.worldwidemontessorionline.com/">World Wide Montessori Online</a>, which starts in September. Along with the training, you will receive 12 albums of curriculum materials (over 5,000 pages of materials)...a $240 value. This course is designed for educators, homeschoolers, or parents who are interested in learning more about Montessori methods. <b> </b><br />
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<b>HOW TO ENTER</b><br />
There are five ways to enter. Do any (or all) of the following: <br />
<ol><li> Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Raccoon-School/138662212843497?v=wall">Raccoon School on Facebook</a></li>
<li>Subscribe to <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=RaccoonSchool&loc=en_US">Raccoon School via email</a> </li>
<li>Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/healthygreenandfrugal?v=wall">Healthy Green and Frugal on Facebook</a></li>
<li>Subsribe to <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=healthygreenandfrugal/YMYz&loc=en_US">Healthy, Green and Frugal via email</a> </li>
<li>Share this post on your Facebook page. </li>
</ol>Then come back here and leave a comment (with your email address) telling me what you did. If you are already doing any of these things, be sure to say so in your comment. You will receive one entry for each way that you are following one of my two blogs, <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/">Raccoon School</a> and <a href="http://www.healthygreenandfrugal.com/">Healthy, Green and Frugal</a>. So, you could get as many as five chances to win!<br />
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I will randomly choose a winner on August 5, 2011. I will contact the winner directly via email. If I do not receive confirmation from that winner within 48 hours, I will randomly-choose another winner. Once I receive email confirmation, I will post the winner's name here.<b> </b><br />
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<b>MY EXPERIENCE WITH WORLD WIDE MONTESSORI</b><br />
This time last year I enrolled in an online training course through<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="http://www.worldwidemontessorionline.com/">World Wide Montessori Online</a>. I had recently come to the decision to homeschool. Although I was a certified public school teacher with a master's degree in elementary education, I wanted to know more about Montessori teaching methods.<br />
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I was struggling to learn as much as I could on my own. My homeschooler friend from <a href="http://sunriselearninglab.blogspot.com/">Sunrise Learning Lab</a>, who has a professional background in Montessori education, suggested I consider <a href="http://www.worldwidemontessorionline.com/">World Wide Montessori Online</a>. <br />
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A year into my training, I'm so glad I enrolled. Although I'm far from being a full-fledged Montessori homeschooler, the knowledge I've gained from this course has revolutionized my approach to teaching and parenting.<br />
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I wasn't looking for an official Montessori certification. I just wanted help implementing Montessori methods at home. That's exactly what the course offers. Here's what I like about the course:<br />
<ul><li><b>It's <i>very</i> laid back.</b> You can do as much (or as little) as you like. All the materials and lectures are presented online, so there's no set time-frames that must be followed. You can give your attention to it when it's a good time for you.</li>
<li><b>You get a <i>lot</i> of curriculum materials.</b> You get them all electronically, so you will have to decide whether you want to invest the time and resources into printing all out. Alternatively, you can just view them on your computer and print out materials as needed.</li>
<li><b>Direct instruction for me (not just the kids).</b> The course provides lots of detailed information about the philosophies behind Montessori, and how to implement it. </li>
<li><b>Support from a Montessori-trained professional.</b> You have easy access to the woman behind the course, <span style="font-size: small;">Karen Tyler, AMS. She's always been very helpful to me when I have questions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><b>An international learning community</b>. One of my favorite parts of the class is the opportunity to connect with fellow students from around the world. I would say most of the students are homeschoolers, and a number of them have children with sensory issues. </span></li>
</ul>Let me know if you have any questions about the training or the giveaway. Good luck!!!Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com131tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-35885156186300659922011-07-21T07:06:00.002-04:002011-07-21T07:09:21.940-04:00Learning About Subtle Shades of Color<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwozthUu18oBdtZ0MsVBnQ_XfpRrOpnt1f6gVASMMTdsu8BO7I5WBlV2C9NLzWxqc4WL2qqfR9lhCsTSrh8CiBblKv5AClKIfGNbzvOFobjcLArRqKatehVuM3CCJg-I2d_1buZFSKExF/s1600/DSC04966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwozthUu18oBdtZ0MsVBnQ_XfpRrOpnt1f6gVASMMTdsu8BO7I5WBlV2C9NLzWxqc4WL2qqfR9lhCsTSrh8CiBblKv5AClKIfGNbzvOFobjcLArRqKatehVuM3CCJg-I2d_1buZFSKExF/s320/DSC04966.JPG" width="240" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a fun activity that's inexpensive and easy to make. It's provides practice identifying subtle differences in shades of color. Plus, clothespins are great for building fine motor strength and dexterity.</div><br />
Here's how I made them. It only took me about 20 minutes, and I didn't spend a cent on any new materials. <br />
<ul><li>I got a few free color cards from the paint department at the home improvement store. Be sure to get two of each color.</li>
<li>Take one card from each pair and cut it up.</li>
<li>Glue the cut piece onto a clothespin (school glue worked just fine for me). </li>
<li>Once it's dry, it's ready for the children to make the matches. </li>
<li>I'm finding it's better to not overwhelm Little Brother (3) with too many colors at one time. Big Brother (5) likes the challenge of doing them all at once. He actually wants to create a color spectrum, so I will need to make a few more for him. </li>
</ul>Thanks Jessica for this great idea!<br />
Also, thanks Mom for picking up the color cards for me! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbV9rzDmKSfe7ptfnoAfwBXVxM5HjJPoCoLshiLL9fX2lMJWvJJz4N4KTYG29t7AT4JCmjFe_7wCAjmvG0PneIUj27PA_rtez-t4pgJVErafcmqQdOrjiHNMugbxulcGzxitl0WW8qjCGR/s1600/DSC04973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbV9rzDmKSfe7ptfnoAfwBXVxM5HjJPoCoLshiLL9fX2lMJWvJJz4N4KTYG29t7AT4JCmjFe_7wCAjmvG0PneIUj27PA_rtez-t4pgJVErafcmqQdOrjiHNMugbxulcGzxitl0WW8qjCGR/s320/DSC04973.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-8261177181651715952011-07-20T15:46:00.003-04:002011-07-20T15:50:30.563-04:00Felt Continent Map<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_b3gV8nxj9bRknsnDl_5ml0bvwVUaI5ZT9bC9ov9IXonDe3axK1JmON2At-ZmMy9K7fvlJEcyoMFw4nEgyr_lYzsNtEOMBjMIqB-qQ_LFwyqH7e5skQlhDs0oH9rPrRbvFCCVRc4fqm0/s1600/DSC05015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_b3gV8nxj9bRknsnDl_5ml0bvwVUaI5ZT9bC9ov9IXonDe3axK1JmON2At-ZmMy9K7fvlJEcyoMFw4nEgyr_lYzsNtEOMBjMIqB-qQ_LFwyqH7e5skQlhDs0oH9rPrRbvFCCVRc4fqm0/s320/DSC05015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I have always wanted a <a href="http://www.aplusmontessori.com/product-p/g.004.1.htm">Montessori-style continents puzzle</a> for our classroom, but I can't stomach spending $40 or more on this one item. After many months of searching for a good deal, I gave up my shopping quest and decided to make it myself.<br />
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I am NOT a very crafty person, so this was a big undertaking for me. It's certainly not perfect, but it serves my purpose just fine.<br />
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<b>The intention of this activity is to help my children learn the names of the seven continents and where they are positioned in relation to each other. </b><br />
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It only cost me $5. Here's how I did it:<br />
<ul><li>Print out outlines of the continents from a website such as <a href="http://www.yourchildlearns.com/megamaps/print-world-maps.html">Owl & Mouse</a>. I suggest choosing "World 1" at the 4x4 size. I started off trying to do each continent individually and ran into some trouble with the continents not being equally proportioned.</li>
<li>Cut out each continent and pin them to a sheet of felt. You could also use iron-on transfer paper. </li>
<li>I purchased the felt for 29 cents a sheet at <a href="http://www.michaels.com/c/IA_US_071711,default,pg.html">Michael's (they are running a coupon right now for 25% off your entire order, including sale items, expires July 23)</a>. </li>
<li>I choose to follow the Montessori color-coding system for continents, so I bought seven different sheets in the appropriate colors (orange, brown, pink, green, red, yellow, white). Be aware that one yellow sheet is slightly too small to capture all of Asia. I pieced some of the scraps together to complete the continent. In hindsight, I wish I had just left it cut off, though.</li>
<li>Using a sharp pair of scissors, cut the shape of the continents out of the felt. I was worried about precision, but it really wasn't difficult. Actually, the hard part is deciding how detailed to be and how to deal with islands and such. </li>
<li> I printed out labels from <a href="http://www.montessoriprintshop.com/Free_Montessori_Downloads.html">Free Montessori for Everyone</a>, laminated them, and hot glue-gunned them to little pieces of felt (using the Montessori color coding system).</li>
<li>I created a felt board by hot gluing a big piece of blue felt (about $2 at Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft) to a piece of foam board ($2.89 at Target). I can see using this felt board for other projects in the future. </li>
<li>I printed and colored this <a href="http://www.studentsfriend.com/aids/curraids/maps/maps.html">world map</a> to use as a control of error. The children use it as a guide as they place the felt pieces onto the board.</li>
</ul>I introduced this project to the boys this morning, and they've already made huge progress with the intended learning objective (something I've had a hard time getting them to focus on up until now).<br />
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Thanks to Maya, Susan, Martianne and Jennie for all your helpful advice on this!! I really appreciate it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-86327352760683966612011-07-06T08:05:00.000-04:002011-07-06T08:05:35.164-04:00Free Bowling for Kids this Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53PMHSdtMr2XML3IRLGTn_LLT1V0vbXJ2qTD4jQoHhX0xMIndI48xZX7xnVJUZZTWiZiOq3RVNBoz_ciENEVWzveI4ksrOrEPOT-ape1lPChcD7pMtUuBgRxn0d-HAr5ar7FPi7JVrle0/s1600/kidsbowlfree_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53PMHSdtMr2XML3IRLGTn_LLT1V0vbXJ2qTD4jQoHhX0xMIndI48xZX7xnVJUZZTWiZiOq3RVNBoz_ciENEVWzveI4ksrOrEPOT-ape1lPChcD7pMtUuBgRxn0d-HAr5ar7FPi7JVrle0/s320/kidsbowlfree_logo.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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There are a number of bowling alleys throughout the country that are offering FREE bowling for kids this summer. Check out these two links to learn more:<br />
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<a href="http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/">Kids Bowl Free</a><br />
<a href="http://freebowling.amf.com/">AMF Bpwling Center</a><br />
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Happy Summer!Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-70278920387672998612011-06-19T22:14:00.000-04:002011-06-19T22:14:54.286-04:00Happy Father's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyj2ia8DrVm9cwnnHJRiT_PXbVwcZL8e4PfGfJKnE4ub1MemHuRp3UhDkecSETOoY3yBavZlrmKzFp0Qrerx0v-TaTlZhkJsABopDlhRlMgfvN18Eau2gEUgveXlM1GqEusKrZkYwzavf/s1600/DSC01328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyj2ia8DrVm9cwnnHJRiT_PXbVwcZL8e4PfGfJKnE4ub1MemHuRp3UhDkecSETOoY3yBavZlrmKzFp0Qrerx0v-TaTlZhkJsABopDlhRlMgfvN18Eau2gEUgveXlM1GqEusKrZkYwzavf/s320/DSC01328.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I can't imagine a better father for my two little raccoons.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy Father's Day!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-74441917760796994102011-06-15T08:54:00.005-04:002011-06-15T12:48:26.121-04:00Homeschool Zen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcC3LXUJH3jcahLrTugXRjP3-qj5Ywgp1BPFryHnDTrj94PD1VwKY1QsnSlJdsobICytvmqE_MrTuPQ-AeZ5tAnwPyb69meVNfLNhsRZbAQQkR2uA-h2gLQAk3I7qOcKdtxDgJdAYI7CR/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcC3LXUJH3jcahLrTugXRjP3-qj5Ywgp1BPFryHnDTrj94PD1VwKY1QsnSlJdsobICytvmqE_MrTuPQ-AeZ5tAnwPyb69meVNfLNhsRZbAQQkR2uA-h2gLQAk3I7qOcKdtxDgJdAYI7CR/s320/Picture+2.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>I follow a lot of blogs - way more than I can actually read. <br />
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<a href="http://zenhabits.net/norms/">Zen Habits</a> is one blog that I read almost every day. <br />
It makes me feel very....zen.<br />
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Zen Habits is not written by any sort of self-help expert or publishing conglomerate. It's just a guy who is all about living a simple, minimal, frugal, and peaceful life. The site itself is about as clean and uncluttered as you can imagine. There are no ads. All of the content is free of copyright.<br />
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Although the author mentions his family occasionally, that's not the focus of the blog. I was pleasantly surprised the other day when I read that he homeschools his children using the <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/search/label/unschooling">unschooling</a> method. The post was titled, <a href="http://zenhabits.net/norms/">When Being Who You Are Challenges the Norm</a>. <br />
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"My wife and I homeschool four of our kids, and that makes us weird," he said.<br />
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Indeed.<br />
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It gave me a nice feeling to know that this man, who strives for zen simplicity in much the same way I do, has made similar choices about how to educate his children.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-24976554119801253832011-06-13T22:48:00.009-04:002011-06-18T08:53:39.453-04:00A Model Father's Day With a Little Help From The Berenstain Bears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OcOqzvX5T42PUG5xFSlvyPwR28maLG6z41ve7EJBmZnFZMKet4T5aG9ThJcdEo5NuDGni9AuKFKS9eVQOywsrSOzG6hDfjksu4oRXLXV24B2cpkcCd5cjJIdB-n78IND4XuVOgymRvQg/s1600/isbn.aspx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OcOqzvX5T42PUG5xFSlvyPwR28maLG6z41ve7EJBmZnFZMKet4T5aG9ThJcdEo5NuDGni9AuKFKS9eVQOywsrSOzG6hDfjksu4oRXLXV24B2cpkcCd5cjJIdB-n78IND4XuVOgymRvQg/s320/isbn.aspx.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/037581132X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=healgreeandfr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217153&creative=399349&creativeASIN=037581132X"> </a><br />
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Holidays like Father's Day and Mother's Day can make mamas and papas a little tense. We want to make sure we properly honor our spouse and help our children do the same, but we're not always sure exactly how to go about it. <br />
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As with many of life's sticky situations, the Berenstain Bears books can be genuinely helpful - for both kids and adults.<br />
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For example, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/037581132X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=healgreeandfr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217153&creative=399349&creativeASIN=037581132X">The Berenstain Bears and the Mama's Day Surprise</a> turned out to be quite instructive this past Mother's Day. This has been a favorite book in our house for a couple years now, even when it's nowhere close to May.<br />
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Once Mother's Day drew near this year, the boys found new meaning in the book. Although they are old enough (age 5 and 3) to take an active role in preparing for these kinds of holidays, they still need ideas and direction. This book provided a realistic model for what kids (and dads) might do to make the mother of the house feel special.<br />
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So, with the Berenstain Bears as their guide, and their father as their leader, my sweet boys reenacted this story on Mother's Day. It was the best one I've ever had, and it turned out to be a meaningful day for all of us. ♥♥♥<br />
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With Father's Day approaching, I thought perhaps our beloved bears could work their magic again with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/037581129X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=healgreeandfr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217153&creative=399349&creativeASIN=037581129X">The Berenstain Bears and the Papa's Day Surprise</a>. I think we are well on our way. Big Brother is already working on his poem for his father, as modeled by Brother Bear and Sister Bear. I just hope he doesn't insist on getting him a "bearcalounger"!<br />
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If you haven't gotten into the Berenstain Bears books, give them a try. There's a book for just about any sort of problem you can imagine. One of the reasons I love these books is because they're focused on the whole family, not just the children. Mama Bear and Papa Bear usually have some sort of issue <i>they</i> have to work through, too. What a wonderful message to send kids... that we (hopefully) continue to grow and evolve into adulthood. I also love all the positive messages about minimalism and healthy living, as I discussed in this article I wrote for <a href="http://www.healthygreenandfrugal.com/2009/12/berenstain-bears.html">Healthy Green and Frugal</a>.<br />
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To find out what books other families are reading to their children, check out the link-up on <a href="http://learningwithmouse.blogspot.com/search/label/weekly%20reading">Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns</a>.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-19452163271526221972011-06-11T08:05:00.000-04:002011-06-11T08:05:55.038-04:00Reading is Not the Same as Comprehending<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-c2NVS4nMMFEim-zW9LB1mWoMeFVHswVkxA9Mk1fB2KfV7jANf1UC6KkA1Vjr6zX_UT9Lk26cPOLfsRq-EUEYZkUnK41CleoR5hPFOE6T8n3SPumAyYzX68WMkWK5DFy9qLs3kO8tcNm/s1600/DSC03962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-c2NVS4nMMFEim-zW9LB1mWoMeFVHswVkxA9Mk1fB2KfV7jANf1UC6KkA1Vjr6zX_UT9Lk26cPOLfsRq-EUEYZkUnK41CleoR5hPFOE6T8n3SPumAyYzX68WMkWK5DFy9qLs3kO8tcNm/s320/DSC03962.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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When children read words, they may not necessarily be conceptualizing their meaning. This past week, I used a simple strategy with my boys called the Text-Picture Match. Not only did it allow me to check their comprehension, but it also helped reinforce the concept for them that they should seek meaning in the text they are reading.<br />
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I wrote about our experience for <a href="http://www.ourjourneythruautism.com/2011/06/text-picture-match-from-how-do-i-teach.html">Our Journey Through Autism</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGBEYPyhX5tY-UltDE146MvQ4TtPeQgfsng8Llzh6HY0oAyJ0XVHB3T-f5A7LR1fc7Va7ksKec80_bZwNlWBQTz6-Y_6BAVcwfYe1KhzOI8RKkh2qvszkhypiiHJoDCzyro-09pmyMy-E/s1600/DSC03959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGBEYPyhX5tY-UltDE146MvQ4TtPeQgfsng8Llzh6HY0oAyJ0XVHB3T-f5A7LR1fc7Va7ksKec80_bZwNlWBQTz6-Y_6BAVcwfYe1KhzOI8RKkh2qvszkhypiiHJoDCzyro-09pmyMy-E/s320/DSC03959.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-85814181696980750382011-06-10T07:59:00.004-04:002011-06-10T08:49:10.287-04:00Trying New Foods With The Seven Silly Eaters<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUO96peAgmkoqXhZOXdIKcUTzZmZbWTCkyP7_GDms0ow4PVP8zsfeNLIhaOK2rZRN8-AKDhiHsK6nPNcEshYI_PB1wSTo0vEbFYZpCOXekDquv0O5NTViPkX9_z5gxM5iPIUh7XIciViJc/s1600/sillyEaters_cov.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUO96peAgmkoqXhZOXdIKcUTzZmZbWTCkyP7_GDms0ow4PVP8zsfeNLIhaOK2rZRN8-AKDhiHsK6nPNcEshYI_PB1wSTo0vEbFYZpCOXekDquv0O5NTViPkX9_z5gxM5iPIUh7XIciViJc/s320/sillyEaters_cov.jpg" width="315" /></a><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=healgreeandfr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0152024409&camp=217153&creative=399349" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><br />
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All mother's probably feel like short-order cooks from time to time, especially if they have super-picky sensory kids. Imagine if you had <i>seven</i> picky eaters to please? <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0152024409/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=healgreeandfr-20&linkCode=am2&camp=217153&creative=399349&creativeASIN=0152024409">The Seven Silly Eaters</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=healgreeandfr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0152024409&camp=217153&creative=399349" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> is a lighthearted, sentimental, and rhythmic picture book about just such a mother. This book has been a favorite at our house for several years. I love the way the family pulls together at the end to make <br />
Mrs. Peters a pink and plump and perfect cake.<br />
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The illustrations are just as engaging and soulful as the story. We have another book illustrated by Marla Frazee by a different author that is equally good called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1422362191/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=healgreeandfr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217153&creative=399701&creativeASIN=1422362191">New Baby Train</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=1422362191&camp=217153&creative=399701" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.<br />
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One of the things I love most about books that mention food is the way they encourage my kids to try things they wouldn't otherwise touch with a ten foot poll. A few days ago, The Seven Silly Eaters inspired us to cook a fried egg and a poached egg. We had a little cooking lesson, and then tried something new!<br />
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For more ideas, check out this article I wrote for Healthy Green and Frugal - <a href="http://www.healthygreenandfrugal.com/2010/07/use-books-to-wet-your-kids-appetite-for.html">Use Books to Wet Your Child's Appetite for Healthy Food</a>.<br />
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To find out what books other families are reading to their children, check out the link-up on <a href="http://learningwithmouse.blogspot.com/search/label/weekly%20reading">Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns</a>.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-68373223116026749552011-06-09T08:18:00.017-04:002011-06-09T11:45:18.341-04:00Oral Motor Fun with Party Favors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4MQ_5iGlKYFDvo0EMy3JeGhwat-W-hjaw4zjIdWAu7BBpX4VYJlimgsOdtMpXtWd3aSfqS35re6fXHwrLItOAf2yGOSdLq59Y0dJGg41j6mK60WAJ4HEbKOz5oGSotWDw9kzydIINW8y/s1600/DSC02461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4MQ_5iGlKYFDvo0EMy3JeGhwat-W-hjaw4zjIdWAu7BBpX4VYJlimgsOdtMpXtWd3aSfqS35re6fXHwrLItOAf2yGOSdLq59Y0dJGg41j6mK60WAJ4HEbKOz5oGSotWDw9kzydIINW8y/s320/DSC02461.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Big Brother needs lots of oral motor input. First of all, he craves it. Secondly, he has always had low muscle tone in his face and needs to exercise those muscles.<br />
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There are lot of fun party favors out there that provide just the right kind of oral-motor stimulation (and don't necessarily make a lot of noise). They are cheap, readily-available at the corner store, and make great "treats" that aren't junk food or useless toys. <br />
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Party favors also make great <b>alerting activities</b>. They have often helped Big Brother stay alert when he is in danger of slipping into a low state of arousal at an inappropriate time. The car is a common place for this to happen. Several months back, I learned <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/2010/10/no-nap-no-problem.html">the benefits of maintaining an even, balanced state throughout the day, and avoiding severe highs and lows. </a><br />
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Another possible benefit to all these oral motor activities is the <b>breath work </b>that's involved. When I wrote about the <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/2011/05/oral-motor-activity-blow-sheep-out-of.html">Blow the Sheep Out of the Pen</a> activity last month, a reader suggested that the deep breathing required to do the activity was significant. I had never thought of that, but it does make sense. The child is probably getting more oxygen which may help him feel more calm. Does anyone have any thoughts about this? <br />
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Here are some of our favorite oral-motor party favors. Most of these items came from the grocery store or party store, and cost less than $5. The lips are particularly great because the child has to really use those lip muscles to hold on.<br />
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</a>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-61708903973098946592011-06-08T09:19:00.003-04:002011-06-08T16:24:32.557-04:00Hold Your Pencil Like a Tripod<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhhmLJcQVOg-_hWe3Mf-GsZDJhqSXpTBKIFBZiCg3SyFKeGk9Pf4OEGl3MbwNpDPiIQBJUgs23f8lXmwc9WYhS0pFNA7MpIQbyqXDGo__EI7yyUKrbj-G55b6Inl1lCljCWibCR1Q2rxP/s1600/DSC03968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhhmLJcQVOg-_hWe3Mf-GsZDJhqSXpTBKIFBZiCg3SyFKeGk9Pf4OEGl3MbwNpDPiIQBJUgs23f8lXmwc9WYhS0pFNA7MpIQbyqXDGo__EI7yyUKrbj-G55b6Inl1lCljCWibCR1Q2rxP/s320/DSC03968.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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I recently bought this little devise to help Little Brother with that important, but sometimes illusive "tripod grasp". He knows he is is suppose to hold his pencil "like a tripod", but he often fumbles around endlessly trying to acheive it. <br />
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I'm hoping this tool will help him as much as Big Brother's helped him. These pictures were taken about a year ago, when Big Brother was four. His fine motor strength was very poor and his grasp was inconsistent.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyQwIi1RAacW6Wmsia3aEtrkFD97icBltF_CsfHBfz9YlFPTBL8E8TaaZ-WB0OtbJTK9XFdcQZ7WBCsyY1n9-uRChd0hH8Toqua1lV3al3iyVZC4GbVDnPMG6_X4T-roKEzWWwvjxpRrv/s1600/DSC00045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyQwIi1RAacW6Wmsia3aEtrkFD97icBltF_CsfHBfz9YlFPTBL8E8TaaZ-WB0OtbJTK9XFdcQZ7WBCsyY1n9-uRChd0hH8Toqua1lV3al3iyVZC4GbVDnPMG6_X4T-roKEzWWwvjxpRrv/s320/DSC00045.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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What a difference a year makes! He only had to use this device a few times to learn to recognize what a tripod grasp should feel like. The pinky and the ring finger should be down (those fingers hold down the dolphin charm as a reminder).<br />
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His fine motor strength has improved tremendously. We've done lots of <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/search/label/fine%20motor">activities that develop fine motor strength</a>, and I believe this has really helped him with his writing. He's gone from not ever wanting to hold a crayon to actually asking to color and write. <br />
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I got Little Brother's gripper from <a href="http://rainbowresource.com/">Rainbow Resource Center</a> for around $1. Big Brother's devise was given to us by his OT. Similar products available all over the internet at very reasonable prices. <br />
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For example, I see that you can buy both of these items shown above (as well as lots of other grip tools) from <a href="http://www.therapro.com/Default.aspx">Therapro</a>. The <a href="http://www.therapro.com/Handi-Writer-P4403.aspx">Handi-Writer</a> is $5.29, and the <a href="http://www.therapro.com/Writing-Claw-Grip-P321651.aspx">Writing Claw Grip</a> comes in multi-packs starting at around $9. I don't recall ever shopping at Therapro before, but I just so happened to receive their catalog today. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-90637561582941744802011-06-07T09:21:00.001-04:002012-11-12T19:42:13.955-05:00Linus Sits Like a W<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtzmuDzCzD1CqOd3tWuTWtKyN3qBKe1Hsa3BLKsM8nC0mcKj0kRV5INLobaNRYP_8MwZjsVS_qH46Pnp7eeZ53YrK_cfExLXftpgrxY5X3aWUntVtlscddoQAfIcxPPLd9DfpdCj3tk0g/s1600/linus-blanket.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtzmuDzCzD1CqOd3tWuTWtKyN3qBKe1Hsa3BLKsM8nC0mcKj0kRV5INLobaNRYP_8MwZjsVS_qH46Pnp7eeZ53YrK_cfExLXftpgrxY5X3aWUntVtlscddoQAfIcxPPLd9DfpdCj3tk0g/s320/linus-blanket.gif" width="320" /></a><br />
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Little Brother saw this coloring book at the doctor's office and said, "Look Mommy, he's sitting like a W!" Why yes, he certainly is!<br />
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As you may know, W-sitting is common among kids with sensory issues. They do it to compensate for low muscle tone. It's not an ideal way to sit, and should be avoided. Big Brother has always sat like a W, and our OT told us the best way for us to correct it is through core-strengthening exercises and lots of reminders. I think I say, "sit like a butterfly" about a million times each day. <br />
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Anyway, it got me thinking....Linus has sensory issues! Not only does he sit like a W, but he also carries a blanket and sucks his thumb. Plus, <a href="http://www.raccoonschool.blogspot.com/2010/10/upside-of-spd.html">he's smart and has an impressive vocabulary</a>. These are all common traits of sensory kids! <br />
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Linus has always been one of my favorite Peanuts characters, <br />
and now I like him even more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4Amx1BAPxlFyCUeIdS4dCBYCzajKGnXuK3Xk-ULzPCKEcqxvGqG90VsiBjw29P3Uip4DDOHjOO5POhuatEQwRk29HtY4ETJC0GOewH1JNTLrpqIX_gn3ttLap8R6lvUOLaTTLUci4cP_/s1600/DSC01483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4Amx1BAPxlFyCUeIdS4dCBYCzajKGnXuK3Xk-ULzPCKEcqxvGqG90VsiBjw29P3Uip4DDOHjOO5POhuatEQwRk29HtY4ETJC0GOewH1JNTLrpqIX_gn3ttLap8R6lvUOLaTTLUci4cP_/s400/DSC01483.JPG" width="262" /></a>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-51369110666602568462011-06-06T08:07:00.000-04:002011-06-06T08:07:25.052-04:00Little Brother Stopped Sucking His Fingers?!?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcaqcX8r1HSrCWWaBSri0rzIfG-xdemIX5L29uPqt-wn1skPEAWovH_QS98CsnW2-HZkcixi6xnkkhZTuUcYgkYOqDOxhfsHu9JT1JqNuABqM29inC5aMrL8QJXjSRc9PwLgJ6uF03IYv/s1600/DSC00336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcaqcX8r1HSrCWWaBSri0rzIfG-xdemIX5L29uPqt-wn1skPEAWovH_QS98CsnW2-HZkcixi6xnkkhZTuUcYgkYOqDOxhfsHu9JT1JqNuABqM29inC5aMrL8QJXjSRc9PwLgJ6uF03IYv/s320/DSC00336.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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This past week we realized that Little Brother, who is three and a half, hasn't been sucking his fingers! He started this habit not long after he turned one. That was almost two and a half years ago.<br />
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This kind of dramatic change certainly wasn't on my radar. We can't think of any reasons to explain it. The last picture I could find with him sucking his fingers was from about a month ago.<br />
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I'm amazed that he just stopped without any prompting. I'm even more amazed that as much as a month has gone by without me noticing this major shift that was happening right under my nose. <br />
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I guess I always expected Big Brother, who is five and a half, to give up his finger-sucking habit first. My reasoning was that if I could manage to get Big Brother to stop first, then I'd work on Little Brother next. All the while, Little Brother was working it out for himself just fine, and Big Brother is still sucking away. <br />
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I guess it goes to show that all children have their own set of sensory issues and develop at their own pace. Perhaps this experience will help me to remember that cajoling and harassing a child to do something (or stop doing something) before they are are developmentally ready doesn't do anything except drive us both crazy! <br />
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Although I'm thrilled that Little Brother has outgrown this habit naturally without a single bit of muss or fuss, I have to admit it's <b>so, so, so</b> hard to see yet another little piece of his baby self disappear. <br />
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<i><b>I want him to grow up, but I want him to stay little. </b></i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-39720331062377731812011-06-05T07:46:00.002-04:002011-06-05T07:51:52.862-04:00Snacks + Skewers = Fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjgAII4gU-c815u2026jQuHWeJvZG7VqZZ8qhXFUTH0kjt3FQCnl22wPGbYMt89Ok4oGdZTvHQsCKhOMumqR9Dna1BsokbeKNE1wBE8-sxPVwOaO6fF1f7f727CfmlHyStPgX1V2YbKJe/s1600/DSC03827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjgAII4gU-c815u2026jQuHWeJvZG7VqZZ8qhXFUTH0kjt3FQCnl22wPGbYMt89Ok4oGdZTvHQsCKhOMumqR9Dna1BsokbeKNE1wBE8-sxPVwOaO6fF1f7f727CfmlHyStPgX1V2YbKJe/s400/DSC03827.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOM7bREF8_kumSIM6w-Ow19I13v6EsweEqGbd0UwPpsEmUkalIXl3h9JI84kJyQQdmbDncNOHyTiZuZJqlPAusmaI4CAmXIdJyPzvE4eSXii-wq-GvmdjOi8xeqUQkITQ1ovmpaw1Jzq8/s1600/DSC03837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOM7bREF8_kumSIM6w-Ow19I13v6EsweEqGbd0UwPpsEmUkalIXl3h9JI84kJyQQdmbDncNOHyTiZuZJqlPAusmaI4CAmXIdJyPzvE4eSXii-wq-GvmdjOi8xeqUQkITQ1ovmpaw1Jzq8/s320/DSC03837.JPG" width="254" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoaXLEfTS90q6s3tpJCuJaq7jlVfo6TSt6RlrDIKny5P5LJVvvrlDkr5yiPg9ER9uu6r8isnR8Vs20yKoU5nBpg7mCF215fUxUUiro6yIzsTIEpGRC19sKWPJzGwmcHzjpNGSaqqR9lC8/s1600/DSC03841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoaXLEfTS90q6s3tpJCuJaq7jlVfo6TSt6RlrDIKny5P5LJVvvrlDkr5yiPg9ER9uu6r8isnR8Vs20yKoU5nBpg7mCF215fUxUUiro6yIzsTIEpGRC19sKWPJzGwmcHzjpNGSaqqR9lC8/s320/DSC03841.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAPnGz_LoLvQXmpXwom2kQWjWlSYxPOnLWYv5ZnRY_tK5avB2E-or2NdVrjJIkLNlSAjPXPYSB2QHtJdo2FqbhnWqgKj9pslJ3O-dJpqmyNqtshdoatebDJTulNlmDBH41rgaZZhnTgl4/s1600/DSC03846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAPnGz_LoLvQXmpXwom2kQWjWlSYxPOnLWYv5ZnRY_tK5avB2E-or2NdVrjJIkLNlSAjPXPYSB2QHtJdo2FqbhnWqgKj9pslJ3O-dJpqmyNqtshdoatebDJTulNlmDBH41rgaZZhnTgl4/s320/DSC03846.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMcoqlTe9jPLkAatnUhRBnvrhjWgwEPPeAPE3GQDg_wCV_ZzjjqEA7W9rDWz9JAR06oi1eQhxT7G8bowbOOpbUPPzEumczF0t72P2KrFWiaY1Hs6Ska0HPRRzCmgeT42iFh7KuteAlr2Z/s1600/DSC03850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMcoqlTe9jPLkAatnUhRBnvrhjWgwEPPeAPE3GQDg_wCV_ZzjjqEA7W9rDWz9JAR06oi1eQhxT7G8bowbOOpbUPPzEumczF0t72P2KrFWiaY1Hs6Ska0HPRRzCmgeT42iFh7KuteAlr2Z/s320/DSC03850.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoaXLEfTS90q6s3tpJCuJaq7jlVfo6TSt6RlrDIKny5P5LJVvvrlDkr5yiPg9ER9uu6r8isnR8Vs20yKoU5nBpg7mCF215fUxUUiro6yIzsTIEpGRC19sKWPJzGwmcHzjpNGSaqqR9lC8/s1600/DSC03841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-51887334010820216862011-06-04T08:24:00.000-04:002011-06-04T08:24:35.081-04:00Homeschool Playdate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTLBNC6HwbXot-NUUHclGIX75IIj3XRI1dNdnIlHt6xL1FKJvVuxUNsKdCLux_-S9nMthz-rax-vABkeyTEUlA0k6MTUrrujNdKnm0LHV9H_vwoZebkRfugQcOJr8c8j0cTICGoHwxsf-/s1600/244167_205241389518665_100000984152798_572821_8056665_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTLBNC6HwbXot-NUUHclGIX75IIj3XRI1dNdnIlHt6xL1FKJvVuxUNsKdCLux_-S9nMthz-rax-vABkeyTEUlA0k6MTUrrujNdKnm0LHV9H_vwoZebkRfugQcOJr8c8j0cTICGoHwxsf-/s400/244167_205241389518665_100000984152798_572821_8056665_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Even though I feel good about our choice to homeschool, I still have a little sadness sometimes that my boys miss out on a lot of the fun social aspects of being in traditional school.<br />
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Yesterday, my boys got a chance to experience some of those simple pleasures. We had a another homeschool family over for a playdate. It just so happens, they are dealing with sensory issues as well.<br />
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It's the type of playdate I've always envisioned....we conducted science projects and looked through the microscope, we studied a snake and drew pictures, we sculpted playdough and swam in the pool, we read books and ate lunch, and we had lots of unstructured cooperative play time.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">To the kids, it was all fun. To me and the other mom it was heartwarming. It was a good day, and I hope to have lots more homeschooling playdates just like this one. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSZP4jLbCi1quq50bxY5q79zOH-qPwBYXpm6jCIeplZKqesGCncEfO7xZ11AxDwpqvVafsDPoX3-PvCywym7nzBIIesMPVL_Mf4f5ECVjSyMqtp7MpGBqTinATZqWAFCJa6akQI-mMJlH/s1600/DSC03897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSZP4jLbCi1quq50bxY5q79zOH-qPwBYXpm6jCIeplZKqesGCncEfO7xZ11AxDwpqvVafsDPoX3-PvCywym7nzBIIesMPVL_Mf4f5ECVjSyMqtp7MpGBqTinATZqWAFCJa6akQI-mMJlH/s320/DSC03897.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8mRg_jncyjJMeSJbuP9VP3REt0S1UpkuZveb_oF_EjSwMaNBsEzx_33dQMXfb-zv1dwu_-m3zC3Qv86aARSZ1GSs8nl4DY6hp2qJBW0-UgrnJtwtgRWYq9PrwfjTgOmhjBYnIuwotHjv/s1600/DSC03887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8mRg_jncyjJMeSJbuP9VP3REt0S1UpkuZveb_oF_EjSwMaNBsEzx_33dQMXfb-zv1dwu_-m3zC3Qv86aARSZ1GSs8nl4DY6hp2qJBW0-UgrnJtwtgRWYq9PrwfjTgOmhjBYnIuwotHjv/s320/DSC03887.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphLizCGkz32ge65i6Xw31_-FbD3HYPYFxmbViF_b_JYJXV5gp8nTwExx3HYuMp_6PMBaEloSqOILiA9Dgtxtx7LbYSv97qitYagSF1lM9iSaKlOprhxly_IcdYHMUsGIqvgQ-TyBvvHQ3/s1600/DSC03894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphLizCGkz32ge65i6Xw31_-FbD3HYPYFxmbViF_b_JYJXV5gp8nTwExx3HYuMp_6PMBaEloSqOILiA9Dgtxtx7LbYSv97qitYagSF1lM9iSaKlOprhxly_IcdYHMUsGIqvgQ-TyBvvHQ3/s320/DSC03894.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-26139815249833224512011-06-03T18:49:00.006-04:002011-06-09T16:07:43.351-04:00My Homeschool Intentions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2z7RRvfG_lEH1THcuR8fx-mXAIWMH5jZA1igjPmVo9wFAQudxdqLMnuJt7VqQY_Vy_WmgFBSsVy1uj0cWeQac8SziPB4NwOdWvjB5GQz8yHGzCi4A8GIjxnp9VF1Ez9BjjbtsfeG7uAsT/s1600/DSC_1682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2z7RRvfG_lEH1THcuR8fx-mXAIWMH5jZA1igjPmVo9wFAQudxdqLMnuJt7VqQY_Vy_WmgFBSsVy1uj0cWeQac8SziPB4NwOdWvjB5GQz8yHGzCi4A8GIjxnp9VF1Ez9BjjbtsfeG7uAsT/s320/DSC_1682.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgie8QwW8hlkjpbZnq3bL2XfaM0tb1IHNGFNJ4BoKG1QUS2tbWuoxLynAc2dA5gqpc86f43d7wCXQggqr71lMDlnyQXbKgy4XHrlGiYG4FM-VEmoFzcyVQ1rQWTPCAUB-vSQDMl3WO-bQn/s1600/DSC_1682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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As my first-born son approaches the time when he will officially start homeschooling, I figure now is a good time to set clear <a href="http://www.healthygreenandfrugal.com/2010/07/creating-life-you-want-intention.html"><b>intentions</b></a> for this journey we have begun.<br />
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For both of my children, it is my intention to.....<br />
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<ul><li>nurture a lifelong love of learning.<br />
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</li>
<li>help them create a definition of success for themselves <br />
- for both the present and future - and help them achieve it.<br />
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</li>
<li>encourage them to reach their full potential <br />
and always try their best in everything they do.<br />
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</li>
<li>ensure that they are surrounded with an abundance <br />
of resources and learning opportunities <br />
that will help them develop their mind, body, and spirit.<br />
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</li>
<li>create an environment that is conducive <br />
to learning, peacefulness, and happiness.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>become re-acquainted with my children <br />
and myself each day, releasing us all from <br />
the limitations and transgressions of the day before. <br />
<br />
</li>
<li>never sacrifice my relationship with my children <br />
at the expense of education.<br />
</li>
</ul><br />
I love you, my sons. ♥♥<br />
I will try <b>my</b> best to be the teacher you deserve.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-65061272082926299592011-06-02T10:19:00.008-04:002011-06-03T19:09:10.305-04:00Unschooled at the FPEA Homeschool Convention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEGiJ1vo0_hO6OkE7fc8fqHTz0CENZphPs_H3nDMAh8exM2d4P_jUytnxcmHWZOp9uY9LE5XuURPTCKoHMVAJjLvcUWQsg_CbvevMhN6XHZMTud98HLdFrhEWCcn__Radyoi5QHuFW8sm/s1600/fpea_conv_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEGiJ1vo0_hO6OkE7fc8fqHTz0CENZphPs_H3nDMAh8exM2d4P_jUytnxcmHWZOp9uY9LE5XuURPTCKoHMVAJjLvcUWQsg_CbvevMhN6XHZMTud98HLdFrhEWCcn__Radyoi5QHuFW8sm/s320/fpea_conv_logo.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This past weekend, I attended the <a href="http://www.fpea.com/">FPEA (Florida Parent-Educators Association)</a> homeschool conference in Orlando. It's the largest homeschool convention in the country. The FPEA reported at the conference that there are 43,000 homeschoolers in Florida. I would estimate at least a quarter of that number was at the conference. For one weekend, homeschoolers completely took over the gorgeous <a href="http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-palms/">Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center</a>. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I expected to walk away from this conference feeling like I needed to do more....more planning, more worksheets, more structure. Turns out, I came away with a renewed sense of confidence in the path I'm already on, and a reminder to <b>follow the child</b>.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sounds very Montessori, does it? Ironically, I think I only heard that term used by one speaker. His name was <a href="http://www.patfarenga.com/">Pat Farenga</a>, a proponent of <b>"unschooling"</b>. This approach to homeschooling often conjurs up negative images of lazy children lounging around watching television and playing video games. That was always my impression of it.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's actually more about allowing the child to set his own goals, choose his own course of study, follow his natural course of development, and provide him with the appropriate resources and learning environment. The underlying premise is that the most powerful impetus to learning is <b>intrinsic motivation</b>. If you have the genuine desire to learn something, you will learn it more easily and retain it longer. Instruction that is not requested impedes learning.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have always been skeptical of the unschooling approach....I mean, what if something important falls through the cracks??? I am WAY too much of an uptight planner to be this relaxed about homeschooloing my children!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">However, Farenga presented a lot of convincing research-based evidence to support the efficacy of this approach. If you're interested in learning more, his <a href="http://www.patfarenga.com/">website</a> is a great starting point. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Unschooling (which is essentially homeschooling without using a structured curriculum) seems like a natural progression from the Montessori phiolophy. I'm not sure I'll ever be brave enough to be a full-blown unschooler, but I most definitely see using this as a guiding philosophy. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Although Farenga's two lectures were by far my very favorite at the conference, I also picked up a lot of other great ideas and inspiration. Time and time again, I was reminded not to be in a rush. I need to allow my children to learn at their own pace, and not force them to do things before they are developmentally ready.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I expected to learn more about academics and the nuts and bolts of homeschooling, but I actually came away with several reminders, which are perhaps more important.....</div><ul style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><li>Focus on strengths. <br />
Ignore weaknesses whenever possible.<br />
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</li>
<li>Play is the work of the child. <br />
Little ones need lots of unstructured play time, <br />
and they <u><b>will</b></u> learn from it. <br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Education is not just about academics. <br />
It's also about character and life skills.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Don't sacrifice my relationship with my child <br />
at the alter of education.</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Overall, the conference was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with other homeschool mothers and reflect on the reasons why we have chosen this path. Tomorrow I will post the product of these reflections.....<i><br />
<a href="http://www.raccoonschool.com/2011/06/my-homeschool-intentions.html">My Homeschool Intentions</a></i>.</div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3270430323990613896.post-57565286999495457942011-05-19T09:01:00.003-04:002011-05-19T09:04:23.844-04:00Oral-Motor Activity: Blow the Sheep Out of the Pen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2b07am0zMyy1SM_iIcN5vWexiUly1qGyooyuLwPIVEiTMgAbL17MhxplU_kPZyx5gYVFDRvhwD5ZQz5jhcDjOM5_qXIeucjetXPUeejuRDi6PrStQsm1JC761VzByj2mhENdQR9mTV1P/s1600/DSC02013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2b07am0zMyy1SM_iIcN5vWexiUly1qGyooyuLwPIVEiTMgAbL17MhxplU_kPZyx5gYVFDRvhwD5ZQz5jhcDjOM5_qXIeucjetXPUeejuRDi6PrStQsm1JC761VzByj2mhENdQR9mTV1P/s320/DSC02013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Does your child crave oral-motor input or have low facial muscle tone? Check out this fun oral-motor activity I wrote about on <a href="http://www.ourjourneythruautism.com/2011/05/oral-motor-activity-blow-sheep-out-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ourjourneythruautism%2Fautism+%28Autism%29">Our Journey Thru Autism</a>.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01552237833457756099noreply@blogger.com0