Okay we saw Superman Returns and it was really great (much defying of the laws of physics aside.) Go see it!
After the movie we went to P.F. Changs, while we were waiting for our meals Z entertained us with made up knock-knock jokes. It is really funny because they are so not funny. Example:
"Knock Knock"
"who's there?"
"Lettuce."
'Lettuce who?"
"Lettuce chicken wrap."
*rolling eyes*
It was a fun dinner though. I think we were all on a post Superman high.
While we were waiting for our check a couple approached our table and said "We just wanted to say that we have been watching your daughter and she has been behaving so well! We have a four year old and a six year old and we can never bring them places likes. So, we just wanted to say that your daughter is just amazing."
I was all thankful of course and Z introduced herself to them.
We have been taking Z to restaurants since the day after she came home from the hospital (a bagel shop for breakfast). She has gone out to dinner at real restaurants at least once a week since then.
One thing that I think is funny is that Z has been to High Tea or Afternoon Tea more times than I have. I went to my first High Tea in D.C. when I was pregnant. Z went with me, Tante and Grandmere to the Regent Beverly Wilshire and other very fancy hotels to eat tiny sandwiches and scones several times as a toddler since then Grandmere has taken her out to tea with Tante often when I left her in their care.
Tante plans to someday open a tea house but until then she hosts a tea party at her home every summer. It should be coming up soon. She makes the most delicious scones and homemade butter and jam. *yum*
Anyway, what was I saying? (scones... yum)
Right. So Z has just been trained from birth to go to restaurants and be cool. It helps when we go to places with fun kids menus. Also we talk to her, well, since she has been able to talk.
But I still have to tell her not to use her chopsticks to drum on the table. Oh yeah, I _always_ have to remind her that she is not allowed to sing in restaurants unless she is being paid to. Tonight I had to tell her three times "No singing opera in P.F. Changs."
Tomorrow we are having a big fun special day. I'll take pictures and post them tomorrow night.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Z's dream
So wanna analyze Z's dream from last night?
She said she was at a Temple or museum or something and when it was time to leave there was a long line to get out. Z wanted to sit on the black railing next to the line but some people put her on a chair instead. Then the chair started gliding through the air with Z on it, straight to the front of the line.
She called out to me "Catch it, mom!"
But I said "It's okay, you are near other people, they will catch you."
Then she floated to the front of the line where there was a Rabbi that gives out tickets to people.
She said she felt scared because she was flying away from me.
***********
Pere and I were wondering if this is her feeling uncomfortable with "moving ahead" of other people.
Z says it was about her not wanting to be away from me. She said she didn't want other people to catch her.
Interesting.
She said she was at a Temple or museum or something and when it was time to leave there was a long line to get out. Z wanted to sit on the black railing next to the line but some people put her on a chair instead. Then the chair started gliding through the air with Z on it, straight to the front of the line.
She called out to me "Catch it, mom!"
But I said "It's okay, you are near other people, they will catch you."
Then she floated to the front of the line where there was a Rabbi that gives out tickets to people.
She said she felt scared because she was flying away from me.
***********
Pere and I were wondering if this is her feeling uncomfortable with "moving ahead" of other people.
Z says it was about her not wanting to be away from me. She said she didn't want other people to catch her.
Interesting.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
The voice lesson
Z had her first voice lesson with the new teacher today.
I am happy with the teacher, I felt comfortable with her and I liked how she interacted with Z.
First she checked Z's vocal range and told me that Z has great intonation, which means that she can match her voice to the tones she hears.
Then they worked on warm-ups and the teacher was impressed and said that Z sang more like her eight year olds. I was happy but I was already told last year by a different voice teacher that Z sang like her 8 and 9 year old students. So I was wondering if Z's voice hasn't gotten any better in a year.
But I think our old teacher mainly taught summer camp kids and this teacher teaches kids enter vocal competitions. So last year Z was like a regular 8/9 year old and this year she is like an 8 year old who sings very well. *wry grin*
The teacher got excited about Z and said she would like to enter her into the next competition. It is in November. I asked Z about it and she asked if it would be like a Spelling Bee. I said "Yeah, but instead of spelling words you sing." *heh* She said she _really_ wanted to do it.
Our homework for this week is to teach Z how to breathe. Yeah, I know. How did she last this long without breathing??
I am happy with the teacher, I felt comfortable with her and I liked how she interacted with Z.
First she checked Z's vocal range and told me that Z has great intonation, which means that she can match her voice to the tones she hears.
Then they worked on warm-ups and the teacher was impressed and said that Z sang more like her eight year olds. I was happy but I was already told last year by a different voice teacher that Z sang like her 8 and 9 year old students. So I was wondering if Z's voice hasn't gotten any better in a year.
But I think our old teacher mainly taught summer camp kids and this teacher teaches kids enter vocal competitions. So last year Z was like a regular 8/9 year old and this year she is like an 8 year old who sings very well. *wry grin*
The teacher got excited about Z and said she would like to enter her into the next competition. It is in November. I asked Z about it and she asked if it would be like a Spelling Bee. I said "Yeah, but instead of spelling words you sing." *heh* She said she _really_ wanted to do it.
Our homework for this week is to teach Z how to breathe. Yeah, I know. How did she last this long without breathing??
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
so what else is going on?
Z has been writing a story in her journal. So far is mostly all dialogue. I kind of want to post it on here but I think I should get Z's permission first.
Yesterday she got a gift certificate from the lady in our neighborhood whose mail we have been bring her for the last three weeks. It was $15 to Barnes and Noble. It was very unexpected, since we were just doing our "good deed." Z spent five of it on the book A Great Good Things, a fantasy novel about a princess in a book that interacts with the "Reader."
Our Operation Gratitude or Good Deeds has been going well. Z is still finding ways to help her parents and "the world" including picking up litter in the parking lot at the grocery market.
Z also had a really excellent piano lesson today. *whew* Everything really came together.
I got the name of a local voice teacher from our piano teacher and now we have a meeting and perhaps a lesson scheduled with her tomorrow. Z used to have a voice teacher back in our old neighborhood. She was a great gal but Z kind of ran the class which isn't good for her. She needs someone more firm, like our piano teacher. I hope the lady we meet tomorrow works out.
I actually didn't ask Z about it before making the meeting. When I told her about it she said "But won't that take away more of my free time?"
Uh oh, I hadn't thought she would react like that. So I said "Well you don't have to do it. But the teacher's students take part in vocal competitions and get to do performances all the time."
She says "Oh! I want to do that!"
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Yes!" she says
In any case you only sign up one month at a time so it is not a huge commitment if Z gets tired of it.
This morning I saw that the neighborhood kids were all out playing by the tennis courts so Z and I went out and she played soccer with them for awhile. Interestingly, even though the three girl's her age were there Z ended up playing with some older boys. She was fiercely competitive. I had to tell her to back off with a younger boy. I think the problem is that she is used to playing against grown ups where she has to try really hard. Or maybe she is just naturally competitive in sports like her mommy. (I can't wait till she can start kendo.)
Soon we should start our study of France and French. I was gathering some resources for that today.
With her regular schedule of homeschooling (math, writing, reading, piano, Japanese, and a France study) as well as piano, Japanese and possibly voice lessons, a 3 week summer camp for gifted kids, the homeschooling groups ice skating and beach days, movie days with the gifted kids playgroup and play dates with other friends... well it looks like we are going to have an active summer.
Yesterday she got a gift certificate from the lady in our neighborhood whose mail we have been bring her for the last three weeks. It was $15 to Barnes and Noble. It was very unexpected, since we were just doing our "good deed." Z spent five of it on the book A Great Good Things, a fantasy novel about a princess in a book that interacts with the "Reader."
Our Operation Gratitude or Good Deeds has been going well. Z is still finding ways to help her parents and "the world" including picking up litter in the parking lot at the grocery market.
Z also had a really excellent piano lesson today. *whew* Everything really came together.
I got the name of a local voice teacher from our piano teacher and now we have a meeting and perhaps a lesson scheduled with her tomorrow. Z used to have a voice teacher back in our old neighborhood. She was a great gal but Z kind of ran the class which isn't good for her. She needs someone more firm, like our piano teacher. I hope the lady we meet tomorrow works out.
I actually didn't ask Z about it before making the meeting. When I told her about it she said "But won't that take away more of my free time?"
Uh oh, I hadn't thought she would react like that. So I said "Well you don't have to do it. But the teacher's students take part in vocal competitions and get to do performances all the time."
She says "Oh! I want to do that!"
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Yes!" she says
In any case you only sign up one month at a time so it is not a huge commitment if Z gets tired of it.
This morning I saw that the neighborhood kids were all out playing by the tennis courts so Z and I went out and she played soccer with them for awhile. Interestingly, even though the three girl's her age were there Z ended up playing with some older boys. She was fiercely competitive. I had to tell her to back off with a younger boy. I think the problem is that she is used to playing against grown ups where she has to try really hard. Or maybe she is just naturally competitive in sports like her mommy. (I can't wait till she can start kendo.)
Soon we should start our study of France and French. I was gathering some resources for that today.
With her regular schedule of homeschooling (math, writing, reading, piano, Japanese, and a France study) as well as piano, Japanese and possibly voice lessons, a 3 week summer camp for gifted kids, the homeschooling groups ice skating and beach days, movie days with the gifted kids playgroup and play dates with other friends... well it looks like we are going to have an active summer.
Clothes Cubed
My girl has a lot of clothes. A fantastically huge amount of clothes.
I went through her clothes today and took away the ones that were too small. She had grown out of eight of her thirty pairs of shoes (yep, 30 pairs!)
I also got rid of 6 pants, 6 dresses, 4 shorts, 17 shirts, two swim suits and a jean jacket. Which left her with only 48 outfits ( and doesn't include jacket and sweaters...)
Life has always been like this for Z because she is the only granddaughter of a woman who loves to shop and the youngest granddaughter of a fabric artist who makes her handmade clothing, oh yeah, and the only child of me, and I guess I don't totally hate dressing up my daugther *grin*
My Maman makes Z these really cool outfits.
This one she recently wore to a friends birthday party. Scary but Z doesn't seem to have gotten any bigger around since she was 3, only taller. The bird on the chest is embroidered and it came with matching socks and barrettes.
This one came with a matching hat. Maman know I love to put Z in hats. I think we are at Green Thumb here getting flowers for the garden.
Here is little Z on her way to preschool one morning in a Mamam original.
This is a really cool dress with matching pantaloons (yes my maman made her pantaloons) with a paperdoll print on them. Z wore this outfit for her 4th birthday party.
This is such a cute style and it's made out of vintage fabric, the print is bouquets of roses. Z wore this one to her preschool graduation.
I love shopping at second hand and consignment stores for Z. Recently I found her some purple Doc Martens. I was so psyched and I felt even with the rate her feet grow it was worth it to buy them for $8 instead of $80.
I am going to take her too small clothes to the local kids used second hand store and trade for store credit later this week to buy Z even more clothes. Hee hee.
Funny thing is that she doesn't care about clothes that much. Other than preferring to wear "pretty dresses" she still lets me pick out where she is going to wear for the day. In fact most days she asks me to. So yay for me that I still get to dress up my little "dolly."
I went through her clothes today and took away the ones that were too small. She had grown out of eight of her thirty pairs of shoes (yep, 30 pairs!)
I also got rid of 6 pants, 6 dresses, 4 shorts, 17 shirts, two swim suits and a jean jacket. Which left her with only 48 outfits ( and doesn't include jacket and sweaters...)
Life has always been like this for Z because she is the only granddaughter of a woman who loves to shop and the youngest granddaughter of a fabric artist who makes her handmade clothing, oh yeah, and the only child of me, and I guess I don't totally hate dressing up my daugther *grin*
My Maman makes Z these really cool outfits.
This one she recently wore to a friends birthday party. Scary but Z doesn't seem to have gotten any bigger around since she was 3, only taller. The bird on the chest is embroidered and it came with matching socks and barrettes.
This one came with a matching hat. Maman know I love to put Z in hats. I think we are at Green Thumb here getting flowers for the garden.
Here is little Z on her way to preschool one morning in a Mamam original.
This is a really cool dress with matching pantaloons (yes my maman made her pantaloons) with a paperdoll print on them. Z wore this outfit for her 4th birthday party.
This is such a cute style and it's made out of vintage fabric, the print is bouquets of roses. Z wore this one to her preschool graduation.
I love shopping at second hand and consignment stores for Z. Recently I found her some purple Doc Martens. I was so psyched and I felt even with the rate her feet grow it was worth it to buy them for $8 instead of $80.
I am going to take her too small clothes to the local kids used second hand store and trade for store credit later this week to buy Z even more clothes. Hee hee.
Funny thing is that she doesn't care about clothes that much. Other than preferring to wear "pretty dresses" she still lets me pick out where she is going to wear for the day. In fact most days she asks me to. So yay for me that I still get to dress up my little "dolly."
Monday, June 26, 2006
Passions
In her short life Z has a a series of passions, and they are still standing.
Her first passion was being read to. Even as a baby she would want me to read to her for hours at a time. When she started crawling (around 5 months) she would crawl to her bookshelf and bring me book after book.
When Z was 2 1/2 she feel in love with the Buffy musical. she would demand we listen to it in the car over and over again. Soon we let her start watching episodes, though we skipped some that we thought were too scary or too sexual. Here is her the Hannukah before she turned 3 holding up the newest Buffy DVD collection. She was so excited! She used to sing Spike's song and Buffy's first song over and over.
We are now, as a family, watching the whole series again - I think it is the third time for Z. Buffy is an amazing program for gifted kids. The whole vampire thing is just a metaphor for highschool and Buffy's super powers are really about being gifted. Joss Whedon the creator is obviously brilliant.
Sometime after Firefly came out (Z hasn't seen that yet) we took her to a convention and she got to see Joss Whedon, she really wanted to sing to him but she didn't get a chance.
I am not sure when Z got obsessed with Harry Potter. Probably before she was three. I got the first book on tape from the library and we listening to it in the car and then I let her watch the movie. She _loved_ it. Through books on tape she soon caught up with the series.
Last summer when the 6th book came out she started her most famous game (remember Marianne?) The Harry Potter Thinking Game.
It is like twenty questions only you can only ask about something from the Harry Potter universe - with the books being cannon. And you get more than twenty questions.
It starts with one person thinking of something and then saying "I got it" and then the players ask "It is a person?", "Is it a place?", "Is it a magical creature?", "Is it a magical object?" etc.
That game has taught Z a lot about reasoning. And she has amazed me with her knowledge of the books. (except that time she thought Tonks was a guy)
That summer Z went with us to the big Harry Potter event at Barnes and Noble and stayed up till midnight with the rest of us to stand in line and get the book the minute it came out.
Later that summer she wanted to try reading the books on her own. I was really surprised. But she did. At first she was so excited she would come out of her room (she read at night before bed) and tell us every time she finished a chapter. One night I heard a noise in the house and found that Z had gotten up and turned the light on in the living room and was reading Harry Potter at like 3:00 in the morning. She said that she had woken up and was too excited about what was going to happen next in the book to go back to sleep.
I was kind of proud of her that night, being the bookworm that I am. But for her own health I told her to go back to bed.
She went on to read the first three books one after the other but got bogged down in Goblet of Fire and never finished it. Since then she has read the first book two or three times, the second book twice and is now reading Azkaban again.
Her room is covered with posters from the movies. She saw Azkaban on opening night and got a free poster for being one of the first ten in line a the theatre. Somewhere she got a poster for book six.
Last Halloween she dressed as Hermione.
Perhaps Z's greatest passion has been music. It seems like she has been singing her whole life. Actually on a certain gifted board Z used to be called Poetry because she made up poems all the time. But soon she went from singing other people's songs and making up her own poems to making up her own songs.
She loves musicals - first were was The Music Man and Guys and Dolls. Then the Buffy musical, Little Shop of Horrors, and Snoopy. Then she was all about Les Miserables and I mean that. We eventually took her to see a live production in San Francisco. Her favorite song was Young Cosette's Castle on a Cloud. Then she got really into Javert. She talked a lot about why he would kill himself. I swear that musical taught her so much about the human condition.
Last summer for my birthday we went to see her next most favorite musical, Wicked. Guess her favorite song from that one. Popular? No. It was No Good Deed. That girl has a natural dark streak. Here is her dressed as Elphaba
She also loves movie scores. She said when she was three that she wanted to be John Williams when she grew up. :) I don't know that many people who spend their allowance on movie score cd's let alone kids her age.
When she was 4-ish she asked me to teach her to play the piano. Heh. I really couldn't. So she started trying to teach herself. even from what little I knew I could tell she was fingering the keys incorrectly and that worried me. So I tried to get her lessons. The teacher, who was referred to me by the parent of a Davidson child, said that she didn't usually take children that young. But she took Z and since October she has been taking lessons.
Sometimes I worry about the amount of time she spends on her piano practice, but it could be just me because Z's not complaining. I love it best when she makes time to compose, and she has been doing more and more of that lately.
One more thing that Z enjoys is acting. Is it a passion? Sometimes I am not sure. But she does like to act out everything that enters her world. She loves pretending to be other people and even has a cute fake British accent. Today she was reading her script of Shakespeare again and acting out all the parts. It was cute. Here she is as Snug the Lion.
Her first passion was being read to. Even as a baby she would want me to read to her for hours at a time. When she started crawling (around 5 months) she would crawl to her bookshelf and bring me book after book.
When Z was 2 1/2 she feel in love with the Buffy musical. she would demand we listen to it in the car over and over again. Soon we let her start watching episodes, though we skipped some that we thought were too scary or too sexual. Here is her the Hannukah before she turned 3 holding up the newest Buffy DVD collection. She was so excited! She used to sing Spike's song and Buffy's first song over and over.
We are now, as a family, watching the whole series again - I think it is the third time for Z. Buffy is an amazing program for gifted kids. The whole vampire thing is just a metaphor for highschool and Buffy's super powers are really about being gifted. Joss Whedon the creator is obviously brilliant.
Sometime after Firefly came out (Z hasn't seen that yet) we took her to a convention and she got to see Joss Whedon, she really wanted to sing to him but she didn't get a chance.
I am not sure when Z got obsessed with Harry Potter. Probably before she was three. I got the first book on tape from the library and we listening to it in the car and then I let her watch the movie. She _loved_ it. Through books on tape she soon caught up with the series.
Last summer when the 6th book came out she started her most famous game (remember Marianne?) The Harry Potter Thinking Game.
It is like twenty questions only you can only ask about something from the Harry Potter universe - with the books being cannon. And you get more than twenty questions.
It starts with one person thinking of something and then saying "I got it" and then the players ask "It is a person?", "Is it a place?", "Is it a magical creature?", "Is it a magical object?" etc.
That game has taught Z a lot about reasoning. And she has amazed me with her knowledge of the books. (except that time she thought Tonks was a guy)
That summer Z went with us to the big Harry Potter event at Barnes and Noble and stayed up till midnight with the rest of us to stand in line and get the book the minute it came out.
Later that summer she wanted to try reading the books on her own. I was really surprised. But she did. At first she was so excited she would come out of her room (she read at night before bed) and tell us every time she finished a chapter. One night I heard a noise in the house and found that Z had gotten up and turned the light on in the living room and was reading Harry Potter at like 3:00 in the morning. She said that she had woken up and was too excited about what was going to happen next in the book to go back to sleep.
I was kind of proud of her that night, being the bookworm that I am. But for her own health I told her to go back to bed.
She went on to read the first three books one after the other but got bogged down in Goblet of Fire and never finished it. Since then she has read the first book two or three times, the second book twice and is now reading Azkaban again.
Her room is covered with posters from the movies. She saw Azkaban on opening night and got a free poster for being one of the first ten in line a the theatre. Somewhere she got a poster for book six.
Last Halloween she dressed as Hermione.
Perhaps Z's greatest passion has been music. It seems like she has been singing her whole life. Actually on a certain gifted board Z used to be called Poetry because she made up poems all the time. But soon she went from singing other people's songs and making up her own poems to making up her own songs.
She loves musicals - first were was The Music Man and Guys and Dolls. Then the Buffy musical, Little Shop of Horrors, and Snoopy. Then she was all about Les Miserables and I mean that. We eventually took her to see a live production in San Francisco. Her favorite song was Young Cosette's Castle on a Cloud. Then she got really into Javert. She talked a lot about why he would kill himself. I swear that musical taught her so much about the human condition.
Last summer for my birthday we went to see her next most favorite musical, Wicked. Guess her favorite song from that one. Popular? No. It was No Good Deed. That girl has a natural dark streak. Here is her dressed as Elphaba
She also loves movie scores. She said when she was three that she wanted to be John Williams when she grew up. :) I don't know that many people who spend their allowance on movie score cd's let alone kids her age.
When she was 4-ish she asked me to teach her to play the piano. Heh. I really couldn't. So she started trying to teach herself. even from what little I knew I could tell she was fingering the keys incorrectly and that worried me. So I tried to get her lessons. The teacher, who was referred to me by the parent of a Davidson child, said that she didn't usually take children that young. But she took Z and since October she has been taking lessons.
Sometimes I worry about the amount of time she spends on her piano practice, but it could be just me because Z's not complaining. I love it best when she makes time to compose, and she has been doing more and more of that lately.
One more thing that Z enjoys is acting. Is it a passion? Sometimes I am not sure. But she does like to act out everything that enters her world. She loves pretending to be other people and even has a cute fake British accent. Today she was reading her script of Shakespeare again and acting out all the parts. It was cute. Here she is as Snug the Lion.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Our Weekend
This weekend it into the triple digit temperature here so we escaped to Pere's family beach house where the temperature was in the high 60's, low 70's.
We call it the Channel Islands house for the name of the islands right off shore. The place is on a channel that leads to a small marina and then the ocean. We have an electric boat for tooling around the channels and a speed boat for ocean going.
The first time I came to California, when I was pregnant with Z, we stayed at the Channel Islands house and took the boat out into the ocean to scatter the ashes of Pere's older sister.
Our second year in Southern California we moved into the Channel Islands house and lived there, on the water, across the street from the beach, for two years. We went rollerblading around the marina, shopped at the harbor farmer's market, and watched the sunset from the beach day after day.
Those days Pere worked from the loft at home. Then his worked moved, very far away and we decided it was a good time to leave.
But we still go up on weekends and holidays. Fourth of July on the bridge overlooking the marina where they set off the fireworks has been a tradition since Z was one (her first 4th was on the mall in D.C.). So we will be up there next weekend too.
We call it the Channel Islands house for the name of the islands right off shore. The place is on a channel that leads to a small marina and then the ocean. We have an electric boat for tooling around the channels and a speed boat for ocean going.
The first time I came to California, when I was pregnant with Z, we stayed at the Channel Islands house and took the boat out into the ocean to scatter the ashes of Pere's older sister.
Our second year in Southern California we moved into the Channel Islands house and lived there, on the water, across the street from the beach, for two years. We went rollerblading around the marina, shopped at the harbor farmer's market, and watched the sunset from the beach day after day.
Those days Pere worked from the loft at home. Then his worked moved, very far away and we decided it was a good time to leave.
But we still go up on weekends and holidays. Fourth of July on the bridge overlooking the marina where they set off the fireworks has been a tradition since Z was one (her first 4th was on the mall in D.C.). So we will be up there next weekend too.
Friday, June 23, 2006
some of the pressures
When you have a child who is "special" in some way you walk a fine line. You need to be honest with the child about their abilities. They will know that they are different, whether you tell them or not, by comparing themselves to their peers. It can only help them to have a responsible loving adult explain things to them.
Many parents of gifted kids find themselves talking down their kids in front of other people. You share your kid's weaknesses, downplay their successes or even outright lie in an attempt to shield either their child or the other parent from the un=pc truth that some kids are better at some things than other kids.
But, gifted kids, like most kids, hear everything their parents say (even if they don't "listen") and eventually that kind of talk tells them that there is something "wrong" with them.
Some parents have a way about them where they can be flat out blunt about their kids and get away with it.
Others put themselves and their kids out there and find out the hard way who can accept them and their children.
Many, like me, hide a little, lie a little, share where it is safe (like the anonimity of online boards), test the waters for friends who won't take your child's abilities personally and, if their lucky, build a community of supporters.
**************
I am lucky to have a small community of supporters (I hope you know who you are.)
Today I was hanging out with an old friend. Her daughter M and Z were bestfriends in preschool together. M is a month younger than Z and will start kindergarten in the fall. I believe that M and her little brother are gifted but I couldn't say to what extent. Today M proudly shared with me that she is starting to read. I know what a big deal that is and I am very happy for her.
Then Z says "I am reading the third Harry Potter book. Actually it is the second time I've read it." And I cringe. She wasn't trying to brag. She just wanted to be part of the conversation and then she just wanted to more precisely qualify her statement (it's a gifted thing.)
At the end of the day I am grateful that my friend has always been so cool with Z.
Many parents of gifted kids find themselves talking down their kids in front of other people. You share your kid's weaknesses, downplay their successes or even outright lie in an attempt to shield either their child or the other parent from the un=pc truth that some kids are better at some things than other kids.
But, gifted kids, like most kids, hear everything their parents say (even if they don't "listen") and eventually that kind of talk tells them that there is something "wrong" with them.
Some parents have a way about them where they can be flat out blunt about their kids and get away with it.
Others put themselves and their kids out there and find out the hard way who can accept them and their children.
Many, like me, hide a little, lie a little, share where it is safe (like the anonimity of online boards), test the waters for friends who won't take your child's abilities personally and, if their lucky, build a community of supporters.
**************
I am lucky to have a small community of supporters (I hope you know who you are.)
Today I was hanging out with an old friend. Her daughter M and Z were bestfriends in preschool together. M is a month younger than Z and will start kindergarten in the fall. I believe that M and her little brother are gifted but I couldn't say to what extent. Today M proudly shared with me that she is starting to read. I know what a big deal that is and I am very happy for her.
Then Z says "I am reading the third Harry Potter book. Actually it is the second time I've read it." And I cringe. She wasn't trying to brag. She just wanted to be part of the conversation and then she just wanted to more precisely qualify her statement (it's a gifted thing.)
At the end of the day I am grateful that my friend has always been so cool with Z.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
and easy but full homeschooling day
Today I had a taste of what homeschooling might be like for us when Z is older and more independent.
I was experiencing a lack of energy today so instead of sitting with Z at the table and guiding her through her lessons I let her handle things, and, for the most part she did.
I think she started with reading over her new script during breakfast. (For the Shakespeare thing)
Then she choose to do her "I love math" book. She measured things and did some problems with a calculator and read some math stories with problems and puzzles.
She played the piano a lot. She sat down at it for twenty minutes two times today but she still hasn't practiced. She wanted to compose her own things. I said that was great as long as she gets to her practice at some point.
For Japanese she read to me the three books we created, sang four songs, practiced telling time in Japanese and practied her hiragana handwriting.
Then I did read to her, a story about Leif Ericsson "discovering" America and she read aloud from the free book she got from Barnes and Noble for their summer reading program.
Z also wrote and drew some pictures in her new diary. She also named her diary "Sally". Isn't that funny? So instead of Dear Diary she'll have Dear Sally. *heh*
In the afternoon she went online to the scholastic games site and played science games about insects and animals.
Then she took an online Harry Potter Quiz - with questions like "What is the password of the prefects bathroom?" and "Where was the first class that Harry taught?" We have been listening to the series as audio books again. we are up to Prisoner of Azkaban.
Now we are watching Clash of the Titans. It is funny that Z chose that movie. I must have watched it 100 time one summer as a kid. We bought it for Z last fall when she was really into reading Greek myths.
So, during my lazy day we did:
Memorization
Math
Piano composition
Japanese
American History
Read Aloud
Listening to audio books
Writing
Insect and animal science
Harry Potter reading comprehension
Greek Myths
and it is only 4:20.
I was experiencing a lack of energy today so instead of sitting with Z at the table and guiding her through her lessons I let her handle things, and, for the most part she did.
I think she started with reading over her new script during breakfast. (For the Shakespeare thing)
Then she choose to do her "I love math" book. She measured things and did some problems with a calculator and read some math stories with problems and puzzles.
She played the piano a lot. She sat down at it for twenty minutes two times today but she still hasn't practiced. She wanted to compose her own things. I said that was great as long as she gets to her practice at some point.
For Japanese she read to me the three books we created, sang four songs, practiced telling time in Japanese and practied her hiragana handwriting.
Then I did read to her, a story about Leif Ericsson "discovering" America and she read aloud from the free book she got from Barnes and Noble for their summer reading program.
Z also wrote and drew some pictures in her new diary. She also named her diary "Sally". Isn't that funny? So instead of Dear Diary she'll have Dear Sally. *heh*
In the afternoon she went online to the scholastic games site and played science games about insects and animals.
Then she took an online Harry Potter Quiz - with questions like "What is the password of the prefects bathroom?" and "Where was the first class that Harry taught?" We have been listening to the series as audio books again. we are up to Prisoner of Azkaban.
Now we are watching Clash of the Titans. It is funny that Z chose that movie. I must have watched it 100 time one summer as a kid. We bought it for Z last fall when she was really into reading Greek myths.
So, during my lazy day we did:
Memorization
Math
Piano composition
Japanese
American History
Read Aloud
Listening to audio books
Writing
Insect and animal science
Harry Potter reading comprehension
Greek Myths
and it is only 4:20.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Cool Discovery
I just found out that my public library has audiobooks online that I can listen to for free. They have almost two hundred kids book, included Grimm, Andersen, Sutcliff, Dahl, and Snickett. They even have a kids French Language learning audiobook!
I am so going to use this.
Also I signed Z up for a two week summer program for gifted students. She will be taking two classes in the morrning with other gifted kids. I think they are probably mostly MG (moderately gifted.) On their website they stated that children cannot enroll in classes above their grade level but the Kindergarten stuff looked like it was for pre-readers. So I wrote to the them asn explained our situations and played the "Davidson card" and they let her into the 1st and 2nd grade combo classes.
They have three summer sessions but I am only going to enroll her in the first one because it might not be a good fit for her. Plus we have a lot of other things we could be doing.
The reason for these sessions, in my opinion, is for Z to get to know other gifted kids in our area and because the classes for older kids sound really cool - they have lots of Harry Potter classes, one for each book plus others, and Lemony Snickett classes, and Greek Myths classses and muscial theatre, etc.
They said based on getting to know Z that next year she could go into the 3rd - 5th grade classes, which is when all those classes are available.
We have a lot of other things lined up for the summer. Monday is Japanese and Ice Skating, they are both kind of far from my house but in the same area so I want to do them on the same day so I don't have to drive so much. Tuesday is Piano and play dates, Wednesday is getting together with the gifted kids playgroup, Thursdays are also for playdates, and Friday are Beach Days with our homeschooling group.
I figure we will do a lot less homeschooling over the summer. I will pare it down to piano, Japanese, math and writing.
For writing Z is going to start keeping a diary/journal. I asked her last night if she would write in it daily if I bought her one and she was excited about the prospect. She said that she needs one anyway to write down the story ideas that she is always coming up with.
Today she is back at the piano again playing it during all her free time. Well, right now she is actually playing a "one woman band, with a harmonica, tambourine and two drums.
Another funny thing - Z was playing with her doll house and she called the mirror a "looking glass." hee hee
I am so going to use this.
Also I signed Z up for a two week summer program for gifted students. She will be taking two classes in the morrning with other gifted kids. I think they are probably mostly MG (moderately gifted.) On their website they stated that children cannot enroll in classes above their grade level but the Kindergarten stuff looked like it was for pre-readers. So I wrote to the them asn explained our situations and played the "Davidson card" and they let her into the 1st and 2nd grade combo classes.
They have three summer sessions but I am only going to enroll her in the first one because it might not be a good fit for her. Plus we have a lot of other things we could be doing.
The reason for these sessions, in my opinion, is for Z to get to know other gifted kids in our area and because the classes for older kids sound really cool - they have lots of Harry Potter classes, one for each book plus others, and Lemony Snickett classes, and Greek Myths classses and muscial theatre, etc.
They said based on getting to know Z that next year she could go into the 3rd - 5th grade classes, which is when all those classes are available.
We have a lot of other things lined up for the summer. Monday is Japanese and Ice Skating, they are both kind of far from my house but in the same area so I want to do them on the same day so I don't have to drive so much. Tuesday is Piano and play dates, Wednesday is getting together with the gifted kids playgroup, Thursdays are also for playdates, and Friday are Beach Days with our homeschooling group.
I figure we will do a lot less homeschooling over the summer. I will pare it down to piano, Japanese, math and writing.
For writing Z is going to start keeping a diary/journal. I asked her last night if she would write in it daily if I bought her one and she was excited about the prospect. She said that she needs one anyway to write down the story ideas that she is always coming up with.
Today she is back at the piano again playing it during all her free time. Well, right now she is actually playing a "one woman band, with a harmonica, tambourine and two drums.
Another funny thing - Z was playing with her doll house and she called the mirror a "looking glass." hee hee
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Operation Gratitude (and piano)
So this is what I came up with to help Z take the focus away from what is done for her.
We have a new family project. Everyday each of us will do _at least_ one helpful thing for the other members of our family without being asked to. For example we could offer to get someone a drink or pitch in a help them with their chore or offer to carry something in from the car for them, etc
Also each day we will do at least one good deed for the world or someone outside our family. For example we could pick up some trash, or take a shopping cart back to the corral or buy some coffee for a friend or bring a neighbor her mail, etc.
We already do these things but I think making a point of doing at least three good deeds a day will make us more aware of opportunites, thus turning our thoughts outward.
I plan on trying to do a lot of good deeds to motivate Z even more and make a game of it.
Z has a naturally kind heart, she has all the good qualities in a friend or daughter. I just think that her expectations of what she is "entitled" to gets skewed and we have to remind her.
(and piano?)
We got really behind last week on piano practice. I think it was partly being busy running around getting camping supplies and having play dates but it was also decompression from all the practicing before recital.
Z's lesson is today and she knew she was behind on her practicing. She started on her finger warm ups, she has six exercises that she has to do three times each and after some of them she asked if she could do them again and again because they sound pretty. Then when it was time to practice songs from her song book she asked if she could do some of her old songs and some extra songs.
I think she must have missed her piano. :)
We have a new family project. Everyday each of us will do _at least_ one helpful thing for the other members of our family without being asked to. For example we could offer to get someone a drink or pitch in a help them with their chore or offer to carry something in from the car for them, etc
Also each day we will do at least one good deed for the world or someone outside our family. For example we could pick up some trash, or take a shopping cart back to the corral or buy some coffee for a friend or bring a neighbor her mail, etc.
We already do these things but I think making a point of doing at least three good deeds a day will make us more aware of opportunites, thus turning our thoughts outward.
I plan on trying to do a lot of good deeds to motivate Z even more and make a game of it.
Z has a naturally kind heart, she has all the good qualities in a friend or daughter. I just think that her expectations of what she is "entitled" to gets skewed and we have to remind her.
(and piano?)
We got really behind last week on piano practice. I think it was partly being busy running around getting camping supplies and having play dates but it was also decompression from all the practicing before recital.
Z's lesson is today and she knew she was behind on her practicing. She started on her finger warm ups, she has six exercises that she has to do three times each and after some of them she asked if she could do them again and again because they sound pretty. Then when it was time to practice songs from her song book she asked if she could do some of her old songs and some extra songs.
I think she must have missed her piano. :)
Monday, June 19, 2006
In Z's world.
Today on the way home from seeing Nacho Libre Z bemoaned "We only did two special things today."
*grrrr*
We have always had a hard time with Z and getting an adequate amount of gratitude from her.
Recently, maybe when she started doing the How to be a Princesss in Seven Days routine or before she has been asking every morning "Are we doing anything special today?"
That question on it's own is not a problem. It is kind of sweet and I imagine she likes having something to look forward to every day. For awhile the special thing was something to do with her Princess training but might also include a pool party. Since then we have had a recital or play date or park day or birthday party or something to do pretty much everyday. It seems like every day we had something special to do.
But when she starts complaining about only have two special things, which by the way were going ice skating with her friends and seeing a movie, it makes my blood boil.
Gratitude has been a concern of mine regarding her for a couple years now. When she was there Pere even made up a prayer that we have said every night since then where we thank God for the basic things in our life, like shelter and food, as well as coming up with new things each night. It is kind of like a verbal gratitude journal.
I have also used bibliotherapy to teach her to be grateful. We are reading Heidi right now who should be a great role-model.
It is not like Z is a terrible Veruca Salt type spoiled brat. For one thing Pere and I do not respond to demands. Z has nice manners and often shows her gratitude with smiles and excitement.
I just think that her world view is skewed. In Z's world something new and interesting is happening all the time. In Z's world life is fun, even "school" is fun. In Z's world everyone loves her and even strangers are kind, and likely to give her a free balloon or lollypop. In Z's world if she falls down on the ice skating rink about 15 of her friends race over to comfort her and little children she just meets hug her and give her cupcakes.
In Z's world her ever loving parents are the closest thing she knows of meaness because sometimes they scold her and they often *gasp* say "No."
I can imagine that it is easy to get caught up in a world where everything is so so special, that suddenly only going ice skating and seeing a movie in a day doesn't seem like much.
So I've got to come up with yet another way to get her to understand that she really isn't a princess. She has chores to do and school work and she needs to do them with a good attitude. And when we do something special she needs to say "Thank you."
I am working on my plan and I think it has something to do with having her be useful to her family without having to be asked and doing a "good deed" for someone else. I would like to take her focus away from what she _wants_ to what she _ought_ to do.
*grrrr*
We have always had a hard time with Z and getting an adequate amount of gratitude from her.
Recently, maybe when she started doing the How to be a Princesss in Seven Days routine or before she has been asking every morning "Are we doing anything special today?"
That question on it's own is not a problem. It is kind of sweet and I imagine she likes having something to look forward to every day. For awhile the special thing was something to do with her Princess training but might also include a pool party. Since then we have had a recital or play date or park day or birthday party or something to do pretty much everyday. It seems like every day we had something special to do.
But when she starts complaining about only have two special things, which by the way were going ice skating with her friends and seeing a movie, it makes my blood boil.
Gratitude has been a concern of mine regarding her for a couple years now. When she was there Pere even made up a prayer that we have said every night since then where we thank God for the basic things in our life, like shelter and food, as well as coming up with new things each night. It is kind of like a verbal gratitude journal.
I have also used bibliotherapy to teach her to be grateful. We are reading Heidi right now who should be a great role-model.
It is not like Z is a terrible Veruca Salt type spoiled brat. For one thing Pere and I do not respond to demands. Z has nice manners and often shows her gratitude with smiles and excitement.
I just think that her world view is skewed. In Z's world something new and interesting is happening all the time. In Z's world life is fun, even "school" is fun. In Z's world everyone loves her and even strangers are kind, and likely to give her a free balloon or lollypop. In Z's world if she falls down on the ice skating rink about 15 of her friends race over to comfort her and little children she just meets hug her and give her cupcakes.
In Z's world her ever loving parents are the closest thing she knows of meaness because sometimes they scold her and they often *gasp* say "No."
I can imagine that it is easy to get caught up in a world where everything is so so special, that suddenly only going ice skating and seeing a movie in a day doesn't seem like much.
So I've got to come up with yet another way to get her to understand that she really isn't a princess. She has chores to do and school work and she needs to do them with a good attitude. And when we do something special she needs to say "Thank you."
I am working on my plan and I think it has something to do with having her be useful to her family without having to be asked and doing a "good deed" for someone else. I would like to take her focus away from what she _wants_ to what she _ought_ to do.
spelling at Legoland
So after camping we drove down to Legoland for Father's Day. We got there early and had to wait in line for the gates to open. We started chatting with the gate keeper and Z said to her "What to hear me spell Mississippi?"
Behind us in line there was a boy, about 8 or 9 I would think. He heard Z spelling and wanted to give her some more words to spell. It would have been sweet if the boy wasn't really obnoxious. He would give her a "really hard" (in his words) word and then while she was thinking it out he would start talking over her. He even said "No sounding out, just spell it!"
He had her spell RAILROAD, TRAIN, and some other words like that and Z got them all right. He started getting upset about it. Z's Tante was with us and got annoyed with the boy and asked if he could spell those words. Then Z asked him to spell Encyclopedia. He couldn't so he got mad and tried to ask Z harder words but she could still spell them. Then he actually yelled at her to spell them faster.
Z looked up at me and said "Mom, do I have to keep doing this?" I was like "No way!"
I don't understand why the mom of this kid thought it was okay for her son to act like that.
Later we saw him in line at another ride and he came over and said "You spell good."
*heh*
Other than impromptu spelling bee's and her own reading Z never works on spelling during homeschooling. But she is doing pretty well. She is still really proud of the whole Mississippi thing. :)
Behind us in line there was a boy, about 8 or 9 I would think. He heard Z spelling and wanted to give her some more words to spell. It would have been sweet if the boy wasn't really obnoxious. He would give her a "really hard" (in his words) word and then while she was thinking it out he would start talking over her. He even said "No sounding out, just spell it!"
He had her spell RAILROAD, TRAIN, and some other words like that and Z got them all right. He started getting upset about it. Z's Tante was with us and got annoyed with the boy and asked if he could spell those words. Then Z asked him to spell Encyclopedia. He couldn't so he got mad and tried to ask Z harder words but she could still spell them. Then he actually yelled at her to spell them faster.
Z looked up at me and said "Mom, do I have to keep doing this?" I was like "No way!"
I don't understand why the mom of this kid thought it was okay for her son to act like that.
Later we saw him in line at another ride and he came over and said "You spell good."
*heh*
Other than impromptu spelling bee's and her own reading Z never works on spelling during homeschooling. But she is doing pretty well. She is still really proud of the whole Mississippi thing. :)
Camping part two
So remember I mentioned the firewood that we had left at our campsite?
Well when we got back there the firewood was missing. Pere said he would go over to our closest neighbors and asked if they had seen anyone take our wood. A few minute later Pere came back carrying our wood. Hmph!
Then we set up camp. We have a 3 person 3 season tent, originally we thought Pere would sleep outside this time since Tante was with us but the bugs were legion so we figured out a way for us all to sleep in the tent with Z sleep down at our feet (we are all pretty short.)
Then we drove to a nearby ice cream place to treat ourselves for burning off so many calories. *wink*
When we came back to the camp we took Z to the playground. Where does she get her energy?
We had a couple house till sunset and Tante wanted to know what we were going to do . I told her we would make our own fun. And we did.
First will CavePere started a large fire Z and I had an Entomology class. We lied down on a blanket with our face really close to grass and saw the hundreds of ants, aphids, beetles, and other insects that live in 6 inch by 6 inch square of nature. I told Z that the insects have a larger world than we do because they are so small. We talked about scale and imagined that if we were insects how big blades of grass, flowers and shoes would be to us. Z caught a lot of bugs on the blanket and looked at them with her magnifying glass. Then she caught a huge pill bug and then another even huger black beetle that she made our camp pet. That girl really likes to look at bugs.
After dinner - a pot of carrot and onion couscous with pre-cooked chicken- we started a game of throwing rocks at my almost empty and flat bottle of soda. After Tante and I got tired of this and wandered off Pere and Z kept up at it and next thing I knew Z had gotten very accurate. So not only was this her first camping trip but it was also the day she really learned how to throw. :)
As the sun started to set we got into a very silly and hilarious game of charades. That was one of the best parts of the trip. I was really happy that not only did we have no internet or games or even books that we still managed to have a very fun time - like I had said, we made our own fun.
The sun set after eight and we put Z down to sleep in the tent with a flashlight and a book. (I am not sure if she can fall asleep without reading something.) She might have been a little scared. She called out to us once when we were all sitting in the dark watching the embers in the fire die out. She said we were being too quiet.
Oh wait! I forgot to talk about the potty situation. When we were hiking on the trail Z had to go "pee-pee" so I took her off the trail and found her a good spot by a tree and showed her how to go in the woods. She did it the right way but afterwards she said "I don't think I want to do that again."
We had a port-o-potty by our campsite but I couldn't really bring myself to use it. Z used it once and said she felt disgusting just being in there. Tante was right when she said it was really quite clean but still... So when I really had to go I actually drove the car to the nature center and went there or once it was dark I went in the bushes, I felt that was cleaner that being in the port-o-potty.
Around 10:00 Pere, Tante and I tried to go to sleep. It didn't really work out that well. I was really hot and feeling bad about the amount of tossing and turning I wanted to do since we were all cramped into a 3 person tent. Then around midnight, a car full of men and boys (from the sound of their voices) showed up and started louding pitching their tent in the site next to ours. Very loudly and apparently they were doing a bad job of it because it took them a long time and lots of arguing about it. I don't know where they came from because the campsite gates were locked at 10:00.
It was pretty annoying and made me long for a more secluded spot where the only thing to bother us would be the bears and lions. Of course Z slept through the whole thing.
She also slept through them getting up at 4:00 in the morning and talking louding about fishing and then getting into their car and driving off and then driving back and complaining about how the gate was still locked and how they had to wait till seven in the morning to leave.
I couldn't fall back to sleep after that. In about an hour Tante woke up. We only had two more hours till we could leave. around six Pere got up and we all consulted and found that none of us had slept more than about four hours that night. Except Z that is, at 6:30 I had to go into the tent and wake her up so we could break camp.
Other than the loud neighbors it was a great camping trip. I can't wait to do it again.
My next post will be about how we left the camp to spend Father's Day with Grandpere and Grandmere at Legoland.
Well when we got back there the firewood was missing. Pere said he would go over to our closest neighbors and asked if they had seen anyone take our wood. A few minute later Pere came back carrying our wood. Hmph!
Then we set up camp. We have a 3 person 3 season tent, originally we thought Pere would sleep outside this time since Tante was with us but the bugs were legion so we figured out a way for us all to sleep in the tent with Z sleep down at our feet (we are all pretty short.)
Then we drove to a nearby ice cream place to treat ourselves for burning off so many calories. *wink*
When we came back to the camp we took Z to the playground. Where does she get her energy?
We had a couple house till sunset and Tante wanted to know what we were going to do . I told her we would make our own fun. And we did.
First will CavePere started a large fire Z and I had an Entomology class. We lied down on a blanket with our face really close to grass and saw the hundreds of ants, aphids, beetles, and other insects that live in 6 inch by 6 inch square of nature. I told Z that the insects have a larger world than we do because they are so small. We talked about scale and imagined that if we were insects how big blades of grass, flowers and shoes would be to us. Z caught a lot of bugs on the blanket and looked at them with her magnifying glass. Then she caught a huge pill bug and then another even huger black beetle that she made our camp pet. That girl really likes to look at bugs.
After dinner - a pot of carrot and onion couscous with pre-cooked chicken- we started a game of throwing rocks at my almost empty and flat bottle of soda. After Tante and I got tired of this and wandered off Pere and Z kept up at it and next thing I knew Z had gotten very accurate. So not only was this her first camping trip but it was also the day she really learned how to throw. :)
As the sun started to set we got into a very silly and hilarious game of charades. That was one of the best parts of the trip. I was really happy that not only did we have no internet or games or even books that we still managed to have a very fun time - like I had said, we made our own fun.
The sun set after eight and we put Z down to sleep in the tent with a flashlight and a book. (I am not sure if she can fall asleep without reading something.) She might have been a little scared. She called out to us once when we were all sitting in the dark watching the embers in the fire die out. She said we were being too quiet.
Oh wait! I forgot to talk about the potty situation. When we were hiking on the trail Z had to go "pee-pee" so I took her off the trail and found her a good spot by a tree and showed her how to go in the woods. She did it the right way but afterwards she said "I don't think I want to do that again."
We had a port-o-potty by our campsite but I couldn't really bring myself to use it. Z used it once and said she felt disgusting just being in there. Tante was right when she said it was really quite clean but still... So when I really had to go I actually drove the car to the nature center and went there or once it was dark I went in the bushes, I felt that was cleaner that being in the port-o-potty.
Around 10:00 Pere, Tante and I tried to go to sleep. It didn't really work out that well. I was really hot and feeling bad about the amount of tossing and turning I wanted to do since we were all cramped into a 3 person tent. Then around midnight, a car full of men and boys (from the sound of their voices) showed up and started louding pitching their tent in the site next to ours. Very loudly and apparently they were doing a bad job of it because it took them a long time and lots of arguing about it. I don't know where they came from because the campsite gates were locked at 10:00.
It was pretty annoying and made me long for a more secluded spot where the only thing to bother us would be the bears and lions. Of course Z slept through the whole thing.
She also slept through them getting up at 4:00 in the morning and talking louding about fishing and then getting into their car and driving off and then driving back and complaining about how the gate was still locked and how they had to wait till seven in the morning to leave.
I couldn't fall back to sleep after that. In about an hour Tante woke up. We only had two more hours till we could leave. around six Pere got up and we all consulted and found that none of us had slept more than about four hours that night. Except Z that is, at 6:30 I had to go into the tent and wake her up so we could break camp.
Other than the loud neighbors it was a great camping trip. I can't wait to do it again.
My next post will be about how we left the camp to spend Father's Day with Grandpere and Grandmere at Legoland.
Camping part one
Z’s first camping trip
Saturday my husband got a long time wish fulfilled when he got to take his family camping. The week before I must have gone to R.E.I. four or five time to get new gear – including a 3 person tent and new mummy bags – all specialized stuff for ultra-light camping, which is what Pere wants to get into. So this weekend was kind of training for longer future trips.
We were trying to “rough it” and only bring what we would be able to bring with us if we were doing ultra-light hiking. We had to fudge it a little because we don’t have frame packs yet.
We picked up Pere’s sister, Tante, who was not in on the whole “roughing” it thing and had brought a nice fluffy pillow that I was jealous of.
We got to the camp site in a couple hours and dropped off the fire wood we had bought at the ranger station and then drove out to the trailheads. At the trailhead we were warned of ticks, rattlesnakes and mountain lions. The whole tick thing really got into Tante’s head and she was pretty freaked out about it. I can’t really say anything though since I have a spider “issue.”
We chose the Bell Canyon hike which was the longest but had the least elevation. Z was properly attired in long lightweight pants, t-shirt, hat and hiking shoes, the rest of us wore about the same uniform in plain colors so as not to attract bees. But soon our sweat was attracting lots of flies which made it hard to sit still to eat our “rations” at lunch time. About two and a half miles up the trail ended and we decided to go off trail for the return trip. Nothing too dangerous, just a dry creek bed that we had seen followed near the trail and that we knew crossed the trail.
It was more fun but it was a lot harder. I had to hold Z’s hand most of the time to keep her from tripping on the rocks and we had to do more climbing up and down rocky areas to bypass parks of the creek that were not to dry. We jokingly accused Pere of wanting one of us to break an ankle so that he could use the emergency kit he had brought. But nothing worse that Tante submerging one foot in the creek happened.
We saw lots of bird, bugs and lizards. When the river bed crossed the trail again we got back on it and soon I saw a lizard about 12 inches long, it was an alligator lizard. Being the good Mommy that I am I caught it for Z and let her hold it for a bit.
We were all pretty tired by the time we got back to our car. We stopped at the first restroom to clean off. I took off my clothes to take a shower and stepped into the stall and had something small, slimy, and grey jump out at me. I screamed. Tante asked me if the water was too cold but I told that no, my shower was already occupied by a frog. He was a good frog though and didn’t bother me while I and then Z rinsed off.
part two coming up
Saturday my husband got a long time wish fulfilled when he got to take his family camping. The week before I must have gone to R.E.I. four or five time to get new gear – including a 3 person tent and new mummy bags – all specialized stuff for ultra-light camping, which is what Pere wants to get into. So this weekend was kind of training for longer future trips.
We were trying to “rough it” and only bring what we would be able to bring with us if we were doing ultra-light hiking. We had to fudge it a little because we don’t have frame packs yet.
We picked up Pere’s sister, Tante, who was not in on the whole “roughing” it thing and had brought a nice fluffy pillow that I was jealous of.
We got to the camp site in a couple hours and dropped off the fire wood we had bought at the ranger station and then drove out to the trailheads. At the trailhead we were warned of ticks, rattlesnakes and mountain lions. The whole tick thing really got into Tante’s head and she was pretty freaked out about it. I can’t really say anything though since I have a spider “issue.”
We chose the Bell Canyon hike which was the longest but had the least elevation. Z was properly attired in long lightweight pants, t-shirt, hat and hiking shoes, the rest of us wore about the same uniform in plain colors so as not to attract bees. But soon our sweat was attracting lots of flies which made it hard to sit still to eat our “rations” at lunch time. About two and a half miles up the trail ended and we decided to go off trail for the return trip. Nothing too dangerous, just a dry creek bed that we had seen followed near the trail and that we knew crossed the trail.
It was more fun but it was a lot harder. I had to hold Z’s hand most of the time to keep her from tripping on the rocks and we had to do more climbing up and down rocky areas to bypass parks of the creek that were not to dry. We jokingly accused Pere of wanting one of us to break an ankle so that he could use the emergency kit he had brought. But nothing worse that Tante submerging one foot in the creek happened.
We saw lots of bird, bugs and lizards. When the river bed crossed the trail again we got back on it and soon I saw a lizard about 12 inches long, it was an alligator lizard. Being the good Mommy that I am I caught it for Z and let her hold it for a bit.
We were all pretty tired by the time we got back to our car. We stopped at the first restroom to clean off. I took off my clothes to take a shower and stepped into the stall and had something small, slimy, and grey jump out at me. I screamed. Tante asked me if the water was too cold but I told that no, my shower was already occupied by a frog. He was a good frog though and didn’t bother me while I and then Z rinsed off.
part two coming up
Friday, June 16, 2006
My busy day
I think this is my 100th post. Wow, I am chatty. :P
Today was very busy, I probably drove over a hundred miles today.
First we went back to our old neighborhood and visited some friends we hadn't seen since we moved. They homeschool too. We met them when we both hosted foreign exchange student, two girls from Belgium that happened to be best friends.
The middle daughter, C, is nine now and out of all Z's friends they have the most interests in common. Z and C really bonded last summer when the 6th Harry Potter book came out and our two families and our students went to Barnes and Nobles for their party and waited till midnight to stand in line and get our copies of the book.
C likes Harry Potter, the musical Wicked (the girls used to put on Wicked shows for us all last summer), X-Men and Pirates of the Caribbean. In fact C was dressed kinda funny today with a scarf on her head and an odd number of braids in her hair, I realized later she was actually dressed as Jack Sparrow. Don't you love that?
To bad they live so far away.
Then Z had a "test" in Japanese today. She actually asked her teacher to test her. :) She also sang the two songs she memorized - super cute Japanese kid songs.
Then we raced home and drove out another twenty miles to our friends house for dinner. Their sons are gifted too and Z really gets along with the boy J who is 6. They played some game where they were "saving the world" for several hours while we got to have good grown up conversation. *sweeeet*
Then we raced home to actually pack for our camping trip tomorrow. I will try to take lots of pictures. I won't be back till Monday.
Today was very busy, I probably drove over a hundred miles today.
First we went back to our old neighborhood and visited some friends we hadn't seen since we moved. They homeschool too. We met them when we both hosted foreign exchange student, two girls from Belgium that happened to be best friends.
The middle daughter, C, is nine now and out of all Z's friends they have the most interests in common. Z and C really bonded last summer when the 6th Harry Potter book came out and our two families and our students went to Barnes and Nobles for their party and waited till midnight to stand in line and get our copies of the book.
C likes Harry Potter, the musical Wicked (the girls used to put on Wicked shows for us all last summer), X-Men and Pirates of the Caribbean. In fact C was dressed kinda funny today with a scarf on her head and an odd number of braids in her hair, I realized later she was actually dressed as Jack Sparrow. Don't you love that?
To bad they live so far away.
Then Z had a "test" in Japanese today. She actually asked her teacher to test her. :) She also sang the two songs she memorized - super cute Japanese kid songs.
Then we raced home and drove out another twenty miles to our friends house for dinner. Their sons are gifted too and Z really gets along with the boy J who is 6. They played some game where they were "saving the world" for several hours while we got to have good grown up conversation. *sweeeet*
Then we raced home to actually pack for our camping trip tomorrow. I will try to take lots of pictures. I won't be back till Monday.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
the Blue Screen
Today Z went to a birthday pool party of a boy in our homeschool group. They had a beautiful house with a pool.
Another cool thing they did was invite a company over who filmed the kids singing to a song from High School the Musical and dancing a variety of ways.
The kids danced, did poses, walked in a line, dived into a pool in a line, held hands and twirled around, etc. The company took a lot of footage and then in a couple weeks we will all get a copy of the DVD.
These are some of my favorite poses of Z hamming it up posing and dancing in front of the blue screen.
On another note the babysitter of the boy who's party it was was there with her 2 year old daughter. Apparently the little girl was very verbal, though I never heard her speak myself.
One of the mom's commented on the girl's precocity in front of me and another said "yeah, there is always one kid like that, but they all even out by the time they are 8 or 9."
I really dislike that comment. Sure, some precocious kids do even it. And maybe this little girl isn't gifted, I really have no idea. But gifted child does not "even out". They may hide or underachieve but they are still gifted. They can no more become "normal" than a child with an I.Q. of 30 or 40 will "even out" by 8 or 9.
sorry for the rant. In person I just fixed on a vague smile and stared off into the distance.
Another cool thing they did was invite a company over who filmed the kids singing to a song from High School the Musical and dancing a variety of ways.
The kids danced, did poses, walked in a line, dived into a pool in a line, held hands and twirled around, etc. The company took a lot of footage and then in a couple weeks we will all get a copy of the DVD.
These are some of my favorite poses of Z hamming it up posing and dancing in front of the blue screen.
On another note the babysitter of the boy who's party it was was there with her 2 year old daughter. Apparently the little girl was very verbal, though I never heard her speak myself.
One of the mom's commented on the girl's precocity in front of me and another said "yeah, there is always one kid like that, but they all even out by the time they are 8 or 9."
I really dislike that comment. Sure, some precocious kids do even it. And maybe this little girl isn't gifted, I really have no idea. But gifted child does not "even out". They may hide or underachieve but they are still gifted. They can no more become "normal" than a child with an I.Q. of 30 or 40 will "even out" by 8 or 9.
sorry for the rant. In person I just fixed on a vague smile and stared off into the distance.
Yesterday's fun
Z wanted to "play Samurai" yesterday. So we read a book about Samurai and then I made Z some armour and she got out her swords and the outfit she got from one of our Japanese students and posed for these pictures for me.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
What I learned today
I learned that singing is one the BEST ways for Z to learn. She has four Japanese songs she is working on this week and she really wants to listen to them over and over again and then practices singing them throughout the day. I need a whole curriculum based on singing! (Either Acting out or Reading is her second best way to learn)
I learned that Z is getting old enough to design a lot of her own day. Today she wanted to get out all her fairy tale books and find the stories about Princesses and them read them in alphabetical order according to the princesses' name.
At piano this evening I realized that I need to be more connected to Z when she practices. I learned from her teacher that Z need to take things S-L-O-W instead of trying to rush through everything and that when she gets upset with herself she has a hard time figuring out what to do.
Tonight I realized that when you get a new tent and new sleeping bags you have to set up the tent in the living room and let your kid sleep in it. :) We are taking Z camping for the first time this weekend. She is so excited. She has been taking about it every night during her prayers "Thank you God for making tents so we can go camping." and "Thank you God for making Father's Day so we can go camping on it." *hee hee*
She is in the tent now, I put her in there with some bottled water, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Ramona the Pest.
I learned that Z is getting old enough to design a lot of her own day. Today she wanted to get out all her fairy tale books and find the stories about Princesses and them read them in alphabetical order according to the princesses' name.
At piano this evening I realized that I need to be more connected to Z when she practices. I learned from her teacher that Z need to take things S-L-O-W instead of trying to rush through everything and that when she gets upset with herself she has a hard time figuring out what to do.
Tonight I realized that when you get a new tent and new sleeping bags you have to set up the tent in the living room and let your kid sleep in it. :) We are taking Z camping for the first time this weekend. She is so excited. She has been taking about it every night during her prayers "Thank you God for making tents so we can go camping." and "Thank you God for making Father's Day so we can go camping on it." *hee hee*
She is in the tent now, I put her in there with some bottled water, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Ramona the Pest.
Why I wish Z would just read Peanuts
I actually updated my list on the sidebar of what Z is reading.
Everynight after I read a chapter of Heidi to Z she reads me two pages from one of our huge Foxtrot comic books. This is how it works. Z reads a strip and then at the end of each strip she asks "Why was that funny?" and I tell her.
The above strip would have me explain what the ozone layer is and how humans could, hypothetically, damage it and what Bactine is, also probably why the father would put so much fuel into the grill and male stereotyping.
Then like everytime Z would laugh like it is the funniest thing...
I wish she would just read Calvin in Hobbes or Peanuts.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Some recent pictures
This first picture is from Z's piano recital, getting a certificate and a rose from her teacher.
The other pictures are from today, this morning we went to the park to play with one of her boy friends. Then this afternoon Z went ice skating with her homeschool group.
I really didn't want to make ice skating a regular thing but Z is enjoying herself.
This evening we took her out to play tennis and she is doing so well! If you throw the ball so it bounces right to her she can hit it 19 times out of 20 and she hits it hard . Now I am thinking about looking for a short summer tennis camp, just for fun.
Shakespeare in the woods
The director of the Shakespeare group that Z performed in this year contacted us and asked if Z would perform again in July.
The deal is that there is a conference being held at a castle in Beverly Hills (yes a castle) and the conference members are going to be led through the woods (yes a castle with woods) by "Titania" and come upon scenes from Midsummer Night's Dream being acted out.
Doesn't that sound cool? :)
I found out today that some of the other actors will be the four oldest and best actors from Z's group (ages 11 - 14). I'm pretty proud that Z was invited to do this.
I think it is going to be mostly interactive improv with the conference members and "Titania" who is played by an adult who does Shakespeare professionally.
The deal is that there is a conference being held at a castle in Beverly Hills (yes a castle) and the conference members are going to be led through the woods (yes a castle with woods) by "Titania" and come upon scenes from Midsummer Night's Dream being acted out.
Doesn't that sound cool? :)
I found out today that some of the other actors will be the four oldest and best actors from Z's group (ages 11 - 14). I'm pretty proud that Z was invited to do this.
I think it is going to be mostly interactive improv with the conference members and "Titania" who is played by an adult who does Shakespeare professionally.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Piano recital
Z had her piano recital today.
She sang her Mozart song and played two pieces and was in the orchestra.
The whole recital was very good. Some of those kids were just awesome.
She sang her Mozart song and played two pieces and was in the orchestra.
The whole recital was very good. Some of those kids were just awesome.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
So this is what I am thinking about our homeschooling right now (beware I may change my mind!)
I feel that there are so many wonderful things to do out in the world or with our own time and of our own choosing that something has to be very important for me to spend our time "teaching" it to Z.
I think that bike rides and nature walks, a building sand castles at the beach, ice skating with friends or playing dress up are, at this point in Z's life, as important as any other thing she could be doing with her time.
I think that having free time to pursue her own endeavors is probably more important than anything I can impose upon her.
I am not talking about unschooling though. I am talking about justifying to myself why I am teaching her what I am teaching her.
This is one of my favorite article on curriculum design. I read it first about three years ago and everytime I reread it I end up doing a major over haul of my method, usually throwing out stuff that some other curriculum designer (think TWTM) sold me on.
Everyone has their own reasons, based on their child's strengths and weaknesses and their family values for why they are teaching what they teach, or at least they should. Tonight I came up with a pretty short (compared to my old list) list of subjects to teach.
1. Math
Why should I attempt to teach math almost every day to my five year old? My reasons might be incorrect according to some data but I do have a lot of research on my side. Kids need to memorize their math facts. They need to have that stuff down cold. They will have trouble ever applying more complicated maths and theories if they still have to work on the basic functions. Also math can, perhaps, best be taught sequentially. I know it has been taught out of order with success but I am going to do it, for the most part, building one thing upon the other. There is a lot of math to learn and higher level sciences require a background in higher maths. It is important to me that Z will be prepared to pursue a career in a hard science or in technology or engineering should she wish to. So, math is an every day thing.
2. Foreign Language
I wrote previous that I would like Z to be a polyglot. I think that every language she learns would be a benefit to any future career she chooses. But the only reason we attempt this is becauze Z loves langauges. If she didn't have a passion for them I think we would just do Spanish (or Chinese) for practical reasons, some basic Hebrew and be done with it. This is the age to teach her too. Many other subjects can wait and she will appreciate them more when she is older but 5 years old is a perfect time to work on becomes fluent in a foreign language.
3. Piano
Piano teaches Z so much more than merely making music. Piano teaches Z discipline. Piano is something that Z has to work hard at and do repetition after repetition to make it beautiful. It is also a subject of beauty, where attention to detail creates something more beautiful. Piano trains her fingers and mind to be nimble and think ahead to the next keys. Piano is expressive. Music is historical and music is mathematical. Music is the language that Z speaks in much of the time.
4. Visual Spatial Development and Problem Solving
These two areas are closely linked. I am talking about jigsaw puzzles, mazes, chess, Sudoku, building with LEGO's, origami, etc. Z has a gift for visual spatial thinking, I want to exercise that area of her mind. I want to present her with critical thinking problems to solve. I worry that in todays schools children are not taught to think, nor how to look at things and figure out how they might work. The ability to do deep and thoughtful thinking as well as rapid intuitive thinking can help a person in endless ways.
5. Memorization
I am not sure about this one. But memorization comes so easily to Z that I would like to offer her beautiful songs, poems, verses, speeches, etc to add to her memory bank. I am not sure if this is really important though. But it is something that seems to happen almost naturally due to the amount we read.
6. Reading classics
Some books just must be read. I am sure you know what I mean. If not then you probably never will. (sorry, just being flippant, but this subject really doesn't need an explaination does it?)
7. Everything else including history and science
This we are going to do haphazardly with the idea that want Z to enjoy these subjects and find them interesting. We watch a lot of science and history programs on television that are very interesting to the whole family. Those topics often lead to doing more research in books or online. We also own literally hundreds of books on science and history that we read often and discuss. There are some great kids magazines like Kids Discover that Z loves. My goal right now is for Z to continue to enjoy learning and to make connections between ideas and to have the free time to think about and incorporate what she has learned. Z loves to act out being a cave person or an arthropod or a little girl during the Revolutionary War. I want to just "play" with these ideas with her. It doesn't work for us to be too rigid in the order we introduce history and science (or geography, etc) to Z. Maybe when she is tolder we will do things more orderly but now this is what works for us.
I enjoyed asking myself why I am teaching Z what I am teaching her. I need to remember to reevaluate often.
I feel that there are so many wonderful things to do out in the world or with our own time and of our own choosing that something has to be very important for me to spend our time "teaching" it to Z.
I think that bike rides and nature walks, a building sand castles at the beach, ice skating with friends or playing dress up are, at this point in Z's life, as important as any other thing she could be doing with her time.
I think that having free time to pursue her own endeavors is probably more important than anything I can impose upon her.
I am not talking about unschooling though. I am talking about justifying to myself why I am teaching her what I am teaching her.
This is one of my favorite article on curriculum design. I read it first about three years ago and everytime I reread it I end up doing a major over haul of my method, usually throwing out stuff that some other curriculum designer (think TWTM) sold me on.
Everyone has their own reasons, based on their child's strengths and weaknesses and their family values for why they are teaching what they teach, or at least they should. Tonight I came up with a pretty short (compared to my old list) list of subjects to teach.
1. Math
Why should I attempt to teach math almost every day to my five year old? My reasons might be incorrect according to some data but I do have a lot of research on my side. Kids need to memorize their math facts. They need to have that stuff down cold. They will have trouble ever applying more complicated maths and theories if they still have to work on the basic functions. Also math can, perhaps, best be taught sequentially. I know it has been taught out of order with success but I am going to do it, for the most part, building one thing upon the other. There is a lot of math to learn and higher level sciences require a background in higher maths. It is important to me that Z will be prepared to pursue a career in a hard science or in technology or engineering should she wish to. So, math is an every day thing.
2. Foreign Language
I wrote previous that I would like Z to be a polyglot. I think that every language she learns would be a benefit to any future career she chooses. But the only reason we attempt this is becauze Z loves langauges. If she didn't have a passion for them I think we would just do Spanish (or Chinese) for practical reasons, some basic Hebrew and be done with it. This is the age to teach her too. Many other subjects can wait and she will appreciate them more when she is older but 5 years old is a perfect time to work on becomes fluent in a foreign language.
3. Piano
Piano teaches Z so much more than merely making music. Piano teaches Z discipline. Piano is something that Z has to work hard at and do repetition after repetition to make it beautiful. It is also a subject of beauty, where attention to detail creates something more beautiful. Piano trains her fingers and mind to be nimble and think ahead to the next keys. Piano is expressive. Music is historical and music is mathematical. Music is the language that Z speaks in much of the time.
4. Visual Spatial Development and Problem Solving
These two areas are closely linked. I am talking about jigsaw puzzles, mazes, chess, Sudoku, building with LEGO's, origami, etc. Z has a gift for visual spatial thinking, I want to exercise that area of her mind. I want to present her with critical thinking problems to solve. I worry that in todays schools children are not taught to think, nor how to look at things and figure out how they might work. The ability to do deep and thoughtful thinking as well as rapid intuitive thinking can help a person in endless ways.
5. Memorization
I am not sure about this one. But memorization comes so easily to Z that I would like to offer her beautiful songs, poems, verses, speeches, etc to add to her memory bank. I am not sure if this is really important though. But it is something that seems to happen almost naturally due to the amount we read.
6. Reading classics
Some books just must be read. I am sure you know what I mean. If not then you probably never will. (sorry, just being flippant, but this subject really doesn't need an explaination does it?)
7. Everything else including history and science
This we are going to do haphazardly with the idea that want Z to enjoy these subjects and find them interesting. We watch a lot of science and history programs on television that are very interesting to the whole family. Those topics often lead to doing more research in books or online. We also own literally hundreds of books on science and history that we read often and discuss. There are some great kids magazines like Kids Discover that Z loves. My goal right now is for Z to continue to enjoy learning and to make connections between ideas and to have the free time to think about and incorporate what she has learned. Z loves to act out being a cave person or an arthropod or a little girl during the Revolutionary War. I want to just "play" with these ideas with her. It doesn't work for us to be too rigid in the order we introduce history and science (or geography, etc) to Z. Maybe when she is tolder we will do things more orderly but now this is what works for us.
I enjoyed asking myself why I am teaching Z what I am teaching her. I need to remember to reevaluate often.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Talent Show
We just got back from Z;s talent show, at 9:45 at night, and we had a wonderful time! My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. :)
First I have to say that I think Z did a very good job. I will criticize a little and say that she didn't do the movements/choreography that she had practiced, that some parts are really high, and a couple notes were flat.
But really I am just overjoyed! The point of this talent show was that it was going to be Z's thing. She chose her songs and how she wanted to dress etc. I just wanted her to have a good time and feel good about her performance.
We had a little trouble this morning where she thought the song she has been practicing all week, Grow for Me from Little Shop of Horrors, was too complicated and she wanted to have an easier "back-up" song. Her back-up song is the one she is going to be singing Sunday to her piano teacher's accompaniment, Mozart's Lullaby. I felt she was just having stage fright and I encouraged her to do her original song.
When we got to the talent show I talked to the people in charge and asked if Z could do two songs and they said "Yes." So to build up her confidence I asked her if she wanted to do the easier song first and then her original, but more complicated song, second. She did.
Z was the first and the third to sing. After the first song was met with resounding applause (really, it was resounding) she was ready to go up again. I was so proud of her performance. She was so cute! (Okay I am more than a tiny bit biased, I admit it) *goofy grin*
But see for yourself. Here
I just loved tonight. The other kids were so great. I really admire the sheer nerve it takes to get up before everyone and perform. We saw a teenage boy rock band, two brothers who played the violin and told jokes, sisters who played piano duets, a cute little red haired girl who danced a Scottish Highland Jig, an flute player, some more singers, someone read their own poetry, another did a monologue, one girl even sang opera and had two friends back her up with interpretive dance. But my favorites (beside Z, of course) were these amazing young asian boys (if I had to guess I would say 7, 10, and 12) who were piano prodigies. First the smallest one got up and of course he totally amazed with some fast-paced classical piece. Then the oldest boy got up and did The Entertainer. But the middle boy, *eeeee! so cute* got up and played a Blues song and it really seemed like he was feeling it. Then he played another, a Ragtime song, and asked everyone to clap along. Wow! That kid was just awesome. I wanted to bring him home with me.
Anyway, these kids did homeschooling proud.
First I have to say that I think Z did a very good job. I will criticize a little and say that she didn't do the movements/choreography that she had practiced, that some parts are really high, and a couple notes were flat.
But really I am just overjoyed! The point of this talent show was that it was going to be Z's thing. She chose her songs and how she wanted to dress etc. I just wanted her to have a good time and feel good about her performance.
We had a little trouble this morning where she thought the song she has been practicing all week, Grow for Me from Little Shop of Horrors, was too complicated and she wanted to have an easier "back-up" song. Her back-up song is the one she is going to be singing Sunday to her piano teacher's accompaniment, Mozart's Lullaby. I felt she was just having stage fright and I encouraged her to do her original song.
When we got to the talent show I talked to the people in charge and asked if Z could do two songs and they said "Yes." So to build up her confidence I asked her if she wanted to do the easier song first and then her original, but more complicated song, second. She did.
Z was the first and the third to sing. After the first song was met with resounding applause (really, it was resounding) she was ready to go up again. I was so proud of her performance. She was so cute! (Okay I am more than a tiny bit biased, I admit it) *goofy grin*
But see for yourself. Here
I just loved tonight. The other kids were so great. I really admire the sheer nerve it takes to get up before everyone and perform. We saw a teenage boy rock band, two brothers who played the violin and told jokes, sisters who played piano duets, a cute little red haired girl who danced a Scottish Highland Jig, an flute player, some more singers, someone read their own poetry, another did a monologue, one girl even sang opera and had two friends back her up with interpretive dance. But my favorites (beside Z, of course) were these amazing young asian boys (if I had to guess I would say 7, 10, and 12) who were piano prodigies. First the smallest one got up and of course he totally amazed with some fast-paced classical piece. Then the oldest boy got up and did The Entertainer. But the middle boy, *eeeee! so cute* got up and played a Blues song and it really seemed like he was feeling it. Then he played another, a Ragtime song, and asked everyone to clap along. Wow! That kid was just awesome. I wanted to bring him home with me.
Anyway, these kids did homeschooling proud.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Princess party
How to be a Princess in Seven Days.
Z read this book last weekend and all week she has been working to being a princess.
Day one she cleaned up her room
Day two she made a Princess themed "IN" and "OUT" door hanger for her room
Day three we invited people to her Princess Themed party
Day four she didn't need to make a jewelry box because she already has one - so she just organized hers.
Day five she organized her outfits
Today, day six, we had the Princess Party
We played the party games from the book - Kiss the Frog, Cinderella Says, Hunt for the Poison Apple, and Ditch the Witch. I also bought them foam crowns and foam jewels and they decorated them.
After wards the kids ate sweets and then some of them performed - either on the piano or singing.
Then they played the worlds longest game of Candy Land - there were seven kids playing! And then several (hundred?) games of Hide and Seek.
Z redeveloped the crush she had on a little boy from our old old neighborhood. (We had Princesses and Princes at her party) He is a handsome, sweet, intelligent boy, so I can see why. He and his little sister were some of the last to leave and Z was telling him "I love you!" a lot as he drove away. Then on the walk back she said "I think I have a crush on K." *hee hee*
Tomorrow is Day 7. The books says she is supposed to pamper herself with a bubble bath.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Pool Party Success
Today I hosted a pool party for Z's homeschool friends - we had six families with thirteen kids.
It was nice to see Z playing and getting along with nice children of all ages, boy and girls. This is one of my favorite parts of homeschooling.
The older kids are so nice to Z. They always invite her to join their games and help her to keep up with them. There are a couple older kids in our groups that really set the tone for the rest of the kids, they are very patient and kind with the younger ones. I really appreciate them.
I love that Z is comfortable interacting with people of all ages and both sexes. Right now she is the youngest who joins in the games. I am sure that effects her in some way. But in a couple years some of the kids who are now 3 and 4 will start joining the games and Z will be an older girl.
It is also in these groups of older girls that Z can be "herself" intellectually and play involved imagination games with the older girls. They pretend to be mermaids with a complicated monetary system of shells and seaweeds, they play that they are "Settlers" and forlorn children who live in "Poor Town."
She also gets to play those common childhood games that we all grew up with, hide-and-seek, freeze tag, lava monster and Marco Polo with this group of kids who are ages five (z) to thirte
Obviously Z and I had a good time at our pool party today.
Tomorrow I am hosting a Princess Party too. I will write what that is all about tomorrow.
Ciao
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
piano epiphany
Today I had an epiphany regarding the stress I am feeling over Z’s piano lessons.
Z’s recital is this Sunday and she has not only been practicing her recitals songs 5 – 10 or even more times a day but has extra recital practice lessons four Saturdays in a row.
I remember that not long after Z started taking piano lessons her teacher said that she could be playing like the little Asian boy we saw at the recital who just blew me away, IF we made her practice for an hour a day.
I chuckled when she said that and I said that I definitely didn’t want Z to practice that much.
But here we are, less than a year later and Z is often practicing an hour a day.
Today Z was playing her recital piece for her teacher, a pretty hard children’s version of Ode to Joy, and I felt like the teacher should have been impressed that Z could play it at all. But there was just more to perfect. “This part need to be more legato, that part needed to be more forte, this part needs to be a march and remember than in 4/4 time the emphasis needs to be on the 1st note and the 3rd.”
I started to feel bad. Z has been working so hard on her pieces for the recital and so have I. I sit there with her and listen to every song and remind her what she needs to work on. I try to motivate Z, which I think, at her age is necessary.
My whole life I always hated to disappoint anyone. That is a problem I know. I don’t always have the energy to come across “perfectly” and sometimes I have too much energy and that doesn’t work out either.
Today at Z’s piano lesson I felt like Z disappointed her teacher and it hurt. Not with the songs, I think we both know that what Z is doing is pretty remarkable. But the attention and focus she wants from Z is probably too much. I am not sure where the teacher is coming from. Perhaps she has a lot invested in Z and really wants Z to keep up this fast progression. Or maybe this is how she is with all the kids , always asking for more (actually I wouldn’t feel so bad about that). Maybe that is her method and my problem is that I never want Z to disappoint her.
But, like I said, today I had an epiphany. I decided that I am not going to let it bother me. Z will practice for her alloted time and then whatever she produces is what she produces. If she is not the prodigy that her teacher is looking or (if that is even the case, I am not sure) then “Oh Well". I really don’t care. For me it had never been about Z being a prodigy. I would just stress if Z didn’t meet her teacher’s expectations. But that is not good for Z. And I still trust that her teacher doesn’t want that either.
Z’s recital is this Sunday and she has not only been practicing her recitals songs 5 – 10 or even more times a day but has extra recital practice lessons four Saturdays in a row.
I remember that not long after Z started taking piano lessons her teacher said that she could be playing like the little Asian boy we saw at the recital who just blew me away, IF we made her practice for an hour a day.
I chuckled when she said that and I said that I definitely didn’t want Z to practice that much.
But here we are, less than a year later and Z is often practicing an hour a day.
Today Z was playing her recital piece for her teacher, a pretty hard children’s version of Ode to Joy, and I felt like the teacher should have been impressed that Z could play it at all. But there was just more to perfect. “This part need to be more legato, that part needed to be more forte, this part needs to be a march and remember than in 4/4 time the emphasis needs to be on the 1st note and the 3rd.”
I started to feel bad. Z has been working so hard on her pieces for the recital and so have I. I sit there with her and listen to every song and remind her what she needs to work on. I try to motivate Z, which I think, at her age is necessary.
My whole life I always hated to disappoint anyone. That is a problem I know. I don’t always have the energy to come across “perfectly” and sometimes I have too much energy and that doesn’t work out either.
Today at Z’s piano lesson I felt like Z disappointed her teacher and it hurt. Not with the songs, I think we both know that what Z is doing is pretty remarkable. But the attention and focus she wants from Z is probably too much. I am not sure where the teacher is coming from. Perhaps she has a lot invested in Z and really wants Z to keep up this fast progression. Or maybe this is how she is with all the kids , always asking for more (actually I wouldn’t feel so bad about that). Maybe that is her method and my problem is that I never want Z to disappoint her.
But, like I said, today I had an epiphany. I decided that I am not going to let it bother me. Z will practice for her alloted time and then whatever she produces is what she produces. If she is not the prodigy that her teacher is looking or (if that is even the case, I am not sure) then “Oh Well". I really don’t care. For me it had never been about Z being a prodigy. I would just stress if Z didn’t meet her teacher’s expectations. But that is not good for Z. And I still trust that her teacher doesn’t want that either.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Homeschooling anytime
This morning we listened to our new Japanese Children's Songs CD during breakfast. It was very cute. It comes with cards that have a picture pertaining to the song and what I think are lyrics on the back.
After breakfast Z worked on some word problems in her math book. She wasn't even sure if they were really math, but she said she liked that. :)
After that we went out to Michaels. I still need to make the Audry II prop for Z's talent show. As I shopped around the store Z kept finding parts of fake flowers and plants on the ground and was "collecting" them into our basket. By the time we went up to check out she must have had twenty of them. The man at the register said she could have them all. So now we have free craft supplies. :)
While we were at Ross Z read a whole book of children's poem, many of them she read aloud.
Then on the way to Target she wanted to play "Spelling Bee", she was inspired by the Scripps Bee. She spelled correctly words like Thousand, Month and Friend. (Yesterday when we were driving home from the Getty she said "I can spel Chromosome". Pere and I were like "really???" She tried and spelled it "C-r-o-m-o-z-o-n-e". Not bad though.)
Then we just talked about spelling some - we talked about "word families" like star, far, car and how they are spelled differently than "are" and "marr".
We got home and watched the rest of the Scripps Bee that we had recorded on our DVR.
Then she worked on her music theory book, writing Major triads and practiced some new songs. Now she is just doing her own thing, which is practicing Minor scales, faster and faster.. She loves the way minor sounds. (So does her Pere I think.)
So now we are off to go ice skating with some friends... maybe I'll have some pictures to post later.
After breakfast Z worked on some word problems in her math book. She wasn't even sure if they were really math, but she said she liked that. :)
After that we went out to Michaels. I still need to make the Audry II prop for Z's talent show. As I shopped around the store Z kept finding parts of fake flowers and plants on the ground and was "collecting" them into our basket. By the time we went up to check out she must have had twenty of them. The man at the register said she could have them all. So now we have free craft supplies. :)
While we were at Ross Z read a whole book of children's poem, many of them she read aloud.
Then on the way to Target she wanted to play "Spelling Bee", she was inspired by the Scripps Bee. She spelled correctly words like Thousand, Month and Friend. (Yesterday when we were driving home from the Getty she said "I can spel Chromosome". Pere and I were like "really???" She tried and spelled it "C-r-o-m-o-z-o-n-e". Not bad though.)
Then we just talked about spelling some - we talked about "word families" like star, far, car and how they are spelled differently than "are" and "marr".
We got home and watched the rest of the Scripps Bee that we had recorded on our DVR.
Then she worked on her music theory book, writing Major triads and practiced some new songs. Now she is just doing her own thing, which is practicing Minor scales, faster and faster.. She loves the way minor sounds. (So does her Pere I think.)
So now we are off to go ice skating with some friends... maybe I'll have some pictures to post later.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
What is your mothering style?
Inspired by my friend Sarah at Wickentree.
Sadly to say in many ways I am a failed mother.
When Z was a few days old I lay down next to her and held her tiny hand and made a tear-filled promise that I would never spank her or physical hurt her in anyway.
There have been too many times in her life that I have gone to bed filled with regret for breaking that promise.
And there have been nights where I have lay awake filled with remorse for some other non-physical pain I caused her. For yelling at her when I should have had more patience, or for not listening to her as much as she wanted me to because I was too busy doing my own thing or too tired.
But my mothering style isn't all about breaking promises. In fact, the spanking one is the only one I have ever broken.
I would say I am a firm parent but also fun. I hope my interactions with Z don't confuse her too much. Sometimes I treat her like a little friend. We shop together, we eat at little cafes together, we read together and have some of the same favorite movies and books. I read to her every night before bed, many times I make up my own original stories. I color with her and play card games and board games and have tea parties.
But I am also there to keep her in line and teach her how to behave. Pere and I have taught to to be respectful, to have nice manners, to work hard with out complaints, and to listen and obey her parents. Most of the decisions I make regarding Z is with the idea of guiding her toward being her "best" self and having positive life experiences/lessons.
I have on many occassions been accused of being too "hard" on Z. Just as many times I have also had my same "hardness" held up as a good example of parenting. So I don't know what to think about that. Will Z rue her upbringing or be thankful for it?
I am something of a perfectionist overachiever and Z is my project. I put a lot of my energy into her. But rather than draining me, as some have cautioned against, it is exciting and interesting to me to parent and educate her. It helps that she is a smart and sweet girl.
What kind of parent am I?
I am involved. I am a thoughtful and thinking parent. I try to have her best interests at heart but sometimes I am too lazy. *wry grin* I make mistakes. I love my daughter fiercely. Fierce is a good word. Much of what I do in life I do with a fierce passion.
Sadly to say in many ways I am a failed mother.
When Z was a few days old I lay down next to her and held her tiny hand and made a tear-filled promise that I would never spank her or physical hurt her in anyway.
There have been too many times in her life that I have gone to bed filled with regret for breaking that promise.
And there have been nights where I have lay awake filled with remorse for some other non-physical pain I caused her. For yelling at her when I should have had more patience, or for not listening to her as much as she wanted me to because I was too busy doing my own thing or too tired.
But my mothering style isn't all about breaking promises. In fact, the spanking one is the only one I have ever broken.
I would say I am a firm parent but also fun. I hope my interactions with Z don't confuse her too much. Sometimes I treat her like a little friend. We shop together, we eat at little cafes together, we read together and have some of the same favorite movies and books. I read to her every night before bed, many times I make up my own original stories. I color with her and play card games and board games and have tea parties.
But I am also there to keep her in line and teach her how to behave. Pere and I have taught to to be respectful, to have nice manners, to work hard with out complaints, and to listen and obey her parents. Most of the decisions I make regarding Z is with the idea of guiding her toward being her "best" self and having positive life experiences/lessons.
I have on many occassions been accused of being too "hard" on Z. Just as many times I have also had my same "hardness" held up as a good example of parenting. So I don't know what to think about that. Will Z rue her upbringing or be thankful for it?
I am something of a perfectionist overachiever and Z is my project. I put a lot of my energy into her. But rather than draining me, as some have cautioned against, it is exciting and interesting to me to parent and educate her. It helps that she is a smart and sweet girl.
What kind of parent am I?
I am involved. I am a thoughtful and thinking parent. I try to have her best interests at heart but sometimes I am too lazy. *wry grin* I make mistakes. I love my daughter fiercely. Fierce is a good word. Much of what I do in life I do with a fierce passion.
Degas at the Getty
Today we all went to a family festival. at the Getty. It was inspired by Degas and France.
We saw ballerinas, heard some opera singers sing from La Boheme, and, our whole family's favorite, the aerial acrobats (pictured here.)
Z made a Degas inspired derby hat, complete with a picture of the celebrated artist. She also made a collage picture fram and decorated a postcard.
We went on an architectural tour of the Getty Museum and found out some of the secrets of the museums and that it cost about a billion dollars! to build.
We met up with the some friends and had lunch with them in a beautiful shady courtyard.
We were all suffering from a little too much sun two days in a room, so we treated ourselves to ice cream on the way home.
Just another beautiful day in paradise. :)
More pictures from yesterday
Thanks to my friends C and J for letting me post their beautiful pictures of the event at the concert hall yesterday. Aren't these great?
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Ballet Folklorico
Today we all went to the last event at the Walt Disney Concert Hall till the fall. We saw the Pacifico Dance Theatre and the all-female Mariachi Divas.
The dancers were stunning. I hope to get more pictures from a friend who was there with us and who's camera battery didn't give out during the first act.
Afterwards Z made a cardboard milagros, papillon paper designs, and an iguana puppet, which she named Eloise. :)
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