Saturday, September 26, 2015
College Sophomore and High School Senior
It's hard to believe that the boys I wrote about in the beginning of this blog-space are where they are - one in college as a sophomore, and the other as a senior. They are self-sufficient in school, rarely have projects to do that require any involvement from me beyond a proof-read, and they have turned into wonderful young men if I do say so myself.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Dear History Fair...
Dear History Fair -
Please refer to my note to the Science Fair.
Sincerely,
A non-history Mom
Friday, September 09, 2011
Dear Science Fair...
Dear Science Fair -
I will try to not have an attitude about you this year. I know you are not to blame for being required of my 8thGrader who has no interest. I know that you are there as a tool for middle school teachers to get students to do something "hands on" for learning. I know that designing and completing a project, whether one is "in to it" or not, is a good skill to have because not everything in life is going to be something we want to do, but we have to do it anyway.
But could you at least give us an idea that is interesting enough to hold his attention? That won't be complicated? That he will actually do without complaint or needing to be bribed or cajoled? And that I won't have to fuss at him about?
Sincerely,
A non-science mom
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
18 Minutes of Constant Chatter
I pick up 10thGrader after school each afternoon. It takes 18 minutes from the time he gets in the car until we get home. Those 18 minutes are filled with his day - what he did in class, what homework he has, what observations he made. Those 18 minutes of constant chatter about whatever is on his mind.
If I didn't see him until after work, I'd miss that. I cherish and treasure those 18 minutes. It's my favorite part of the day.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sophomore and 8th
So I neglected this blog for well over a year because I didn't post a single thing about our first year as high school parents! And we are now emarking on our last year as middle school parents. Yep, 10th and 8th graders in our house. School starts tomorrow and I'm determined to let them be responsible for their own stuff.
I made sure they have what they need for the first day, but I've left it to them to get it put into their backpacks. No more am I filling pencil pouches or putting loose-leaf paper into binders. They are more than capable of doing that themselves.
But I will be making them pb/j sandwiches for their lunchboxes tomorrow :) Some things don't change, no matter how grown you are. A pb/j made by your mom with love is one of those things.
I made sure they have what they need for the first day, but I've left it to them to get it put into their backpacks. No more am I filling pencil pouches or putting loose-leaf paper into binders. They are more than capable of doing that themselves.
But I will be making them pb/j sandwiches for their lunchboxes tomorrow :) Some things don't change, no matter how grown you are. A pb/j made by your mom with love is one of those things.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Middle Schoolers
I started this blog with a 1st grader and 3rd grader. Now we have a 6th grader and an 8th grader which means next year we'll have a high school student living in our house!
It's been great having both of them on the same schedule. It makes mornings and afternoons so much nicer, although I think they do miss having some time without their sibling at home. Next year's schedule will put them two hours apart in both the morning and the afternoon.
6thGrader is enjoying band where he's playing the trombone. He said he wants to take double-band for 7th grade and learn to play the euphonium.
8thGrader hasn't started counting the days til summer vacation yet, but I suspect he will once we get by spring break.
But in the meanwhile, we have two weeks with standardized testing coming up. Thankfully at middle school there isn't as much stress put on the students about this. I attribute it to having six different teachers and none of them having time to stress the students out. Plus they've been doing these tests since first grade, so they're much more used to what is involved. It also means free snacks!
It's been great having both of them on the same schedule. It makes mornings and afternoons so much nicer, although I think they do miss having some time without their sibling at home. Next year's schedule will put them two hours apart in both the morning and the afternoon.
6thGrader is enjoying band where he's playing the trombone. He said he wants to take double-band for 7th grade and learn to play the euphonium.
8thGrader hasn't started counting the days til summer vacation yet, but I suspect he will once we get by spring break.
But in the meanwhile, we have two weeks with standardized testing coming up. Thankfully at middle school there isn't as much stress put on the students about this. I attribute it to having six different teachers and none of them having time to stress the students out. Plus they've been doing these tests since first grade, so they're much more used to what is involved. It also means free snacks!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Mozart quote
"Moms are ignoramus slobs who cannot be pleased." - Mozart, 1736.
I found this written on the side of the bathroom counter when a certain school-aged child was mad with me for insisting that he complete his homework over the weekend.
I asked him if he had Googled to find the quote. Because I know that sometimes Google will pick things up out of blogs, I thought I would be sure to put this Mozart quote into a post so when we google together, we'll see that yes, indeed, one can find this quote attributed to Mozart on the internet.
Of course for all of you dear readers, you do understand that this is not an actual quote by Mozart. Or by anyone besides a disgruntled boy who would have been better off putting his creative thinking into his civics homework. Or at least having written it on a piece of paper rather than the side of the bathroom counter.
I have just three words for removing Mozart quotes... Mr. Clean Eraser.
I found this written on the side of the bathroom counter when a certain school-aged child was mad with me for insisting that he complete his homework over the weekend.
I asked him if he had Googled to find the quote. Because I know that sometimes Google will pick things up out of blogs, I thought I would be sure to put this Mozart quote into a post so when we google together, we'll see that yes, indeed, one can find this quote attributed to Mozart on the internet.
Of course for all of you dear readers, you do understand that this is not an actual quote by Mozart. Or by anyone besides a disgruntled boy who would have been better off putting his creative thinking into his civics homework. Or at least having written it on a piece of paper rather than the side of the bathroom counter.
I have just three words for removing Mozart quotes... Mr. Clean Eraser.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Disorganization
5thGrader and 7thGrader are suffering from disorganization. Unfortunately they get it from me, their mom.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
End of the first nine weeks
5thGrader and 7thGrader have just completed the first nine weeks and both did well. We get their report cards next week, but thanks to technology, there are no surprises on report cards any more.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Summer Movies
Welcome to the summer movies brought to you by 7thGrader!
(note: when I entered the blogosphere, he was known as 3rdGrader.)
Quest: watch a Disney movie every day for the entire summer.
June 2nd - double feature: Monster's Inc. and Aristicats.
June 3rd - Robin Hood
What are your favorite Disney movies? Or what other movies might you recommend for a 7thGrader?
(note: when I entered the blogosphere, he was known as 3rdGrader.)
Quest: watch a Disney movie every day for the entire summer.
June 2nd - double feature: Monster's Inc. and Aristicats.
June 3rd - Robin Hood
What are your favorite Disney movies? Or what other movies might you recommend for a 7thGrader?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Daylight Savings Time is so wrong
I don't know about y'all, but the two times a year that man interferes with God's clock just make me discombobulated for a couple of weeks. This whole 'daylight savings time' is just so wrong in so many ways.
And of course the time change this year corresponds directly with our county's administration of the our state's standardized testing. Now how in the world is that supposed to work? Kids who go by what their bodies say rather than what the clock on the wall says will have their normal sleep pattern interrupted by either not getting to sleep "on time" or having to wake up before their bodies would naturally.
It's just so wrong! Of course I already think the emphasis on the xCAT is too much - I think xCAT has its place, but to be the "be all, end all" is just ridiculous. The schools spend so many months preparing the kids with test-taking strategies and learning the format of xCAT, sending notes home to parents and guardians to make sure their kids get adequate rest, a good breakfast, etc., but then schedule it at a time the time changes -- argh. I know that for our county this actually falls at a good time - leaving 7 weeks after spring break for the teachers to actually teach in the way they want to -- and I know the schools have zero control over the time-changes, but adding the two factors together -- xCAT + time change = not necessarily an accurate assessment.
Of course this may not be as bad as the year the 1st graders were given their SAT9 (now SAT10) beginning the day they returned from Spring Break.............
And of course the time change this year corresponds directly with our county's administration of the our state's standardized testing. Now how in the world is that supposed to work? Kids who go by what their bodies say rather than what the clock on the wall says will have their normal sleep pattern interrupted by either not getting to sleep "on time" or having to wake up before their bodies would naturally.
It's just so wrong! Of course I already think the emphasis on the xCAT is too much - I think xCAT has its place, but to be the "be all, end all" is just ridiculous. The schools spend so many months preparing the kids with test-taking strategies and learning the format of xCAT, sending notes home to parents and guardians to make sure their kids get adequate rest, a good breakfast, etc., but then schedule it at a time the time changes -- argh. I know that for our county this actually falls at a good time - leaving 7 weeks after spring break for the teachers to actually teach in the way they want to -- and I know the schools have zero control over the time-changes, but adding the two factors together -- xCAT + time change = not necessarily an accurate assessment.
Of course this may not be as bad as the year the 1st graders were given their SAT9 (now SAT10) beginning the day they returned from Spring Break.............
Friday, February 29, 2008
Phineas and Ferb
6thGrader and 4thGrader have a new favorite show: Phineas and Ferb on the Disney Channel.
We were first introduced to Phineas and Ferb courtesy of Kidzeyes when 6thGrader got to preview several episodes in the fall as part of a Kidzeyes survey. We were hooked from the first episode and looked forward to the launch of Phineas and Ferb on the Disney Channel.
Phineas and Ferb are brothers who have the whole summer ahead of them - 104 days of summer vacation (come on, sing along if you know the words...) and they face the age old question of what to do with all those days ahead of them. They are lucky boys because their parents haven't over-scheduled them or booked them into camps and programs for the summer; they are left to do what kids ought to do in the summer -- find their own adventures!
Phineas and Ferb have a sister Candace (voiced by Disney Channel star Ashley Tisdale) who has a crush on Jeremy the hot-dog-stand-guy (voiced by another Disney Channel star, Mitchell Musso). Candace is always trying to rat her brothers' out to their mom (doing what older sisters do best), but somehow Phineas and Ferb always manage to not get in trouble for their (sometimes mis-)adventures.
There's a sub-story in each episode involving their pet, Perry the Platypus, who is really a secret agent whose main mission is to stop the evil Dr. D.......
We were first introduced to Phineas and Ferb courtesy of Kidzeyes when 6thGrader got to preview several episodes in the fall as part of a Kidzeyes survey. We were hooked from the first episode and looked forward to the launch of Phineas and Ferb on the Disney Channel.
Phineas and Ferb are brothers who have the whole summer ahead of them - 104 days of summer vacation (come on, sing along if you know the words...) and they face the age old question of what to do with all those days ahead of them. They are lucky boys because their parents haven't over-scheduled them or booked them into camps and programs for the summer; they are left to do what kids ought to do in the summer -- find their own adventures!
Phineas and Ferb have a sister Candace (voiced by Disney Channel star Ashley Tisdale) who has a crush on Jeremy the hot-dog-stand-guy (voiced by another Disney Channel star, Mitchell Musso). Candace is always trying to rat her brothers' out to their mom (doing what older sisters do best), but somehow Phineas and Ferb always manage to not get in trouble for their (sometimes mis-)adventures.
There's a sub-story in each episode involving their pet, Perry the Platypus, who is really a secret agent whose main mission is to stop the evil Dr. D.......
Thursday, February 07, 2008
"What kind of guy are you?"
On the way to school the other day, I noticed a sign that the local area soccer organization was having sign ups soon. I asked 4thGrader if he wanted to play this season, just like I ask him every season about every sport. He had the same answer as always - NO!
Just like always, I asked him "Why not?" and just like always he said he didn't like it, he didn't know how to play, and he wasn't any good at it. I said perhaps we had failed him and his brother by not playing sports in the yard so much, that perhaps they'd had too much unstructured time in the yard as little guys. He said no, that wasn't it - it's just that he's "not a sports guy."
"Not a sports guy? Well, that's ok - you can be whatever kind of guy you want to be," I said. "What kind of guy are you, then?"
I should've guessed his reply. "A Technology guy."
I told him that he can be whatever kind of guy he wants to be and that no one else can tell him what kind of guy to be.
His dad says if he'll end up as wealthy as Bill Gates and those other "Technology Guys" then we'll be all set!
Just like always, I asked him "Why not?" and just like always he said he didn't like it, he didn't know how to play, and he wasn't any good at it. I said perhaps we had failed him and his brother by not playing sports in the yard so much, that perhaps they'd had too much unstructured time in the yard as little guys. He said no, that wasn't it - it's just that he's "not a sports guy."
"Not a sports guy? Well, that's ok - you can be whatever kind of guy you want to be," I said. "What kind of guy are you, then?"
I should've guessed his reply. "A Technology guy."
I told him that he can be whatever kind of guy he wants to be and that no one else can tell him what kind of guy to be.
His dad says if he'll end up as wealthy as Bill Gates and those other "Technology Guys" then we'll be all set!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
My Fish, by 6thGrader
6thGrader's Creative Writing assignment:
My Fish
Everyone has something special to them. I have something special to me, too. My special thing to me is a fish. The reason I think he is special is if he died I would have no more pets. Sometimes I think he beckons me to feed him some more. You may think he is normal, but I think he is great. He can prop his head on the feeder, he can also swim around the tank with great agility, and he takes advantage of being in a tank.
Everyone has something special to them. I have something special to me, too. My special thing to me is a fish. The reason I think he is special is if he died I would have no more pets. Sometimes I think he beckons me to feed him some more. You may think he is normal, but I think he is great. He can prop his head on the feeder, he can also swim around the tank with great agility, and he takes advantage of being in a tank.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Last Day of Summer Vacation
Our winter break has been so great and even though we were out of school for just over two weeks, it felt longer - but in a good way. In a way that felt like going back to school today was much like the first day of school after summer vacation.
We spent some time at the beach over New Years so perhaps that adds to our feeling of summer vacation vs. winter holidays. Christmas Day seems ages ago even though the Christmas Tree is still up in the living room. We've decided it gives off enough light that we can leave it up all year and use it as a lamp. Or not.
We spent some time at the beach over New Years so perhaps that adds to our feeling of summer vacation vs. winter holidays. Christmas Day seems ages ago even though the Christmas Tree is still up in the living room. We've decided it gives off enough light that we can leave it up all year and use it as a lamp. Or not.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Last Christmas...
"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away. This year to save me from tears I'll give it to someone different."
Or something like that.
6thGrader and 4thGrader have claimed this as their song to sing at the top of their lungs whenever they need to burst out in song.
Hilarious. I need to record them and add it here.
Or something like that.
6thGrader and 4thGrader have claimed this as their song to sing at the top of their lungs whenever they need to burst out in song.
Hilarious. I need to record them and add it here.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas...
6thGrader has been listening to holiday music on the radio for over a week already. He says it is his favorite type of music, so when the local station started playing "all holiday music all the time" on Veteran's Day evening, he happily tuned in.
His favorite two songs are Have a Holly Jolly Christmas and Jingle Bell Rock.
What about you and the young'uns in your life?
His favorite two songs are Have a Holly Jolly Christmas and Jingle Bell Rock.
What about you and the young'uns in your life?
Friday, November 16, 2007
Home Videos
A few nights ago we watched Christmas Vacation and there is this one scene where Chevy Chase is in the attic watching old home movies on a projector. It reminded us that we have our old videos from when the boys were little. I don't even know where our video camera is now but we do still have the tapes.
The first one I pulled out was October 1997 - September 2002 which covered 6thGrader's toddler and preschool years as well as kindergarten and the beginning of 1st grade. 4thGrader was an infant, and then toddler and preschooler during the course of the next 6 hours.
It has been so much fun looking back at the children and seeing how much they have (or haven't) changed over the years; watching their personalities emerging into who they are today.
Of course we have the yearly Christmas morning scenes; in fact, that has been the overwhelming majority of screen time. The kids have enjoyed seeing what they got for Christmas each year and what of those things they still have. They have even pulled some of those items out to play with again "for old time's sake."
But we also have a lot of every-day footage and I'm really glad we have that because it shows me that maybe I wasn't as uptight a mother as I thought I was. I let them climb on stuff and launch cookies across the dining room with their pop-up toys. I let them run and jump and play like boys (and girls) need to without hovering all the time. I have at least one lengthy segment for each of the boys when they were crying unconsolably so they now have an idea of what we had to put up with at times (hee hee).
And we have the reading and the singing and the adventures with grandparents. And what a wonderful surprise to me to see my grandfather in one holiday's footage - how awesome it was to see him and hear his voice again as he sat at the dining table with 4thGrader as a toddler in his lap.
I think that as the boys have aged and we've neglected the video camera that now is the time to get it out again, but instead of us using it as parents to let the boys use it to see the world through their eyes for a change.
The first one I pulled out was October 1997 - September 2002 which covered 6thGrader's toddler and preschool years as well as kindergarten and the beginning of 1st grade. 4thGrader was an infant, and then toddler and preschooler during the course of the next 6 hours.
It has been so much fun looking back at the children and seeing how much they have (or haven't) changed over the years; watching their personalities emerging into who they are today.
Of course we have the yearly Christmas morning scenes; in fact, that has been the overwhelming majority of screen time. The kids have enjoyed seeing what they got for Christmas each year and what of those things they still have. They have even pulled some of those items out to play with again "for old time's sake."
But we also have a lot of every-day footage and I'm really glad we have that because it shows me that maybe I wasn't as uptight a mother as I thought I was. I let them climb on stuff and launch cookies across the dining room with their pop-up toys. I let them run and jump and play like boys (and girls) need to without hovering all the time. I have at least one lengthy segment for each of the boys when they were crying unconsolably so they now have an idea of what we had to put up with at times (hee hee).
And we have the reading and the singing and the adventures with grandparents. And what a wonderful surprise to me to see my grandfather in one holiday's footage - how awesome it was to see him and hear his voice again as he sat at the dining table with 4thGrader as a toddler in his lap.
I think that as the boys have aged and we've neglected the video camera that now is the time to get it out again, but instead of us using it as parents to let the boys use it to see the world through their eyes for a change.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
4thGrader makes All A's
4thGrader made all A's on his report card, with all 3's in work study habits and E's in behavior and citizenship areas. 3's are best.
Time to take the boys and their report cards to Krispy Kreme for free doughnuts.
Time to take the boys and their report cards to Krispy Kreme for free doughnuts.
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