We have been looking into moving house. No rush! Our lease is up but the owner is not jumping up and down that we must leave. We really can't stay here for much longer. This house is over 100 years old and the lounge and one of the bedrooms still have horsehair plaster walls. Those walls are bulging, cracking and falling off the studs. The carpet is also threadbare in a patch or two.
This house has served us well, a good rental price and a good amount of space. Now we need to find something that is in better condition but hopefully still has a good amount of space at a reasonable price.
So far my search has included modern homes, old homes and even an ancient home. lol We will be putting an application in on the ancient home as it has great living spaces. And it is close to dh's work too. I am also putting an application in on a totally modern home further out but has a great yard and it would be nice to have new carpet and new windows with screens.
Homeschool has fallen off the list as I spend a lot of time just managing home and house inspections. Dh is on his Easter break so there will be another 2 weeks of not much happening, but I am hoping to really get back to real life soon. School will either start up after we move (if we get approved on either of the houses I am applying for) or when dh goes back to work. I think the boys will appreciate that.
Best wishes
Jen
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
My 11yo does our shopping!
Inspired by a BBC show, Boys and Girls Alone, I allowed my 11.5yo son to do up a menu plan for this week and to do the grocery shopping through an online service while sticking to a budget. He did very well, juggling how many treats and what treats to get for his younger brother's upcoming birthday as well as meeting our family's needs such as TP and tissues in this season of colds and snuffly noses.
I have 4 boys and the long term plan is that by the time they leave home they will be fully confident in cooking at least 5 different types of main meals, 3 desserts, baking of biscuits and cakes and be able to do all that on a budget. I do not want to send my kids off to University (which is likely to be in another town) without these essential skills.
We do our children a great disservice by doing things for them. With our training from a young age they can go through the teenage years and into adulthood with confidence in their ability to look after themselves, and to share in the load of making a home with flat mates and in the future with a wife, and hopefully children.
I do not want them coming home to get their washing done. I do not want to be cooking all day long to feed hungry teenage boys. They are adults in the making and adults should be able to be independant, but that depends a lot on the training I do now.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
I have 4 boys and the long term plan is that by the time they leave home they will be fully confident in cooking at least 5 different types of main meals, 3 desserts, baking of biscuits and cakes and be able to do all that on a budget. I do not want to send my kids off to University (which is likely to be in another town) without these essential skills.
We do our children a great disservice by doing things for them. With our training from a young age they can go through the teenage years and into adulthood with confidence in their ability to look after themselves, and to share in the load of making a home with flat mates and in the future with a wife, and hopefully children.
I do not want them coming home to get their washing done. I do not want to be cooking all day long to feed hungry teenage boys. They are adults in the making and adults should be able to be independant, but that depends a lot on the training I do now.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Our (My?) Favourite Subject
I have been reviewing my homeschool records. I think we may be showing an unusual tendency in the subjects we cover. Admittedly our bias may be due to being an all boys school or it may be due to my personal preferences.
Any day that we sit down and do formal school you can guarantee we will do maths. That is right! Maths! Most people's most dreaded subject, and it is our first choice. Not so that we can get it out of the way, but because we love maths. It really isn't hard.
Maybe that is due to curriculum choice (Singapore Maths 3rd Edition) or maybe it is due to me having a great love of logic and love that maths is so black and white. There are no confusing shades of grey, just beautiful, clear wrong and right answers. I love maths.
My eldest the other day was commenting that he was not looking forward to Algebra. I replied, why not, you have already been doing it? and showed him a question out of his level 2 book written in algebraic terms. Light bulb moment! He is now looking forward to Algebra. lol
I wish I could just sit down with those of you who hate maths and show you the beauty of numbers.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
Any day that we sit down and do formal school you can guarantee we will do maths. That is right! Maths! Most people's most dreaded subject, and it is our first choice. Not so that we can get it out of the way, but because we love maths. It really isn't hard.
Maybe that is due to curriculum choice (Singapore Maths 3rd Edition) or maybe it is due to me having a great love of logic and love that maths is so black and white. There are no confusing shades of grey, just beautiful, clear wrong and right answers. I love maths.
My eldest the other day was commenting that he was not looking forward to Algebra. I replied, why not, you have already been doing it? and showed him a question out of his level 2 book written in algebraic terms. Light bulb moment! He is now looking forward to Algebra. lol
I wish I could just sit down with those of you who hate maths and show you the beauty of numbers.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
Monday, February 22, 2010
Memory Lane with My Dad
I was just having a great chat with my dad who is now 67.5 years old. He was born in England and was telling me about how on his half day off work he would go into London and go to Piccadilly or Leicester Square to the movies nearly every week. Apparently they would have cartoons on 24 hours a day and you could pay just a small amount of money to go and watch them for as long as you liked. He thinks he may have seen "Ben Hur" and the Rodgers and Hammerstein "South Pacific" there. One of my favourite movies, "Paint Your Wagon", was on there too. He would ride his bike to the train station, then go on the train into the city centre. The train lines weren't underground back then and only went about 5km out of town whereas he lived about 10km out of town. Just before he left England in 196-(?) the train lines had come out further. After the movies he would catch the train back out and ride home.
I just can't imagine doing that these days. I barely walk anywhere of great distance and haven't ridden a bike for several years.
I am really proud of my dad. He is a bit of a loner, apparently just like his dad who was a woodwork teacher and was orphaned. He came out to Australia on a cheap/free ticket back when they were trying to get workers here. He was only really young and he had no family over here. Can you imagine that? Just getting on a boat, going to a totally foreign place, all on your own. I moved from Brisbane to Hamilton Island half way up the Queensland coast when I was about 19 years old. I definitely still wanted to be able to contact my mum, and I was also lucky enough to have family in the area as support. He had a lot of guts.
My dad likes how there is no class divisions here, unlike England where being private school educated could make you a bit of a snob. We really are lucky here to not have such distinct class divisions. I know I live in a really nice suburb, old families, good money. Most people here will still talk to me, even if our car is a bit old and rusty and my kids aren't always dressed in new clothes. Maybe it helps that I do try to teach them to have good manners at all times.
I hope I get lots more chances to talk to my dad about his life. As you get older life seems so fleeting.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
I just can't imagine doing that these days. I barely walk anywhere of great distance and haven't ridden a bike for several years.
I am really proud of my dad. He is a bit of a loner, apparently just like his dad who was a woodwork teacher and was orphaned. He came out to Australia on a cheap/free ticket back when they were trying to get workers here. He was only really young and he had no family over here. Can you imagine that? Just getting on a boat, going to a totally foreign place, all on your own. I moved from Brisbane to Hamilton Island half way up the Queensland coast when I was about 19 years old. I definitely still wanted to be able to contact my mum, and I was also lucky enough to have family in the area as support. He had a lot of guts.
My dad likes how there is no class divisions here, unlike England where being private school educated could make you a bit of a snob. We really are lucky here to not have such distinct class divisions. I know I live in a really nice suburb, old families, good money. Most people here will still talk to me, even if our car is a bit old and rusty and my kids aren't always dressed in new clothes. Maybe it helps that I do try to teach them to have good manners at all times.
I hope I get lots more chances to talk to my dad about his life. As you get older life seems so fleeting.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Space-challenged Workboxes
I have read a lot of posts about Sue Patrick's Workbox system. I love the idea yet haven't been able to justify the cost or the space requirements when I know I am dealing with 3 kids, possibly 4, with anything I set up.
Now, I will be the first to admit I haven't read her book (can't justify postage to Australia, do you get the idea I am careful with my money?!). If you have and my ideas here don't suit her system I apologise. I am just a mum trying to do my best to help my little school work better.
First of all, a note on scheduling. I have scheduled my day into 3 blocks of school, hopefully about an hour each, but some days are shorter, others longer. The idea of 3 blocks is also so that I can change it up a bit. For instance, if block 3 keeps getting missed then I just make it the first block for a couple of days.
Next, I use Homeschool Tracker Plus to keep track of lesson plans and daily tasks. I love how it has become easier and easier to use as I have child 2 and 3 use lesson plans I have already created and used for child 1. It takes a while to get in your groove with it but it has been worth its purchase price and the discussion group is priceless for help.
Now, down to the workbox system. I have used crates for each boy for a while. Usually though they just end up a mess of loose pages and a ring binder that doesn't get used. I also try to give them each a pencil case with pencils, sharpener and eraser for their crate. Their maths workbook goes in there but basically my crate is stacked full of all the books needed for the week. Not a very easy system for them to see what they need to do, and quite frankly overwhelming for me too.
I am now adding plastic envelopes to each box with a number on the front. Each boy has a different colour envelope set up and different little race cars to match.
Then I have created a page for each school block.
The first column will have either a race car with a number to match the folder number or a picture for an activity like snack, game, play outside etc. If Science, Art, History or Music don't need a folder for any paperwork then I can also put a little card in the appropriate spot so they know what is coming. If there is a colouring page or mapwork etc to be done then I will just use a folder number. The "Mum?" column will indicate if they will need me to help with the activity. And the final column is where the little car ends up when the folder is completed.
The folders are see-through and expand out so I will be able to fit in their heftier books and they can also see what is coming. I won't be putting snacks in them though as can be done with the clear shoe boxes. To be more true to Sue Patrick's system the boys will then put their completed folder into a "Done" box for me to empty out, correct and refill. This is an important part of the visual aspect of seeing the amount of work needing to be done diminishing as folders disappear. The goal for each day is to empty out their crate.
Each child has an appropriate number of folders for the level of work they do. This is a variation on Sue's system. Also my sheets for the school blocks will have much more detail than her system of just cards. I can fill these in from my HST report of daily tasks for each child and just leave the workbooks in their folders.
If a child needs my help I will also clip a card to the folder so it is a visual reminder if they miss it on their sheet.
I hope to let the kids keep track of their block sheets but if the baby gets into them I will put them in a communal magazine binder for them to take out as needed then return.
When I get my digital camera working again I will post more pictures on how this looks in real life.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
Now, I will be the first to admit I haven't read her book (can't justify postage to Australia, do you get the idea I am careful with my money?!). If you have and my ideas here don't suit her system I apologise. I am just a mum trying to do my best to help my little school work better.
First of all, a note on scheduling. I have scheduled my day into 3 blocks of school, hopefully about an hour each, but some days are shorter, others longer. The idea of 3 blocks is also so that I can change it up a bit. For instance, if block 3 keeps getting missed then I just make it the first block for a couple of days.
Next, I use Homeschool Tracker Plus to keep track of lesson plans and daily tasks. I love how it has become easier and easier to use as I have child 2 and 3 use lesson plans I have already created and used for child 1. It takes a while to get in your groove with it but it has been worth its purchase price and the discussion group is priceless for help.
Now, down to the workbox system. I have used crates for each boy for a while. Usually though they just end up a mess of loose pages and a ring binder that doesn't get used. I also try to give them each a pencil case with pencils, sharpener and eraser for their crate. Their maths workbook goes in there but basically my crate is stacked full of all the books needed for the week. Not a very easy system for them to see what they need to do, and quite frankly overwhelming for me too.
I am now adding plastic envelopes to each box with a number on the front. Each boy has a different colour envelope set up and different little race cars to match.
Then I have created a page for each school block.
The first column will have either a race car with a number to match the folder number or a picture for an activity like snack, game, play outside etc. If Science, Art, History or Music don't need a folder for any paperwork then I can also put a little card in the appropriate spot so they know what is coming. If there is a colouring page or mapwork etc to be done then I will just use a folder number. The "Mum?" column will indicate if they will need me to help with the activity. And the final column is where the little car ends up when the folder is completed.
The folders are see-through and expand out so I will be able to fit in their heftier books and they can also see what is coming. I won't be putting snacks in them though as can be done with the clear shoe boxes. To be more true to Sue Patrick's system the boys will then put their completed folder into a "Done" box for me to empty out, correct and refill. This is an important part of the visual aspect of seeing the amount of work needing to be done diminishing as folders disappear. The goal for each day is to empty out their crate.
Each child has an appropriate number of folders for the level of work they do. This is a variation on Sue's system. Also my sheets for the school blocks will have much more detail than her system of just cards. I can fill these in from my HST report of daily tasks for each child and just leave the workbooks in their folders.
If a child needs my help I will also clip a card to the folder so it is a visual reminder if they miss it on their sheet.
I hope to let the kids keep track of their block sheets but if the baby gets into them I will put them in a communal magazine binder for them to take out as needed then return.
When I get my digital camera working again I will post more pictures on how this looks in real life.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
A couple of updates
Well, thankfully the car squeak of last week was just the noises of an old car. They greased it and sprayed lubricant into bits needing it. And all for the great price of Nothing! Wasn't that great?
School has had a little pause while I take into account how my children are coping with the way I am doing things. A little assessment every now and then is a good thing. I have realised that my non-readers (8yo and 5yo) still like to have a list of sorts for the day. I have created a similar system to a workbox system and will post more about it in a separate post.
Financially I have been able to not go into my next week's shopping money early. I do hate how I would always be behind before the week even started. I am going to keep working on this. I know some serious menu planning is required to keep me on track. And also keeping up with my prep work so if the baby is upset around dinner time others can handle getting the meal on the table.
Not being prepared and not having a clean kitchen have been my two biggest hurdles for eating physically and financially healthy meals. The other day we spent $40 on Domino's for pizzas and pasta. What a waste! It has definitely inspired me to put together my own fast meals for the freezer. One idea is frozen cooked chicken meat, frozen homemade tomato basil sauce, fresh cooked pasta from the fridge, and some freshly cut vegetables like mushrooms, tomato and capsicum. I am also wondering about cutting vegetables up ahead of time for salads and keeping them separate until meal time.
Well, that is all for now,
Jen in Oz
School has had a little pause while I take into account how my children are coping with the way I am doing things. A little assessment every now and then is a good thing. I have realised that my non-readers (8yo and 5yo) still like to have a list of sorts for the day. I have created a similar system to a workbox system and will post more about it in a separate post.
Financially I have been able to not go into my next week's shopping money early. I do hate how I would always be behind before the week even started. I am going to keep working on this. I know some serious menu planning is required to keep me on track. And also keeping up with my prep work so if the baby is upset around dinner time others can handle getting the meal on the table.
Not being prepared and not having a clean kitchen have been my two biggest hurdles for eating physically and financially healthy meals. The other day we spent $40 on Domino's for pizzas and pasta. What a waste! It has definitely inspired me to put together my own fast meals for the freezer. One idea is frozen cooked chicken meat, frozen homemade tomato basil sauce, fresh cooked pasta from the fridge, and some freshly cut vegetables like mushrooms, tomato and capsicum. I am also wondering about cutting vegetables up ahead of time for salads and keeping them separate until meal time.
Well, that is all for now,
Jen in Oz
Monday, February 15, 2010
Spelling tests are challenging for me too!
I use AVKO Sequential Spelling for my 11yo. Today was not "fun". After having my hand held for several tests I am now having to create my own sentences. Ack! What do they think they are asking of a mother of 4 boys who generally has one bouncing around, one sitting in front of the television too much and another using the aforementioned mother as a mobile milk bar while she is trying to administer a test to a child who really would rather be somewhere else?
Needless my poor addled brain could not think of a sentence with "ins"! And a lot of the other sentences were mostly about food (need to go grocery shopping) and misbehaving children.
If anyone can tell me they use the word ins regularly I would love to hear about it.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
Needless my poor addled brain could not think of a sentence with "ins"! And a lot of the other sentences were mostly about food (need to go grocery shopping) and misbehaving children.
If anyone can tell me they use the word ins regularly I would love to hear about it.
Best wishes
Jen in Oz
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