But today, with my brain fogged up from decongestants, antihistamines, cough suppressants, I pulled myself together long enough to coach my son's soccer team. This, just so you know, was the first time ever I sat on the other side of the line. I usually read my book while practice is going on or talking with friends while my son plays the game (I do pay attention for the most part so don't judge me). Making matters worse with my brain being in a fog, and I not good with names, had to try and guess who everyone was throughout the entire game. I still didn't learn all their names by the end. But no one kicked me off the field, so I guess I wasn't totally incompetent. I just felt very disheveled as a coach. I am sure there may have been a few uttering under their breaths by certain parents (and maybe even the other's team coaches), who actually pay very close attention, but to them I say, loosen up. They are 9, they are here to have fun, and if you haven't noticed, I am not their usual coach. So there!!!! Like I said, I left there alive and in one piece, so no harm done.
I have really been trying to engage my kids in fun conversation. I mean I used to talk to them often while they were in "school", but I never knew what was really going on so our conversations where just the usual, "how was your day", "did you learn anything", blah, blah, blah. Of course, then I got busy cooking dinner, laundry, baths, reading to them, etc. so really not much talkative interaction of really what was going on in their brains. So lately, since I sometimes think of really random stuff and random times, I kind of just say them out loud and see where the conversations goes.
For instance, I just randomly asked, as I am sure we have all heard this question asked, (I am not sure if anyone really came up with the answer, but I know I never did) but, I asked "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" My daughter thought very carefully about this and said, "the egg". I replied but you need the chicken to hatch the egg. She of course thought even harder on this subject and then replied, well then, "of course, the chicken came first". I then stated that we need the chicken first to lay the egg. So who came first? The look on her face was priceless. I wish I could have taken a picture, because she was in deep, deep thought. And then all of a sudden, from the other room, from my son (who I never feel pays attention to anything), says, "God created the animals, mom, so he created the chicken first, and then they laid the eggs which brought more chickens." WHAT????? All I could say is WOW. I now know the answer. Ok. I had a blond moment, for years, but the clarity of the situation is now sinking in, and this was brought to me by my 9-year-old son. I know I would definitely fail in the TV show "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?" - NO, NO I am not, I am not even smarter than a 3rd grader!!!!
I also learned that my son loves art. He loves to draw. We were doing our LLATL, which I think is a very laid back, easy, sort of program, but good for a kid who doesn't love this stuff, to look in an encyclopedia (OK. today people. I obviously know what an encyclopedia is, my mom has them all - and then the 30 years of updates that followed), but how do you explain this to someone in the year 2013. Well son, now we have wikipedia. By the way - I HATE wikipedia. All I want is something simple. For instance, my son had to look up a tulip and write a sentence full of adjectives and draw a picture. Simple, right? It took me at least 20 minutes to find a simple, 9-year-old mind set, link on the subject. Oh my word. Show a darn picture with a very descriptive example of a tulip. Nope, I got "The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, of which ca 75 [1] wild species are currently accepted and which belongs to the family Liliaceae." (from wikipedia) I don't even understand this stuff. How am I suppose to explain this to my 9-year-year son. And mind you, many were just as confusing. We just want a description like, a long plant, various in color, 6 petals in all, .... again ...blah, blah, blah.
Well finally I found something that he could go by, and he drew the picture, with a sentence description. These are the pictures:
[Sorry needed to remove the pic - it had my son's name on it. Total bad!!!!]
Well these were the colored pictures I had him do afterward. Actually the pencil drawings he did were just as good if not better, but I was trying to keep him busy and to use color so this is what he came up with. The camo one was an additional one that was not needed for school work.
I don't know about your, but for a 9-year-old, I think they are pretty darn good. And how did I not know that my kid loved art. I knew he didn't like music. I mean, he hated it. He got booted out of class every week when he had it in school. We once had to read about a kid and his violin and he wouldn't do it just because it had something to do with music. So for some reason, I thought art was not something he would like either. Oh how wrong I was. And I am so glad to know this, as it gives me so many other opportunities to help him in homeschool. I almost felt a couple of bricks falling off my shoulder when I learned this aspect. Again, he is 9 - how did I not know this. Boy I have a lot to learn - about my kids. That is kinda of depressing knowing I know so little about them, but then again, I am now in a position to finally figure all this stuff out. :) I can't stop smiling when I think about this and the opportunities I now have in order to use this strength and love for art in his schooling.
I, however, do not have an art bone in my body. So this will be a struggle for me. I tried, and this is what I came up with:
Ok. Please don't laugh. I love trees - for some strange reason. So I thought I could draw one. HA. Sad I know. But I had fun. So my kids definitely did not get the art gene from me.
Well more to come on this expedition of using art in homeschooling. Any advise would be great. I did find a great site for my 1st grader that I love and will share here:
http://www.homeschoolcreations.net/2013/10/first-grade-mini-office-printables/
This is great. Check it out. I have printed up stuff for our use that just was plain and boring, but this is an all in one FREE printable using a little bit more imagination (again, something I lack). Thank you so much Homeschool Creations for sharing.
Thanks for reading my ranting and raving really about nothing - but I find my kids interesting and I am loving every minute of homeschooling them.
Peace Out - YO
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