Curriculum Share

Well, tomorrow is our local group's "curriculum share". For those Non-HSers, this is the chance that we get to share some of the educational guides/books/ideas that we love, and perhaps those we even despise. Here is what I should probably share on my table:

Our foreign language curriculum: 6 different Dora the Explorer tapes/CD's. We fluently can say: Dora, Tico, Diego, Esau, Benny, delicioso (okay, we haven't learned how to SPELL the words yet, just say them), astrayas, momy and poppi.

Math: We use a lot of everyday math problems, such as "Do you know how many grams of sugar are in that!", "How many times do I have to tell you to SIT DOWN?!", "You fit HOW MANY marbles down the heating vent?!", and "you can have a teaspoon of ice cream for every minute you can be quiet during this show" (See? That one contains both the study of TIME and MEASUREMENT!). Sometimes we even present challenging questions, such as "If you touch him one more time, I'll make sure you're in time out until 2023! Do you know how old you'll be?!!!".

Reading: My daughter (only 2) can "read" virtually all of her older brother's Pokeman cards, as well as the words "Burger King", "McDonalds", and "Wal-Mart". Her older siblings are learning to read each others diaries and secret love notes that they just "happen" to find stuffed under each others pillows in secret pockets.

Spelling: My older children have quickly learned to spell things like: snack, ice cream, popsicle, going, Daddy, sleeptime, naptime, and other general words they don't want their 2 yr old sister to know that they're saying. In the meantime, the 2 yr old is learning what s-n-a-c-k, c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e, and n-a-p spells.

Writing: They have been mastering some of their favorite forms of letters and lists:

1) Apologies to each other, parents, and the occasional person in line behind us
2)10 reasons we should continue to homeschool
3)10 things they love about whatever sibling they just inflicted pain to
4)10 things they can do to help me around the house, so I won't ground them until next month

History: My children have learned a lot of general history this school year. Mainly, Mommy's history, such as: when Mommy was younger: she hated to wear underpants, stole some apples from a neighbors' tree, didn't know how to say the "s" sound properly until she learned how to whistle, and dressed up as a Mommy (toilet plunger and all) for career day at school.

Geography: They can now locate the 7 nearest hospitals, 4 closest Wal-Marts, 5 cheapest gas stations, 2 area rest homes, and every rest stop from here to Kansas.

For Science I figured I'd just bring the first 10 liquids and powders that happen to catch my eye. They tend to mix whatever's around to see how it will turn out.

And, finally, Art: Perhaps the giant replicas of mountains they make with our dirty laundry- actually, mountain RANGE would probably be more appropriate since it can stretch from one end of the house to the other.

So, that's what should be my table, truth be told.

I wonder what everyone else will be bringing?

My Little Boy's Growing Up

Well, my little guy has his first crush- and it's NOT on me, I'm sad to say.

We have a group of homeschoolers that tries to get together each week, and one of the Mom's in the group has become his cupid's target. Her name is Star. When I came to co-op, Aidan saddled right up next to her, and didn't leave her side for most of the time. She offered to take one of the kids to spend the night, and I thought Aidan would kill himself jumping up to offer himself up (what a sacrifice). Unfortunately, I told him no (meanest Mom in the world award, coming right up!), and maybe another time.

Later that evening, Aidan comes up to me, and (absolutely serious) says, "Can Star spend the night at our house, sometime?" Dead serious- and I had to keep a STRAIGHT FACE!!! I told him that maybe Logan or Ariel could spend the night sometime (her kids), but usually Mommies and Daddies don't spend the night at other peoples' houses (he'll found out the whole evil sorded truth about the world in due time. No sense screwing it up now). He went away with his head hung low and feeling completely dejected. His first broken heart.

I'm sure he'll bounce back soon, I saw him eyeing his Primary teacher the other week.

Offending Bandidos

Okay, so I've offended my share of people in my lifetime (and most of yours, and yours, and....well, you get the drift). But, being ignorantly offensive is not something I wished to pass along to my children. So much for that dream!

We went to Bandido's on Amelia's birthday (birthday girl eats FREE!!). We were sitting around the table with the resteraunt PACKED with people (of course it was packed, no sense offending people if you can't offend a WHOLE BUNCH of them!!), when Amelia notices the little advertisement posted on the table. "Hey!", she says in her not-so-suddle ear-piercing voice, "they have this special on the second Tuesday of the month- THAT'S NEGRO DAY!!" It felt like the walls shook from the vibration of her screaming it at the top of her lungs. Now, I'm sure I'm over-exaggerating it (which, by the way, I hardly EVER do), but at that moment that's EXACTLY what it seemed like. Scott and I stared at each other for a moment (deer meets car headlights), then leaned over to her and seethed as loudly/softly as possible- "DON'T SAY THAT!"

Now, if any of you have seen the new movie "Hairspray", you'll know what she's talking about. Scott and I knew of course (at least I did), but who wants to stand on a chair in the middle of a Mexican resteraunt and explain that in the movie, Negro Day is the day that the Negros were allowed to dance on the Corny Collins Show to the other 400 people. Not me. We kept our heads down and headed out as soon as possible.

By the way, the 15th of April is Negro Day. Happy Dancing.