parenting peacefully since 2006

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10 Aug, 2010

science with Baba: relative and absolute time

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

 
Ben took the kids through the first few pages of Physical Geology, his first geology textbook from university days, this past weekend.
 
In this video, Ben explains the scientific principles of "relative time" and "absolute time" to a three-year-old, a two-year-old, a not-quite-one-year-old, and a cat:
 
 
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05 Aug, 2010

lunchtime learning with sandwiches

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

As a beginning rhythm exercise in music class, the teacher put stuffed bears on a line and we clapped and said "bear" when she pointed to each bear. Students got to remove one bear at a time, and when the teacher pointed to that space, we held our palms up and whispered, "rest." So a typical rhythm would sound like this: "bear [clap], bear [clap], rest, bear [clap]."
 
 
When we got home and started eating sandwiches, Nikki ate one quarter of her sandwich, then excitedly told me that she had made a "rest." So we pointed and clapped for the four sections of her sandwich, "bear [clap], rest, bear [clap], bear [clap]." She has continued to do this for nearly every sandwich she's eaten at home since. Michael has gotten in on the action, and even Vi puts up her hands and says "yea!" when we all cheer a correct rhythm.
 
I have found it helps my children start the rhythm at the top left of the sandwich if I have them point to the sandwich pieces (or places where the sandwich pieces used to be) and count "1 - 2 - 3 - 4" going right to left, and top to bottom before we begin. It also sets the tempo for our simultaneous bears and rests.
 
This is one instance where playing with our food is a good thing.
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04 Aug, 2010

Michael, could you throw the ball to Mama?

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

 
 
 
 
 
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03 Aug, 2010

catechism review

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

 
Catechism questions are how we begin the day. Vi settles on the sofa with Mama for some numnums while the kiddos curl up in a blanket and answer questions from the Shorter Catechism and Young Children's Catechism. We eat breakfast after catechism.
 
For a while I started out with Question 1 in both catechisms every day. But it was taking a long time and as the review lengthened to 20 or so questions in the Shorter Catechism and 60 or so questions in the Young Children's Catechism, Nikki sat quietly during the first questions, refusing to answer ones she had memorized already, and chiming in only when we got to 5 or so questions before the one she hadn't yet memorized.
 
I took a cue from Nikki's silence (and my own growling stomach) and cut down the number of questions we reviewed each morning to 5 or so before the latest ones we're memorizing. In the Young Children's catechism, for example, I just start with Question 72, "How many commandments did God give on Mount Sinai?" and continue through Question 104, "Of what use are the ten commandments to us?" The kids have memorized up through Question 79, and it's a nice grouping of questions, all to do with the Ten Commandments.
 
This morning, however, Nikki asked if we could start at the beginning of the Shorter Catechism in order to review. She correctly answered all the questions up to this week's, Question 26, "How is Christ a king?", needing prompts only twice, both with more recently memorized questions.
 
Looks like I can continue to follow her lead and trust her to signal both when she wants more review and when less will do.
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23 Jul, 2010

hi, scooterist!

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

 
We decided that since Nikki is a cyclist on the Like-a-Bike, Michael must be a "scooterist" on the Svan scooter.
 
Michael loves to roll up to where I am seated on the sofa breastfeeding Vi. (Ever since she moved into her own bed she has doubled up her feeds during the day. I thought I was nursing a lot before. I had no idea.)
 
And then he asks, "Mama, can you say, 'Hi, scooterist?'" That's where the video begins.
 
 
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16 Jul, 2010

offense vs defense

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth


Vi's charming smile. Extra supports under Michael's bridge.
 
 

Distraction.
 
 

Destruction.
 
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12 Jul, 2010

kids prepping pancakes

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

 
Under Baba's direction, Nikki and Michael created pancake batter.
 
 
Ben thinks that by the time Nikki turns seven he'll just put his feet up on a weekend morning and let the pancakes come to him.
 
 
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08 Jul, 2010

homemade yogurt

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

I recently started making my own homemade yogurt.
 
 
We all agree that it's even yummier than store-bought.
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06 Jul, 2010

simul-poo

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

There are numerous benefits to getting 2- and 3-year-old siblings on the same schedule.
 
Wake time, meal time, bath time, and bed time are conducted with unison, harmony, and the minimum of fuss.
 
 
The hidden underbelly of such synchronisation, the simultaneous and urgent need to use the toilet, is rarely discussed. So I have coined my own term: simul-poo.
 
I'm trusting it will all work out when Lex is using the flush toilet as well.
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04 Jul, 2010

Independence Day Fair

Posted by: blissfule In: Perth

 
Our day began with blueberry pancakes, followed by a brief history lesson and rousing renditions of America the Beautiful, The Star Spangled Banner, and the Pledge of Allegiance. We loaded into the car and practiced chanting U-S-A! U-S-A! as we drove to Kardinya.
 
There we were greeted with classic American cars, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and American military vehicles. Local teams played American football. Vi had her lunch while Baba, Nikki and Michael stood in a long long queue for American hot dogs, and after we ate the older children explored the petting zoo at this year's Independence Day Fair put on by the American Women's Club of Perth.
 
 
Happy Birthday, America!
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about

Blissful E is about parenting peacefully, sustainably, joyfully, and with a view toward maximizing long-term benefits for the entire family.
 
I believe that the more wisely we invest in the early years of our children's lives, the greater the benefits for us and them as they grow.
 
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