Cute Nephew Quotes from the Past

I found two old snippets of writing involving my nephews when they younger.

The first is from when my nephews must have been 5 and 3 (four years ago!).  We were in Mississippi and I was sitting at the kitchen table blogging.

Justin, 3, walks out into kitchen and opens cereal cabinet.
Jack: What are you doing Justin?
Justin: Nufin.
Jack: You are doing something.
Justin: No. I’m not doing anything.
Then they both wander over here.

I love reading that. My own kid is Justin's age now, and he's using the words "sumthin" and "nuthin" and it's usually pretty cute.
Click here to read full entry.

Fun with Prefixes

I have awesome classes this year, and they finally gave me a couple of funny stories yesterday. We're doing prefixes and roots to build their vocab as readers. The kids have to use the dictionary to look up some words with prefixes, define them, then look up the actual prefix and define it, and finally list other words with the same prefix. I let them work together, and they actually enjoy it.
"No we don't!" they say.
"Yes you do," I answer. "You love this!"
Kids: "No we don't!"
Me: "Yes you do. This is fun!"
Kids: "No it's not!"

Anyway, one student swore he couldn't find the prefix magni- in the dictionary, and put the dictionary back on the shelf and said dismissively, "I can't use this dictionary- it's OLD." I had to chuckle, because he was referring to the dictionary I won in 5th grade when I won the county spelling bee. So I stopped class and showed them the inscription saying 1985 on the inside. We had a chuckle about a) the kid unintentionally calling me old and b) the fact that the dictionary really wasn't THAT old.

In my other class, I had to re-explain the rules of "Friday Fun Day."

Me: "So guys, when I created Friday Fun Day, I just meant it as a day of choice. You can read or write whatever you want, talk about books, or share your writing. I still want you to be doing something that makes you grow as readers and writers. This class misinterpreted my saying that you were allowed to doodle in your fun journal. I didn't mean you to sit with your friends and talk about random stuff while making signs that say "The Patriots Rule" or "Stay Out of My Room." I really couldn't justify that if, say, the superintendent walked in. Any drawing you are doing needs to be related to your reading and writing. Does everyone understand?"

Most of them looked at me with sad faces. One student said hopefully, "So could I write "Prefixes" in bubble letters and color it in?"

I laugh, then stop. "Wait- you're joking, right?"

Student: "No."

Me: "Oh- OK. Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you." (Putting my teacher face back on.) "Um, NO, you cannot draw the word "prefix" in bubble letters and color it in. That's the same thing as writing "Halloween" and drawing a bunch of candy corn. You're not showing that you know anything about prefixes. If you were to say, draw a small circle with "micro" in it, and a bigger circle with "macro" in it, that would be doodling that shows your knowledge."

Kid: "Oh. No, I don't want to do that."

They did pretty good with Friday Fun Day. Many kids read, four boys planned and made a new Friday Fun Day poster clarifying the rules, and one kid drew a creepy character from his book and then a couple other kids drew the same thing because they liked how creepy it was. It's the Friday before Halloween, so I let them get away with that.

Hm. Those stories really don't seem as funny now that I've written them down.

Is this story funny? During Friday Fun Time, one of my chattiest boy students came over and showed me that on several pages in my copy of a large illustrated copy of The Guinness Book of World Records, someone had written "Actual Size" near some drawings of like, the world's shortest man, or the world's largest feet.

Chatty student: "Look at that! That's so annoying! Someone wrote 'Actual size!'

Me, trying to act like I care: "Oh, uh-huh, yup."

Chatty student: "Look! There it is again! 'Actual size!' Isn't that so annoying? That's not actual size!"

Me: "Listen, don't worry about it."

Chatty student: "Look! There it is again! 'Actual size!' That is so annoying!"

Me: "I think it's kind of funny, actually."

Chatty student: "No it's not! It's annoying!"

Me: "Go sit down. If it's bothering you that much, don't read the book." And this is when I have to turn around and just laugh, because the conversations I have during my work day are so absurd... and fabulous. I've always loved the absurd. Click here to read full entry.

Montessori Tidbits

A Montessori lady spoke after our Stroller Strides class. A couple of things that she said that I liked:

Group toys by theme. Put the farm puzzle by the toy farm. The kid will internalize the logic.

Before age 6, a kid can't misbehave, because they don't have that logic. They can test you, but they are looking for limits. All we can do is control our reaction to their behavior. That's the adult's job. To be the steady leader and authority figure.
Click here to read full entry.

Breastfeeding After Breast Surgery

I am reading the Breastfeeding After Breast Surgery page on the La Leche League website and I am beyond inspired by what some women have done to keep their baby at the breast.

I love the following lines from a woman's story who breastfed after breast reduction surgery with a nursing supplementer:

Rebecca showed me how to place the tube next to my nipple so Gabriela would receive the milk in the bottle while she was breastfeeding. That was definitely not the solution I was expecting. But my husband, Elbert, was enthusiastic and supportive of trying new things. He helped me believe it would work. He washed those bottles hundreds of times, often in the middle of the night, and thanks to his support, we kept going.

The last conversation was with a dancer friend of mine. I was in a theater with Gabriela, getting ready to feed her. My friend asked if I had switched Gabriela to the bottle. I answered, "No, we are still using the SNS." She said she couldn't believe I used the device in public. I replied, "I have no reason to change the way my child is fed in or outside my home. I have no reason to be ashamed of it."

Another woman found that although she couldn't exclusively breastfeed her first baby after breast reduction surgery, she could with her second, because her milk ducts had reconnected!

Alex was still intensely nursing at age two-and-a-half, when I became pregnant. I consulted many times via email with Diana West, author of Defining Your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction Surgery (Available from the LLLI Online Store), as well as other La Leche League Leaders. The hope among all of us was that having an enthusiastic nurser would have given my milk ducts an opportunity to recanalize, restoring their flow so that I might be able to exclusively breastfeed this new baby. I had no idea the body was even capable of such repair. I was skeptical, but thrilled.

Ben was welcomed into this world five months ago. He weighs 19 pounds. Amazingly, he has only had his mama's milk. His brother gave him the gift of recanalized milk ducts and Ben has given his mother the gift of above average weight gain, to reassure me during those times of doubting my body. Both of my babies have given me the gift of trusting my body to heal and to provide sustenance in more ways than I had ever imagined possible. There are truly blessings all around!

It is just incredible what the human body can do, and what a mother can do with education, support and determination.

For a little more clinical detail, you can see this article by Diana West, the author of Defining Your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction Surgery.

And on the Breastfeeding After Breast Surgerypage, there are stories of continuing to breastfeed after other types of breast surgeries as well. Click here to read full entry.

Cruise Ship Wreck

Me: "I still can't get over the sight of that cruise ship turned over on its side in the Mediterranean."

Sister: "I KNOW!!!"

Me: "I used to think the worst thing that could happen on a cruise ship was a norovirus, but now I know they can actually shipwreck!"

As husband is rolling his eyes, and actually his whole head backwards, my sister agrees, "I was thinking the exact same thing this morning! I was thinking, 'Geez, before I wasn't sure if I wanted to take a cruise because of norovirus, but now, they can actually turn over!"

Husband: "Is this how insanity starts?"

Sister: "It's genetics."

Husband: "Oh come on. When was the last time that happened? Oh that's right, it was the Titanic!"
Click here to read full entry.

My Favorite Wear Everywhere Pants

May I introduce you to the best 100 bucks I've ever spent?

It's my Lululemon Still Pant.

I'm wearing them right now, as I blog in bed, 10 days after having a baby. (149 lbs)
I wore them when I was 37 weeks pregnant, after swim class with the toddler. (162 lbs)
I wore them before I got pregnant, when I was thin. (132 lbs)

Six 6 pants that can still look good and fit if you gain 30 lbs?

I don't think I need to say much more.

Although, I'll just say, I wear them to bed, I wear them to work, I wear them out, I wear them around the house.

BEST

PANTS

EVER.

Coming in a close second is my Studio Pant II. I have them in black and dark grey- amazing for airplanes and other outings because you can hike up the ankles when you go to a disgusting, pee-covered floor bathroom.

A hundred bucks seems like a lot for pants until they become the only pants you ever wear. Then you wonder why you ever tried to make all those other pairs of pants work. Just go straight for the comfort and functionality, and don't worry if you only wear 3-4 pants total all week. Nobody notices. Click here to read full entry.

The Passion of US Weekly Readers

So, I read US Weekly online. Around a year ago, a month or two after Sandra Bullock's husband cheated on her, US Weekly broke the news that she'd adopted a baby. On the mobile site, the comments are posted right below, and these comments absolutely caught my eye. They were so humorously heartfelt that I had to cut and paste them. I'm finally getting around to blogging them, a year later, because I can't delete them without sharing them.

I Love Sandra Bullock! She is awesome and I feel so bad for the way her marriage turned out...what a lousey cheating bum Jesse is! God Bless her and that beautiful baby boy she adopted! She is an amazing and forgiving woman!
Posted by garfie6966 April 29, 2010, 2:23 am

Sandra is a class act and is very smart and knows what she should do...no matter who disagrees. I am so sorry her marriage turned out to be what it was and that the world is in her business. She is smart and will get through this and now has the cutest baby in the world. I couldn't be more happy for her and wish her all the best. She is beautiful inside and out and when she is ready, she will find love again. I am a fan and I wish you Sandra all you deserve....the best of everything! I feel for you and I wish he hadn't been such a fool and lose the best thing he ever had and ever will....what a fool. The best to you always Sandra!
Posted by triciarm34 April 29, 2010, 1:17 am

I wish Sandra the best of luck with her new baby. He doesn't deserve her. She is way too good for him.
Posted by **Snowbrat** April 29, 2010, 12:54 am

I Am So Happy For Her And Her Brand New Baby Boy ~ I Wish Them The Best! She Looks So Happy Holding Him!
Posted by ~tinkerbelle~29 April 28, 2010, 11:49 pm

At least she has enough respect for herself not to stay with her cheating husband, unlike that money hungry woman Tiger woods cheats on daily.
Posted by seriously April 28, 2010, 11:24 pm

I think Sandra is definatly an angel and she is ENTITLED to someone who will love and respect her.Jesse is not worthy of a woman of her stature.He is a poor excuse of a man that most likely didn't deserve to be graced with her love from the begining.She is strong and commendable for her decision to divorce him.I also think her baby boy is absolutely precious and was very fond ofthe fact that she adopted within the U.S. ,particuarly New Orleans,not many miles from my home on the Ms. Gulf Coast.Sandra ROCKS!!!
Posted by Tre's Mommy April 28, 2010, 11:02 pm

And these comments were just the tip of the iceberg. I'm sure there were a hundred more, all equally as passionate. I guess they do call her "America's Sweetheart," and that's why people were so utterly pissed. On the US Weekly site, commenters seem to take celeb's behavior very personally; it's worth taking a look if you have the time and want to smile at the oddness of our human nature in the internet age. Click here to read full entry.

Awkward Baby Carrying

Whenever I see photos of celebrities awkwardly carrying their babies, I wonder why they don't babywear. With all the paparazzi, it seems like it would be safer to have a hand or two free.


I mean, look how much more relaxed Orlando Bloom looks. Granted, his kid is younger and easier to wear, but Sandra's little boy is not even one yet, the perfect age to wear!

Click here to read full entry.

What’s the Problem with Toddler Nursing?

This weekend at music class, my toddler was not quite himself. He was probably tired. Right in the middle of music class, he requested to nurse, which he NEVER does. I tried to distract him but he insisted, so I left the circle and faced a corner and sat and nursed him. He looked very drowsy and nursed all throughout a song with chimes and into the next song with some jingle bells. I turned and leaned against the wall so I was more comfortable. Plus, I didn’t want to make it look like I felt I was doing something horrible that needed to be hidden from view! Eventually he was done nursing and wanted to join the song.

During the two closing songs he asked to nurse again, so I backed up out of the circle and leaned up against the wall to nurse my out-of-sorts kid. I felt a little self conscious because I’d never seen anyone breastfeed in the class before, plus there were several dads there, but hey, this is Fairfield County CT, land of overachievers, and nursing is an “in” thing to do. I have actually gotten the sense over the past year that in this health-conscious, even slightly crunchy community, nursing an older baby- and even a toddler- is something people admire.

At the end of the class, the teacher, who I love, came over and said, “I think it’s so great that you’re nursing him. It’s so good for them. They get everything they need.”
I said something awkward like, “Well, it’s just easy! Although today I’m not wearing my proper clothes for it.” (I’d had to struggle with my regular bra and two layers of shirts.)
“Oh, but you were discreet,” she said, which made me realize that I sounded apologetic, which I didn’t mean to do, but I did feel a little awkward about broaching the non-nursing precedent that had been set in my 9 months or so of attending these classes. I was so happy that she took the time to make sure I knew she approved of my actions; I needed that boost. In the past two days I’ve gotten a couple negative comments about nursing, and her approval has buoyed me when I felt down.
Click here to read full entry.

High Five! Fist Bump! Blow Me a Kiss!

"The glorious return of the high five" is a great little essay I found on the San Francisco Chronicle's parenting blog, The Poop.

Like the author, high fiving recently became a part of my life because other people started teaching my kid to do it. It seemed pretty cliche to me, but I figured, whatever. It was a standard daycare lesson, along with kiss-blowing, which seemed even dumber until my kid started doing it, and then IT WAS TOTALLY ADORABLE!!! My coworker's husband also taught my kid to fist bump, which always impresses strangers who want to high five and are instead met with a fist offered by my toddler.

(Recently, he learned "Cheers!")

Plus, the Poop post has a picture of Obama. If you read this blog regularly, you know how I feel about Obama.

One more thing about cute baby tricks: they win the goodwill of strangers on trains and airplanes, and you want that. You really do. Click here to read full entry.

Peekaru: Marie Claire Does Not Know Babywearing!

Marie Claire rated the Peekaru babywearing vest as one of their "41 Gifts We Don't Want" but I'd guess that writer hasn't ever worn a baby. I concede that I, despite being a babywearing fanatic, also thought the Peekaru was probably not that useful... until my sister got it for me last month and I was in its cozy heaven of cuteness!!!

If you've babyworn, you know how much easier it is to navigate a crowded place without a stroller. Packed tourist destinations, escalators, stairs, no problem. It's also safer to have them higher up. Last month I had the kid in the stroller in the city- and someone ASHED ON HIS HEAD!!! I promptly put him right into our ERGObaby carrier (which I never leave home without) and wore him for the rest of the night, navigating Times Square and Toys R Us without fear of some idiot dropping a cigarette on him or knocking him in the face with shopping bags.

My city-dwelling sister ordered me the Peekaru the next day, and I wore it the next time I went to see her in the city. We got stared at admiringly all day. I'm serious. No one could resist our adorableness.

Even without a Peekaru, babywearing in winter is awesome. With the kid against you, you don't have to worry about if he/she is warm or not. You just know, because they're the same temp you are, so you adjust your layers around the kid accordingly. This is me babywearing last year, before the Peekaru. I look like a hobo with a large sweatshirt closed over the kid, my winter maternity coat over that, and a scarf around my neck. (No offense, hobos.)

Now, instead of mismatched clothes, I'm the epitome of chic.

Just before this photo was taken, a man said, "That's a beautiful baby!" Do you think he would have even noticed my kid if he was in a stroller? No! See how the Peekaru brings out the beauty in life?

Here's another pre-Peekaru photo, from the day he got ashed on. That was pre-Peekaru. (I cropped out my husband since he's a little antisocial.) You can see how the bulky winter coat gets all up in the kid's face.

The one downside of the Peekaru is that if the kid wants to get down, you have to unzip the Peekaru, but that's no biggie.





When it's really, really cold, you have to protect your baby. The Peekaru is one good option. The other option is to put them in a stroller bundle thingy, a winter jacket, then cover them in plastic (see photo to left), but then you really don't know if they are too hot or still cold. On this day, probably almost a year ago, my hips were bothering me, so I shrink wrapped him in the stroller. You can see how silly the kid looks, and that's why I wear him if I can. Instead of closing them up like a package, why not snuggle them close? They're only wearable for so long, so I get my cuddles whenever I can.

Don't even get me started on how handy it is to babywear in an airport, and while hauling all of your crap onto an airplane. Click here to read full entry.

Cliche: Parenting Changes You

I found it so annoying when people would say, when I was pregnant, "Having a kid changes your whole life." I smiled politely while thinking, DUH!!!! Of course having a kid changes your whole life. I know that. I'm ready for that. You telling me that is insulting to my intelligence.

As I've been a parent over the past 20 months, this little statement has come true in ways I could have easily predicted- you have stronger emotions, less time for yourself, completely different priorities for spending money and time, and new skills relating to patience and empathy. (Hiking in the woods in the photo to the right? Something I did only because I feel like my kid needs to see more nature.)

It's the empathy thing that's interesting to me, because I didn't think people meant that- I didn't think they meant that being a parent changes how you view every other person you come into contact with.

That 20-something lady I stop my car for at the crosswalk at the busiest shopping center in town? Someone's baby.
That 50 something guy driving like an absolute idiot in the same parking lot? Someone's baby!
My student who is being absolutely stubborn about filling out the graphic organizer, who I'm getting really frustrated with because I don't have time to repeat it for the third time? Someone's baby.

That's a lot of pressure! To have to treat other people like they are a former baby? To give them the same respect you hope a stranger or teacher will give YOUR baby, whether they're 11 or 25 or 50? That's a lot of responsibility, but I'm happy to have a refreshed awareness of others. It's easy to be self-centered when you're busy and stressed out about your own life, but awareness of others can give badly needed perspective. That perspective can help you be kind to others when you'd otherwise be impatient.

Of course you can have that patience and perspective if you're NOT a parent- you can try to treat others like you wish your siblings or parents would be treated- but I find the extreme attachment and protectiveness I feel for my own kid is a more powerful motivator. It's so obvious to me how helpless he is, and that makes it easy for me to see how helpless even teenagers and adults are.

It can be a bit depressing to see how some people's babies turn out. I don't mean that in a mean way. I just mean, some of these former babies have difficult lives, and I know their parents probably hoped for something different for them.

Anyway, the cliche came true. Parenting has changed my whole life. Although I'm the same person, I spend my time really differently and I see things in my daily life differently. I do not say, though, to people who are about to have children, "Being a parent changes your whole life!" I get that out of my system by blogging. More people should blog. That way, I won't have to listen to them tell me things I already know, or will discover on my own soon enough even if they DIDN'T tell me about it.
Click here to read full entry.

What I'm Reading

Peter Pan- I'm only on the third or fourth chapter, but that book is deliciously messed up. It is absolutely not a children's book. It is a young adult book. It's one of the books my students are reading for their classics units and I am having a blast talking about it with them. The highlight of my week was when one of my0 students read aloud to me the scene where Tink encourages the Lost Boys to shoot Wendy. I'll include that excerpt at the end of this post. I also love the part where Peter thinks a kiss is a thimble. "Peter thimbled her..." I fell over laughing, literally, when another of my students read it to me!

I'm also reading an awesome teaching book. Only read this if you are a reading/writing teacher (of any grade). It is a fabulous framework for the teaching of reading and writing in a nurturing way. It's called The Complete 4 for Literacy because author Pam Allyn advocates a balance of focus on genre, conventions, process, and strategy. I have the privilege of being on a team that's writing units for my district, as we are switching from the model where the whole class reads one book together to a model where the kids are reading books (or any text) at their just right level. We are using this book, which gives great advice for how to write units of study with very focused objectives but lots of time for kids to read and write at their independent level. I love that it builds in time for conferencing with students as well as small group instruction. It's just a good, healthy model.

I am also reading Mary Poppins, which, like Peter Pan, is also not really a young kid's book! Mary Poppins is actually super mean- the opposite of the sweet character Julie Andrews plays in the movie. "I hate her!" one of my students said yesterday as we looked at a part where she threatens the kids, or tells them to be quiet, or mocks them.... which she does constantly! I absolutely love how mean she is, but my students don't see how it's funny. Oh well. She's like, viciously mean and shows the kids no kindness. It's insane.

A couple of New York Times articles that I've read over the last couple of weeks have stuck with me.

One I won't link to because it's about the Cheshire CT triple murder case of a woman and her two daughters, and it is very, very disturbing. Don't read about it. It's awful. The dad survived the attack and recently one of the killers was sentenced to die. The article I found interesting was about how the jury, after they delivered the verdict, asked the judge if they could speak privately to the father. They all cried and hugged him. Many other lines in the article stuck with me. One jury member told the reporter that although he did not believe in the death penalty, he felt that if any case necessitated one, this was it, and so he applied the law. Another one said she wished she could take away the pain and fear that the daughters had to go through in their last hours. They were very human comments, not clinical legal ones. These jurors felt how I would feel, and we don't always get that inside window on a trial.
The article really showed how the people seemed to connect and care for each other both during and after the trial. After the verdict, the judge thanked the jury for their service and said they'd seen things that no person should ever have to see. He didn't have to say that, and that to me shows a degree of care. The reporter ended the article with the comment that clearly amazed him the most. When the jurors met with the dad and family, the grandma told the jury she was sorry they'd had to put them through that. This reporter was clearly struck by the people in this case, and his article got that across to me.

On a lighter note, I enjoyed the article about the Chilean miner who ran the New York City marathon after being stuck underground for 10 weeks. I'll link to that.

Here's the part from Chapter 5 of Peter Pan where Tink encourages the boys to shoot Wendy. The dialogue is ridiculous. I have always loved the absurd.

Now Nibs rose from the ground, and the others thought that his staring eyes still saw the wolves. But it was not wolves he saw.

"I have seen a wonderfuller thing," he cried, as they gathered round him eagerly. "A great white bird. It is flying this way."

"What kind of a bird, do you think?"

"I don't know," Nibs said, awestruck, "but it looks so weary, and as it flies it moans, `Poor Wendy,'"

"Poor Wendy?"

"I remember," said Slightly instantly, "there are birds called Wendies."

"See, it comes!" cried Curly, pointing to Wendy in the heavens.

Wendy was now almost overhead, and they could hear her plaintive cry. But more distinct came the shrill voice of Tinker Bell. The jealous fairy had now cast off all disguise of friendship, and was darting at her victim from every direction, pinching savagely each time she touched.

"Hullo, Tink," cried the wondering boys.

Tink's reply rang out: "Peter wants you to shoot the Wendy."

It was not in their nature to question when Peter ordered. "Let us do what Peter wishes!" cried the simple boys. "Quick, bows and arrows!"

All but Tootles popped down their trees. He had a bow and arrow with him, and Tink noted it, and rubbed her little hands.

"Quick, Tootles, quick," she screamed. "Peter will be so pleased."

Tootles excitedly fitted the arrow to his bow. "Out of the way, Tink," he shouted, and then he fired, and Wendy fluttered to the ground with an arrow in her breast.

And the chapter ends right there. Hilarious! Insane! How on earth is this a children's book???

Here's a link to Chapter 6, and you can read the whole book online if you want. Click here to read full entry.

My Age

Me to kid who has bossed a classmate around: "Do not boss him around. When you're 35 like me, then you can tell an 11 year old what to do."

Murmurs of shock and horror flow throughout the room. "Thirty-five? Oh my gosh."

A few of them murmur kindly, "You don't look thirty-five," and then, because I'm totally ignoring their comments and moving on, one of my most helpful students shouts, "You don't look your age!" just so he can make sure I'm not offended.

I brush my hair back from my face and say, "I know."

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Click here to read full entry.

Candy Life

My sister showed me that by early August, stores already carry those candy pumpkins!
I'm somewhat horrified and offended that sugar is rushing the end of summer, but I do appreciate the cuteness of candy that relates to the seasons. It feels, y'know, very cyclical and holidayish and traditionish. I suppose we could mark the passing of seasons with something a little healthier like apple or pumpkin pie, but I guess this is the easier option.
Now, when do my pumpkin spice lattes come out?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Click here to read full entry.

Parents, Sports Crushes

I just got this cryptic email from my Dad:

tonite on abc at 9pm shaq and dale jr

I dunno, sounds pretty interesting. If you've been following this blog for a while, you know that Dale Earnhardt Jr is one of my celebrity crushes.

It's my parents 42nd wedding anniversary today! Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Here's info on the Shaq/Dale show. Click here to read full entry.

World's Fanciest Playground?

I guess this new-fangled playground opened at South Street Seaport (NYC) today.

Listen to this:
The playground has been five years in the making, a result of tons of research in progressive learning theory and child-development research, as well as $7.4 million in financing. In smaller, portable versions, it has been tested and tweaked after trial tours all over the city.
Instead of monkey bars and jungle gyms, there are fountains with canals of cascading water that can be dammed in infinite ways, or transformed into a network of rivers. There is an engaging set of lifts and pulleys. Play is proctored and interaction fostered by a staff of city workers trained as “play associates.”

I'm hoping to go check the playground out as soon as possible- rather, as soon as Q's Aunt Katie, who lives and works in the city, has some time to see us! Click here to read full entry.

My Blue and Yellow Nursery!

Well, it's not MINE, exactly, but I'd love a nursery like this if I were having a girl. I have posted before about yellow nurseries, so to find a bright one like I was imagining sort of took my breath away.


This is a nursery for a boy since they didn't know what they were having. I love that I could easily (well, sorta easily) just change Q's nursery to look like this since we already have an aqua blue wall in the room. If I don't have any more kids, or a baby girl, I'll just have to make an office for myself that looks like this!

Thanks to Ohdeedoh for the awesome nursery pics.

See my decor tab to see other nurseries I've written about. Really, is anything cuter than a nursery? Gosh, I should probably start thinking about Q's "big boy room" or whatever. I'm dying to get him out of the crib and into a regular bed, but we shall see.

Hmmm that white crib looks so nice. I sort of wish we'd gotten one, but I do think Q's natural crib looks good with our orange and blue theme. I'll try to get a decent pic of it soon. Click here to read full entry.

Saying Things Once

A couple months ago, I realized I was repeating my requests to my baby at least two times and often three. I know repetition is important for learning, but I was repeating things I knew he understood just because he wasn't doing them right away. (Like, "Go get your sippy cup." I figured he was going to start expecting everything repeated, so I started trying to only say things TWICE. This allowed me to be more patient and wait longer after my first request to see if he was going to complete it, then if not, I'd repeat it again. I tell you, it makes me feel more sane.

("Sit down in the chair!" is a popular request around here. Or at the beach, which is where the photo above was taken, hence the wicker, wood paneling, and cooler.)

I think that if I weren't a teacher, I might not be aware of this. Any teacher will tell you how maddening it is to give a couple directions, then say, "OK, any questions? Great, go ahead and begin!" and then have three kids say, "Wait, what do we do?" Of course, you have to check that you yourself have made directions clear, but if you know you have, then what you have is a case of "I've learned I don't have to listen carefully, because I know you'll do the work for me by repeating it for me personally later."

I noticed this a lot when I came back from my maternity leave. I very quickly taught them I was not going to repeat myself. I often had to explicitly say, "I am not going to repeat myself. I am only saying this once, so listen up." I would see them perk up and focus, which told me that indeed, they hadn't been focused before. (Hey, I understand- sometimes I'd a really bad listener.) After I had their attention, I'd give the directions, keeping it as simple and clear as possible, then ask if there were any questions, then answer the questions, and tell the kids to begin... and there would often be a kid who'd then come up to me and ask what to do. I used my judgment on whether or not the kid needed it repeated. If it was a student who I knew was confused, I'd re-explain. If it was a kid who I knew was just insecure that he or she was doing things right, I'd say, "No, you know what to do." Or I'd say, "Go ask someone at your table," because that way they'd know it was OK to ask for help, but that I wasn't going to re-explain, because I'd just said I wasn't going to re-explain. (You might think I was sending conflicting messages by only repeating it for certain kids, but the students understand that learners are different, and I explain from the very beginning of the year that we all have strengths and weaknesses as learners.)

Anyway, what I'm saying is, it's important to keep track of how you talk to kids. You want to be clear, but you also don't want to be a sucker and do all the work for them.

I also think it's kind of a life lesson: "Oh, you are confused? Well, you better figure it out yourself, whether that means trying to do it to the best of what you remember of the directions, or to ask for help wherever you can." But not from the person who just said, "Do not ask me."

If it looks like the students it stressed or upset, I'll help them- I'm not mean.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, if my kid doesn't do what I want him to do after the second request, I'll say it a different way, then just do it myself, or do it with him- whatever makes the most sense for the situation. Click here to read full entry.

Montessori Blog

I just discovered a great blog: MariaMontessori.com.

I have been interested in Montessori ever since my friend Laura sent me the Michael Olaf Montessori materials catalogue, which you can easily view online (I'll post link later-Q sleeping on me right now- see photo).

So much of the Montessori ideas make sense: a floor bed, a low shelf for toys, teaching life skills, letting kids choose what to learn, etc. The blog I just found via Mighty Marce is a quick way to learn about some Montessori ideas.

Try as I might to incorporate Montessori ideas into my public school classroom, it's really hard without spending a ton of time thinking about how. Actually, it's pretty Montessori of me to let my students choose their writing topics, and choose their own books, but... much of what I do is NOT Montessori. It's going to take time to research, and I just do not have tons of time for that while working and having a toddler.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Click here to read full entry.