Weekending 16 . 1. 21

My children are noisily running around in circles downstairs, and I am hiding away. I figured I'd write a post to highlight what we’ve been doing in the past weeks.

Moonface has been working really hard at writing, and presenting her work orally - all in French. Her spelling has improved immensely. She’s very resistant at times and often refuses help if she gets anxious. In those tones, I allow her to take a break and colour or draw.

At the beginning of the school year we spoke about goal-setting, and how we could merge our goals within the framework of play-based learning (of course I did not explain it that way). 

Each child wrote one goal - a major one that s/he would work towards between the period of September and December 2020.

Moonface's goal was to practice speaking French every day for 20 minutes. Now, I must be honest, it was work. While it was HER goal, it truly was a family affair. Moonface's plan was to share her time with the family by planning a 20 minute activity for all with treats and the whole shebang. THAT DID NOT WORK; and I knew that it was a huge undertaking, however, I wanted her to try it out and see for herself.  I also wanted her to understand the mechanics of practical goal-setting.

As 2021 rolled in we revisited her goal. We talked about what worked, and did not - why and why not. 

She has decided that she wants to continue on the same path with her desire to communicate more, and better, however, this time around, she will have 10 minute "sessions" with Rainman and/or I, and she will read a French book for 10 minutes. She's also been helping with our weekly grocery list (see her list above :)).

Rainman's goal was not French related at all. His goal was to perfect his technique in violin. He's doing really well, and he's very happy with Ms. Claire his teacher.

This term, he will continue to add to his knowledge and skills in that department, and he wants to play piano as well.

The kiddos are also working with an Arabic tutor, and so far they are very independent in their lessons. I think the idea of speaking dad’s language is propelling their enthusiasm. My Arabic is quite mechanical, so naturally dad handles matters relating to Arabic, and I handle all things French related. 

On the music front, both kiddos are doing extremely well. I praise their teacher's effort, and her gentle coaxing. Moonface really loves piano and has a love hate relationship with the violin. She also LOVES to sing.

We continue to use a very consistent approach to behavioural cooperation (management) in our home. We are also using Bonne Nuits des Comptines as a poetry, song book for all three kiddos. Rainman memorized Fais Dodo when he was about 3 when we used the book, so while his sisters worked on singing the song, he took it on himself to find the sheet music for it, and learned to play it on the violin - I can't believe him sometimes lol. Pic of book below.

I'm not sure if I wrote a post about it here, however, some aspects of this approach stems from Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).  The main premise is that the children are given various tasks to complete and are reinforced when they complete said tasks. Should they not complete the tasks, they do not get reinforced. 

Generally, Rainman and Moonface have until 4 pm daily to get at least 3 out of 4 check marks  to receive their reinforcement, which is often 1/2 hour of iPad or a treat. We employ various aspects of ABA with all 3 kiddos, most specifically with Rainman as it is a technique used often with autistic children.

I use the same techniques with WildRose...it’s a battle but I keep fighting the good fight. The only difference is that she is reinforced frequently and there’s a lot of sorting out of feelings lol.

WildRose is trailing along behind her brother and sister. She's really setting herself apart these days, such a positive thing. As per my last post, she is enrolled in 123 Petits Pas' weekly french class for preschoolers, and she paints every . single . day :).

She also likes playdough, storytelling, and songs (mostly french folk songs), baking, and kitchen play. She's pretty consistent, as I assume most 3 year olds are. 

At the beginning of the school year when we were getting settled, she spent quite a bit of time on Youtube. Now I am back on top of my game with a vengeance, and we are definitely keeping her busy. Some days are better than others and I’m learning not to take it personally.

Last week in my Lifeways Waldorf training monthly meet-up, I brought up some of the difficulties I have been having fitting WildRose into our schedule/rhythm. The group gave me some good ideas, and I hope to share them soon.

Whew! This post was much longer than I hoped. This is where we are right now.

Loving: 123 Petits Pas

 

Have you heard of 1 2 3 Petits Pas? It is our favorite new French resource. When Covid hit, WildRose was the most affected.   Closing my playschool and atelier meant that she wouldn't have friends to play with. WildRose's favorite place in our playschool was the atelier. She could paint, and cut paper all day lol. She also loved circle time, which was always done in French. 

Deciding to teach Rainman and Moonface in September also meant that the Waldorf program that we wanted to sign up for was definitely not going to happen. Luckily, I found Mme Amy, and 123 Petits Pas via instagram, and not one month later, I was stoked to find that they offered preschool and school aged french programming in the comfort of our home. We are now re-enrolled in our second session. During the first session WildRose needed a lot of coaxing, but not this time.

I have a few videos of her singing and dancing to Mme Amy’s songs, but I can’t upload videos on this site for some reason.

123 Petits Pas aims to provide participants with a fun French environment while offering parents the opportunity to take part in their child’s first little steps towards bilingualism. 

Located in Ontario - Ottawa to be exact, it means that our current location would never allow for us to attend in person french classes, especially as I am teaching the older children, so this works perfectly. Since Ottawa is 2 hours ahead of Alberta time-wise, we are lucky to participate in WildRose's weekly Wednesday classes via Zoom at 7:30 am, out of the way before her siblings even start school. That's a bonus.

This may sound a bit cliche, but WildRose really is a sponge. Having her brother and sister practicing and speaking French for at least 2 hours a day is great for her. But, 123 Petits Pas offers something even greater - movement, repetition and just about the right amount of fun French rhymes that are easy to remember.

Over the holidays WildRose couldn't stop singing all the songs she learned from Mme Amy. We often log into Youtube for story time, and songs with 123 Petit Pas whenever she wants.

I have done my research and there are French classes that we could sign up for that are much closer to home, but I think we've found the perfect fit for our family.

Thank you Mme Amy and the team of 123 Petits Pas.

weekending 27 . 11 . 20

Last week was just another week of learning. Rainman figured out that the multiplication table does not end at 12...woah...that's a big learning curve.

Moonface is reading everyday and is really improving. An extra 10 minutes of daily reading has made a huge difference for her. She is learning how to write letters, and to address an envelope. Friends, this is a long process. It seems simple to me, but holy moly, she has found a way to make it tedious :)

She's currently learning about Meteghan. She's caught the travel bug and post Covid, we will definitely travel more.

Wildrose's online Zoom class has come to an end, and we are trying to find a new balance with her, although I assume this new rhythm will be disrupted slightly when we go on Winter break anyway.

I rarely have time to photograph  anymore. There's always some troubleshooting to do. Either my printer hates me, or it just likes attention, because every single day there's an issue. There is an unfinished project sitting in my dining room, cookie dough already to go, and a gingerbread house that we are going to get to...in time. It's a busy season for us.

What are we up to? There’s a lot of planning for the winter break, and completing assignments. We are also going gah gah gah (WildRose and Moonface are anyway) for Mme Amy’s advent activity Here. 

 

I want to listen

Years ago, when Moonface was about 3 years old, she stated matter of factly one afternoon at naptime, that there was “no fun behind her eyes”, and that's why she didn’t like to sleep. That was one of the truest truths, if I ever heard one. I think I’m beginning to feel how she felt back then. I’m exhausted, but I’m fighting it, because I am too busy ignoring my reality, while dealing with the daily rituals of Covid 19 home life simultaneously.

It has been really loud around here. As a mom of 5, I am used to loud. But now, as we bunker together, day and night, all around, to the left and right my household has fallen into a busy and vociferous routine, where everyone has a quarrel with another. 

When it comes to communication, I want to listen, I really do. But sometimes the children know that they do not have my attention. That I am not actively listening to their complaints, or questions. Most days one of my children can be heard saying "...you're not even listening to me...". It's true. I own it. I am not listening.

A few years ago, I implemented an "Ask Before Whine Rule". It was around the time that we discovered, or at least it was confirmed that Autism lives here. At that time, I stopped taking advice from well-meaning, and not so well-meaning mamas. I simply didn't need another self-help book, or la di da anecdote.

It was an agreement found at the end of a long line of whining, crying, screaming and pleading. Pretty much the children realized that mama was more or less open to compromise - even if that word was not in their vocabulary. They realized through trial and error, I suppose, that if they asked for another 10 minutes of media time, rather than whining or throwing iPads across the floor when the timer went off, I would almost always say "yes"! So we ran with it and it has been a blessing.

There are days however, when I've got a million things in my head, or I don't feel well, and I just want to hide away. On those days, I am out of sorts, and if I could,  I would avoid any and every human in sight. But, I can't. Because these little humans are mine, and as much as they annoy me most of the day, as the evening materializes, I look back at the silly, ridiculous, and sweet things that they did, and I grateful to be here.

There is something that has prompted me to write this post. Lately, I have been ignoring my children when they are rude, or as I interpret it - when they stress me out. Before you judge I want to say that this isn't technically because they are rude, it is because I NEED A MINUTE TO PROCESS.  It seems I am at the point in my life where I need a full minute to figure out what's happening, and why it's happening, and then I need another ten minutes to figure out what to do about it.

I think we've got some information overload going on right now. I cannot imagine how the children all over the world are processing what is happening. Our new schedule...lifestyle...(fill in the blank) means a lot of housework for of us (mostly me of course).  It means learning how to manage and doing it gracefully. 

At the end of each school day - usually around 3 pm, I promise myself that I will do a little bit for myself, nothing extravagant, just the practical needs of most women. By 7 pm, as the children begin to wind down and get ready for bed, I think I still have time. Then I awake the next morning, often too early, but just late enough. Seems like a trick, a never ending cycle.

So, I want to listen, and I am working on it. Sometimes I forget that parents need to be vulnerable at times. One year ago, none of this was a reality.  We are trying to find our way in this frightening maze of confusion, trying to keep our feet on the ground, steady, and strong, unwavering. 

And so the story goes, we are stumbling around in the dark sometimes, and we don't always have the capacity to fully listen to the external, because firstly, we must turn inward and listen to our hearts, and find all the reasons why we get up every morning, and try to keep moving - no matter what.

weekending 20 . 11. 20

I've been folding too much laundry for my liking. 

But it's also been so nice to not have to worry too much about who has clothes for this or that occasion. I have also lowered my standards, as my 7 year old, sometimes fashionista, wore her pjs to music lessons. She surrendered when she saw an empty drawer, four days in a row...gasp. 

Yes! She spent four days trying to find clothes. She even wore jeans one day. And if you know her, you already know that she does not wear jeans. In my defence, I put away all summer clothing, and we are definitely going the minimalist route so that's that, no more drawers stuffed with clothes. In addition, there were dresses, and skirts that she's not allowed to wear at home, so she wasn't completely without clothes.

So how's living? How's life for us? We are simply feeding off the positive marrow (of sorts) off each other. We are a family of many traditions, and for that I am so grateful. Added to year after year, built from our faith and values, we have been clinging to the small trifles that we hold dear.

With birthday season officially over - for now, and many snow days reminding of what is to come, we stick to the things that bring us joy. 

Last week, we tuned in to a few of the stories from the Festival de Conte/Storytelling festival, shared by some wonderful storytellers at the Ottawa Public Library. We made soup together, spent some time in nature - we need to do so much more in this department, and Rainman walked a friend's dog. 

Oh, and the photo above of the lovely bees was taken in Victoria, BC. WildRose has become obsessed with bees - what a beautiful thing. She saw that photo as I was deleting photos from our trip from my SD card, and she squealed with delight. I don't know how she noticed the bees, as they are a bit hidden.

Now she has taken to reminding us that honey is for the bees, and she wags her finger if we eat any honey. Uhm, she eats honey and she loves it too. This is her favourite book of the moment, pretty much of all time actually.  She loves to listen or read it when she's tired. I'm not sure if there is a connection, now to think of it. Perhaps, she's just become routinized.

Plan for the next few days include:

-writing letters to friends...long over due
- baking cookies & possibly a Christmas bark
- slow cooking soup, soup and more soup 
- listen to more stories from the storytelling festival

- painting

- hot chocolate with marshmallows

- wrapping sugar cubes (we'll show you what we do)

- making our winter vitamin - we are late on this one

- probably washing and folding more laundry

Happy almost end of November? 

We went to Iqaluit (well...sort of)

I know, I know, the title of this post is tricky, and sort of a stretch from the truth, but with the help of @conorgoddard on Instagram (you must visit this page to see this lovely family), we sure felt like we landed in the deep north. 

In our social studies/geography unit, Moonface and Rainman are following the same curriculum. Being in grade 2 and 5 means there are differences, but as our studies focus on Canada, I am so pleased that they have been able to explore at their own pace (mainly), what life is like in Canada for many different families. And this means learning about the present as much as learning about the past.

After reading all about Nunavut, and watching various Youtube videos, we decided that we wanted to dig a little deeper and get to know what life is like in Nunavut. Moonface decided she wanted to ask someone. 

So she conducted her own interview with the Goddard family (online of course), and we learned so much from this wonderful encounter. Thank you to the Goddards for helping us on our learning journey. 

Interview with the Goddards

Please excuse the lack of accents on the french words. The interview was conducted via Instagram, so I wanted to leave the answers as they were received.

Qui est dans votre famille?

Who is in your family?

**Tracy (mere), Conor (pere) et deux enfants, Callum & Caitlin.  Je (Conor) viens est nes a Montreal et Tracy est nes a Kuujjuaq (Nunavik, le Québec Arctique) qui est une autre village Inuit. 

Pourquoi avez-vous déménagé à iqaluit

Why did you move to Iqaluit?

**On a venu ici pour des opportunites qu’on n’avais pas a Kuujjuaq.  C’est important pour nous comme famille d’avoir access au terrain traditionelle de Tracy et mes enfants donc on peut pratiquez leurs culture traditionelle.

Depuis combien de temps vivez-vous à Iqaluit?

How long have you lived in Iqaluit?

**On habite Iqaluit depuis Fevrier 2017, presque 4 ans. 

On a demenager ici de Kuujjuaq avec nos enfants et notre equipe de chien a traineau.

Qu’est ce que vous aimez à propos de Iqaluit?

What do you like about Iqaluit?

**On aime surtout la communite et le terrain.

Qu’est ce que vous n’aimez pas à propos de Iqaluit?

What don’t you like?

**On n'aime pas les haute prix dans les magazins. Une carton de tropicana coute entre $17 et $19 dollars.

Comment vous réchauffez-vous à la maison

How do you keep warm at home?

**Notre maison est chauffe a l’huile

Où achetez-vous votre épicerie

Where do you buy groceries

** On achete notre nourriture a l’epicirie, comme dans le sud.

Avez-vous des animaux domestiques

Do you have any pets?

**On a une petite chienne chez nous et une equipe de chien de traineau

Est ce que le lac est toujours congelé?

Is the water always frozen?

**L’ocean est gelee de Decembre a Juillet. He viens de chasser des phoques par bateaux aujourd’ui

Avez-vous un jardin?

Do you have a garden?

** On n'a pas une jardin.

Comment voyagez-vous en Iqaluit?

What do you drive (how do you get around)?

** On se promene a pieds, en camion, par bateaux, par skidoo et par traineau a chien.

You guys my 7 year old did this!!! She needed help with the spelling, but these are all her questions. After learning about permafrost in the north, she was very interested to know if the family had a garden. She was quite concerned that they had no food. So that question needed to be asked lol.  

She was also very excited to see how the Goddard children hunt, and learn how to live "with" the land (her words). But she also realized that the children enjoy doing some of the same things that she does, like doing arts and crafts (a fave of hers), playing sports, and the piano and soccer.

And just going back to the interview...$17 to $19 for a carton of orange juice. Oh my word! I am quite intrigued. I would probably never drink orange juice again.

Here are some photos of her work: These page are from a booklet that she made.

Moonface learned all about Northern Lights, and she is enamoured. Here's one of our attempts to draw a landscape pic based on some of the things that Moonface and I learned.

So tell me, what's happening in your homeschool? I'd love to know!

Also, coming soon...the kiddos will be learning about the Native American legend of the 3 sisters, something that I introduced a few years back, but will be so exciting for both of them to do the lessons together this time around.

Photos of Nunavut courtesy of Conor Goddard.