Country Roads
Photos?
10:01, Saturday, December 2, 2006
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I'm at a loss as to how to get pictures onto my blog!! Pictures will arrive once I figure it out. :)
Welcome!
02:34, Saturday, December 2, 2006
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I am working on moving my original blog to here. Please bear with me as my 'house' is being built! December is Here!
09:36, Friday, December 1, 2006
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A couple of years of ago my
dear sister-in-law gave me a Thomas Kincaid perpetual calender. I love it very
much but I think the girls love it even more than I do because they get the job
of changing out each month. The girls take turns each month - one month Ginger
will remove last month's tiles and Gracelyn will put the new ones in. This month
it was just the opposite. This time we also changed the season picture since we
are getting close to winter's official start.
A December Day
by Robert Fuller Miller (1863-1894)
by Robert Fuller Miller (1863-1894)
That's no December sky!
Surely 'tis June
Holds now
her state on high
Queen of the noon.
Only the tree-tops bare
Crowning the
hill,
Clear-cut in perfect air,
Warn us that still
Winter, the aged chief,
Mighty in power,
Exiles the
tender leaf,
Exiles the flower.
Errand Day
09:35, Tuesday, January 31, 2006
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Today is Errand Day. Usually errands are on Thursday, but this week we are
changing days so we have time for morning tea with our friends down the street.
Our errands included picking up milk, going to the craft store and grocery
shopping.
This afternoon the girls are doing their schoolwork. Ginger is officially in second grade now since she completed all of her first grade work as of last week. She is excited about being in "bigger girl" workbooks.
Gracelyn is halfway through her first grade work and will be starting second grade reading next week. Both girls read above their level and we want them to be challenged by their schoolwork. So, Ginger will be reading classics and Gracelyn will move into the next grade reader.
Today Ginger asked me how old she had to be to get a job. She wants to earn money so she can open up a business - Ginger's Sewing Store. We discussed the possibility of her making pillowcases and selling them on eBay to get started. She is really excited about this idea and plans to use the money she has saved - $5, for her seed money. I like the idea of her creating a product to sell and having her own business. She can learn so much by doing this. I will keep you posted on how this idea progresses.
Have a great day!!
This afternoon the girls are doing their schoolwork. Ginger is officially in second grade now since she completed all of her first grade work as of last week. She is excited about being in "bigger girl" workbooks.
Gracelyn is halfway through her first grade work and will be starting second grade reading next week. Both girls read above their level and we want them to be challenged by their schoolwork. So, Ginger will be reading classics and Gracelyn will move into the next grade reader.
Today Ginger asked me how old she had to be to get a job. She wants to earn money so she can open up a business - Ginger's Sewing Store. We discussed the possibility of her making pillowcases and selling them on eBay to get started. She is really excited about this idea and plans to use the money she has saved - $5, for her seed money. I like the idea of her creating a product to sell and having her own business. She can learn so much by doing this. I will keep you posted on how this idea progresses.
Have a great day!!
Growing a Child's Self Esteem
09:33, Friday, January 27, 2006
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As I mentioned in my previous post, Friday is our fun day. It is also a day
filled with choices for my girls. Not only do they have their normal choices of
what outfit to wear, how to fix their hair and what fruit they have with
breakfast, they have a day filled with esteem-building choices such as how to
spend their well-earned money and what to cook for dinner.
When the girls and I go browsing houseware and fabric stores on Friday we always have a list of what we need (and want). The girls have only the money they have earned so they must make wise choices on how they spend their money. They know that if they purchase the first thing they see, they might miss out on a better deal in another store. This is an invaluable lesson for children to learn. How to make wise purchasing choices. We usually walk through several questions to see if the item they desire is something they should indeed buy.
Here is our list of questions:
Is it on our list? (If not, the item usually goes back on the shelf.)
Is it on sale? (If not, we wait until it is.)
Do we have enough money for the purchase?
Is there something else on our list we would rather have? (This takes a few minutes to consider. I usually ask the girls, "would you rather have this teacup or some fabric with which you can sew?" It helps them learn to prioritize their desires.)
Are you absolutely sure, without a doubt, that you want to spend your hard-earned money on this item?
If all of these questions are answered in a positive way, with thought, then the purchase is made. They have yet to be disappointed using this system.
On a side note, when we get ready to leave for our shopping expedition, the girls get their money out of the piggy banks. I always require them to leave 1 or 2 dollars behind that won't be spent. This does two things: first, it teaches them they don't have to spend every dime they have; and, it teaches them to put money back.
The second self-esteem builder of the day is making dinner for the family. This really begins on the preceding weekend when the girls determine what they would like to make. They each alternate cooking duties, one week one cooks the dinner and the other cooks dessert. The next week they swap. The decision making process involves choosing a meal (and dessert), reading the recipe (they do this themselves), and determining if it is something they can easily do with minimal help from me. Once a choice is final, a grocery list is made. The girls look through the pantry and refrigerator to see what we have already. If they need something special, it goes on the list.
Tuesday mornings we go to the grocers to purchase what they need for Friday's dinner. They each carry their own list and make the choices as to what exactly is purchased. They have learned to read ingredient lists and compare prices. The skills they learn by making dinner for the family will last them a life time. Also, they develop confidence by being productive, contributing members of the family.
Both of my girls are extremely confident and when they take the time to make a decision, they seldom change their mind.
Take the time to let your children learn how to develop life skills. Not only will their self esteem increase because of what they learn to do; they will also learn skills that will last them well into adult life.
When the girls and I go browsing houseware and fabric stores on Friday we always have a list of what we need (and want). The girls have only the money they have earned so they must make wise choices on how they spend their money. They know that if they purchase the first thing they see, they might miss out on a better deal in another store. This is an invaluable lesson for children to learn. How to make wise purchasing choices. We usually walk through several questions to see if the item they desire is something they should indeed buy.
Here is our list of questions:
Is it on our list? (If not, the item usually goes back on the shelf.)
Is it on sale? (If not, we wait until it is.)
Do we have enough money for the purchase?
Is there something else on our list we would rather have? (This takes a few minutes to consider. I usually ask the girls, "would you rather have this teacup or some fabric with which you can sew?" It helps them learn to prioritize their desires.)
Are you absolutely sure, without a doubt, that you want to spend your hard-earned money on this item?
If all of these questions are answered in a positive way, with thought, then the purchase is made. They have yet to be disappointed using this system.
On a side note, when we get ready to leave for our shopping expedition, the girls get their money out of the piggy banks. I always require them to leave 1 or 2 dollars behind that won't be spent. This does two things: first, it teaches them they don't have to spend every dime they have; and, it teaches them to put money back.
The second self-esteem builder of the day is making dinner for the family. This really begins on the preceding weekend when the girls determine what they would like to make. They each alternate cooking duties, one week one cooks the dinner and the other cooks dessert. The next week they swap. The decision making process involves choosing a meal (and dessert), reading the recipe (they do this themselves), and determining if it is something they can easily do with minimal help from me. Once a choice is final, a grocery list is made. The girls look through the pantry and refrigerator to see what we have already. If they need something special, it goes on the list.
Tuesday mornings we go to the grocers to purchase what they need for Friday's dinner. They each carry their own list and make the choices as to what exactly is purchased. They have learned to read ingredient lists and compare prices. The skills they learn by making dinner for the family will last them a life time. Also, they develop confidence by being productive, contributing members of the family.
Both of my girls are extremely confident and when they take the time to make a decision, they seldom change their mind.
Take the time to let your children learn how to develop life skills. Not only will their self esteem increase because of what they learn to do; they will also learn skills that will last them well into adult life.
Friday Joys
09:31, Friday, January 27, 2006
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Today is fun day at our house. The girls and I usually enjoy going to a few
favorite stores. Our trip today included TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Hancock Fabrics.
The girls had money they have earned and saved as well as a little bit I gave
them for the fabric store.Among their purchases were a bag of buttons, fabric, and stationery. They love to find little treasures at the stores.
I finally found a ceramic canister in which I can store my sourdough starter. I've been using a mixing bowl which takes up more room in the refrigerator. Now, I have a nice little jar which will work well.
The fabric store also had some great deals. I picked up several yards of $2 fabric for dresses for the girls. I found a strawberry print, pretty little flowers and a festive garden print. Next week will really be fun for sewing!
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December is Here!
Errand Day
Growing a Child's Self Esteem