What about Socialization?

What about socialization? I always want to answer, "We don't do that. We like our children wild and untamed" or some other smart-mouthed answer. I have to stop and think where these people are coming from. Some people are asking out of curiosity, not to be insulting or degrading. Not that I haven't been asked from the insulting and degrading side. It has happen, sometimes I have not been the bigger person and engaged. I'm not perfect.

The Mister and I had noticed that it was a certain age that was constantly asking us the question of socialization. I decided to poll some homeschool groups on which age group where they most getting the question asked from. This being my first poll and I learned a lot from it. This is how I broke the ages into: A) 25 and under B)26 to 35 C) 36 to 50 D)51-65 and E) 66 and Up. I realized I should have broke up the ages a little differently but I still got a good idea. The results reenforced our thoughts.

My results should equally the 36-50 age group and the 51-65 age group were the ages the poller's got the question asked from. Here is the comment we got from one poller:

"Back when I was growing up(60 & 70's), the only people I can remember were very strange. The kids were odd, the parents were odd. Usually, they were the ultra, ultra religious conservatives or hippies in communes. And actually, there was only a smattering of homeschoolers around. And I think that was what everyone believed about homeschoolers at the time.  So I don't think that a lot of people in my generation realize that homeschooling is different now. And they don't realize how many thousands actually do it."

 My Aunt and Uncle homeschooled my cousins when I was growing up. They are conservative Christians, and I honestly thought them weird at times. As they grew up, they became people that went from weird to wonderfully, unique individuals. My Aunt and Uncle went from crazy to people I deeply admire.  They opened the idea of homeschooling me. I do remember conversations floating around questioning somethings they did, but never about socialization. The conversations all came from love. That side of my family shows love all the time. I love those peeps.I have had questions from another side of my family, and also from extended family. Here is one question: I will post what I thought I heard and maybe got a little defensive and then what was said that I still find offensive.

"Will your kids be able to work at Walmart as a cashier?" was what I thought I heard

This is what my husband says was said,

"Will your kids be able to interact with a Walmart cashier as they check out?" 

Remember, I'm not perfect and may or may not started listing things that we do. Remember, not perfect.  Of course, when we polled, we did have people say they had the most questions were, in fact, family members asking. They were more likely more to be more accusatory toned questions than curious.

I started righting this blog a few weeks ago. I saved it as a draft, and we have been living life. We have been going here and there for school things, we have been learning how to build things, and don't forget those interactions at the Wal-Mart checking lanes. We did this, while doing our regular school work.

During this time, I came across some mothers and their son who when we pulled from public school were in the same ship as ours. This is what they observed and was told: I'm being totally honest, and I did cry at home in the dark of my room for these boys. They had to have soothing music played to keep calm. The mother's both said this also, the boys were experience more melt downs, and could hardly be anywhere without having one.(mind you, we were in Walmart: I may need to cut down on these trips to Walmart .lol) The other said Basically the same things and we were at a back to school
celebration thing.(This mother had other children) They were trying to reduce his melt downs by exposing him to socialization. Both boys kept turning around and were on edge the whole time. They both had been bullied. I made other observations, but I don't want to write forever on this.

Then my son walks up, he had gone to the bathroom. On the way back had helped a elderly lady get something, he explained. He Politely says hello and ask how they are. He is smiling and having remembered on of the boys liked jokes, tried telling him one. The mother said he hardly talks anymore. The mother's ask if he likes homeschooling and he goes on to explain his life, again smiling. The contrast was amazing.

I will admit there are times when my kids are watchful and don't feel comfortable talking to the person. They were like that before we withdrawn from public school. You can't turn an introvert into an extrovert. You can teach coping skills but in the end underneath them is the same nature.. So, basic human nature should be withdrawn from this part of the What about socialization question.

One day, I  will write about Our son and our journey with him. My daughter has her own journey.  I will one day write her story and the amazement of her life. I didn't want to trash schools because I have seen the caring in the teachers and other school staff. I just wanted to point out that the argument doesn't hold up that public schools are good for socialization.

My kids and husband are away for the day.  I have heard what they are doing. They probably won't get any socialization in. You know we like them wild and untamed. lol

I'm playing the part of hermit today. I'm hoping with the quiet in the house my turtle will lay her eggs. I got your curiosity? Well, we will have a blog for that.

A Book Review of "Tales of Great Spirit Animals" by Brandon Mull

A Book Review of "Tales of Great Spirit Animals" by Brandon Mull

This book review is done my Mini Me

Momma's notes: This book is for Grades 4-7. It is a collection of short stories. It is a prequal the the "Spirit Animal Series" by the same author. The book also came out between Books 5 and 6 of the same series. It is a Fiction book, and from the fantasy genre, containing shape shifting. The kids are working on getting more descriptive.

The review:

I would say over all, I totally loved this book.

The Characters were well thought out.

I got into the book right away.

Description: The book is about great animals. They want to save the world they are from war and this is their journey. The fought humans and other great beast. The fought in Erdas but died. The were able to come back alive. 

I give it 5 out of 5 feathers.

Sometimes, you have to think beyond the box.(It doesn't hurt to use old toys.) I took painter's tape and put it on 100 legos. I don't think size matter's. I also saw this idea come across my Pinterest Feed. If this is your idea, I would totally give you credit. I looked and couldn't find it. I'm so sorry I can't list your name. On fifty of the legos, I wrote the full name of the state and on 50, I wrote only the abbreviations. When we get this conquered, I going to do 50 states with 50 capitals.  -Momma's tip of the day.

mom

Book Review Of The Sasquatch Escape

Book Review of the The The Sasquatch Escape by Mini Him
Author: Suzanne Selfors
Illustrator: Dan Santat
Mark Twain Award Nominee for 2015-2016
Winning of the Maine Student Book Award
1st book in the Series: The Imaginary Veterinary
Fiction
Rated by one other review age 9 to 99
Overall I would say, I say I totally loved the book.
I got into the book right away.
A little about the book: It was when someone forgets to lock the door. It was so sweet in the book, not like drama. I thought the book was very funny.
I give it 5 out 5 feathers.

Note from Momma Bird: We will be working on getting the kid's reviews to be more descriptive. He wants to read the second book in the series, so I would say it was pretty good. I looked up all the information I could find and provided it.

Here is a picture of Mini Him observing our Turtle, Scout.

A Book Review of A Quest of Hero's

We got our first Kindle Fire the other day. I saw this book and it got me from the front.. I decided to download it. It was AMAZING! It is a Teen book and is set in the Fantasy part of genre's. It does touch a little on a homosexual character. What we and allow and you allow may be different in your family.

Here come's the review:
by Momma Bird
Title: A Quest of Hero's
Author: Morgan Rice
Other: Book #1 in a series called "The Sorcerer's Ring."
It is a Fiction book
I would say over all, I totally loved it.
The Character's were well thought out.(I have found that lacking in some of the books I have read lately.)
I got into the book right away.(There was times, I'm sure frustrated my family.lol)
The story starts in a small village. Right away you are grabbed in the story and you want to keep going. Thor is the youngest of four boys. His brother's and his father want nothing to do with him. His mother died at his birth. His deepest wish is to join one of the elite guards of the world in what he lives in. He eventually makes it and the story goes into after that happened. This book is very consuming and by the end you are ready to pick up the next book. He endures one thing after the another. And in the end.......well, you need to read the book and find out.
I give this book a full 5 out of 5 feathers. It was super.  Here is Mini Him doing a little reading.

Book Review of Freak Fast Frankie Joe

Book Review of Freaky Fast Frankie Joe by Mini Me
Author: Lutricia Clifton
Rated for Grades 4-6
Mark Twain Award Nominee
I would say I Somewhat Disliked the book.
The characters were well thought out
I was glad when the book ended.
A little about the book: Frankie Joe had to come to his Dad's house because his mom was in jail. His dad had a new family her did not like.  He tried to run away but could not because his mom did not want him. It was because he doing so well. It was an emotional book.
I would give this book Two Feathers.

New Year of Homeschool:

At the Bird's Nest, we have started our third year of homeschooling. We have one Pre-teen and one teenager. I always like to evaluate how everything is going about every four months. I have learned already, expect change, and expect more change.

The first time I evaluate is the beginning of the Year. I knew we needed to add in a little more fun and less academics from books. I know my kids are more visual learners so I wanted to add more of that. I also know the love to learn on the Computer as much as from a book.

The kids were wanting to learn instruments and foreign languages. I was wanting them to learn a little more technology related things, like coding. Since they are very independent learns, by personalities, I had to find something they could do at their own pace and by themselves.

My husband, aka The Mister, was really starting to participate more. I have chronic health problems and that was very much needed. He was wanting to do my science related things, like simple mechanics.

It was getting time to pull this all together for the new school year. (We go year round but tend to take June off.) I had been for months reading about this method and that method. I decided to detour from our normal way. A way, I might add, that was pretty much working.

So I spent a week making a schedule, and it lasted part of a week. It was too ridged for us. I didn't have set hours or time limits. It was just a list of subjects to study everyday. There was no spaces of : I want to finish this, or I want to do the science experiment and not wait until whatever day. Plus to be honest, my kids and their parents, are good for about 4-5 hours. We can do six, but.....

There also wasn't anytime to allow for our numerous dr. appointments. For instance, we have 4 this week. We did some school on Sunday, the kids are doing some projects that don't require adult help, so they do whenever they feel the need during the week.

This is what work for us, we use an outline. We, meaning I, write down things to do for that day. I usually do it the night before and sometimes do two days in a row. There is one thing we are going to do religiously, math. I feel we need to kick this up a little more, and they also asked to do more. We go down the list checking off activity by activity. It roughly resembles loop schedule. I do have a list of things I want to do this week and I compile that usually on Sunday(my planning day). I keep looking for one I haven't wrote on the back of a math worksheet or envelope of a bill. It goes something like this:

Math(Khan) 60 min.
Code 45 min.
Camp google
Doc. on Netflix
Youtube Video
Report: Ocean Animal
Reading:
    Independent 60
    Classic 30
     Book in the Box  30
Craft

I go into a little more detail, and this one doesn't have music or the ten other things we have going on.  Sometimes, I do write down specific things on certain days. For example: We are just going to do Code on Tuesday and Thursday(which didn't happen, the kids have asked to do it everyday. I figured why the have interest is the best time to learn.)

I looked into other math programs for us and came back to Khan. That was working and I really don't know why I was looking to change. I'm supplementing with worksheets, games and everyday life.

Science:  We are doing life science right now. My kids are visual learners. We are using Documentaries from Netflix, YouTube, DVR, the library, etc. We also are big into STEM (which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.) We also have started into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) We are going to bump up how many experiments we are going to do a week. My husband is starting some stuff  like small machines, carpentry, pulleys and gears, etc. We plan to start adding in some chemistry, the second part of the year.

Language Arts: I feel like we are going radical into language arts. Basically, we are focusing on creative writing and have done some worksheets here and there. We have found a few things on the web, and I look forward to seeing how the work for us. I have read articles, and I'm going to stay the course, and re-evaluate at third sections. Next year, I may be panicking.  We also have started blogging and do reports.  I hope to have the opportunity to throw in a little grammar here and there.

Coding: We have decided to have our kids start learning code and computer programming. We are using Code.org at the moment.

We are using Duolingo for foreign language. We are just started.

I'm so excited to see how this year goes for the kids. They have changed back into the kids that I sent off to Public school. My son is even wearing sandals/flip-flops. You will never know how that is such a big deal.

                                         Now some pictures of last year's learning and fun!

Here is the kids working on Engineering fun.

Mini Me is modeling the paper chain Anaconda. We learned about Anaconda's when we studied the rain forest.

Mini Her took this picture for our ongoing Photography class.

Field trip on the Missouri River.

The Mini's showing off their paintings.

The Mister and the Mini's rescuing a turtle.

Mini Her learning a new life skill on a field trip.

Mini Him doing some reading.

The mini's showing off there Viking ships.

Mini Her working in the Garden.

Video report of Goddess Frigga

This is a different video I was going to show. We are definitely going to start a YouTube account if we decide to do more than these. We have a very, nice edited one but I have tried countless time to edit it. So Here we go......