Today was just a typical {I use this word loosely} day around here since Danny had to work. Other than him having to get up and out the door early this morning...the rest of us {including Frosty's friend that stayed over} came creeping out of bed at some point after noon. Yep...that's just how we roll.
We each slowly got some breakfast...none of us really move much faster than a snail's pace when we first get up. I made oatmeal for Zach, Liam, and myself....Arlee made some Ramen noodles {her breakfast of choice}...and Frost made his friend and himself some scrambled eggs and toast.
I sat and listened to Zach practice his piano. He has 2 songs & his upcoming Fall Recital piece to work on. I'm excited, and can't wait for his Wednesday lesson with his teacher because he has been practicing much more than we normally. For the past almost 2 weeks, he's been doing so great at practicing his music!! I don't know how many times before I've fought and fussed with him to sit down and work thru his books...Oh goodness...he would end up crying, yelling, and just get so frustrated with himself and me. So I think we BOTH started to just avoid it all together. I am so thankful that things have seemed to smooth out for him...which also means for me, too!
At this point, we took our awesome visitor back to his house. Frost came along with me...so we had some one on one time while we headed back home. I left Arlee at home with the two younger boys...she worked on getting our kitchen table cleared & cleaned off...and Zach & Liam worked on straightening up our living room.
After Frost and I got back home...I got Zach working on his Study Ladder stuff {www.studyladder.com}. He got introduced to counting from 1 to 10 in French...along with a few other French words/phrases. He also did some fun art lesson thing on there. Along with a couple games. Liam worked on his Reading Eggs {readingeggs.com} which he really enjoys doing! Arlee worked on some writing, reading, and math today. And Frost read out of a book I picked him up from the library: "Cryptid Hunters". I was hoping he would be able to get into it...he loves cryptozoology. He's saying it's not very good. I told him he HAS to get to at least chapter 3 before he can abandon it.
Arlee put together a spur of the moment art project for them all to do. Liam got the play doh out for them all to sculpt something...then they had to draw it.
This was Liam's monster that he created.
Arlee's creature & little doggie thing.
Frosty's demon-like guy & dragon
Sadly, Zachary did make a whale kind of creation, but he destroyed it before we got a picture of it.
They all worked on this for about 45 mins or so at the kitchen table together...no fighting, no teasing, no picking at each other...they were just together...peacefully. I was loving it!
When Zach was all finished {when his ADD wouldn't let him continue to sit at the table any longer}, I got him to read some more of his book that he's been working on: "Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture". It's the first book of an impressive series. Now...Zach can read very very well. He sounds things out. Has always been able to read words well beyond what he should at his age. But the comprehension is what trips him up every time. I'm not sure if it's his ADD working against him or what. I get him the books on cd, and the book itself for him to follow along with...then afterward I ask him to tell me what he remembers from what he just read/listened to...and he struggles to tell me. This is something I really need to work on with him, but not sure where to start. Something I need to definitely research and look into.
As the kids are working on their things...I'm taking advantage of some time to work on a knitting project and get some reading in myself!! I've been reading "A Midsummer Night's Scream" by R.L. Stine. I remember reading his books in school...always loved the Fear Street & Goosebump books!
When Liam finished up with his art stuff, I got him to come over and read with me out of these one books we have that are for beginning readers. Our plan it to read and re-read over and over and over and over again. Well...sometimes that plan doesn't work well for Liam. I try my best to be patient with him. We had just read the first story of the 2nd book earlier, so he didn't want to read it again like I wanted him to do. So he got mad, and ran off to his room. I told him that when he was ready to read it, to just let me know...and then we had a new thing to try out after.
After Zach finished his reading...he was ready for a nap. His Strattera really takes it out of him. I'm hoping it will balance out soon so he won't be so tired in the middle of the day. I read some more. Frost was working on looking up something he wants to buy on amazon. Arlee was working on stuff in her room. Liam was still pouting, but wanted to watch some tv.
Since the tv was on...I headed to my room to read some more...ended up after a bit, I just could not keep my eyes open...so I slid down and sneaked in a cat nap. Liam came in after I was starting to wake up to let me know he was ready to read with me. So we snuggled up on my bed, and he read thru his book. He's doing a great job. I just introduced these books to him last week, and he's picking up the words really quickly. I know some may "be concerned" about him being 7 years old, and just now beginning to read...but I'm NOT concerned at all...especially not after this week. He, at this point, is WANTING to learn...he wasn't before...and let me tell you...that makes ALL the difference!! Just allowing him to come to me when he's ready makes the whole process so much easier!! We read along...and I explain some grammar/spelling rules along the way...he sounds things out...it's been great so far! I can't wait to just keep working with him, and watching his reading ability grow!
Oh...and the "new" little thing we did together...I have these magnet letters and blends that I pulled out. Him and I put a bunch of them on the fridge. He put the lower case letters in alphabetical order, I did the upper case letters. Then we played around with 'at' words...and I explained word families to him...we spelled out some of the words he's been working on in his books. He was sitting there really paying attention, and really listening to what I was saying and doing with the letters. Then he went and read his book to Danny. And after that...now mind you, this was around MIDNIGHT tonight...he wanted to hop back on his Reading Eggs so he could finish up a quiz he had to do to unlock his next map! And he did amazing on it...only missed one...but he did it all on his own! I'm so very proud of him!
Danny came home not feeling well today. It was a "grab what you can" kinda night for dinner {I had the veggie soup that Frost made last night...with some extra jalapenos added in....oooooh...so yummy!}...and now here we are at 2:11am...Danny's been in bed for a while...I'm typing up my blog entry...Arlee is in bed because she's not feeling too good either...Frost is playing Minecraft on the Xbox...Zach is watching Frost play...and Liam JUST dozed off. :)
Well...this post turned out MUCH longer than I had originally planned! But there is a little peek into our day. :)
Awesome day! On the reading comprehension, since he likes to make things with playdoh maybe have have him sculpt something he remembers from his book? That might give him a little more focus as he reads knowing that he'll be making a model of the story. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea!! I will definitely try this out!! THANK YOU!!!
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