I thought I’d take some time to answer some of your questions from this post.
What curriculum do I use for Language Arts?
We don’t use one single curriculum for our entire Language Arts program. For spelling, we use Spelling Power. For Phonics we use Explode the Code. For handwriting we are currently using Handwriting Without Tears, but for cursive we use Getty Dubay Italic Handwriting. (Asa doesn’t work out of a handwriting book anymore. His handwriting is better than mine now, and he just practices it when he does normal writing assignments or writes thank you notes, etc.) As for grammar, I decided to try my own thing this year and it is working pretty well. I’ll write a whole post about it sometime for you. (One in which you is welcome to check for grammatical errors.) :)
What do I do for exercise and when do I do it?
I LOVE to exercise…about as much as I LOVE to walk around a shopping mall for eight hours in high heels. (I don’t own any high heels.)
Exercise is not my favorite activity. I’d rather clean toilets. But, I know it’s good for me…so when I do discipline myself enough to exercise (and when my lungs are cooperating and allowing me to breathe like a normal person) my favorite way to exercise is on a rebounder (mini trampoline). We have one in our “game room” and I pull it down sometimes and “jog” on it after I’ve worked on the computer in the afternoons before I start dinner. Sometimes.
I enjoy taking brisk walks too, but I really, really like the rebounder. It hurts the least of all exercise I’ve ever done….and I like doing things that don’t hurt. I’m weird like that. (Or perhaps I’m just a wimp.)
Plus, I’ve heard that the rebounder is a very healthy way to make your body work well and get rid of toxins. You can read more about that here.
I wish I could tell you that I exercise on my rebounder regularly, but I don’t. Shame on me. Feel free to leave me a guilt trip in the comments section. Does it count that I move 100 miles an hour during the day and that while the boys were learning to sew I ran constantly from boy to boy re-threading their needles?
When do I clean?
Thankfully, I clean more regularly than I exercise. In fact, I usually work up a sweat while I clean, so I think we can call it exercise. Yes, let’s do that.
We try to reserve Friday mornings for cleaning. The boys are old enough now to really help and I’m so, so happy about that. We also try to do a “pick-up” of the house in the evenings, but seriously, by Friday morning the house looks pretty scary.
I’m trying to figure out a better routine…and some better discplines for the boys regarding putting their stuff away when they’re done playing with it. After Christmas, I’m going to try some new things to try to keep the house organized and clean for longer than a few short hours. If/when they work, I’ll let you know.
Okay…there you go…some answers to some of your questions. What do you do to get exercise and when do you clean? And seriously, don’t you think they are one in the same?
Stretch Mark Mama says
Big fans of explode the code and handwriting w/o tears here too!
I have heard about the “bouncing” and the lymphatic system as well. I just got through a two year battle with candida, and spent some time doing jumping jacks in front of the TV.
sara says
i love to swim. but, in the winter when it’s cold, i’m not that enticed to jump into a cold pool. i mainly go to Curves in the morning and i also walk (usually with my hubby in the evening) — but i was raised to clean hard enough for it to be an exercise. we aim to clean on on Wednesdays so we are ready for Thursday Bible study.
angie says
Please don’t feel any guilt over anything. It is such a waste of energy. You are doing what you were called to do which is raise your beautiful children. Good luck and God bless.
Stefanie Krueger says
Hi! I have a thought about kids and cleaning, I also have lots of boys. I tell all kids about 10-15 minutes before lunch and dinner to do a quick pick-up of play areas. They don’t need much help (especially if you have the oldest ones take the littlest ones under their wing and tell them what to do!) so I am usually still getting the meal together. Hunger is a great motivator! And bigger ones like to boss, I mean teach, littler ones!
I really enjoy your site, I love homeschooling and I love Nourishing Traditions and cooking.
Stefanie in Illinois
Denai says
I think you are doing just fine!!!! I am sure your boys and hubby would think so too!
I clean daily… something everyday! Usually wipe through the bathroom (main one) every morning after the kids head out! (the youngest likes to WATCH… NOT help!) I just try to keep my own cleaning sced. Kind of like the FLYLADY… That way everything gets cleaned once a week atleast…. plus my hubby helps out ALOT!
As for working out… I TRY very hard to work on the Eliptical while I watch a favorite show…. Usually for an hour a few nights a week… I figure it really isn’t TV time if you are working out…. LOL, bringing my TV time down from 8 hours a week to a small couple…LOL!
Barbara says
I thought I was the only one who said, “I’d radther clean toilets.” I’ve got 5 of them in my house, so it’s a big job, but I’d rather do that than certain other tasks! I clean a little every day, but my husband has asked me to try to do it on one day only – our new schedule starts next week.
I have a plethora of equipment in our work out room . . . but I go to karate class 4 times a week! I need to add the treadmill and bike to my karate routine – maybe next week!
A new aquaintance, who reviews curriculum for TOS just loaned me the Getty Dubay teacher’s book! I really like the style, but am I going to totally confuse my 8 year olds (who have poor handwriting and one of them is a lefty) if I switch?! I’d love to know more about what others think.
Step says
Well, excercise…hmmmmm…HATE IT!!!! I have asthma (since I was very young) and exercise is difficult for me. I can totally relate to your “if my lungs are cooperating…” comment. That said, I do have a Nordic track treadmill and I try to get on that and do 20 minutes 3 days per week.
I am much better with the cleaning. I have a good routine down, I think. First, I do a daily tidy-up so that when cleaning day rolls around (Monday for me), I’m not overwhelmed. My 3 kiddoes are 11, 9 and 7, so I do expect them to keep their rooms clean. My 7yo dd loves to help me dust, so that is her job, my 11yo’s job is to empty the wastebaskets and my 9yo vacuums.
Marla says
I guess I’m the mean one here! All of my kids have chores to be done daily. They vary from day to day, but we have a schedule posted on our art cabinet door. It lists each childs daily chores (ie. make bed, feed pet, put away clean laundry) and the special chore for that day. My 9yo vacuums, cleans the litterbox, does all trash, and cleans his bathroom (including the tub). The 5yo vacuums the wood floors, feeds the cat, and sorts the laundry daily. And the 4yo gets the mail, feeds the bird, and gathers all laundry for the 5yo. I do the rest of the cleaning.
As for exercising…well not much of that goes on around here. At least not by me, the kids play outside constantly, so they’re good. I guess that explains the 10lbs I’ve put on recently. Ugh. Maybe I should get busy on our treadmill!
Andrea in Alaska says
I completely agree that cleaning is exercise! I break a sweat everytime I vacuum. Stripping sheets, running a duster, washing windows, cleaning the bathroom, all of these things use different muscle groups (elbow grease is really arm muscle, right?). It makes me tired just thinking about it! I’ve done Curves too until recently, and I’m trying to think of something I can do at home with a baby soon. I am hoping NOT to have to walk in the snow and ice (and cold, cold weather). A rebounder might be a good plan for me.
I love the italics writing system. I wasn’t raised on it, but as a teenager I hated my handwriting, so I ordered the adult book and retaught myself to write! I get complements on my handwriting all the time now (people ask me to write the lists of gifts at baby showers often) and have gained lots of confidence in writing notes and so on because of it.
Barbara, I would definitely use the italics system. Go as slow as you need to, but I really think it’s worth it. People that I know who use the italics system always have clear, legible, if not beautiful handwriting. It seems to be hit and miss with the traditional cursive system. I think it will actually save a lot of frustration to start at age eight than to never do it at all.
Patti says
Exercise works best for me as a social activity. My favorite time in my life was when I lived in a neighborhood of christian women and we all met at 6:05 a.m. and walked the neighborhood for 30 minutes, talked, and prayed. Ummmm…SWEET!
My best cleaning always happens when having others over so it gives me reason to be hospitable on a regular basis.
Working with kids with learning challenges for years has led me to those programs that have been mentioned but my very favorite for best success is online at http://www.peterson-handwriting.com
Becky Newson says
I’m right with you on the exercise thing! I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one. And I’m also impressed that I already knew something you knew, too – the toxins/rebounder thing! :) (I have to credit my in-laws with that info, though!)
Seriously, I always think, theoretically, that I would love to take a daily walk or jog around the neighborhood. But to go at a pace to count as exercise for myself, I would need to leave the kids behind. And to leave the kids behind, I need the hubby home. Which leaves either early morning (and I am NOT a morning person), and evening after dinner, when my belly is full and doesn’t want to be jostled, and the night is darkening. Um, no thanks, not without an escort, at least. Maybe when my kids are grown, I’ll finally find time for that sort of thing.
I’ve never managed to get completely in sync with a cleaning schedule, but my cleaning days tend to be Saturday. All day, loooong hours, Saturday. I pick up what I can during the week, like you, but by Saturday it all *needs* to be done.
Donna says
Yeah they’re the same!!!
:-)
I can’t wait to hear more about the grammar!I am about to start (re-)teaching that a bit more to my older ones and I could use a refresher course myself!
I like to exercise, I like how it makes me feel. I used to use a gazelle that someone gave me. (3 to 6 times a week) But then something got broken on it and…. I have a rebounder but I aggravated an old ankle injury on it so I stopped to let it heal. I often will walk laps around the yard with the kids, even run sometimes. (I really like to run!) During the spring and summer, the garden worked me over. But since fall has set in, I’ve not done real good and it’s bumming me out. (and I can see the results,ewwww) Every time I try to even take out the rebounder, someone says “MOM”. Kiddies can make it tough to really get a good bounce in! But your link about rebounding inspired me! I think I’ll wrap my ankle and get right back at it!! Exercising just makes me feel so much better!
Cleaning…the realllll cleaning is done on Saturday. The kids do 2 hours of homework on Saturdays and then we clean; the rest of the day is for fun! We have to pick up every day and laundry every other day.
Thanks for answering our questions!
Maddy says
Hi Laura,
One quick side note: I’m new to your site, and I love it! It has been wonderful having such a wealth of knowledge at my very fingertips.
Ok. I personally really do love to exercise…while I’m doing it. It is usually very hard for me to motivate myself. As for cleaning, I use the Flylady method, and I love it! I don’t know what I would do without my morning routine.
Kris says
Too cool!
Don Whitney was in the baptismal tub with myself and my father as my Dad baptized me on June 2, 1982. He’s wonderful man!
Kris