It's been a while since I've posted anything on our homelearning efforts. To be honest, I've been a headless chicken since the arrival of Small K. It is coming to a year (GOSH! A year? did someone just say he's going to turn one?!) but everything's been pretty disorganised. I'm living each day as it comes. If I'm up to it, I'll do my prep work the night before and feel really good the next day. However, more often than not, I'd rather crash in bed, thinking that with all the experience and toys i have, i can simply whip something up at the snap of the finger. But, i forgotten to take into account the kids' temperament. Sometimes what i grab may not appeal to them. I guess they can feel my insincerity. Really hope to be more well prepared and purposeful in our learning.
The guilt is eating me up but things havent gotten any easier since last weekend. Everything seems to be telling me that I've to slow things down even more. The laptops went cranky (yes both laptops), the printer went cuckoo (all thanks for silly me who bought the wrong cartridge! Wasted good money there coz I no longer have the receipt), best of all, the husband turned off my deep freezer which stored all my frozen breast milk!!! That completely drove me up the wall! Imagine my exasperation. His explanation was that he needed a plug for the warmer. The warmer has all the while been at another spot and there was no reason why he should shift it! Even then, he continued to defend himself by saying he switched the freezer on and off but somehow he forgotten to turn it on for the last time! All my stash completely thawed. I hugged Small K and wanted to cry but no tears came out. Supply has dipped tremendously but I don't intend to stop breastfeeding any soon. *stress. I attribute his forgetfulness to his addiction to gaming. He's a great dad and all but gaming is getting in the way. Seriously, for the last two weeks when the mil went on holiday, we were all on our own. I took the morning shift whilst he took the afternoons. He cooked dinner for the kids, bathed them, wound them down and washed up. Often, leaving two or three items for me to wash up. His excuse -- I would be too free if he did them all. HRMPH. So any hoots, back to the addiction. It's so bad that he went out at midnight one day to buy a snack, armed with his iPad but not his keys. Yups, at 1230am, he called me and even rang the door bell. I was fast asleep but was awoken. And Small K was also awoken. Thanks. So if there's such a place as a rehabilitation centre for gamers, please let me know. I'd like to send him there!
Ops! Sorry I digressed. Pardon me, but it's not easy managing a big baby and two other little ones. It's really tough managing two young children alone. Kudos to those who do homeschooling full time! Probably I'll manage better if I don't have to work and have more time and am not always in a rush. If you give Big K something, Small K will come along and explore (read: create a mess) and this causes Big K to scream her lungs out. If you give Small K something, Big K will come along to say that she wants it as well. "i want i want i want..mama mama mama" Those words are frequently resonating in my household. So how do I manage it? Well, i find an activity where both are able to play together and when Small K naps, I try to get Big K to do other stuff. That is if I've the energy and she's cooperative.
Below are some of the activities, apart from roaming around freely in the house, that we did over the last month:
They absolutely LOVE this. Sensory play is just what the boy needs! I'm thankful that he's at an age where learning is this easy!
I've been trying to introduce phonics to Big K, but I've been terribly inconsistent. She's in her sensitive stage now and I really would love to do a bit more. However, it's not always easy to get her to sit and listen and furthermore, I'm often doing such activities as I cook or wash the dishes.
I had these for a while but it didn't really appeal to her till of late.
My mom brought me these. I don't know why. So instead of throwing, I improvised it into a bingo game for Big K! She totally enjoyed it.
Things are a tad slow around here. However, slowly but surely, we will get there.
