Category Archives: School Time

Sep 16

Homework

We almost have a full month of school wrapped up, and I am exhausted. Between early mornings, late evenings, and weekend activities too, we are extra busy. Getting the kids back into a school routine has been tough, especially when it comes to homework.

Thade has homework Monday-Thursday, and I also give him at home homework to do too. He calls it mom-work. It isn’t much, but I think it is really helping him out with his reading and spelling too.

Every night and even on the weekends, I have him read a chapter from a non-school book. It doesn’t take him too long, and he usually reads two or three chapters.

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He will also read board books to Agnes and Dylan, they love to listen to their big brother read.

Thade has been frustrated this year by the school’s reading limitations on reading materials. He has gone to the school library several times and tried to check out a very specific library book ( he is reading at a higher level) and he isn’t allowed to check out the book. I don’t think that this practice is fair at all, and I’m a bit of a stinker when it comes to rules, so…

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To help keep him interested in and excited about reading, I let him go to the public library, use his library card, and pick out whatever book he wants to read. He knows the children’s section well, and sticks with the third grade level books. He is so proud when he gets to use his card, and find a favorite book to read.

I also have him write out his spelling words nightly, and we even do a practice spelling test on Thursdays.

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We use a Composition notebook at home, it keeps all of this spelling “worksheets” nice and neat. I can also keep an eye on how his handwriting is improving. I have seen a big improvement in his spelling already, most weeks he gets a 106% on his spelling tests.

It isn’t much, in fact after snack time it only takes about 20 minutes for Thade to finish his homework and his mom-work too. I plan on carrying on this tradition when Dylan enters school next year too.

So what about you… How do you help your kiddos with their homework?

Aug 9

Enrollment Day

I’ll just put this out there, this is one of the days that I dread the most… It is always hot, it always takes way too long, and my kiddos are always really grumpy at the end of it, and honestly so am I…

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I had the added grumpiness factor that I had already received several emails about fundraisers, and read too many articles about taxes going up, and mills going up, so yeah, I went to enrollment already not a happy camper.

There we were on a very hot day in August, and I had all 3 kiddos in tow. I decided that this year we were going to speed through enrollment. This is my third year at it, so I know which tables to skip, and I know how to answer questions quickly… I got the paperwork done, skipped the “fundraiser table” and the sports, headed straight for the buses, told them we didn’t qualify, they still checked, and yep we still don’t qualify. One more table to breeze by, and then it was on to the Attendance Center tables.

So Thade didn’t get the teacher that I had hoped for, he didn’t get in a class with his best buddy, they aren’t improving pick-up at school either, they did tell me a total, and I wrote the check and we were out of there.

I did it in 30 minutes, a new record. I was kinda in a bad mood, so I decided to take the kiddos out for a bit.

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Their favorite park was only a few blocks away.

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Those little faces always make me cheerier.

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We were in luck too, we had the park all to ourselves.

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Agnes could run around like a crazy-woman.

My hubby was extra sweet too and picked us up lunch since he knew I was pretty grumpy about the whole enrollment thing, he is awesome like that.  Enrollment was a bummer, but getting to spend a super-rad morning with the kiddos is always awesome.

Jul 28

Back To School Shopping

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Monday when we went grocery shopping I checked to see if the school supply lists were out. Sure enough they were, so I grabbed one for each of my boys, and decided that we would go sometime soon. Then I thought we had better hurry up and get that list taken care of, so I took the kiddos shopping on Tuesday.

Dylan was excited to go shopping, Thade wasn’t too happy about the idea that school was around the corner, and Agnes was miserable and screamed the entire time. Dylan threw a giant fit before we left the house, and then cried on the way there, the excitement must have gotten to him. So there I was with 3 grouchy kids going back to school shopping.

We made our way though the supplies, and some of them were a bit tricky to find, i.e. only Orange Poly Folders with Brads not a 3 ring binder, and No Purple Glue Sticks! Goodness, I thought I was picky. Thade perked up a bit when he got to pick out red scissors, and a red ruler, red seems to be his favorite color. Dylan was mad that there wern’t as many items on his list, but I got them all checked off, so they are set for school.

The boys were also in need of the usual: clothes, socks, shoes, and you guessed it underwear. Shopping for these items with 2 little boys was hilarious. Thade was embarrassed, but laughing, and Dylan kept saying “underwear” as loud as he could. Agnes was getting really mad seeing the boys pick out new backpacks and clothes, she lost it when we got to shoes. She loves shoes like crazy.  The boys both went up a shoe size over the Summer.

She has grown to and is now in 2T clothes, so I picked her up a new pair of Hello Kitty pajamas, she loves them. I also spotted a cute Summer outfit for her, and the weather doesn’t look like it is going to cool off anytime too soon. It is hard not to pick her up clothes, I have to admit, I love shopping for little girl clothes.

I had a few household items to get, and two hours in to the shopping trip,  the kids were exhausted, and so was I. I am happy to be done though, it is one more thing crossed off my list before the first day of school, which will be here before I want it to be.

So how is your back to school shopping going? Are you all finished, or just getting started?