World Breastfeeding Week

Did you know that it is World Breastfeeding Week?  I didn't even know such a thing existed until a couple of weeks ago, but apparently this is the 20th time it has been held.  So what is World Breastfeeding Week?

"World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old, and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond."

*From http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_breastfeeding_week/en/index.html

Now, let's remember this is not about moms and their choices.  This is about babies, children, and the future.  There is rarely a person who will say breastfeeding is no better than formula, and I have never heard a person claim that formula is actually better than breastfeeding.  So let's put the mommy wars aside and really think about this mission.

Breastfeeding provides babies with milk from the source, ever-changing composition that grows with the child!  It provides a connection between mom and baby that is, frankly, an amazing thing to be a part of.  And you know what?  It's the right of mothers and babies to have this bond and share these moments.  It is the right of every mother and baby to breastfeed, and we should start treating it that way.  With rights come support systems.  Everyone has a right to food, so when a member of our society struggles to afford food, we give them access to WIC, SNAP, and food banks.  Everyone has a right to medical care, so when someone has an accident or illness and struggles to afford the necessary care, we provide them with access to medicaid, low-cost clinics, or pro-bono services.  So if breastfeeding is a right, then when someone struggles with breastfeeding, we should provide them with access to information, support, assistance, Supplemental Nursing Systems, and donor milk.  Why don't we look at this the same as we do our other rights?

Breastfeeding is the biological norm, and (again no mommy wars here) everyone who wants to breastfeed should be supported in engaging in their right to do so.  The laws support breastfeeding, but the people do not.  Breastfeeding is seen as gross and something to be hidden.  Your baby is hungry in public?  I hope you've pumped your milk so you can give him a bottle.  You're hungry at the same time as your baby?  I hope you don't mind waiting to eat, so that you can go somewhere else to feed her because I don't want to watch you while I eat.  Your baby is hungry in public and there's no nursing room available?  I hope you don't mind feeding your baby where others are disposing of their bodily wastes and flushing toilets that spray germs up to 10 inches into the air that settle on bathroom surfaces and remain for more than 90 minutes.  These responses are not okay.  They are not supported by the breastfeeding laws or common human decency.  Let's start working towards a solution.

Babies need to eat.  No one is denying that.  Babies need to eat when they are hungry and do not have the ability to understand that their food source is stigmatized.  So the next time you are out and see a mother breastfeeding her baby in public, give her a smile, a thumbs up, or a supportive nod.  And if someone else gives her a grimace or tells her to cover up or go to the bathroom, suggest they mind their own business and let the family care for the baby in the way that is best for that baby.  Let her see the support that our society can give.  And do it whether you breastfeed or formula feed because we are all mothers doing the best we can with the knowledge we have.  And that's okay.

For more information on World Breastfeeding Week, visit www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org

Screen Free Wednesday

This year, my family participated in Screen Free Week for the first time.  It did amazing things for my family, so we decided to continue with a Screen Free Wednesday each week.  We have fallen off the wagon a bit, but we are getting back on.  We are starting homeschool on the 6th, and with that, we will reinstate Screen Free Wednesday.  I encourage you to pick a day and go screen free.  Set what works for your family, once a week, twice a week, twice a month, etc.

So what does a screen free day entail?  No TV, no movies, no internet, no video games, no computer.  It sounds daunting; believe me, I understand.  And it is because it seems so daunting that it is so necessary.  There is nothing more important in this world than the relationships you build.  And let me tell you, relationships are not built online!  Can you cultivate a relationship online?  Sure, but that's probably not what you are doing on there.  Maybe you are reading blogs (and please do!) or looking at Pinterest.  Maybe you are on Facebook or Twitter.  But you know where you aren't?  Present with the people in the room.  People often say presence is the best gift you can give your child.  I disagree.  I think presence is a necessity that should not be saved for special occasions.  Pull it out daily and give it freely.

The next screen free week is scheduled for April 29th through May 5th of 2013.  Leading up to that week, I will be posting ideas for activities to do with your family, and each Thursday, I will try to recap our Screen Free Wednesday activities from the previous day so that you and your family can have some ideas for your own screen free day.


Take a little time to disconnect to reconnect.  Your family will thank you!

Homeschool Planning

To plan my homeschool year, I put together an order of activities for reading, writing, and math because they are more linear subjects.  Then I put together unit studies with science and social studies.  I try to tie them together as much as possible, but I don't want to move on in math until the current skill is mastered.

Our weekly schedule is going to be
Calendar, Story, Song, Reading, Writing, and Math daily.
Science is Monday and Wednesday and alternating Fridays.
Social studies is Tuesday and Thursday and alternating Fridays opposite of Science.
Art and P.E. are daily, while music is Tuesday and Thursday and Spanish is Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Overall, we have school scheduled for about 2 and a half hours a day.

This is of course subject to change as we find our groove.  I function better with a schedule, so that I know I get everything in.  Monkey Man benefits from the routine, without which he gets frustrated.  At this point it seems like Squeaky Bear is going to be more of a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of person.  That will make homeschooling the two of them together in a couple of years very interesting!

We will be starting on August 6th this year.  I haven't quite decided on the break schedule.  A friend over at The Homeschool in the Loft, just did a post about her yearly schedule where she will do 3 weeks on 1 week off.  That intrigues me.  I may do a 3.5 weeks on, 1/2 week off for now, but let it be totally adaptable to vacations and educational trips.  I will be doing a lighter schedule during the summer, but will not totally give up the schooling.

How do you plan your year?
What is your schedule like?
When are you starting?

Book Review: Triskellion

Triskellion by Will Peterson; Ages: 10 and Up


I got my nephew a book for Christmas, and he told me a couple of weeks later that he hadn't read it yet because the killer bees on the cover made him think it was scary.  I decided to read the book myself, so that I could let him know if it was scary.

After reading Triskellion, I let him know that it was not even as scary as Harry Potter, a series that he had read in its entirety.  Also, the bees on the cover are regular honey bees.  One of the characters is a bee keeper.

Can I just say that I loved this book?  It may be for preteens, but I was hooked and finished it in 3 days - good-bye clean house! :-)

Triskellion begins as we find out that the two main characters, twins Rachel and Adam Newman are going to spend the summer with their maternal grandmother in England because their parents are going through a divorce.  The kids don't really know their grandmother, and when they arrive in Triskellion, everything seems very strange to them.  Then a mysterious boy named Gabriel starts showing up.  The twins quickly befriend him, and the adventure begins.  Triskellion has a secret, and the Newmans are determined to find out what it is.  Of course, they get into some trouble and even a few dangerous situations along the way.


I don't want to give too much away because this book is definitely one you should read!  Peterson draws you in with a quick pace, believable characters, and captivating dialogue.  Triskellion should be in every book lover's collection, young and old alike.

The best part - it's a trilogy.  I can't wait to read Triskellion 2: The Burning.


This blog post was originally published on my former blog on January 28, 2011.

Day Zero Project Udate!

It's been a little more than 5 months since I started the Day Zero Proejct.  It's time for another update!  I'd love for you to join in and make your own list.  If you blog about your list, let me know!  You can also follow people's lists on the Day Zero Project website, so feel free to leave your name in the comments, so we can follow you!

Date started: February 10, 2012
Date to be finished: November 7, 2014

Bold is completed.  Italics is in progress.

Sleep under the stars Leave an inspirational note inside a book for someone to find Go camping Watch 26 movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the Alphabet (11/26) Tie a note to a balloon and let it go Get a massage Go on a picnic Ride in a hot air balloon Buy a lottery ticket Have a baby Go on a cruise Go horseback riding Write a book Go ice skating Host a dinner party See a drive-in movie Clean out my closet Write a short story Learn to knit Sing karaoke at a bar Climb to the top of a tree and take a picture of the view Visit an old teacher Throw all of the world’s countries in a hat and pick 10. Read a book on each country’s history. Learn how to play one song on the guitar Participate in NaNoWriMo Play paintball Take a random road trip Lose 20lbs (from 146) (4/20) Clean out/organize my closet Make 10 items pinned on Pinterest (0/10) Write a list of 101 things I’ve already achieved in this lifetime (0/101) Read 50 new books (8/50) Organize the kitchen Go on a wine tour Play Mini Golf with my family Keep a “My Day in Six Words” journal for 6 months Write down 100 things that make me happy (0/100) Create an inspiration board Have dinner by candlelight Have a romantic weekend away in a log cabin Dance in the rain Become fluent in Spanish Relearn Japanese Go through closet and get rid of old clothes Write a letter to an old friend Write a screenplay Write a love letter to my husband Write a book of poems Write a children's book Get rid of 100 things (100/100) Choose 10 countries and read a book by an author from each (0/10) Take a photo of the same place every month for year and then turn it into a calendar for the next year Join a community garden Memorize the presidents in order Make fresh pasta Play a new board game Go Geocaching Put together a disaster preparedness kit Host a New Years Eve dinner party at home Learn to read music Write at least 1 blog post per week (6/143) Track every penny spent Start a book club Teach my son to read Get back into exercising at least 4 times a week Start a quarterly game night Have a homemade Christmas Build my kids' library to 500 books (300/500)-This is actually higher, but I haven't counted recently Learn how to use a DSLR camera well Start a compost pile Plant a garden Plant a tree Sell books to 3 libraries or schools (0/3) Go on a family vacation Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years Go to a wine tasting Do 20 Usborne Book Shows (5/20) Go 1 week with no TV or movies Learn the names of all the countries in the world Quit drinking soda Start a new tradition Pay off my new car Sing karaoke Get a dog Organize e-mail (delete a lot) Organize my bedroom Organize the office Organize my kids' toys Write a non-fiction book Learn to play the piano Detail my husband's car for him as a surprise twice a year Teach my son to write Complete a weekly marriage builder Form an advertising network Try 5 new restaurants (0/5) Put in new floors Mail Christmas gifts on time Bake something for 10 friends "just because" (0/10) Find a system for organizing all of my papers Get my husband to do a 101 in 1001 list Make a new 101 in 1001 list

I've been reading a lot!  And I didn't count the new children's books that I have read.  I still need to get those movie and book reviews going!

What's on your list?  How are you progressing?

Keeping the Marriage Alive: Couple Meetings

It is so important to me that my husband and I keep our marriage a top priority!  We see so many people divorcing, and it breaks our hearts.  We both came from divorced families.  So when we got married we promised each other to work through anything because this marriage is forever.  Some of the things we do to keep our marriage alive are allowing open communication, going to bed at the same time every night, (almost) weekly date nights, and having a weekly couple meeting,

When you know that you aren't going to be left for expressing your opinion - positive or negative - it makes it so much easier to have open communication.  And it allows you to feel so free and loved when you don't have to hide who you are from your spouse!

We make a point to go to bed at the same time as each other because it helps maintain intimacy.  Whether we go to bed and read or go to bed and sleep, having you spouse there is a wonderful feeling.

We try to have weekly date nights.  Sometimes these are going out without the kids, sometimes it is a family date, and sometimes it is a mini date at home after the boys are asleep.  It is so important to keep your romance alive through the hustle and bustle of work, children, and household obligations.

More on those three things in future posts, but today I want to talk about couple meetings.  These are a great way to check in on each other and the marriage.  Each week on Wednesday night after the boys are in bed, we sit together on the couch or in our bed with no TV, no radio, and no computer.  I have a notepad that sits on our refrigerator during the week, and I use it to take notes.  Everyone's couple meeting looks different.  The important part is to make sure you both have an opportunity to be heard.

Our meeting starts with a weekly check-in.  We both read The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman and determined our own love languages.  Now each week we ask each other how full the love tank is.  We compare it to the previous week and try to determine what worked to raise it or why it decreased.  Then we each give our high point and low point for the week.  These may relate to each other, but they can be about anything (kids, work, friends, other family, etc.).

After our weekly check-in, we discuss the week's marriage builder.  For example, the first month we did these meetings, we discussed The Five Love Languages and the languages of apology.  We made lists of what would help fill each of our love tanks.  A future plan for a marriage builder is to keep a journal on the fridge in which we would each write a weekly letter to each other (more on that in another post).  Another future marriage builder we have planned is to read and discuss Mapping the Terrain of the Heart::Passion, Tenderness, and the Capacity to Love by Stephen Goldbart and David Wallin.  Currently we are doing 15 Minute Marriage Makeover.  It doesn't matter what your marriage builder is as long as it is something that helps you focus on keeping your marriage strong or improving areas that could use a little help.


After our marriage builder, we take care of household business.  We talk about the kids - some weeks it's about Monkey Man's eating (he's a notoriously picky eater) or Squeaky Bear's difficulty separating from me and some week's it's about their new accomplishments.  It's basically a check-in on how things are going with the kids and what we need to work on with them.  Then we talk about the budget.  We're in the process of moving our funds from a bank to a credit union, I have some side jobs that bring in income that's not budgeted, we're deciding if we can afford baby #3, etc.  He earns most of the money, and I make sure the bills get paid and the shopping is done, so we check in so that he knows what's going on with our finances.

Finally we work on our weekly to do lists.  We check that we did everything on last week's list (this is why the notepad hangs on the fridge - easy access to check what's on our list).  Then we make a list for the new week.  These are tasks in addition to our normal daily tasks.  For instance, one week G's list was to hang bookshelves in the boys' room and to clear out the compost pile.  My list was to hang the chore chart and work on a new way of organizing the boys' room.


We also leave room for anything else that comes up to be discussed.  Since we have started doing these weekly meetings our relationship seems stronger than ever.  And you can tell when we've skipped our meetings because things just don't flow as easily.


Do you make a point to have a "meeting" with your spouse?  How often?

PreSchool Planning

I am in homeschool planning mode!  I was up until 3:30 AM organizing materials.  I am so excited!

Because I plan to post our activities and lesson plans, I wanted to provide you all with a list of my curriculum choices as well as where you can get them.  That way, if you like an activity and want the curriculum/book/etc. to go with it, you will know where to get it.

Here is my updated list:

PreSchool 2012-2013

Reading

The Learning Journey Match It (Upper and Lower Case Letters)

Sing, Spell, Read and Write : PreK Readiness Program

Funnix - We downloaded this for free in February, but I am not sure if they will do another free offering

Leapfrog Leap Reader - You know the monster reading program that Leapfrog had before the TAG readers? Yep, we have one of those.

Usborne Very First Reading Set

Leveled Readers (if we get to these, I have a 6 or 7 for him).

Magnetic Letters - to use on the friedge or dry-erase board


Writing

Disney The Alphabet - I can't find a picture, but I bought it at Dollar Tree a year ago. It's Aladdin. I love Aladdin!

*Mrs. Potato Head Alphabet Workbook (PlaySkool PreSchool Workbooks)

Early Learning Activities, Grades PreK (Skill Building)

More Skill-Building Early Learning Activities, Grades PreK


Sing, Spell, Read and Write : PreK Readiness Program 

Funnix - We downloaded this for free in February, but I am not sure if they will do another free offering

Fun and Learning Box Preschool (Giant Basic Skills)

ABC & 123 Writing Pad from Dollar Tree

Wipe-Clean123

Wipe-Clean Alphabet

Wipe-Clean First Letters

Math
Beginning Counting with Mother Goose, Grades PreK-K (Learning Line)

Disney I Can Learn with Pooh Educational Early Skills Workbook ~ Shapes & Sizes

*Mr. Potato Head Numbers Workbook (Playskool Preschool Workbooks)

*Playskool Preschool Shapes Workbook


Early Learning Activities, Grades PreK (Skill Building) 

More Skill-Building Early Learning Activities, Grades PreK 


Get Ready for Kindergarten Numbers - I don't remember where I got this, and I cannot so far locate it online.

The Learning Journey Match It (Counting)

Fun and Learning Box Preschool (Giant Basic Skills) 

Play Money

Wipe Off Clock - We bought this in the Target Dollar Spot a while back.

The old Leapfrog Reader thing

Measuring Wipe-Off Sheet - I'm not even sure where it came from

ABC & 123 Writing Pad - from Dollar Tree,

Wipe-Clean123

Telling the Time

Science

Early Learning Activities, Grades PreK (Skill Building) 

More Skill-Building Early Learning Activities, Grades PreK 

Nature cards - these came free in the mail unsolicited as a way to get us to purchase the series or something.I think we have around 10 of them.

Flip-Flap Body Book

The Butterfly

Pipkin Series - This series is really math and science:
How Big is a Million?

How High is the Sky?

How Deep is the Sea? 

How Big Was a Dinosaur?

Where Do Baby Animals Come From?

 Look Inside Science

Rock Formation Kit - I got a couple of these at either Dollar Tree or in the Target dollar spot a little bit ago.

Social Studies

Stories From Around the World for Little Children

Dragons

Art

*Playskool Preschool Colors Workbook

Early Learning Activities, Grades PreK (Skill Building) 

More Skill-Building Early Learning Activities, Grades PreK 

Fun and Learning Box Preschool (Giant Basic Skills) 

Music

Randy wants to learn to play guitar, so we will be working on that. I haven't picked a method or book yet, so if you have suggestions please feel free to let me know!

P.E.

Subway Get Fit Kit - You order this online and specify you are a homeschool.  It comes with pedometers and a book of activities.


We will also be playing outside and using other means of physical education!




Spanish

Easy Spanish Words Sticker Book

* These books can also be bought in a set: Playskool PreSchool Workbook 4-Pack .


The Fine Print: I am an Independent Educational Consultant for Usborne Books & More, so these books link to my website.  Feel free to search for the books by name if you do not want to purchase from me.  Additionally, other links may be affiliate links, which basically means that if you purchase something through my link, I get a percentage of your purchase for referring you.  I appreciate the support if you do click through my links, as I am providing the activities and information to you for free and using my links does not increase your purchase price!