My Little Reader

As I have mentioned before I totally believe in letting a child begin to read on their time schedule, not mine. Recently, I did a government test of my 'grade 4' son. He did well on all the tests, scoring an 'average' level on everything, except spelling, which he scored in the grade above.

Now, he *could* have scored a grade or two above in everything, if I had started his education at the tender age of 5, which is where most children begin. But I didn't. I exposed him to letters and numbers when he was five, but when he showed he wasn't lapping it up, I simply put it away for another year. Occasionally, I would bring out the flashcards, the games, the worksheets and try again, but each time it was evident that I would be drilling him rather than him simply soaking it up.

By the time he was seven/eight he was showing that he was ready to absorb. It was still difficult, but he didn't see school as a hardship because reading came when it was time. Slow and steady. About a year ago, he took off slowly into reading. He was nine at the time. My latest reader. In the last four months, he has begun the *sprint* into reading. He is now reading a small book every day or so. He has begun to see the joy of reading. It was never drudgery, though. It was always a coveted treat, just waiting for him to reach out and grasp it. But now he has tasted of this sweet victory and he can't wait to read more.

Yes, he could have been taught much sooner. We could have spent four to six hours a day doing 'schoolwork', but how much farther ahead would he be on his provincial testing? A year or so? What exactly would that year have gained him? How really important is it to say my son is 'a year ahead of his peers'?

He is not behind. No, he is ahead in all of the *other* things he was able to do with that time that he would have sat drilling at a school table for the last five years! Instead, he has spent a mere two years at a desk and reached grade level in that time, whilst enjoying climbing trees, building forts, swords, and shields, and dressing up as knights and other wonderful things, creating with K'nex, Lego, Duplo, and Playmobil, and hours upon hours being a "child", versus a "student".

I wouldn't have it any other way. He is the fourth child to prove that this theory really works!

And then along comes Cooper. Sweet Cooper who simply couldn't retain his letter names and sounds. He is six years and four months of age. His little girl cousin would come to visit and she already was learning her reading. She is eight months younger than him. It was tempting at times to feel a little 'embarrassed' or 'shown-up' when they would be playing a game and his auntie would see that he was struggling with his letter names or sounds or numbers, and her younger daughter was whizzing by it all with full knowledge.

But then I would have to remind myself: I am not in this to impress anyone. I am in this because I *believe* in "Better Late Than Early" - I believe in this wholeheartedly! And I have living proof in four older children that this is the best way for our family.

So the other day - perhaps a week or so ago - I pulled out the workbooks again. Cooper had finished the kindergarten book and I thought we might try the Grade 1 book. We had time before the end of the 'school year', so I might as well give it a shot. I knew that he had struggled his way through the Kindergarten book, simply because he could not remember the names and sounds of the letters. But funny enough, he has no problem 'hearing' the sounds at the beginning, middle and end of words. And that can be a hard concept!

As I pulled out the book last week, it was evident that he was not ready for the Grade 1 book. He didn't even remember his letters and here they expected him to completely know them. I put the book away and waited. A week later - two days ago - I pulled the book out again and gave it another shot.

It was time.

Cooper took this first page and simply looked at each picture and then said the word and then completely by himself matched up the pictures to the words!



Bingo. He was ready to sponge it up.

No drilling. No nagging. No tears. No hardship.

He had just won the big reward. His brain was ready to read. He was thrilled, grinning from ear to ear!

I then pulled out the Explode the Code book 1 and off he ran. In minutes, with little to no instruction, he completed a weeks worth of work! Just like that!

Proud Little Boy!

I figured he was due for some celebrating. So when the little ones went off to bed for naptime, I made some cupcakes and when they woke up everyone had them to celebrate Cooper's big accomplishment. After this, I had my big boy going into town to get some groceries, so I sent Cooper with him.

Colt took Cooper to Dairy Queen to buy him an icecream in recognition of his Big Day. Well, I suppose I should have mentioned what size to buy...

Colt Bought Him A Large!

Happy Boy!

Cooper loved it and had no problem finishing it. And the next day he continued reading...
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Ethiopian Car Wash

It is a small world! I mentioned a long time ago, that a doctor from my town had been a part of a team that had built the Noah's Ark at the Transition House where our girls had lived. What chance of that.

Well, last week, I got a call from this same doctor and he asked me if it was possible for our girls to make a guest appearance at his daughter's car wash. The story was that for spring break she and her mother had gone with a medical team to Ethiopia. They had gone to the village where Faith Village is being built by our agency - Imagine Adoption. They had worked in the clinic that is being set up there. Both of the parents of this 11 year old girl are doctors.

When Amy came back from Ethiopia she did a power point at her school for her class. This was then asked to be shown for the entire school. A group of students in the school then suggested that they come up with a way to help the children in Ethiopia, so they came up with the idea of a carwash.

And this is how our girls got involved. I explained to the girls that the carwash was going to raise money to buy school supplies to help equip the school in Faith Village. They said they wanted to go and see the children who were doing this work. They also decided they would rather wear their Ethiopian clothes than Canadian clothes.



It was an awesome chance for these young girls who were so excited to raise money for these Ethiopian children to actually get to meet some in person. And to top it off, Amy had had a child in her class model a traditional dress when she gave her power point, so when I asked her dad if he would like the girls to come in their traditional outfits, he thought it would be fantastic.





The girls had a great time and so did the young fundraisers!

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Graduation Songs

My biggest boy is graduating very soon! So hard to believe!!

I need a great list of inspirational, Christian or otherwise, songs to put in a music video. Any ideas? I would greatly appreciate some help! In my busy life I don't get a lot of time to listen to the radio. *smile*

Thanks,

Justine

Easter 2009

Only about a month late here! The children had fun on their Easter egg hunt! The children all paired up with their 'buddies' and it made it much easier. In this way I was able to keep an eye on the group and make the rounds making sure all was well, but each small child had an older child to help them with their craft, games, snack and then the Easter egg hunt.

Helping Their Buddies Decorate the Bags

Ready for the Candy Hunt

My Four Year Old "Twins"
Peanut and His Taller Sister

In What Land Do You Find Candy on the Ground!

Buddies: Game Time

Carrot Drop Game

Happy Boy!

Briton won a bunny at the party. Actually, we had four kids win from the draw! I guess that is what happens when you bring eight kids to the party.

The funniest thing was when I went up and asked for sixteen hotdogs. The women looked at me like I had three heads.

"How many?"

"Sixteen."

Then she looked at me like I was a criminal! "You can't have that many! You are only allowed one per person."

"Oh, well, then, I'll have ten."

"One per person!" She repeated.

"Yes, I have eight children."

"Oh!" with a bit of a suspicious look. *laugh*

Savannah Loved the Bunny

The funniest thing was when she was telling someone about the Easter Egg Hunt, she told how there was a bunny and a fake bunny! Too funny!! I had no clue if she would know the fake Easter Bunny was fake! I mean how many Easter Bunnies has she seen! *grin* Smart little girl!

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Savannah - the Ham

Cute Expressions

Savannah came to the door to tell me that the mosquitoes were bothering her.

She said, "Mum, the bugs are following to me."

So, I tried to get her to remember what she should say in proper English.

She thought for a moment, and then not one to work too hard, took the easy out and rephrased her sentence and said, "Mum, the bugs are walking with me." *grin*

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One day, Savannah comes to me and says, "Mum, I can't found my crack" (interpretation: I can't find my croc (shoe).

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Briton tried to give me a smackeroo on my lips. I said, "No, who taught you that?" Cause we kiss on the cheek in our family.

He said, "Didi."

I said to him, "That's only for when you are married."

He immediately said with great expression, "OH!" and then grabbed my face and gave me a big kiss on the cheek.

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One day, I looked outside and saw that Briton had taken a ball/egg type thing from where I had seen Raine put it at the base of a tree. I figured he was being annoying, and so, I stepped to the door and called out, "Raine, is that an egg?" figuring he had taken it from her 'nest'.

She looks at me and says with scorn, "NO! It's a BOMB!"

What hope is there for these girls being raised with six brothers!
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Enjoying the Chaos of Now

This beautiful video reminds me how fleeting this time of young ones is! I already can relate to the handsome young son coming home to visit his mother, as my oldest wonderful son is on the threshold of leaving home. I so thank God that He has seen fit to bless our home with all these precious little ones!

May you also be inspired by this video.

Sitting on the Edge of the Nest - part 4 - Manly Projects

The following week, after I had chatted with my friends (who have sent eight young adults out into the world between them), Dane began helping his brother with a treehouse. He honestly was not thrilled at the prospect. He has always been a hand-eye coordination guy who didn't have a lot of interests other than flying airplanes and reading/studying about World War II.

Dane has been in his brother's shadow for too long. It is time for him to gain his confidence and realize that he can do just as much as his big brother. Maybe not the same things, but certainly he can do what he can do - just as well!

Cassidy and I had chosen a treehouse in a book by David Stiles called How to Build Treehouses, Huts, and Forts, that I felt the Cassidy and Dane were capable of building.

Cassidy had photocopied his material list from the book, called two different stores and told them that he would be faxing in the lists and When could he have the quotes from them?

They told him a couple hours. Later that day, he received his quotes back and they were within ten dollars of each other. I figured, just pick the cheaper quote. Cassidy, putting more effort into it than me, decided that he could save a further $20, by picking and choosing from each store.

The next day, he and his dad went to the lumber stores and Ray stood back, while Cassidy did his transactions. When they got home, the boys got to work.

First, Dane had a small tree to chop down. He took the hatchet to that pretty quickly. The other children quickly got involved in helping.

They had to remove a rickety pile of wood that they had made into a funny little makeshift fort.

Then the little ones got to work digging the hole. It had to be 3.5 feet deep.

There Was Work For Everyone!

Lumber Hauling Crew

Installing the Post into Concrete

They had to mix concrete in the correct ratios and install the 6"x6" x 16' post. This would become the third post as two trees would support the rest of the fort.

Braced and Ready For the Floor

Austin Helping Dane Build the Floor

All Hands on Deck While Cutting Beams

They had to do it the old-fashioned way. No power saws! The boys thought I would allow it and I said, No! This is about using your muscles and learning to do things without fancy tools!

Using Power Tools

Each of the two main older boys that were building the treehouse had the use of the power tools. Here they are drilling holes into the tree. They will be attaching 2'x6' beams to create a triangular frame base.

The treehouse was turned to a different angle than the book had called for, (creative control of the boys), so the boys had to figure out how to get the frame up onto the frame between the trees.

Ray came to the rescue and helped them figure out the problem.

DAY 2

Dane Nailing Down the Plywood

Dad checking to make sure Dane is doing what the book says.

Even visiting friends were put to work! And honestly, I think this boy enjoyed himself! Dane thought it was work and who'd want to work when they could be playing!? But I told Dane that building treehouses is actually boys' fun!

Dane Cutting the Post Holes

Dane came to the house and asked where his dad was. He wanted him to come out and help him with the post holes on the fort deck. I asked him why he didn't do it himself? His answer? Cause I thought Dad would need to. I told Dane that he could do it and off he went. It has been great to see how he has embraced learning the new skills on this fort.

DAY 3

Austin Sawing Siding

Ray was called in to do the peel and stick roofing material.

Mighty Austin - With Who Behind Him?

Boys!!! As I was taking this picture I could see Cassidy creeping up the ladder behind Austin just ready to scare him.

Enjoying the Near Finished Product

That night the boys spent their first sleepout in the fort. It was snug - just under 4' wide by 8' long, but it was adequate. It has a nice finished over 4' wide porch. Cassidy has built a little table and it is set up with their deck chairs. A perfect little get-away fort where the little ones can get to.

This book that the boys used is fantastic! It was written for children to understand. Once in a while, though, the boys called on their dad to clarify things and I taught them how to do siding. Surprised? LOL! I was the Fort-Making Queen in my childhood (with my brother).

But really, the boys get 95% credit for building this treehouse!! We are so impressed at the effort they put forth and the quality of the treehouse that they already have plans to build two more. Stay tuned! Swiss Family Robinson is moving in!

to be continued - part 5
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