The Weekly Review: Week 58

SLP Idea of the Week

Melissa did a post on Chasing Cheerios about writing sight words on uncooked (white) beans and tossing them in a bag to use for sight word practice on the go. You could do the same thing with your target articulation words. Then play a game with a sock monster or other hand puppet where the children say the word on the bean before feeding the puppet. I played with the kids the other day making the sock monster respond appropriately (he spat the "cat" back out hacking up hair, for example) and the kids absolutely loved it and begged to play again and again.

Ava this Week

We started a gymnastics class. Because it is a class of both three and four year olds, the children can attend together. I adore watching the children through the window. They've only gone twice so far, but I saw a big difference in their willingness to experiment and ability to follow along between the first week and the second. Ava is so comfortable in her body and actually looks pretty graceful for a three year old.

The first time we went Ava needed to go to the bathroom in the middle of the 45 minute session, so the second time I made a point of taking her immediately before class. At the gym, she went potty right before class started. So when she came out in the middle of class to ask me to take her again I told her no. She went back in and immediately sat down crying refusing to participate any more. I caved. I went in and took her. She did, indeed need to go, but seriously. The child should be able to go 45 minutes without peeing, yes?

Weekly Michael

Early in the week Michael told me he wanted to write a story called "Lion on the Loose" and he needed my help. I told him he should write it. He (admittedly accurately) countered that he couldn't really write well enough yet. So I pulled a chair up next to my computer, opened word, and invited him to dictate to me as I typed. He LOVED it. After I got the story down we went through and chose some pictures to insert as illustrations. Then we printed and stapled the book and he promptly sat down and read it. I had fun too.

Then, a couple of days later I walked by his computer and discovered this:

He had typed (clockwise) "cat sat on du(the) mat". Not a bad beginning at all.

Ava's and Michael's Weekly Home Therapy Notes

This week has been even worse than last. I've still been doing mostly solo parenting in the evenings and we've done relatively little home therapy. I'll do my best to reset and reintroduce our nightly sessions next week.

Weekly Homeschooling

We've continued math, handwriting, and reading. So far the kids and I are still having a great time. Math lessons are their favorites. Handwriting is probably second, although I can tell the novelty of the current practice methods is wearing off. I'll have to get creative soon. The reading program is great, but the lessons are a little too long for the kids. I need to cut the length back on those, and I think they'll enjoy the reading lessons more.

Homeschooling has totally changed my outlook on "home days" (days with no preschool). I look forward to the mornings because we're all enjoying the homeschooling lessons. Our experiment with homeschooling is going extremely well thus far.

Weekly Random New Experimental Craft

Completely on a whim I decided to try some paper quilling. Perhaps I saw some on pinterest and it lodged in my subconscious, but I don't actually remember what gave me the idea. Here's what I came up with (inspired by this). Somehow, they make me really happy.