Internal Pride

My brother and I have had long conversations about internal pride.  We have a "Good Job!" mom.  When we did things to her satisfaction we were rewarded with, "Good Job!" This response was used for everything from a report card with all A's to helping clear the table after a meal.  My brother's position is that this actually affects the value that he put on his work.  He suggests that this gave him a jaded view of internal pride. Many of the things that he was told "Good Job!" for were things that weren't items that he found challenging or particularly "Good Job!" worthy.  

Our conversation went on for a while ending with that we appreciated being noticed.  The things and that the "Good Job!" was less meaningful than saying something like "I noticed you worked really hard at..." or I"I see that you....".  I don't disparage those of you who are "Good Job!"ers.  We all need to hear it from time to time.  I merely suggest that we take time to notice the wonderful things that children are doing.  And that we take the time to let them know that we notice them.  

The other day my heart was warmed when after I talked to Miles about a picture he made.  He used a few magnets to hang it in a prominent place on the fridge.  Maybe he would have had some pride in his work if I'd just told him, "Good Job!", but I'm not sure that it would have elicited this response...

When's the last time you noticed a child's work?

I'm Published!!!- Shameless Plug

I am super excited to announce that, "Miles' Shadow" is available for purchase on Amazon for e-readers.
Buy it here!  I'm still trying to figure out if I can get some hard copies made to sale too.  I have a printed copy for Miles and I to read and have bound it using my "reusable book binding method" (see future post).

Miles' Shadow is a book which encourages families and teachers to participate in Dialogic Reading.  Dialogic Reading is a method of reading with children and asking them questions to help relate the story to their own lives.  This method has been proven effective in teaching children how to read.

I Know, Therefore I Play

 A week or so ago we took our son to see the MONSTER TRUCKS! when they came to town.  We got to see, hear, and feel the trucks in action.  (We were right behind where the trucks parked, so when they started up we could feel the stands vibrating.)  In the small arena, every already bone rattling sound was amplified.  The trucks are truly a feat of engineering!

 We watched as the trucks crept up to the starting line and gunned the engine to make the trucks fly around 30 feet in the air!  We watched as the monster trucks jumped and drove over the cars.  There was an anouncer that interviewed various drivers as they won the different challenges set before them.  (Chris and I decided that monster trucks are the professional wrestling of motor sports.)  

We even had the opportunity to see the tow truck that comes and assists the monster trucks when one flips/tips over.  What a show!

Ever since our trip to see the monster trucks live Miles has taken every opportunity to pull Chris and I into playing monster trucks with him.  He carefully lines up the cars and his monster truck that he got for Christmas makes run after run over the line of cars.  He makes the noises, jumps, and lands the truck with a bounce just like in the real show!

The experience guides his play.  He knows about monster trucks because he had a live/personal experience with them.  He got to hear, feel, smell, and see the trucks in action.  He has taken this experience and now guides his play.  Miles could have seen it on the TV and started to play monster trucks in a similar manner, but I like to think that when you watch him control his monster truck that he now has a better basic understanding of Physics.  He knows that "what goes up must come down."  He makes the truck jump a little higher when it goes over an angle as opposed to along a flat surface.  Children often play what they see, hear, taste, smell, or touch.  How does your child make their real life experiences come alive during play?

Flashlight Balloon Bop

"Bop...Bop...Bop... Don't let it drop!!"

The other day I was organizing the kitchen cabinets.  (No I have not been taken over by an alien lifeform.)  Part of this task was cleaning out the flashlight bucket and servicing them.   Naturally when Miles saw me with a "Flicker" he wanted to play with one and NATURALLY I said, "Yes."

Off he went to play in the closet. 

When I finished my cabinet I picked up a flashlight and set off around the house turning off lights.  I flung open the closet door with a,"GOTCHA!"  What began as a game of flashlight tag morfed into a game of...

FLASHLIGHT BALLOON BOP

The Object: Keep the balloon off the floor/annoy Daddy while he is working on something very "important" on the computer.

To Play:  1. Turn off all the lights

2. Find the balloon we blew up the other day under foot.

3. Try to keep the balloon off the floor preferably by using the flashlight obtained earlier.

The "Winner": is determined by the person who laughs the hardest. 

Needless to say.. Miles and I had a ball (or maybe I should say we had a Balloon!!)

Water Wall

I saw a bunch of "water walls" on an Australian blog that I follow called let the children play.  They allow children to see the flow of water and manipulate it.  I created one for the playground and for in the Yellowbird classroom.  The children love it.  We do have the problem that the water gets stuck in the holes that I drilled in some of the containers.  Sand from the playground very easily clogs the holes.  I've made some of the holes bigger, but that of course changes the water flow.  This caused me to readjust the position of the containers.  I think besides the children's reactions to working with the water wall I am most excited about the opportunity to use so many recycled items.  I do wish that I would have had more items that are common to the children in the class' homes.  I should have asked parents for donations instead of just scouring our own house.  Oh well till next time.

Family Day at the Zoo

Last weekend we went to the zoo, as we often do, and were pleased that they were celebrating Donna the Hippo's Birthday.  (She's the oldest Hippo in the world.) They had all kinds of fun stations set up for the children to participate in.  Miles only wanted to play in the water, so that's the kind of trip we had.  He played in the fountain and slip and slide, and we took our "free" paddle boat ride that comes with our membership.  We also made it to the giraffe exhibit as they had their feeding, so we finally got the opportunity to do that.  Lots of fun!!!

A Car-riffic Weekend!

We've returned from our weekend of cars.  Chris and the Dirty Escort team participated in the Firecracker 24, we went and saw Cars 2 in 3D, and visited the Lane Automotive Museum.

Chris' team drove really well and the engine ran strong.  They ended up breaking and changing the CV joint and were back in the race until 11:00 ish when the rear break drum broke.  All of the stores were closed for the night, so they went to sleep and stalked the auto parts store in the morning waiting for them to opening.  Chris purchased some parts just to find out that they didn't give him the parts for the "Pony" version of  the Escort, and none of the correct parts were available near Nashville Super Speedway.  Unfortunately that was the end of their race, so they packed up and stayed to cheer on our friends "KY Spirits."  (They came in 4th place with just a small fire to show for it.)

After the race was over we went and saw Cars 2 in 3D.  Which I think should be subtitled "Mater is AWESOME."  I loved the spoof on Bond films.  Miles really enjoyed the glasses after the movie was over, but wouldn't wear them in the movie.

To round out our Car weekend we went to the Lane Automotive Museum in Nashville.  It is by far the best auto museum that I've been to.  They pride themselves in displaying things that they've restored to run, but are necessarily polished with a diaper.  There were all kinds of really neat cars that I hadn't seen before.  They also had an original Harley and a military amphibious car carrier.  It even had a nice children's area with car related toys, so Miles had a ball.  They even had the car of the driver who played Doc Hudson in the original Cars Movie.  Miles really enjoyed the Citroen that you can take your picture in. 

What a car-riffic weekend!