by The Happy WAHM
Oh, my goodness! After that, I’m speechless.
Today is the worst, so far. Coz it rained yesterday and the field is muddy. But those shoes are what I deal with everyday.
It’s been 54 days since my kids started soccer training, and boy, am I so proud of them! Six days a week, Monday to Saturday, they’d wake up at the crack of dawn and prepare to go to training. Milk, cookies, shower, get into their jerseys, get the shin guards and line up for Mommy to put on their socks and shoes.
Well, at least for the two younger ones. My 13-year old can actually put on her shin guards and knee socks, which can sometimes be a challenge. 🙂
I’ve never been athletic. I tried to be, back in high school. But dance was, and will always be, my passion, so it took precedence. Although come to think of it, dance is a sport, right? So I can claim to be athletic. Except that I danced cultural, not the power dances that are considered as sports.
I did gymnastics for a short time. Then softball as a shortstop, a bit of volleyball, did sprints on the track and field, and badminton. But I’d really rather be practicing my sway balance and waltz than do strenuous sports training. So yeah, I’m no athlete.
That’s why it’s been quite a challenge to keep up with the kids’ schedule this summer. Daily training for soccer, from 6:00 AM to 8:30 AM. Since the field is still a good 30-minute drive, we have to leave the house at 5:30 AM, which means we actually wake up at 4:00 AM so we can have time for a light breakfast and shower. While they train, I study my lessons on my tab. Yeah, I’m a Courseran, too! 🙂 Glutton for punishment, right?
Then we make a dash for home, take a quick meal and a bath, and off again to the Drum and Lyre Band training ’til 11:00 AM. We take a quick lunch and give the kids another shower and prepare again for their piano lessons at 1:00 PM. Sometimes, I’d just grab my laptop and my pocket wi-fi so I can put in some work while I wait up for the kids ’til 4:00 PM, instead of leaving and coming back to pick them up.
It’s a good thing that the piano lessons and the band training are only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Otherwise, I’d be dead by now. 🙂 And have I mentioned that I handwash their jerseys and socks everyday?
They’ve been to two tournaments, and looking forward to at least one more before summer ends. By then I’d be an expert sports mom. The first tournament we went to, we were so unprepared! I thought it was a single game kind of thing. What do you know! Tournaments, even for kiddies, are whole day affairs. So the next one we went to, we were more armed with the necessities. Like a cooler full of water and ice, several shirts to change to after each game, towels, an umbrella and a visor cap. Next time, I’d remember to wear rubber shoes and bring long sleeved polo to protect my arms. The heat and dust in these events are not for the fainthearted.
So while I am really supportive of whatever my kids choose to do, there are days that I feel like I’m way over my head. Like today, when I have to deal with muddy shoes. And socks! Thank God for my eldest who helped with the clean up, and the fact that it’s Tuesday, so no band practice to run to.
The kids? It’s another story. They voluntarily sleep early, they look forward to each training day and seeing their new-found friends. They seem to not get tired at all. They’re having the time of their lives! And that in itself is a reward.
by The Happy WAHM
Who would believe I’d spend Php2,174.50 just for parking?
Well, I just did!
We were in Lipa City earlier. My aunt has been texting us in the past two days that we should come for lunch as today is the city’s fiesta. So we went. But alas, it had to be a short visit, as I have forgotten to take Jude’s eye drops at home, and he really needs those for his ongoing eye treatment. Nothing serious, but we need to be vigilant in following the doctor’s prescription as those are Jude’s eyes we’re talking about.
So, much as we’d also like to extend the visit to our friends’ house, we immediately headed home after lunch. But I requested that we swing by BDO for a few minutes to get some cash. Our best bet was the one at Robinson’s so we could avoid the killer traffic at the city proper. The plan was that I’d be dropped off at the mall entrance and they’d park just near the entrance and wait for me there. It being a Sunday, and the city’s fiesta at that, the parking was full, so Jojo drove around ’til he found a spot in front of National Bookstore. Naturally, the kids wanted to go inside. I was thinking, oh, they may be running low on origami papers and maybe they want to buy some. So while I was at the ATM, they were left inside the store.
Joining them after a few minutes, I found Xia in front of the Classics shelf. Uh-oh… Shakespeare again! Then Jude came out of nowhere and then he was pulling me to another shelf, showing me a book of the Philippines and telling me how good it is. I looked at the price and almost fainted. It’s Php1,185.00. Oh, no! How do I discourage him from getting this one? Maybe a less expensive version is lying around somewhere? So I frantically looked for one and found something for Php635.00. But he wouldn’t have it. He wants that particular one. Think! Oh, maybe if I tell him that we have to use the money he’s been saving to go to Enchanted Kingdom, he’ll forget about this.
So I did.
“Ok lang po. Mas gusto ko ang book.
While we were haggling over the book, Bea tugged at me and said, “Mommy, doon lang ako sa kabila.” And I said, okay. So off she went, while I continued to show Jude some books that are far less expensive.
He was getting impatient and was looking like he was about to cry.
“Mommy, ang kailangan mo lang, isang one thousand, isang one hundred, isang fifty, isang twenty, isang ten at isang five.”
Clearly, I was losing the battle. So I took out the plastic card case that I’m using to keep his money and let him pull out the bills needed. He stopped at twenty, as that’s the lowest denomination he has.
“Paano ‘yan? Wala ka nang ten.”
“Tatlong five na lang, Mommy.”
Okay! We’re buying this one.
Here comes Bea, with the book of Japan. Price? Php1,039.00. Aaaargh!
“Are you sure you want this? Are you sure you’ll read this? It’s expensive!”
She just stared at me, with those about-to-cry eyes, then picked up another book. “Ito na lang po.”
It was Basic Japanese. And I remembered that we bought the Japanese Pronunciation book when we went to the book fair last year. She finished that in one sitting! And she practices the words with Jude. So she must really be into this. And Xia has been writing haiku.
Okay, let me see if I can do something about this.
I went to the cashier and inquired. Could it be that this book may be up for a discounted price?
Oh, please, please, please! Let it be on sale! I’ve learned from being at National Bookstore so often, that there are items that are already identified with a permanent markdown, only they have not taken to changing the tags. So when there is a book that we really want, we sort of ask first. Or ask when the next sale event will be, for most of the books we buy are actually the not-so-popular ones.
And alas, it was! For 50%. Bea’s in luck! My wallet is not.
Okay now, what about Xia? I can’t be buying these two their books and deprive Xia of her Shakespeare. Earlier, I was telling her that those classics can be actually downloaded free from Amazon. She just needs to install the Kindle reader in her PC. But her dad butted in. “Marge, she can’t bring the PC around.” And we have not given her the liberty, yet, of bringing the laptop outside of the house.
Now here comes Jojo. With three Shakespeare books. Oh, no!
“They’re on sale, Marge. From Php209.00, they’re on sale at Php100.00.”
Need I say more?
And so that was to be the most expensive parking ticket one can get in a free parking space.
I have to admit, though, that while I am here ranting about how much I had to spend on books outside of the family budget, deep inside, my heart is rejoicing that my kids have learned to love books early on. I can’t remember a time that they ever asked for toys. Except maybe at the height of Jude’s interest in cars, which was immediately overtaken by his interest in flags and geography. But even then, Jude would even say no when we offer to buy him some more cars for his collection. He was very discriminating when buying cars, as he was not just after the car per se. He was looking for style, for functionalities, for a story that comes with it.
So now, as I am writing this post, Xia is already deep in the world of Othello. And Bea is patiently waiting for me to cover her books so she can start reading. It’s just like her to be obsessed about covering the books first, so they will be protected. And Jude? He’s already on a tour around Manila.
And as I’ve always said before, if a thief ever comes into our home, the only thing of value he can find are the books. These are our treasures, as these are our way of giving our kids the window to the world.
by The Happy WAHM
It was a training for homeschooling parents, and my eight-year-old just wanted to tag along, so I brought her with me. She woke up promptly at 5:00AM so we could leave at 6:00AM and be at TMA for the 8:30 sked, with time for breakfast before going in. It was a full day activity, so I feared that she’d get bored. I asked her: “What will you do while Mommy is attending the training?” She said: “I’ll just bring my sketchpad.” And she did.
She lost her pencil somewhere (maybe when she took out her jacket from her bag while we were on the bus) so we made a quick trip to National Bookstore during the break. We made a pact at the beginning of her school year that we are not going to buy any coloring materials as we have a boxful of old crayons that we collected from the past years’ purchases. That pact was about to be broken.
At the bookstore, she saw these Faber-Castell watercolour pencils and an artistic template. I could feel she wanted to have new pencils. Sure, we have dozens of crayons, but colored pencils are different. Aware of how much she loves to draw, I know just how much she would love to have a new set of good quality pencils. And dust-free erasers. It was painful to watch her lovingly touching the boxes of colored pencils and making an effort not to ask for one. So I asked: “Would you like to have new pencils?” She replied with a question of her own: “Do you have money?” I said, “I guess we can buy a box.” Then she said: “Just the small one, Mommy.” Although I could feel how much she would prefer to have the big box with the brush and sharpener.
And so we ended up buying Faber-Castell pencils, the 12-piece watercolour pencil box with the brush, and I threw in an artistic template, too.
So here is the latest addition to Bea’s drawing portfolio.
Bea at work, while a speaker was discussing Singapore Math.
My certificate for the training. But nothing will ever beat the drawing. 🙂
by The Happy WAHM
This is an actual three-way conversation between me and my two homeschoolers, Bea and Jude. I started the conversation as an avenue for an oral recitation in Math – addition and subtraction for Jude; and addition, subtraction and multiplication for Bea. But the conversation turned out to be a lesson in something far more important than Math. A lesson for me, on love and selflessness, and how my children’s respective characters are being developed.
Me: Jude, bibigyan mo ba si Mommy ng money mo? (Referring to Ninong Ogie’s gift to him.)
Jude: Yes, sa ‘yo na lang, pero kukuha ako ng isa. (There were 6 bills.)
Me: Bakit isa? Ano ang bibilhin mo?
Jude: Gamot. Wala na akong (name of his med) e.
Me: Hindi toy? Meron ka pa namang gamot, bagong bili ni Daddy.
Bea: Dahil ‘yon ang kailangan, Mommy, saka may toy pa s’ya.
Me: Okay. Ganon nga ba ‘yon, Jude?
Jude: Ilan ba ang money ko, Mommy?
I showed him the bills.
Jude: Sige, dalawa na ang kukunin ko. Isang pang gamot, isang para pambili ng electric guitar ni Ate Xia, para four ang sa ‘yo.
Me: Bakit para kay Ate Xia? Paano ka?
Jude: Sayang ang money ko ‘pag toy ang bibilhin. Pwede ba ‘yan sa electric guitar, Mommy? Kasya ba? Pag hindi, saka na lang.
Me: So talagang ayaw mo ng para sa ‘yo?
Jude: Ikaw, Ate Bea, ano’ng gusto mo?
Bea: Violin sana, pero mahal ‘yon. Pwedeng idagdag ‘yong coins ko, Mommy, 400 na ‘yon.
Jude: Three na ang kukunin ko, Mommy.
Me: Hmmm… Gamot, electric guitar at violin… So ano’ng gagawin natin sa natitirang money?
Jude: Sa ‘yo na, Mommy.
Me: Ano’ng gagawin ko don?
Bea: Pambili ng pagkain at gamit sa bahay.
Me: Bakit? Kulang ba ang pagkain natin sa bahay ngayon?
Bea: Hindi, Mommy. Para hindi ka mahirapan mag work.
Me: Hmmm… Ano’ng connection sa work ko?
Bea: Konti na lang ang work mo pag dadagdagan namin ang money mo.
I cried.
This is homeschooling at its best. You never know when you’ll get hit right in the solar plexus. When you’ll feel torn between feeling like your chest would burst with pride, and bawling like a baby for being humbled by the selflessness of your six- and eight-year-olds!
And these two are getting a perfect 10 in Character for this quarter.
by The Happy WAHM
Jude is now officially a first grader at the Aberásturi Home Academy! He was supposed to start last December, but with my crazy schedule, it simply was not fair to get him on board without me 100% ready for his needs. Plus, I needed to run an errand in Mindoro, so I had an out-of-town trip that ate up my time for lesson planning.
As with all the best laid plans, the AOP Science curriculum that Bea (now in third grade) used will just be a supplement. Recognizing Jude’s special interest in astronomy, we will focus on Exploring Creation with Astronomy for the whole year.
For the rest of the subjects, we’ll have the following:
Math – Lifepac Level 2 – Alpha Omega Publications
Language – Speak, Read and Write 1 – C & E Publishing
Reading – Reading Network – Sibs Publishing House
Bible – Following God 1 – ICI Ministries
Character – The Power for True Success – Institute in Basic Life Principles
Filipino – Binhi 1 – Jo-Es Publishing House
Social Studies – Mystery of History Volume I – Bright Ideas Press. To be supplemented with Makabayang Lahi from Ephesians Publishing, because we have to comply with DepEd’s directive that Social Studies be taught in Filipino.
Music – We are still fluid on this. He’s still deciding between the ukelele, the guitar and the piano.
Arts – Online materials, and Sing, Sketch, Stretch 1 from Abiva Publishing House.
Etiquette – Family Book of Manners – CLC
Welcome to A-HA, baby!
by The Happy WAHM
Today has been really productive for me and my third grade homeschooler. I took time out from my regular WAHM routine and focused on working with Bea on her English lapbook. Since we are still waiting for our Science and Math books, we were able to finish our first quarter lessons for English last week, and as our output for the quarter, we decided to make a lapbook of lessons we have covered for the period.
Pictured below is our project we decided to call Bea’s English Garden. Remember that we have lots of left over flower cut outs from the Teachers’ Day cards? We originally planned of putting them to good use with this project, but like any other plan, changes happen. We stuck with the garden theme, but better ideas came up as we were working on the components.
All the papers we used in this project were from our binder of printed lectures and activity notes from the past years. We really have used so much bond paper in the past two years that I promised to just re-use them this year. And do you know how much broken crayola can accumulate in 6 years? That’s another item that I’m not buying this year. And maybe in two more years. Ha ha! I collected all the broken (and some still whole) crayolas around the house and I was able to fill Xia’s old lunchbox with them.
Bea worked so hard on this project, staying up late in her excitement to finish the whole thing. She applied the trick she learned from Ate Xia, that of rubbing off the color with tissue paper after applying it on the drawing. The effect is a glossy finish and really even coloring. It really helped that she is ambidextrous, as she had to cut out all the mango fruits, 48 of them, and then writing 5 examples for each of the 8 types of nouns we have covered. She would start to say, “I’m tired,” but she would still push herself to work on it, simply transferring the pen from her left hand to the right.
In creating this lapbook, we went through the process of agreeing on a theme, and then brainstorming on the components that would form part of that theme. After deciding on the garden theme, we listed down all the things that we’d like to see in our garden. The mango tree was the first to be put up, and so I thought, “there goes the garden, now it will be just a tree.” I was thinking that maybe we’ll just put everything in different branches. But then she wanted to have the clouds and the butterflies and the flowers. So I made her line drawings of everything and she took care of coloring and writing down the topics.
I’d say that mounting the garden has been a resounding success and really quite a great way of completing our first quarter for English.
