Gutenburg.....

We learned abt the Gutenburg Press today.
We cut potatoes in half and carved out designs-like they did with metal letters and painted them then stamped them. THIS finally sank in to Stinger as to what a wonderful invention this was and how hard and long it took to wright books before it etc.
But it was alot of fun too ;)


I have finally figured out how to keep Stingers interest in history...WHOOT!!!

We do a timeline for each and every thing we need to cover. Ive set up a binder and we make a page for each topic, event, or person on each page with the time period. Stinger seams to really understand this ALOT better. Its not just a bunch of confusing facts anymore-kwim? Hmmm-thinking how much this would have helped me, and yes-I am VERY History challenged and Ive been getting frustrated with it until now as well-LOLOL
So its helped me and its helped him to actually see when all these events were taking place.
We are still struggling with "WHY is this important MOM??? It happend SOOOOOOOOO long ago"but its somewhat easier to understand now anyway...LOLOLOL
Ive been trying to teach him mistakes people made, and how we can look back and see these mistakes and that maybee we can prevent them from happening again to us, taht we can learn from past mistakes etc...but ist not really meaning alot to a 8 yr old who is so in the here and now-kwim? LOLOLOL
But we are plugging along.

Today we finished abt 12: 30-it was incredible-LOLOLOL, Stinger worked so well and Monkey Boy played quietly when his lessons were done. Today I kinda did it different. Monkey boy math then Stinger math. Monkey boy Alphabet and Phonics then Stinger Phonics and Language etc. It ran much smoother from how it usually goes with interuptions - "Mom Im done" a zillion times with Monkey Boy etc. I worked with each one seperatly instead of together and it went MUCH better. So we'll see abt doing that from now on-eh?

Flamingo-sigh........I found out some distressing news from her this weekend. Seams her teacher is only allowing the kids( 1st grade-sheesh)to use the restroom at morning break, lunch and afternoon break, and if they need to go again-they are punished by making up the time at their breaks-sigh.....she actually writes down the time and then that time is owed. So little sweet Flamingo-who never wants to get in to trouble by asking to use the restroom when she really just HAS to go-instead has been having accidents secretly at school.

I could NOT believe this-boy it had me hot-not only are they 1st graders for goodness sake, but being in wet undies all day long is just screaming of wonderful infections going on and that sort etc. UGH-I was torked. So off went a note-I was nice;), abt letting Flamingo please take restroom breaks when she needs to go!!!!!!and not to recieve punishments for it good grief-as I am not liking what has been going on.

Flamingo reported back to me today that the reason the teacher does this is because kids mess ard in the hall-but Flamingo doesnt so she is free to go when needed-so says Mrs Teacher. BROTHER-okay so if she knows this abt Flamingo why hasnt she just let her go all this time...sigh...ugh......

Man-I feel like I have been here before...knock on wood! LOLOLOLOL

Tonight she told me she doesnt want to go to school tomorrow and wants to be home with us :(I said well what abt all your friends and of course she responds back "Well I dont have any" which i KNOW isnt true...or is it????hmmmmmm........sheeesh......

Yep-I'll be festering abt this for sure-LOLOLOLOL