Puzzles

Jane (age 2) has been doing puzzles for a long time now, and has mastered all the wooden knobbed puzzles we have. Now, she is challenging herself on my newest purchase...the puzzle map of Europe. If anyone reading this blog hasn't tried to do a puzzle of Europe, at least try to picture the continent, and all those tiny little countries in the Eastern part...very challenging as a puzzle. Especially since when we opened the box it came in, the pieces were all out of place. Needless to say, I have been quickly learning the countries and where they are- I didn't know them very well. But Jane is fascinated with it, and just sees it as an extension of the wooden puzzles she knows.

I wouldn't ordinarily have let her use it, but my training class has taught me (and also knowing Jane) that it's ok to let the youngest children in the class (and they start at 2.5 in some preschools) touch EVERYTHING in the class. They also don't start with every material on the shelves, but gradually add the more challenging things (and things with smaller pieces) as the year goes on. The only conditions are that the children don't hurt themselves, others, or the environment.

Jane is definitely not hurting the puzzle, and it is also holding her interest for a long time. She is learning where all the little pieces fit in, and when she is old enough (maybe not for 2-3 years) she can learn the names if she wants to. Right now she's happy, and I'm happy.

Oh, and one more thing. The Olympics being on has been the perfect time to introduce the countries of Europe. A lot of the European countries are competing, and it's been fun to hear their names on television. The kids know how to say and read a lot of the countries, and decide to root for one or the other of them. I'm enjoying it much more (with the kids) than I have in the past just watching the Olympics. I think the map has helped me, too!

Why the breakfast dishes don't get done (or...Why I should teach the kids to wash dishes!)

The kitchen is still messy after breakfast, and we finished eating about 2 hours ago. How does that happen?? This has been a somewhat slow morning, since we don't have to go anywhere and two kids are sick with colds, but still! I am generally not done with the kitchen until probably 9:30 on a good day.

Here's my explanation: we're homeschooling, and the schooling is a day-long affair. We don't have a set school time anymore, we're doing what I will call "Montessori unschooling". And the kids are (mostly) doing very well. But it's why the dishes take forever to get done. The lessons (teaching) and assistance (help) and all those school-y things start happening as soon as the kids wake up in the morning. Along with the typical "get ready for the day" things. Here are the things that I (and a lot of other mothers!) do on a typical morning that interferes with the kitchen getting completely clean before mid-morning...and the things in bold are the extra things I did this morning:
shower, get dressed
start load of laundry
help 2yo get dressed
do hair of 2 girls
make breakfast and set table (sometimes kids help with these)
WIPE RUNNY NOSES
STAND CLOSE BY WHILE 2YO INSISTS ON WIPING HER OWN NOSE (after a lesson)
start emptying dishwasher
plan what's for dinner at same time, run to basement to bring up something from freezer
change load of laundry while down there
check on someone who's been quietly not getting ready for the day...
wipe someone's bottom
finish emptying dishwasher
GET OUT TWO BOWLS AND LABEL THEM WITH THE GIRLS' NAMES, PUT A WET CLOTH IN EACH SO THEY CAN KEEP THEIR COLD GERMS TO THEMSELVES WHILE WIPING UP AFTER MEALS AND WIPING DRIED BOOGERS OFF THEIR CHEEKS.
Help 2yo start brushing teeth
start loading dishwasher while she brushes
help 4yo get toothpaste on toothbrush (she needs repeated lessons on this...)
make my bed and straighten up room and hallway while upstairs
brush my teeth
go back to dishwasher
help 2yo put away toothbrush and paste
get 6yo started on writing project, because he's wandered into the kitchen after finishing his
morning chart, and it's the perfect chance to work with him
remind 2yo to use potty
get toilet paper and re-fill her basket of pre-rolled wads of toilet paper
do 4yo's hair, because she's finally done with breakfast
wipe down kitchen table and counters
help 2yo get started with Memory game, and end up playing 2 rounds because I haven't done
anything fun with her yet and she's begging! And she's getting pretty darn good at Memory!
bring up more Memory cards because the old cards are getting, well, old.
clean sink and run garbage disposal- finally done!

Well, that's what I remember doing. There were probably a few more things in there. On at least 2 mornings a week I throw in packing lunches for all of us, because we're out and about at lunchtime. And who know's what else?

This isn't really a school-y post, but I started out here and I'm not up to changing it right now. Off to watch the Olympics!