Salt Glue and Paint Toddler Project

Yet another Pinterest inspiration. The original idea came from here at Hands On As We Grow. Love her icy paint idea. So we had to try our own version.

Materials you will need:

-- Tray (to catch the salt and possible paint spills)
-- Glue
-- Construction paper or sturdy paper - any color
-- Paints, we used professional grade water colors and drenched in water. I would recommend craft acrylics watered down for an even deeper color.
-- Salt, we used koscher salt for a more gritty feel, but regular table salt will do
-- Paint brush or eye/ water dropper

If you are reading this post, please post a comment below on what you liked - or didn't  - about this read. Does the topic interest you and you want to know more? Submit a question and I am happy to tackle it.

1. Glue away on your sheet. Any design or pattern will do. Let you child experiment - during this step they might make thin lines or large globs. Once you get thru to step 4 they can see the various effects of salt absorbtion and color mixing, etc.

areyousureaboutthatblog

2. Cover you glue with salt. Be generous. We let our salt sit for at least 15 minutes to absorb into the glue. So we went and played freeze dance while the excrutiating time passed.

covering the glue in lots and lots of salt, areyousureaboutthatblog

3. Pour off the excess salt (we saved it into another container for a sure to be future project). We used water colors an eye dropper to pick up the water and drop it on the salt. A paintbrush will work just as well. We drenched the salt in the paint. This picture doesn't do justice to the cool way the color spread thru the salt and the depth of color.

start applying drops of color to the glued on salt, areyousureaboutthatblog

4. We let our masterpiece dry for 3 days on the tray. Most of the salt stayed glued on to the paper even tho we used alot of color dropped on. I think the color would have been much richer if we used my acrylic craft paints.



the happy artist with his new color salt work of art! areyousureaboutthatblog



Enjoy kids activities and playtime as much as you can. We certainly do.

The days are long, but the years are short - Chinese Proverb

NEW UPDATE :: YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT BLOG

Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )

See It Live >>> 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

Make mistakes, breathe and laugh. out. loud! 

Originally published on February 28, 2013

Sensory Bins and Bags: I Spy, Ocean Blue and an African Habitat

I discovered the world of Sensory Bins! Not only amazing for the kids but pretty wonderful to put together for them and watch them play, and play, and play.

Sensory Bins and Bags: I Spy, Ocean Blue and an African Habitat

First we made a sensory bin. Thank you Pinterest for this blog list of some great sensory bins. Since my son was 3 years old he loves playing with small toys (you know the ones with warning labels not for under 3 years old). Ya those! Well he is very into fine motor skills play and is well aware of not putting things into his mouth. So I grabbed my newly empty bin (from my Lenten Giving Up on Giving Up Clean Up) and added some bulk bought rice that is ages old. Even now at age 4 he loves those small figurines, so I grabbed a few miniature animals and trees.

If you are reading this post, please post a comment below on what you liked - or didn't  - about this read. Does the topic interest you and you want to know more? Submit a question and I am happy to tackle it.

But then - I also added some pouring and measuring spoons so he can dabble in a little math while he plays. The first time out, I played with him for about 10 minutes to also

Introduce the sensory bin:

- talk about each animal that went inside, their habitat (for example hippos love the water and giraffes eat the leaves off of trees

- and safety rules (of Course) don't let the baby near it

- call mom for help

- don't put anything in your mouth

- keep the rice inside the bin

- and you can only pour the rice and animals inside the bin

- when you take an animal or spoons out make sure to wipe off any rice.

- Close the lid to the bin when your finished and come get mom.

Even tho he's playing about 6 feet away from me I still encourage them to come and get me whenever they want to show me something they made/created.

African Habitat Sensory Bin Areyousureaboutthatblog

Of course then I had to make something for 12 month old Baby Girl. I have been giving my kids this since the first one was a year old. A few stacking bowls, a large spoon and a large spatula. She can unstack the bowls, knock them around and upside down, throw them and hit them with the spoon. I have learned that the babies don't throw the bowls to be naughty, instead they do it to hear the variety of sounds that are made.

Baby Girl Sensory Center, bowls and a spoon and spatula, for making music: Areyousureaboutthatblog

Our 1st sensory bags. OKay so I went crazy, over 3 days we had to try everything to see what we liked best....and we love it all. My inspiration for these bags came from Growing a Jeweled Rose here and Mama OT who has a list of over 40 sensory bag ideas here. 

The red I spy bag has some knick knacks from around the play room and through our clean up process mentioned here. Its 1 cup water, 3 drops red food coloring, 1/4 cup baby oil and lotsa fun items. Confetti in a winter theme with sequins snowflakes, a bat, and rabbit. There's a green lobster and a blue alligator eraser. A red disk from some broken plastic gun, lotsa glitter and sequins.

Don't over fill the bag, it should still lay flat and thin. Seal the bag and then apply clear tape. Fold over and tape again. Ours unfortunately leaked from very heavy use and was transferred to a bottle. Very cool results! The die from the blue alligator (I think) came off a bit and made the baby oil in the  bottle blue, the water stayed red....great for my 4 year olds color mixology obsession right now.

The blue bag is 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup baby oil with 2-3 drops blue food coloring (which gave it that amazing blue beautiful texture. Glitter, and some SOFT fish toys with their corals form the bath tub play set. Baby girl loved this. I had to monitor her NOT to put it in her mouth. BUt the little baby oil that spilled on the bag helpedeep her at bay too.  Seal the bag and then apply clear tape. Fold over and tape again.

Our 1st sensory bags - Red I-Spy complete with poem and the Blue Baby Oil Ocean Areyousureaboutthatblog

Lastly is a GREAT sensory toy from walmart of all places (I do like them :-) for $5. The plastic sticks shape molding. You know you can push your face in to see your image. We keep this in the kitchen table and everyone loves to try it and use it. Even mom and Dad!

Baby girl loves this plastic sticks shape molding frame, areyousureaboutthatblog

Keep playing those games and having fun with your kids.

Update: September 18, 2013

************************************************

We've made more Sensory Bags here, learning about the different properties of oil, water, gel (dissolves) and paint (changes waters color). See more here. We love sensory bags and bins, there a frequent "go to" activity. 

While there are crazy amounts of Pinterest crafts and books to buy with science, arts and craft ideas, you can find ONE great idea and make it over and over again. Each time to craft will vary a little, and kids are building on there experiences from the previous time. Don't feel the Pinterest Pressure to do it all, pick one and do it over and over again works too.

NEW UPDATE :: YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT BLOG

Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )

See It Live >>> 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

************************************************

The days are long, but the years are short - Chinese Proverb.

Make Mistakes. Breather, Reflect, and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Originally published in Febuary 2013

Rules for Laundry, Folding Clothing and Responsibilities

My boys needed a little visual reminder on their responsabilities. Clothes was ending up on the floor or (my pet peeve) clean clothes in the laundry. Laundry meaning: Cause mom will just wash it an put it away for me.

So I quickly drafted and taped to their closet door the Clothing Rules and Kid Responsabilitles. My boys are 7 and 4 and YES they can handle this! Its follow the rules or mommy gets frustrated and yells. Which clearly they voted for the rules.

Clothing Rules:

- Put your PJ's on the bed when you change

1. Change after school

2. Uniform goes on your chair back

3. Play clothes

put in the laundry if they are dirty with spots or were worn outside ofthe house.

put them back in the drawers, folded, if we only used them indoors

4. Sox go in the dirty socks bag

**If you don;t know where clothes should go ask for help!*

Kid Responsabilities:

1. Make your bed

2. Say "Good Morning"

3. CLear the table after you eat

4. Put food on the counter

5. Help eachother, and play nice! Ask for alone time if you need it and Have Fun! (the boys can seperate if they need a break from eachother, they know they have to respect that seperate time for at least 30 minutes).

6.  Take care of your responsabilities

7. Respect your self and your parents.

8. ** See clothes chart

Lenten Season: Giving Up ON Giving Up

Growing up it was a little exciting and rewarding to be able to "give up" candy for 40 days and feel a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes I might sneak a bite of a snickers and then feel guilty for days.... ah catholic guilt! As an adult a few years ago I gave up soda for lent and happily I never went back to drinking soda daily. It takes at least 30 days to build a habit, or unlearn one in this case, so Lent's 40 days works great! Now it really is an occasional treat. Unfortunately soda just doesn't taste as good to me as it used to either.

My son came home from school an announcement that "the whole second grade was giving up talking at lunchtime for lent." Gee, I can only imagine who's idea that was? Any teacher friends want to fess up?

So mom, what are you giving up for lent? Hmph, for the first time in many years I hadn't given it much thought. I'd seen my Facebook friends post Meatless Monday, Tubeless (No TV) Tuesday, Water Wednesday, Fish Friday, etc. you get the idea. And yes, on Water Wednesday that doesn't include the water in mom and dads coffee. Let me know how that works out for you?


If you are reading this post, please post a comment below on what you liked - or didn't  - about this read. Does the topic interest you and you want to know more? Submit a question and I am happy to tackle it.


So at about a week into lent my son returned asking again "Mom what are you giving up for lent?" I said without thinking "I'm giving up on giving up!" And it hit me - sheer brilliance! I am not giving anything up, instead I will do... I will do what I have been needing to do for months, years even. I am going to do every little project, activity, and proactive effort I have been meaning to do during lent. I commit at least one hour a day to this task.

And then I started my list. Because of course I have a list to check things off as they are accomplished. My only "rule" was to complete these things over the course of lent, committing at least one hour per day. I couldn't abandon my children and like a tornado get everything sifted and shifted in a day or two. After all this was months and years in the making and I hadn't gotten it done so far. And I had to involve family members where possible (#4 & 5 are AWESOME for kids). I've included my list and some of the steps involved. And we know how time flies, things don't get done because the day to day of life takes over. So this plan just might work to get those things done!

#1 - Clean off the dining room table and KEEP STUFF OFF OF IT. Granted I was only storing things on half of the table, but it's so unsightly during dinner. Most things were transitional - go to basement, go to storage, go away. But they didn't "Go" anywhere, they sat, and sat. So once I put things in their rightful place I gave myself a basket. It's an 8 x 12 inch basket for any transitional stuff. If the basket gets full I MUST pay attention and put those items away.

 #2 - Have at least 3 projects a week with the kids. After homework and commitments we need our time to learn the non-school way. My four year old is really into color mixology, thank you Pinterest for all the great ideas. Including Gak, Slime, Sensory bags, Sensory bottles, I-Spy Bags (AWESOME), Growing Beans in a Clear Jar so we can "watch" what happens (AWESOME x2!), make a paper mache mask and paint it, and much more!

#3 - Speaking of Pinterest. MAKE THOSE Sensory Pins! Check and Check! Again based on the current interests I used some small animals and made an African habitat in rice. Baby girls has a sound set up making noise, I mean music with her bowls and spoons, and our sensory bags.

#4 Have the kids start picking up after themselves. So it is totally true that boys "don't see" things laying around as they trip over, hop over and scoot around them. So I am making a conscious effort
that when we leave a room, like the kitchen, the older boys takes all the toys from the "high" areas and the younger from the "low/floor" and items get put Where They BELONG! This worked so well that I have added putting your own plates and cups away into the sink. When they leave their plates out - well that same plate greets them in the morning, who the hard dinner crud on it. Lesson quickly learned. My effort in this is constant - hopefully only thru lent, where I follow them around like Mother Goose, making sure toys end up in the right places. THIS IS WORKING GREAT! For me too - I have learned to actually follow the kids and make sure they learn the procedure right the first time. I "invest" my time and they learn correctly - again the brilliance of Montessori-esque.

#5 Finally start that Montessori-esque Playroom. I have been reading lots and lots about Montessori, and I totally love it. Its so European and makes loads of sense. But some elements I think are too extreme for me. Others are of course wonderful reminders that children can be independent at a young age. And for my own mom sanity its a great method to teach good habits, chores and independence and creativity at the same time. So to task I asked my boys to bring me toys they no longer want, that are broken, etc. HA! Each boy brings me things the other plays with. . . Let's start over. I sat the boys down with a glass of juice and "we" decided on what goes, ... again.

- If it's broken, gone.
- If it's not played with. buh bye.
- If it's not yours, put it where it belongs.
- Bring me stuffed animals we don't like, don't want, that smell, or are leaking stuffing.
- If you think you might want it but your are not sure, bring it in the "maybe box" ("also the keep it in the basement a week if they don't ask it goes box")

After I get their selections I separately went thru the toys they NEVER play with. We cleaned out nearly 3 large boxes of stuff. Our toy room is more of an inspiration room now.

What stayed in the Toy Room
all neatly organized into individual boxes and baskets by item:
- Musical Instruments
- Wooden Building Blocks
- Wooden Lincoln Logs
- Ball bin
- tinker toys bin (one in toy room and one in their bedroom, since they always end up downstairs)
- Wood trucks and cars
- Plastic toy cars all in one basket
- All board games
- construction play set
- dress up clothes (on hangers)
- Chest with our "hard plastic" animal figures
- Basket with stuffed animals (slimmed down to our most, most, most favorites in 3 rounds of filtering)
- Book shelf (thinned out so we can actually access our books and thumb thru a selection)
- Wood Toy Trains Sets

The walls still have our Art Gallery Line where I pin their art work up. And a map of the animals around the world, a low play chalkboard, and craft / supply storage shelves.

Upstairs Boys Bedroom has:

- Lego's with tiny not-baby-friendly pieces
- Squinkes set which my 4 year old loves
- book shelf (thinned out so we can actually access our books and thumb thru a selection)
- Astronaut set and imaginext shuttle
- Dinosaur play set
- Reading/snuggle chair
- Bionicles
- stuffed animals bin in baby girls room
- Lego Table and 2 chairs.

Also Montessori Esqu beginnings are:

- ENFORCING the put your slippers on policy. "Enforcing" for me means when shoes come off after arriving at home, I gently remind the boys to put slippers on. It's a "Type A" thing, sorry Montessori readers!
- # 4 picking up after themselves and putting their own plates and cups in the sink.
- keeping your homework basket neat. And cleaning up homework supplies after yourself.
- to be introduced: a small wood try and a tray basket. So if they want individual play they can have it.

These are all wonderful steps to mom feeling Waaaayyyyy less stressed. And my boys knowing what to do and not having to ask who what where constantly.

#6 Write Scientist Names Around the trim of the toy room. Followed by a project on each so we can learn about their contribution to science.  Still on the to do side of the list. When we were at the Museum of Science and Industry, during a demonstration in the main rotunda I notices around the ceiling moulding were various scientist last names. LOVED THIS IDEA. It'll get it's own post when that's accomplished.

#7 Filter the old mail, papers, and filing documents in the office. I went thru and trashed so much paperwork in 1 hour, only 1 hour! Such an accomplishment. Now I need one more hour to file it all... nearly there. When we renovated our office into a sitting room I rid us of the horrid filing cabinet and hanging folders into accordion folders i had left over from some other projects. So the filing process was started but for some reason I had a BIG basket of left over paperwork.

#8 Clear off kitchen Counters and KEEP THEM THAT WAY. Am I yelling? I don't mean to yell, it's just I cannot keep my counters uncluttered. Everything has a place. That's been my rule for year. But for some reason I don't follow it? Until now, and it's working great. I am simply Following my own rules!

#9 Impromptu clean up the spice cabinet and tea boxes. I'm not British, but you would think I was with all the tea I drink. Loose tea, bagged tea, boxed tea bags, and canisters of exotic teas yet unopened. So I filtered out half empty tea boxes into a canister, bags from left and right. I consolidated spices and tossed what is not used - and will never be used - OUT. Again, it took only an hour, and it felt so good!

#10 Sit with my son during homework. We have 3 kids, and this one can be challenging sometimes. I had to rearrange my day to accomplish this task. Homework usually takes 30 minutes. But we sidebar, and or chat, alot, so it can get to an hour sometimes. I want to sit at the table with my son. It accomplishes 2 things. I get less "frustrated" having to walk away from what I am doing (usually cooking dinner) to address his needs, and he feels he has my full attention - as it should be. So the Sensory Bin plays a big role here. For my 4 year old son and 1year old daughter. Both have a sensory bin. The 4 year old plays for an hour with no problem. The baby however plays for 10 minutes (which is still great) and then invades my cabinets. Still giving me and the big boy quality homework time.

#11 Sort boys art center. I opened items in boxes and put them in east to access baskets (Montessori esque). I opened the lacing and string box, put all the stamp and ink in a clear bin, and consolidated all our craft books (mask making included) into one shelf. The boys said they like it better, but most importantly are using the area more which shows me they really do like it! I also ended up sorting their coloring books bin right by the kitchen table and got rid of old magazines and half colored books I knew they wouldn't use.

#12 Put into storage what goes into storage! So obvious, right? Yeah I have a Christmas bin I am still filling with leftover stragglers. But that, and my husbands teaching books that are collecting dust, and the boxes from under my sons bed (with toys he can grow into), into the Attic they go.

#13 Rearrange Boys Room. My older son brought this up a few weeks ago. And we know how time flies, things don't get done because the day to day of life takes over.  We were in their room, filtering the books and toys and my son said his bed would look good by the window. And so we talked thru where 2 dressers, a table, 2 beds, a chair and 2 drawers sets and a book shelf would go. We started moving things out and out. I'm a pretty logical kind of girl so I directed mostly here. That took one hour. We moved the beds around and the chair. Dressers were basically in place so time for a Lunch break! It was great! We sat at the kitchen table, talked about the room move, what we liked, what we didn't. The boys didn't really want to finish the job. But I talked up our sense of accomplishment, ... that we were almost done, ... only a few more books and toys to move around,... okay, I caved and promised some ice cream. Congrats to us all on a job well done.


I feel a HUGE sense of accomplishment getting these tasks underway. We are not even halfway thru Lent and I am more then Halfway thru my list.  I hope to keep our home running this way for several more years! As for my new Lenten tradition. I may just have to keep that too. #14 - add before and after pictures to the blog :-)

The Problem with Being the Youngest in the Class

I recently watched a dateline episode on "Red Shirting." Parents who intentionally hold their kids back a year in school so they have an advantage in sports an academics.

Which spurred yet another repeat of the conversation at home: should we hold our son - the youngest in the class - back a school year. In theory his grades, and overall school progress would improve, but would he benefit from it?

My oldest son is an August baby. Fabulous and easy fun in the sun birthday party joy, compared to my other two winter babies. We have a few friends in the yard and in the baby swim pool = a done and done party. School selection and deciding whether or not to hold him back since he'd be "THE youngest" in the class = ??? Errr Hugh ummmm??

I wasn't familiar with the term "Red Shirting" or even considering holding my son back due to his age. Nor did I know that IS an option.

The same scenario continued in First and Second Grade. And this year, mid-year in second grade we considered (well discussed) holding him back, possibly repeating the class. The teacher brought to us some of her concerns of his slow progress in reading and math. That is a parent teacher post that - if this subject resonates with you - please read here... Because in some cases, it could be a teacher dynamic that's part of the problem!

Here are some things to consider before holding your child back a school year: (BTW, an Update to our story is here...)

Let's Consider:

-- Let kids grow and learn at their own pace.

-- When I told my mom my concern Older Son wasn't writing well. She shared with me that in Poland children did not start writing until second grade around age 7 or 8. However they knew how to tie their shoes and they knew all the preschool songs in those early years. Sometimes our priorities change, and that's what were living through in our generation. The education system is changing and priorities are reading and writing, in preschool even!!

-- Some of the kids and my sons class are a whole two or three years older than he is. Now in the second grade there are some boys that are just towering over him. He is age 7 and some of those kids will be turning age 10 before the end of the school year. To me I don't want him being the biggest boy in class because in fourth and fifth grade because then his friends will tease him the opposite direction "why are you here" & "why are you in the next grade?"

-- It's a fact of life, schools have to measure, they have to evaluate, and one way to do that is by comparing the students even though they're not supposed to and they just supposed to look at the students and individual capacity. But when you have nine-year-old in a majority seven and eight-year-old class they throw off the curve. Clearly they're gonna do things better and quicker in class. So that's another big factor to re-considering when the teacher says "he's not keeping up with the class," well how was he doing in HIS own abilities. I Always tell my kids "do your very best."

These aren't excuses, these are facts of life. And they're all things that we need to consider when evaluating how well her children are doing in school. So I'm always going to remember these factors when I sit down and talk with the teacher.

Let's Remember Every Year with the Next New-To-Me Teachers:

-- He does have to do the work, he does have to do well. It might take him a little longer to get a concept, and we might have to do a little bit of extra work at home, in order to really learn what's being done in school. In our case we've observed is at a learning curve of about a half year, by the mid-school year he's back on pace with the class. Because of his age.

-- We don't want our son to lose his true curiosity and "love of learning." If we move him back a year and retain him and keep him to be maybe more within the middle of (age) the pack, instead of the youngest in the class, we don't want him to lose his hunger for learning. We don't want him basically to be bored in class. And we saw those "older kids" in class thru the later years have major issues in class frequently disrupting, not sitting in their seats, they are bored out of their minds with the content. That's another big reason for us.

What we've lived through:

In first grade teasing by some of the older kids was quite a big issue. He didn't know how to handle those situations. Read our big boy post here. And I'm finding as I observed the children playing that bigger kids do tend to pick on younger kids, just because they can. So that's a quite a bit of work and resolution and mentoring our son to let them know that sometimes kids are just mean.

-- Also on younger kids in class emotional development is lagged. Along the lines of teasing comes some emotional development factors that play a role in the class. Being the youngest means sometimes you can't handle things as well as the other kids, you get tired faster during the day. My son was still napping after half-day kindergarten at age 5. It's just something that's a part of who he is. My second son doesn't nap during the day as often as my older one did and he doesn't ask for it the way the older one did. Each child's different and unique and that needs to be taken into consideration, including their emotional development. (My oldest sons in second grade now and at pick up I still witness some total tantrums and meltdowns by his classmates. So the emotional component with boys can't be ignored. I can't stress enough how labeling emotions (helping him process his feelings) helps to get us through being the youngest in the class. Read more here.)

Update: End of the School Year

So where are we now? It's the end of the Year, we have completed second grade, and my son is doing ridiculously well. Everything except penmanship. Penmanship has significantly improved. But by no means is he a calligrapher. Our standard is that the "teacher has to be able to read the work." It has to be clear and legible enough that she can see if it's a number nine or a four? We're working on the new standards-based report card so he is getting all two's, mostly three's. And on his science and social studies test he's getting that "going beyond" question and four's on the test. This compared to the beginning of the year which was mostly one's and some two's when he came to comprehension. (I was also super stressed about his grades at the beginning of the year.)

One more quick item, my son is pretty intelligent. He's a problem solver. When issues arise in class you could see his little wheels turning in his brain on how to fix the problem. He has tremendous knowledge of animals their habitats and their species. Uses scientific words correctly as well. So you can tell a little bit of the type of household we run by this information.

That's another big factor in our decision WHY I'm not "holding them back" a grade. He gets "it (insert subject here)." He gets the concepts in class & he gets the schoolwork to be completed. Our school uses the basal system, so there studies are all based on worksheets and after a few months are BORINNNNNG !!! Yeah I hate to say it, some factors of school are boring, including some issues we had with the teacher. See the post here about his teacher. But he still needs to do well in school!!

So remember as a parent don't be quick to jump to conclusions. Sit down talk it out with your spouse, partner or trusted family members and friends. Get perspectives from other people before you make a decision. Because schools serve the majority. They want students to go with the flow and not be needing any special attention or added needs. Schools will want to push you into what's best for them and what's easiest for the teachers, Not necessarily what's best for the child. I hate to say that but it's just true. And it's not a criticism of schools, how would a school operate if they didn't have standards for kids to follow, nothing would get done. So just remember advocate for yourself. And your child.

An Update to this story is here.

"The days are long, the years are short"

 Make Mistakes. Breathe, reflect, revise. And Laugh.Out.Loud.

Parents can Learn from Downton Abbey: Teaching our Kids Manners & Ettiquette (Season1, Episode 2 & 3)

I think it's become something of a loss, teaching manners to our children. Children learn by example, so does that mean we as Parents have lost our manners? Or maybe we just forget to use them.

I adore all the "proper" behavior in Downton Abbey. How refreshing to continually hear thank you, yes sir, My Lady or Miss so n so. I watch the properness of it all and I want my children to a least understand all of the etiquette so they can use manners during life's moments as needed. Perhaps dinner with the boss, meeting a girl, or when they need to make an impression!

Downton Abbey Table Ettiquette Measuring Spacing between Silverware

When you read "Snipets of What I say" it's a constant reminder that WE the parents need to lead by example, showing our kids the proper behaviors. Using a napkin at the table can't be mastered unless you always use a napkin at the table when the kids are eating. Entertaining a houseguest, and learning to share our toys, can't happen unless we show ours kids how to play with us, or with each other. And most importantly is how we answer our own child when they talk to us. So frequently I'll hear a mom answer her sons call with: "WHAT?!" I've answered my kids abruptly as well, but I always get that nice reminder when they answer ME that way! Time to self correct!!

Downton Abbey Service Receiving Line

Manners are all around us, the store clerk, the bank teller, you can witness good behaviors everywhere and that's another way to teach our own kids. I tell my son "did you see how nice that lady was, and she was so polite." My sons gotten to the point where HE can point out the NOT so nice behavior too.


The reward of all these Please and Thank You's? It comes when you least expect it. We were out at a very nice restaurant for my Babcias 80th birthday and my kids were all very well behaved. All that time and energy over the years telling them what's "good boy behavior" and "please act like a gentleman" paid off. I sat back, enjoying my glass of wine, watching my 7 year old have a nice conversation with his cousin and my 4 year old coloring with his Baba. So nice to be able to enjoy my own conversation not having to worry about my kids behaviors. They knew how to act, and felt confident at the table.

Parents can Learn from Downton Abbey: How to Teach our Children Life Values and DEEP Understanding of What's Right .. (Season 2, Episode 1 and 2)

We can learn a lot from Downton Abbey about instilling values and deeper understanding in our children. While the show is set in early 1900's England, following a sometimes stuffy and aristocratic family, who has a life of leisure, where footmen and maids do everything from cook and clean, to dressing their Lord and Lady employers. There is a tremendous amount of perspective to be gained in the amount of time spent doing, ...well... nothing!

Time spent walking, writing letters, dressing, preparing for dinner (that is getting dressed for dinner) allows for a lot of time to think. One thing time does, with extreme amounts of leisure time, it gives you the ability to reflect and consider, ponder, and gain perspective on how you want to shape your life. What are your opinions, values and how will you live those beliefs. Sometimes I think we are slipping as a society, on certain appreciation of things because we simply do not have enough time to THINK about the value of life.

It's so refreshing to see Lord Grantham and his family and servants appreciation of soldiers during the war. During dinner the Grantham family talks about and exchanges views on the happenings of the day, any news, their lives and opinions. Wouldn't it be great if we could have these types of dinner time talks with our families everyday? At our house dinner is at the table nearly every night. And even though my kids are young, and the happenings of their day is homework, tests, friend troubles and kid sized problems - we talk! And during these talks we exchange our opinions on things - "no, you can't punch your friend in the head!" - and we talk about solutions. "Yes, tell the teacher you can't see well, and that your getting glasses." It's not the 1900's stuffy formal dinner, but we get that "leisure time" at dinner to reflect on our selves, our actions, and concerns. And yes, sometimes my husband and I talk politics and the kids hear things about government, war, and the non-kid happenings of the day.

During World War I civilians in Downton Abbey felt patriotic, that there country was fighting for something they, as a whole society, could believe in. Prior to World War I, young men were very anxious to sign up for the war. (Of course that enthusiasm's also because these bright eyed boys didn't understand or ever see the horrors of war.)

Perhaps it was naïveté. Perhaps we know better today how horrible war is. With the Internet we have the instant ability to see the brutalities and the Severity of war. Even prior to the internet social media boom, and reporters who were embedded in the war with units of troops, in the 1970's people had TV and newspapers . I know it makes me cringe at the thought of a young man going to that environment. Even tho in Downton they didn't see or understand the brutality of war, there was still support in 1917. But what I have come to admire is there sheer support of the soldiers. Regardless of position in society, wealth, stature, and even with little understanding of the "front lines" there was support for those who were called to duty-- and shame for those who didn't run to serve.

How they thought of the boys on the front, how they talked about war, how they supported them (even begrudgingly at times, duty superseded opinion and convenience), how they understood the troops were sacrificing their lives, their families, and their lives to go be on the front. I wish we had that type of support for soldiers today. If there's one thing we could hold onto from the early 20th century it would be that appreciation.

Believe me when I say I am the first one who is antiwar, but I have to be able to support those who sacrificed their lives to go overseas and do other country calls them to do. I am not patriotic from that perspective. I think War should be avoided at all costs. We are such an advanced society yet we use such antiquated approaches as soldiers and murder. And if we are at war it should be understood why. Ironically all my opinions listed above on why not to go to war lack the support for our soldiers. And there's the demise of our nation. Of us. Of me. We get so caught up in opinion we forget about those who are LITERALLY caught up in the battle.

But I'm just laymen, not a decision-maker in Washington. So all I can do to support the troops is Not just in my blog, but also into deeds.

How can we support our troops? How can we show - and support as they did in 1917 - that even if we are against the war - that the troops should get our thank you?

No spoiler alerts here. At the end of Downton Abbey season one, the country is involved in World War I. At the time of course it's just considered a war. The beginning of season two, which shows that all the young men are being enlisted or already fighting in the war. The footman from downtown are all gone. And there's the sheer shock of ladies taking over men's work, women learning how to drive and do farm work. A Lady from the manor becoming a nurse. The maids serving dinner (the horror). But for these aristocrats it was doing "there sacrifice" to support the war. And the answer to how we today can support our troops, in comments, actions and deeds just like the people of Downton Abbey.

Everyone pulled together to help. Farms lost all their man power/ hands, someone else would goes to drive the tractor for that farmer. Troops who are healing from the war, need a place to convalesce and the manor home is opened up to take them so they can continue to get used to their conditions. And even a soldier suffering from "shell shock" gets the support of a shoulder and kind words from a coworker saying that she understands and giving him a story of how she can relate to his state Of mind. Encouraging him not to work yet, encouraging him to heal his mind from the war. How does this relate to us today, what can we do?

My son school had a drive for some soldiers in Afghanistan for you feel a shoebox with playing cards candy snacks things along those lines pair shoe laces for the soldiers. That was my first time participating in something overseas. Otherwise I really didn't know how else to support the troops. And before reflecting on my feeling of soldiers and war - I had opportunities to participate in such drives but I never did!

Then we had a soldier, in our family, come home from Iraq. He too is possibly suffering from PTSD. All I could do is talk to him when he opens up. And NOT ask about shooting over there, and sensationalizing the gruesomeness over there like others asked him. Instead be kind and tell him we are glad to have him home and be a member of the family again. And when he finally wanted to talk, we did, about non-war issues.

And finally when my children were a little bit older we had another cousin who is overseas in Afghanistan. This time his wife had told me that he really enjoyed Polish Kabanos sausage. It reminded him of his childhood. You can find for yourself some stories of what it's like to be in a hot desert for 30 days with only your MREs and nothing else but sand around you. You long for something from home. So sending him some Polish Kabanos was something that he could only think or dream about. Such joy for a young man away from the comforts of home... And it was so easy for me to send it to Him. (Pre shrink wrapped at the store...and a few bucks to ship it.)

Do something, anything, you can to support our soldiers weather you believe in the war(s) or not! Often magazines list ideas of how you can participate thru organizations, often local churches hold drives, even at your local schools.

But, if nothing else, extend your hand to a veteran and say thanks. Shaking hands is so simple, so unexpected, and so appreciated!


Make Mistakes. Breathe. Reflect. and Learn to Laugh.Out.Loud!