Lunchbox Roundup

Here's the thing: lunch is forever a mystery to me. I never know what to make. I mean, I know about the basics. We do pb&j (well, for Benj it's sb&j or h...but I digress). So anyway, I'm not opposed to the obvious but, well, you know, there's only so many sandwiches you can eat. And also one of my goals this year was to improve the general healthfulness of our diet, which sort of disqualifies endless rounds of the aforementioned sandwich.

So I'd like to ask the readers, if you would kindly participate, What is your favorite lunchtime menu?

Oh, and since I would like this to be actually helpful to me I'm going to ask for ideas that fit into these guidelines:

• Easy. Think "making a sandwich"--that's about how much time it should take. The exception would be if you have a suggestion that can be made in large quantities ahead of time and frozen. But even then I just don't do complicated/time-consuming. (I'm guessing I'm not the only one....)
• Homemade with simple, natural ingredients or simple pre-prepared foods. By "homemade" I mean only that it's not a pre-made meal or a box mix-type of thing. Unfortunately I just can't do things like heat up a can of soup because of Benjamin's allergy restrictions. Feel free, however, to suggest a fabulous, easy, homemade soup because even if your recipe has things in it that we can't eat I can probably modify it. :) An example of simple pre-prepared foods might be yogurt.
• Healthy. You know, balanced, not excessively fat-laden.... Nothing ultra-fancy just...sensible. The whole foods/organic/you-shouldn't-eat-x,y,z-main-food-groups school of thought is completely lost on me...just so you know. :)

I can't wait to see what we come up with!

New School Room!

I have been dying to do a post about our new school room, but I was waiting to get the last couple of things in place. Seth finished hanging the chalkboard on Saturday so our new space is now complete! I love how it turned out!

This is not "the" chalkboard mentioned above. This is our little chalkboard at the bottom of the stairs that lets the kids know what is happening that day. They always get really excited to see what I have written on it for the day. Before school started we had a countdown going on this board. :)

This is THE chalkboard. Seth made it for me! Isn't it awesome? I made the alphabet above the chalkboard on my computer and laminated it with my new laminator. (I love my laminator!) I made the curtain to match the rug under the chalkboard 6 years ago for Benjamin's nursery. I pulled it out and tweaked it a little to add some color to the room.

To the right of the chalkboard are my new Handwriting Without Tears posters. I printed the letter/number formation charts from their website and laminated them. (See? I told you I love my laminator. :) ) The HWT program depends heavily on using uniform language to talk about the formation of letters but last year I often forgot exactly what to say. Now I have a handy reference for myself, as well as a place to send the kids to "look it up" when they can't remember how to form a letter. I'm really excited about this. I think it will help a lot!

This is the teacher's desk :) We got this desk for free from a homeschool loop I recently joined. Seth got to (re) claim my old desk for his new office space. He had generously given me the only desk we had and was using plywood propped up on 2 cardboard boxes for a desk. He is happy because he gets a real desk and I'm happy because I gained 4 additional drawers for all my various school/office/craft supplies.

This is Leila's table. This is the table the older kids shared as a "school table" last year. Leila is thrilled to have it all to herself this year. She is so proud of her desk. :)

These are Leila's "Tot Tubs." I got the idea from this blog. (The blog author calls them "Tot Trays." I liked the trays but I couldn't find an affordable option to do it this way. I got these baskets at Dollar Tree.) Leila chooses from these activities for a short portion of our morning when I am working with the big kids. I rotate activities weekly.

I thought the kids would like a little place to sit and read. So far they've only used it as a step stool to help them flip over the back of the couch. Oh well. :) I made the pillows from a second curtain that used to hang in Benjamin's nursery.

This is Talia's desk. We bought desks and chairs for really cheap from a school that was remodeling. The blue board is something new I am trying this year. It summarizes the school day/week for each kid. (I got the basic idea for this board from the same blog I talked about above.)

Talia's board: Cubbies Verse, "Living it Out," and Memorization Review. Each week I will change out the pages (I taped plastic sheet protectors to the board using double-sided poster tape.) The "Living it Out" page is another new addition this year. I am trying to help my kids begin to understand how to apply Scripture to their lives so this page will list practical questions/answers or ideas on how to live out their memory verse for the week. The Memorization Review page shows things she is working on memorizing (like days of the week, months of the year, our address & phone number, etc.) When she starts learning how to write her letters I will also put the letter formation diagram for each letter she is working on that week under her name on the board. (I made these by cutting up the same letter formation charts I have posted by the chalkboard and laminating the individual pieces.)

This is "school central." The bulletin board has Benjamin's Make-A-Calendar (the first month is September so we won't start filling in the details until next week), our school memory verse (we will memorize a verse for each letter of the alphabet this year), today's weather/season, cards for some of our learning songs (Days of the Week, etc.), another poster I made for our handwriting program, and our "...of the Day" board (just for fun we have a letter/exercise, animal, color, shape, and character trait each day). I put velcro dots on each of the cards for the weather/season and "...of the day" items so we can easily change them out each day (yet another idea from my new favorite blog.)

The letter trays on the desktop are for lined writing paper, plain white drawing paper, scratch paper, and construction paper. The colored buckets on either side of the trays are for the extra "...of the day" cards. In the desk are all our kid-accessible craft supplies, math and handwriting manipulatives, science supplies, etc.

This is Benjamin's desk. His board displays his weekly Sparks verse, "Living it Out" poster, and his lists of spelling and vocabulary words. The little numbered squares are my attempt to help both of the big kids start to learn about their daily school schedule (they are a little too young to follow a written schedule or list) and at the same time save me from constantly hearing, "what should I do now, Mommy?" I based this system on workboxes, but I didn't really want to dedicate the space I would need for two sets of workboxes so I came up with my own twist.

Each kid has a "file box" (milk crate storage boxes we have used for toy storage in the past). I laminated 12 pieces of cardstock for each. Each "file card" has a number, matching the number squares you see on their work boards. I refill their workboxes each evening for the following morning. Behind each file card I place all the materials they will need to complete a single assignment (books, paper, worksheets, manipulatives, DVDs, etc.), excluding supplies like pencils, crayons or markers that they have readily available in their desks. If the task is an activity they will do with my help or a teaching time I velcro a "Work with Mom" square to the upper right-hand corner of the file card. I attach the corresponding number squares to their weekly board (velcro dots again!), along with squares I created for lunch, play outside, clean up, free play, etc. to create a visual daily schedule for them. When they have finished with a task they remove the number square from their boards and put it in the box on their desktop. This way they know exactly how much they have accomplished and how much they have left to do. So far they seem to really like this system. It has a few flaws (for example: it doesn't flow very smoothly when we have a joint activity like a read-aloud book since the book goes in one workbox and the other has an empty spot), but for the most part I like it.

And that, in a big long blog post (as opposed to a nutshell) is our school room this year! I hope you enjoyed the tour. :)

Age-Appropriate Chore Lists

Quite awhile ago I was influenced by a wise older mother to consider the benefits of training my children in specific duties so that by the time they entered their teen years they could successfully accomplish the basics of running a household. This seemed like a lofty goal to me, but also one worth pursuing. How to accomplish, or even begin to attempt this feat, however, was a bit more difficult. In true Kiersten-fashion I decided that I couldn't even begin to work toward this goal until I had a plan all mapped out. (Sigh. This "all or nothing" streak in me definitely has it's downsides.) I set about researching. I located and sorted through dozens of chore lists suggested for certain age groups. I cut and pasted, rearranged and consolidated, considered and planned over a period of several days until I had what seemed to be a good plan all mapped out in a handy-dandy Excel spreadsheet.

Benefits of Chore Training
I have been using these spreadsheets for about 2 years now and it has proven to be an extremely valuable tool for our family. Not only have they given me focus and direction for my training, but they have given the kids a sense of accomplishment as they have worked on and mastered new skills. Here are just a few of the benefits of chore training we have experienced first-hand:

• Promotes less burn-out for Mama  Any mama of young children knows that caring for every need of even one child is super exhausting! In my infant/toddler days a fellow mom (one with slightly older children) encouraged me that as the children got older each would begin to be more of a "plus" in the family, adding back into the life of the family while progressively "taking away" less and less. (This is not to minimize the blessing of young children, only a comment on their general effect on the logistics of the family in the first months of life.) Having a plan for assigning age-appropriate duties has helped us in the process of the "take-away" to "plus" transition, making for much less burn-out for Mama! Teaching my children to sweep the kitchen floor is certainly not the most efficient way to get the floor swept for those months of training, but over time they are gradually able to take over the task until it is no longer my job but theirs!
• Teaches our children to be others-focused  We all want our children to think of others, but how do we get there? Of course we talk about it and hopefully we model it, but another component is to expect it. One way we have begun to expect our children to think of others is by giving them jobs at home. As they do their jobs I try to emphasize that just as Mama cooks dinner for the whole family and washes the family's clothes, their jobs are a needed service for the good of our family. I believe my children's time is not wholly their own, merely to be spent on their own pleasures, but that I must teach them to spend themselves in service to others and in working hard for the glory of God.
• Helps me to overcome perfectionism  One of my biggest struggles has been and continues to be perfectionism. If left to myself I could definitely be one of those moms who would just do everything myself to make sure it gets done "right." Having a methodical system for teaching chores to my children has held me accountable to not fall into this trap.
• Reminds me to focus on the important, not merely the urgent  If you asked me what I want to accomplish in the few short years I have to shepherd my children I would likely give you a list of virtues, skills, and attitudes I believe to be crucial to a God-pleasing life. But ask me how I spend my days and some days you might not see any connection! We all seem to lament the tyranny of the urgent in our lives. We can tend to spend our days putting out little "fires" and wonder, as we fall into bed, "what did I really accomplish today?" By making a plan I was able to take that plan and build time in to my day to carry it out. Now many days my children are being trained in what I believe are important life lessons of skill and character little by little. And, as a bonus, as we work together over time there have become progressively less "fires" to put out!

The Lists
There is certainly nothing original about my chore lists; they are simply the result of compiling many ideas from various sources. But since it has been so helpful to me to have these more comprehensive list compiled, I would like to share them with my readers. On a logistical note: because I put lots of hard work into this project, please do not copy or post these lists on another blog or website without my permission. You are welcome to link directly to this post. These lists are for personal use only; please do not distribute. If you would like to use this resource in another context please contact me at: mamakiert@gmail.com. Thanks!

 9-12 months

18+ months

2+ years

3+ years

4+ years

5+ years

6-7+ years

8-10+ years*

11-12+ years*

13+ years*

*Please keep in mind my children are 7 and under. Tasks listed on these lists are based on recommendations from various other lists only.

Each list is arranged in the following sections: Personal, Household and "As a Learner." In the first two sections new age-appropriate tasks are listed as well as the tasks already learned from preceding lists. When a task is carried over from a previous list that task is placed in italics. In this way each list becomes a comprehensive record of skills from which you can draw your children's daily and weekly responsibilities at the given age. (I do NOT require my children to do everything on the list at any given time. The list is only a list of skills they are able to accomplish.) There are two exceptions to this format: 1. When a task becomes too easy it is dropped off the following list (i.e. "Do simple errands" from the 18 mo.+ list is dropped off of subsequent lists.) 2. When a task is learned progressively the next, harder step will replace the earlier task (i.e. "Sort laundry [hand things to child to put in appropriate piles]" from the 3+ list is replaced with "Sort laundry [clean and dirty] with supervision" on the 4+ list.)

The third section lists tasks the child can be learning to do at the given age. This concept is based on an apprenticeship model. For an apprentice to master the skill the following process is followed:

1. The master craftsman demonstrates the skill while the apprentice watches.
2. The master craftsman works hand-in-hand with the apprentice, guiding him through each step of the process.
3. The master craftsman watches while the apprentice demonstrates the skill, guiding and correcting immediately, as necessary.
4. The apprentice completes the task alone; the master craftsman examines the final product.
5. The apprentice is fully trained and able to complete the skill on his own.

The first three steps are what I have in mind for tasks listed in the "As a Learner" section. I have built into my schedule a 15-minute period each morning for teaching and training my children in these tasks. Sometimes we don't need this time if we are not working on a new skill, but it is helpful to have that time mentally set-aside for the times we do need a little training time in the mornings. Typically a task listed in the "As a Learner" section of one list is moved to the "Personal" or "Household" section on the following list.

How I Use the Lists
I have printed out a copy of each list for each of my three children (up to the current age of each), which I keep in a binder. When I started I checked off each skill they had already mastered, giving me a clear picture of the things we needed to work on. Even though Benjamin was nearly 4 when I began this system there were skills on the 2+ year list that he had not yet learned. I focused on teaching these skills first. I place a dot next to skills we are currently working on. When I think the skill is mastered I place a check on the list. When we move to a new list I first consider if a new level of skill may be appropriate for the new age (i.e. should I teach him how to dust more thoroughly than I previously required?) If so, I do not check it off; if not, I check off the item and use it to form the basis for a list of potential chores.

Periodically I review the lists to give me fresh ideas for assigning chores. I have two children who are able to do independent chores so I normally choose a core set of chores and then have the children alternate on a weekly basis. For example, currently our after-breakfast chores are: check/empty small trashcans and dust. One child checks and empties the bathroom-sized trashcans while the other picks one room to dust. The next week they switch jobs. After a few weeks (months?) I might choose 2 more chores for this time.

I'm still tweaking my system and I would love to hear how you approach chores in your family. What are your ideas?

First Day of School!

I think it's safe to say that I would have been a complete mess this morning had I taken Benjamin to Kindergarten to drop him off this morning. I have been emotional enough as it is! Yesterday was "promotion Sunday" at church and between seeing "K and 1st Grade" on the door and having multiple people comment on his pew-sitting in church (at our church Kindergarteners sit through church with their parents), I got teary several times. I can't believe how much my little boy has grown up!

Fortunately for me I'm not only the mama of a Kindergartener, but also the teacher--so I got to keep my big boy here at home this morning for his first day of Kindergarten. We had a great day!

Our morning actually started out a bit rocky. While Benj was beyond thrilled to be starting Kindergarten at church yesterday, this morning he had a bit more of a poker face about the whole thing. I'm not sure what was going on there, but thankfully his attitude improved after breakfast. Talia, on the other hand, was as happy as can be about her first official day of Preschool. Happy little Leila was just along for the ride. :)

Over the weekend Seth and I were sharing memories from our first day of Kindergarten with the kids. Seth specifically remembered that both of his parents took him to school. He wanted to be there for Benjamin's first day of Kindergarten too so he went into work late this morning.

After breakfast we went outside and took our "First Day of School" pictures.

We also got some of the teacher with her class. :)

At lunchtime I asked the kids what their favorite parts of school had been so far. Talia liked her new pencil box (chock full of new school supplies :) ) and our handwriting lesson, in which we played games with the Wood Pieces she will use to learn to build capital letters (to help her learn the names for each piece). Benjamin also loved Talia's games with Wood Pieces--they motivated him to finish his independent work quickly. :) Benjamin's other favorites today were learning about dinosaurs via our internet-linked Children's Encyclopedia and reading our new chapter book, The Boxcar Children.

We had a great start to our new school year! I can't wait for tomorrow. :)