Any ideas????

This post is a bit of a rant about school stuff - probably more for me than for you but I welcome any comments or advice.....

It has been tough round here with everyone adjusting to change and I don't think any of us are coping very well. The twins have just started kinder and while the first couple of sessions were fine now they have separation issues. I know that is to be expected and it is all normal, but B. literally cried himself to sleep, and slept in the doorway for the whole session -- even snoring! S. I think is more resilient and got on with things. It is hard when there are two of them, fueling each other, but after hanging up from the kinder teacher, I get a call from the school principal about the other one.
Seriously it doesn't rain it pours. We have been dealing with a difficult personality for a year (peer), and while we thought they were in separate classes it turns out they are in a shared class - team teaching.
Team teaching is apparently what the Victorian Education system is moving towards under their "Education Framework", and Alexander is in a trial class. I have a number of issues, the main one being the lack of communication from the school. I understand that really they didn't want to tell us because of our fear of the unknown and change, but I think many of those fears are based in fact.
I feel that it is my job to make sure that my children are offered the best opportunities at school. I enjoyed school and I hope for the same for my boys, but I am worried about some of my choices. I chose a school based on four key factors - strong male presence in leadership and teaching roles, small class sizes, good facilities and a range of specialist classes. In the 18 months since I made the decision, all of this has changed. A new principal and vice and experienced male teachers leaving. Now we have team teaching with 45 kids in the class. This trial is about qualifying for funding so that they can build more shared spaces - so not only increased team teaching, but also construction for a number of years. A. is in the old library which has been replaced by a little room with books, and all the specialist classes have been reduced due to the ever increasing student population.
On top of this, it is my feeling that there is a little personality issue between A. and the teacher (and us) and he is more naturally drawn to the other one- and it is my feeling that the teacher believes him to be a trouble maker/ naughty child, which he truly is not. (He is my good one, I can only imagine what she would do with the twins!!!)
My dilemma - do I keep him where is is and soldier on, with the school number on redial, regular meetings, bullying issues to work through. Do I risk him getting lost in the crowd of 45 kids. Will he thrive or just survive. He lacks a real buddy, which is where a lot of the issues stem from, but how much can/should I do in order to 'fix' it. What about the educational issues which are fundamental for a 6 year old.
OR do I move him? Will this just be more disruptive. I run the risk of just moving to a different problem, to a new environment which he doesn't know and doesn't even know the kids, let alone have any friends. And new school could just 'sell' me in the same way, and all be different once you are enrolled. I just don't know......................

Lists

I have a little obsession with lists - ok truth be known a big obsession but I am trying to control it or maybe I am spreading it. With everyone in the house so active now, my brain has been hurting trying to remember it all. So this is now a laminated list on Alexander's school bag. It lists all the things he needs to remember - things into his bag, runners on sport day and the like. I have colour coded it so that he knows if he has activities after school and to remember to take any extra stuff on those days. He has decorated the other side with his name so he can easily find his bag in the pile at the door in the morning.

When I have the laminator out I can't stop myself. Between the laminator and the labeller I don't know which is more addictive. Anyway so I was working on this for myself. On the front it has my resolutions. On the inside is my schedule - which as main taxi driver its full of the kids activities. I have colour coded mine as to what I am doing, and what things or bags I need to take. Hopefully this can get me out of the house in a happier and more energetic mood, which is sometimes half the battle won. I made it into a little booklet with another page which is blank - but still laminated. I have a whiteboard pen which I can write notes - things for dinner and little reminders, like pancake tuesday tomorrow and parent teacher interview. Lets see how we go. Oh, and it is all handwritten because now the printer is broken. Murphy's law it happens when it is full of new ink!

Happy New Year

the view from our sunroom this morning

I have decided that life is just too busy for resolutions in December/ January. With Christmas and 4/5 of our birthdays, I am just muddling through, not sitting back and reflecting. However February 14 (this year) I can deal with, so Happy New Chinese Year.

My resolutions are really motivational words on what I am wanting to do - I want to keep them close as reminders:

1. Move


2. Deliniate


3. Participate


4. Make


5. Order


6. Celebrate


7. Consolidate

I know what they mean - and hopefully with such broad basics, I may be able to make them a reality.
Happy Year of the Tiger
(oh and Happy Valentines Day)

play

Due to our behavioural issues - play has been a real focus again. Out came the duplo and it was really played with. We made a house, fire station and police station and all day they moved through it. Benji in particular was really getting into the role playing.

Based on last W

Hooker

This was the inspiration for my latest project - oh, the circle that is on the end of the blind - and the latest project is a crochet necklace. I am only a new hooker, so I just wanted a little project that wouldn't involve any financial outlay and wouldn't matter if I stuffed it up (or lost interest which is a bigger problem)
This is what I did:

These are cheap rings from a dollar store - I think they are the kind for keyrings - they are really very light and quite flimsy. As you can see, I worked with the links joined together - I will explain in a minute.

Then, using cotton thread I had, I crochet around the loop. I can't tell you what stitch I use because I dont reallyknow - maybe double crochet. I still have to stick the ends in but you get the point. Why I work with the rings linked is that once you have crocheted around a ring, you cannot get it off - so although the rings are very flimsy, once done, they wont come apart.

I have worked with three colours based on a necklace I saw on a soapie (Y&R fyi) I have 11 blue, 11 green and 6 white between both. The idea is that it can be a primarily blue or green necklace or multi coloured. When I have sewn in the ends I will show you it on.

Every thing I got!

It has been a tough couple of days round here and my apple cart is well and truly upset!

While kinder was good on Monday and I left happily, Wednesday was the opposite. I couldn't get out of there and it escalated that Benji was having a full blown tantrum and not participating. They were tired, a bit off colour, which is no excuse, their behaviour was initially annoying and then upsetting. I ended up staying, doing duty - so all the plans I had for my whole 'hour off' flew out the window. The exhausted boys fell into bed as soon as they got home.

At the same time, the big squirrel picked up Alexander from school only to find out he had been in trouble and we needed to meet the school Principal. Not that this is ever something that you want, but a really didn't need everyone upset on the one day. There was a school information evening which I attended and sorted out his key issues with the teachers and Principal- which were somewhat exagerated when they were first told to me.

This led me to ask - What am I going to do? After a good cry, pointless I know but somehow cleansing, I have taken a deep breath and back to baby steps to see if we can get back on track. With play dates scheduled, more sleeps for the twins, I am constantly talking about things and their fears.

Swimming for the twins is a big fear - Spencer will actually get into the water, but Benji wont even take off his shoes. To try to make it seem a bit more fun, I have made these swimmers - just like the incredibles! Lets see if that works. A step in the right direction, they put them on...

And seem pretty happy about it - maybe because there was no pool in sight. Lets see how we go next week when there is water!! (Just an aside, I didn't realise how much alike these two look- but these pictures highlight what I can't normally see!)

cool stuff - paper airplanes

Alexander got this great little paper airplane pack for his birthday and these little beauties really do fly - well! There are five different prints each of which come with instructions on how to fold them. The planes are actually quite wacky in design but fly much better than my usual ones. Not only do they fly better but they look much better too!