Being Grounded Stirs Creative Juices

Matthew has a chart that he needs to follow each day.  You know, things like his chore list, lesson completion, stay within media limits (1 hour a day!), etc.  If he does everything on the list then he has privileges for the next day.  If he doesn't, then he loses those privileges.  By the way, we consider privileges things like TV, video games, computer use, and treats.  It's all up to him.

*cue sad violin music*

He lost his privileges for today.  Of course, the morning started with tearful groans and a toss of a limp body on the bed in dramatic protest.  When he gets like that I just tell him to go to his room and come on out when he has regained control of himself.

He was in there for a long time.  Hmmmmm.....should I check on him?

Finally, he emerged, excitedly, with notebook papers in one hand and a stapler in the other.  He worked eagerly at the kitchen table completing his project.  Oh my, what has he created?

He was so anxious for me to see what he had done.  He had written a story, complete with illustrations.  Now, Matthew has never been very artistic and he rarely uses color when he draws.  He prefers a good old fashioned pencil.  He used his best cursive handwriting, and it was beautiful!  Here's how the story goes.....

The Legend

by Matthew Gadow

Long ago in a land known as Hyrane, there was peace in the land and all were happy.  But, one day something happened where a great, unstoppable evil was released.  The beast destroyed all and released evil onto the land.  The beast was known as The Dark One.  Then, something else happened.  Something the beast never thought possible.  A Hero of Light rose against the beast, wielding the ancient Sword of Light.  There was an epic battle between good an evil.  In the end The Dark One could not be stopped completely.  So, they sealed him in the center of the earth.  There was still evil, but good always came out on top. 

The End

It's short.  But, I was blown away at the use of adjectives!  This is a 12 year old boy who less than 6 months ago would cry if I asked him to write a couple of sentences describing his day.  Now, after using Institute for Excellence in Writing he is.....

1.  Writing by choice without being asked. 

2.  Developing his own story line without any help.

3.  Using excellent vocabulary and descriptive words.

4.  Using excellent grammar and punctuation (thank you Daily Grams!)

Being grounded has stirred his creative juices.  Maybe this should happen more often.....

*cue Mom's evil laugh*

Sugar Free Applesauce Spice Cookies

I volunteered to bake for a fundraiser my church is having for a missions trip.  The last time we had a bake sale there were several people asking for sugar free items, but we had none.  This time I was determined to make something to offer even though I had never made a sugar free baked good in my life.  If you are familiar with my monthly Foodie Wannabe article at Homeschool Mosaics, then you know I am famous for making recipes I have never tried before for people or events. 

Get your ingredients together:

1 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. quick cooking rolled oats
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 c. raisins - I almost left these out and I'm glad I didn't.  They added a nice natural sweetness & texture)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. nuts (I didn't use any in my batch)

 

Mix flour, baking soda, spices and oats. Add remaining ingredients. Batter will be slightly runny, but they do not spread during baking. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

 

I really enjoyed the spice flavor.  It was a nice Fall cookie.  The texture was a little spongier than I like in a cookie.  It was a little cake-like.  But, it was moist and yummy.  They are definitely not sweet like a good old fashioned Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie, but they had great flavor.  If you want a little more sweetness you could use 1/2 unsweetened applesauce and 1/2 sweetened applesauce, or add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.  Hmmm, I'm thinking these would be good with a cup of hot cider.

Tourette Syndrome: The Main Ingredient in Alphabet Soup

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuro-biological movement disorder characterized by frequent, repetitive, and involuntary vocal and motor tics. Well, that was a mouthful. TS…our first ingredient in the alphabet soup.

TS often manifests itself in early childhood, usually by the age of six or seven. It can begin with simple tics such as blinking, sniffing, or eye rolling.  Or, a tic might be complex, involving different muscle groups at one time such as kicking, hopping, or spinning. TS is different from a simple tic disorder because the symptoms involve both vocal and motor tics and last for longer than a year. TS has a genetic predisposition. My husband has Tourette syndrome and passed the gene to our son. My son has a 50% chance of passing the TS gene to his children. The exact cause of TS is not known, however evidence points to a metabolic imbalance of dopamine in the brain.

Most often when people think of Tourette syndrome they think of a person shouting profanity or racial slurs (coprolalia) or making obscene gestures (copropaxia). This is what is usually portrayed in the movies. Actually, fewer than 15% of people with TS have these tics.  More common vocal tics would be coughing, humming, clicking, or cheek sucking. About 200,000 people are known to have TS in the United States today.  TS often goes misdiagnosed because it is so complex and is typically accompanied by other co-morbid conditions. Here is where we add the other ingredients to our alphabet soup.  OCD, ADD, ADHD, SPD, AS, and more can be added to the mix. Look at all of these letters!

Obsessive Complusive Disorder (OCD) is a very common co-morbid condition. The OC behaviors of a person can be minor and more of an annoyance or it can be a serious daily disruption. OCD involves obsessive and compulsive thoughts and/or actions. A person may need to wash their hands repeatedly, touch something before moving on, or dwell on a thought or idea. For example, my son needs to place items in a certain order and will become very upset if they are disturbed.  He will obsess about ideas or thoughts and this sometimes keeps him from participating in other daily activities. We call these his “mind tics”. TS and OCD are often intertwined. Since a tic is an involuntary, compulsive movement or sound and OCD is an overwhelming need to perform a movement, sound, or thought they are often confused in diagnosis.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are common conditions that mask the true diagnosis of TS. Although it is common for a person to have ADD or ADHD along with their TS, it is more often that a person is misdiagnosed with ADD or ADHD instead of TS. For example, when my son was in kindergarten he would get in trouble all the time for moving around in his seat, making noise, fiddling with his pencil or paper, and overall having disruptive behaviors. He had a very difficult time concentrating in class. His teacher was convinced he had ADHD.  On initial assessment, his pediatrician agreed this was a strong possibility. However, shortly after his time with a Pediatric Neuropsychologist my son was clearly diagnosed with TS. The three disorders share such a common ground that it is easy to misdiagnose a child if a thorough history and assessment is not performed by a qualified professional. My son was not exhibiting ADHD behavior. He was ticking!

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a complex spectrum of different sensory dysfunctions. When my son was younger he was extremely tactile defensive. He was very defensive towards textured surfaces. He would scream as if in pain from such things as the feel of grass, coarse fabrics, or a hair brush. He was resistant to touch mushy textures with his hands such as mud, wet sand, or shaving cream. As he has gotten older his tactile defensiveness has improved. However, he is still aversive to soft foods such as mashed potatoes, pudding, or oatmeal and he will have a strong need to wash his hands or body if he gets things like mud, wet sand, or paint on himself. Other forms of SPD may involve vestibular senses, auditory senses, olfactory senses, proprioceptive senses, and social and behavioral processing. An excellent resource to learn more about SPD, including a comprehensive check list, is The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center website at http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/index.html.

Children with Tourette may also be on the Autism Spectrum. Many of the characteristics and behaviors are similar. It is also common for people with TS to have a learning disability such as dysgraphia, dyslexia, or executive dysfunction. My husband struggles with dysgraphia which is a learning disability resulting in the difficulty in expressing thoughts into writing. In addition, children with TS are often socially and emotionally immature.

As you can see, Tourette syndrome usually doesn’t stand alone. With all of these other disorders it is just the main ingredient. Typically, the symptoms of TS will increase in severity during adolescence and then improve greatly into adulthood. There are cases where an adult may have the same or more severe symptoms than when they were younger. Often coping skills and maturity are valuable aids to being able to mask tics. Because my son has been ticking since he was an infant (which is very rare), he has become very skilled in masking and controlling his tics. He will usually do this when in public or when he is around people he does not know well. This requires a lot of energy, though, and he can only withhold his tics for a short period of time. Once he is alone or in a more comfortable environment, he will tic heavily for a long time to release the impulses that he has been holding in. It is sort of like if you had to hold in a sneeze, cough, or ignore a horrible itch. It can be almost impossible and can be very distracting. He is very open about talking about his Tourette and he prefers for people to ask him questions rather than assume things about him, not have the correct information, or sometimes just stare at him. We have taught him from the beginning that educating others is the greatest key to fighting ignorance.

Currently, there is no cure for TS. There are medications and treatments that can help to reduce the symptoms, but a person who has TS will always have TS. My son has benefited greatly from medication that helps to keep his tics manageable. It can be difficult to find the right combination of medication and that can be very discouraging. Other types of treatment may include behavioral therapy or deep brain stimulation. You can learn more about Tourette syndrome at the National Tourette Syndrome Association website

Living with Tourette syndrome is like living in a mystery or suspense novel. You never know what you will wake up to. My son has had tics come and go in a matter of days or weeks and he even has tics today that he has been doing since he was born. He is now twelve years old. He has had tics in the past that were extremely socially inappropriate or disruptive that we have had to work through using behavioral therapy. Because drawing attention to a tic will make it worse, my husband and I only address a tic that can harm him or another person or is invasive or inappropriate towards another person. We have been fortunate in that this has been a rare occurrence, but this can present its own unique challenges. When my son was four he had self injurious tics involving punching himself in the stomach and legs. As you can imagine, this was a very difficult time for our family. When TS decides to rear its ugly head it can do so in the most cruel ways.
If you know someone with Tourette syndrome the best thing you can do is get to know them as a person. You’ll find that underneath the odd movements and sounds they are just like you and me. They desire to be loved, accepted, and live their life to the fullest. Get to know them; ask them questions; understand them. Realize that their intention is not to be annoying or disruptive with their tics. Believe me! They wish they could stop what they are doing MUCH more than you do! I hope that you will take the time to visit the National Tourette Syndrome Association website, visit a TS support group, or check out a book from the library about TS. Learn more about this fascinating syndrome and, if you are lucky enough, maybe you will even have the precious gift of knowing and loving a person with Tourette.

Check out my original posting of this article and lots of other interesting articles by talented writers at the Home Educating Family Blog.

The American Bible Challenge - Review & Giveaway

Woohoo!  Good family fun!  If you haven't had the chance ..... or maybe you didn't even know.....to check out The American Bible Challenge then you have got to mark your calendar and set your DVR so you don't miss this new show!  How fun!  It's a good old fashioned game show all about the Bible!  The show is equipped with its own jammin' out choir and fabulous host, Jeff Foxworthy.  

Comedian and author, Jeff Foxworthy hosts this studio-based game in which contestants compete based on their knowledge of the Bible.  Utilizing current as well as historical references, questions will be drawn from the rich, dense narrative found in the world's best-selling book.  The contestants will share their compelling back-stories and each team will be playing for a charitable organization.

Check out this video on the making of the show and you will be leaping to your feet with excitement to gather your family together on Thursday nights to watch.

For more information, visit The American Bible Challenge website,  or visit their Facebook page to get in on all of the talk and hype with others just like you!  Don't forget to tune in on Thursdays at 8/7 c on The Gameshow Network.  Check your local listings for the channel.

That's right!  Woohoo!  A giveaway!  One lucky winner will receive a The American Bible Challenge t-shirt AND a Zondervan Quest Bible.  All entries must be received by midnight EST on Wednesday, September 12, 2012.  Entrants must be 18 or older to enter. Due to international sweepstakes laws, this giveaway is for US entries only.  This giveaway is not connected to any social media site.  The winner will be contacted via e-mail and have 48 hours to respond.  If I don't hear back from you then I'll pick another winner, so mark your calendar and keep an eye out!  Get started now on Rafflecopter...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

 

My Well Planned Day - Review and GIVEAWAY

It's that time of year for many of us!  A new homeschool year brings all kinds of excitement and......insanity.  Lesson plans, independent work assignments, logging literature read, grades, and educational activities.  Then, there is meal planning, grocery lists, appointments, sport practices, piano lessons, etc.

*SIGH*

Excuse me while I put my head back on straight.

I only have one child.  I tip my hat and curtsy to all of my fellow homie-schoolers who have multiple children.  I do not know how you do it.  But, I'm here to tell you about something that just might make it a whole lot more manageable.

My Well Planned Day software from Home Educating Family takes all the things everyone loves about their book planner and puts it in a software...and, of course, adds a few extra special touches.  This is not a download so don't worry about it taking up space on your (likely) already working hard computer.  You will be able to access your planner from any internet accessible device.  And, because Home Educating Family knows how busy we are they are already working on developing an app that will allow you to access your information even when you don't have internet access.  Sweet!

Here are just a few examples of what you will be able to do with your Well Planned Day software:

• Customize your look with 12 different color combinations
• Record attendance, lessons, assignments, grades, activities, and reports individually for all of  your children
• Upload pictures of your children to link to their personal file where you can customize their home education portfolio with the curriculum they are using and their own schedule and activities.
• Utilize the Home Management component to organize your budget, chores, shopping list, menu, calendar, and projects.

This is just a glimpse.  To get a more full picture, visit the website , go to their Facebook page, or watch the tutorial.

I was given the opportunity to use My Well Planned Day in order to prepare for this review and giveaway.  I was so excited because I had decided over the summer that this would be the first school year that I would use a planner.  I just didn't know which one!  There are so many facets to the software that it became apparent to me I would need the tutorial.  I am not super computer savvy and there is definitely a specific step by step process to input your specific curriculum, create lessons, and schedule assignments.  My desire and focus was in the area of homeschool lesson planning, tracking assignments, and grades.  So, at this point I have not even tapped into the Home Management portion of this comprehensive software.

It was a rough start for me.  It took about 3 trips on the tutorial ride in order to understand how to input my curriculum and set up assignments.  I won't lie.  I was frustrated.  But, once I got into the groove it was simple.  I've always been a paper and pencil kind of gal.  Even my datebook is a good ole spiral bound and not on my smartphone.

My Well Planned Day would be the PERFECT tool for a multi-child home, for a parent needing support for home management (budget, meal planning, etc.), or for someone who really prefers computer tools instead of traditional paper tools.  For the low price of $65 for a year membership, it is a good investment to meet these needs.  PLUS, there is a 30 day money back guarantee (minus a 10% processing fee).  I always respect when a company offers a great guarantee.

HERE IS A SPECIAL GIFT JUST FOR MY READERS!!!!!

Here is an awesome coupon code you can use to get $15 off the price!

26wpdblog12

This code is good until October 1st!

Thank you Home Educating Family!

 

 One lucky winner will receive their very ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO MY WELL PLANNED DAY! Wow, that's a $65 value.  All entries must be received by midnight EST on Saturday, September 8, 2012.  Entrants must be 18 or older to enter. Due to international sweepstakes laws, this giveaway is for US entries only.  This giveaway is not connected to any social media site.  The winner will be contacted via e-mail and have 48 hours to respond.  If I don't hear back from you then I'll pick another winner, so mark your calendar and keep an eye out!  Get started now on Rafflecopter...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

What's on the menu for 7th grade?

Yeah, that's right!  7th grade rocks!  For Matthew it means he is really in the midst of middle school and he is almost 13.  That's a good reason for a kid to celebrate.  For me it means I still have 2 WHOLE years before Matthew is in high school and I still (at least for a while) have a non-teen in my house.  Somehow these reasons are very different, yet the excitement still remains.  We are both excited to start a new year in our homeschool.  After careful consideration, Matthew has decided to change the name of our school.  For the past few years it has been dubbed the prestigious Star Wars Academy.  It fit us.  Now that Matthew is older and wiser, he feels that our school needs to be more of a reflection of his future.  So, I would like to present to you.....
LEGO ENGINEERING ACADEMY.  After all, Matthew has been saying since he was five years old that he will be a lego engineer and now that he is getting more serious about his future it seems only natural to enroll in that now.

So, we would like to share what is on the menu for this year in our home school. 

For Math we are staying with Saxon.  Matthew will move on to the 1/2 book which is pre-Algebra.  We started using Saxon math in 5th grade after using ABeka for 3 years and really liked it.  We stay away from the drills and extra worksheets.  The lessons and just the lesson problems are enough.  Something must be right because Matthew scored in the 90 percentile for math this year on the CAT test.

For History we are using America the Beautiful from the Notgrass Company.  This is a Christian based curriculum.  We started using this last year and LOVE it.  The style is easy to follow and understand.  Plus, it includes mapping/geography, timelines, historical documents, suggested additional reading, and frequent activities that the whole family can enjoy.  We plan to stick with this for the long term since Notgrass also provides World History and Economics.

For science we are using Apologia's General Science, a Christian based curriculum.  This is the course recommended for grade 7.  It included a variety of topics so Matthew will get a great exposure to many areas of science. 

 

 We also purchased the lab kit that goes with this curriculum.  There are many fun labs to do and we thought it would be much easier to have all of the materials needed so we don't miss out on anything!  Yay, science!

Now, Language Arts/English is that complicated subject that is hard to pin down.  IMHO there are so many different facets to this subject that it can't be contained in one curriculum.  So, here is the run-down for our Language Arts...

 Wordly Wise for Vocabulary

 Daily Grams for Grammar

Institute for Excellence in Writing - Student Writing Intensive Level B for Writing

A variety of classical books for Literature/ Poetry

Of course we have to have Fine Arts in our school, so Matthew will continue his guitar lessons

Physical Education will be.......karate, of course!  Matthew already has his brown belt and will continue this year working on his review belt which will prepare him for his black belt test.

And, the most important subject of all.  Bible.  This brings it all together.  In the past we have used structured Bible curriculum, but this year Matthew will focus on just having time in the Word and building his own style of devotions.  He has started staying in the sanctuary on Sundays instead of going to kids' church and he started attending the weekly youth group.  We purchased a new study Bible for him that will be his close confidante as he grows into adulthood.

So, what's on your menu this year?  Share about your curriculum and plans!

Unique Ways to Teach Your Kidlet O'Energy

Homeschooling a child with unique needs is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle while the pieces keep changing. For a child with Tourette Syndrome, each day can be a different puzzle all together. Tourette Syndrome is a neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary motor and vocal tics. What I’m about to share with you are a few unique techniques to teaching your energetic child or kinesthetic learner. Please, hold your “aha’s” until the end.

Let me introduce you to my son, Matthew. He has Tourette Syndrome (TS) and Obsessive Compulsive tendencies. He is also hearing impaired. Matthew is twelve years old and this is our fifth year homeschooling. Here is a scenario of what a day was like for Matthew when he was in school:

Tap foot, spin pencil on desk, write answer to question four, bark like a dog

“Matthew, be quiet. This is a test.”

Cough, scrunch face, lick lips, tap foot, spin pencil on desk, write answer to question five, get up to sharpen pencil.

“Matthew, don’t get out of your seat without permission.”

Cough, scrunch face, lick lips, tap foot, spin pencil on desk, write answer to question six, bark like a dog, scrunch up scrap paper, get up to throw away paper.

“Matthew, don’t get out of your seat without permission. If you do it again you’ll get detention.”

Spin around twice, sit down, cough, scrunch face, lick lips, tap foot, spin pencil on desk, write answer to question seven, bark like a dog, get up to sharpen pencil.

“That’s it Matthew. You have detention. Go to the Principal’s office.”

 Uh-Oh....This is Matthew's "not happy face"

What happened? Matthew was ticking so badly that he couldn’t even work at a steady pace. His OCD was the final culprit that got him a ticket to detention. His compulsive need to have a perfectly sharpened pencil and his aversion to having any garbage (the crumpled paper) near him was too strong to resist. My suggestion to the teacher to allow him to use a mechanical pencil and keep a trash can next to his desk was not welcome. So, homeschool, here we come.

When we started home school it was apparent that the creative juices needed to be turned to high flow! When Matthew was younger I could barely keep up with his changing tics. My son was not capable of sitting still in a chair for more than a few minutes. Even though we did a lot of hands-on learning, there were some parts of the day where he needed to be able to sit at the table. Aha! That therapeutic ball in the corner collecting dust was about to get a real workout. It was our new best friend.

Matthew would sit on that ball while working at the table and instantly his concentration improved. Sure, he was lightly bouncing, rotating in small circles and shifting his hips forwards and backwards, but, the energy from his tics was being focused directly into that therapeutic ball which allowed his hands to be free to do his seat work. The ball provided the vestibular stimulation his body craved and allowed him to dispel his tics without interrupting his work. And, of course, there was a pencil sharpener and trash can right next to him. Take that, Kindergarten Teacher!

The therapeutic ball worked wonders, but its magical powers wouldn’t last forever. We had other subjects to conquer that didn’t require sitting at the table. So, picture this…Matthew is spinning in circles, doing headstands on the couch, running across the room, and jerking his head so sharply that I think it might just snap off. I can’t even track him in the room, never mind when he darts down the hall. Hmmm, how to contain him without the use of duct tape? Think, brain, think.  It looks like my mini trampoline is going to become our *next* new best friend.

Matthew jumped on the trampoline while spelling his words, reciting his vocabulary definitions, and drilling his math fact tables. The kinesthetic activity was the perfect complement to his energetic tics. It was small enough to fit in the middle of the living room when in use and then slide behind the rocking chair to store it. It sure tuckered him out after about an hour, too! Amen, it’s time to take a nap.

We were on a roll! I felt like we had tackled two of our biggest obstacles; being able to sit for longer than a minute and avoiding pinball syndrome around the house. Yay, team! Hurdles related to Matthew’s uniqueness started to feel more like mini speed bumps. On days when Matthew’s tics were so bad they prevented him from writing, we would play our “baseball game” instead. We set up the living room like a baseball diamond. I would toss him a ball from the “pitcher’s mound” while asking him a question. If he answered correctly, he could move to the next “base”.  He loved to slide into home plate, especially because it earned him bonus credits.

I hope these few tips will help you to realize that schooling your “kidlet o’ energy” can be fun and rewarding. Matthew has grown so much in his own ability to control his tics since those first years and does not need some of these special accommodations any more. You’ll still find us sneaking in a game of “baseball” or taking a hop on the ball though. After all, it’s fun! I believe that Matthew is the confident learner that he is today because of the unique approach we took to his lessons when he needed it the most. Above all, I believe we have equipped Matthew to think outside the box, so when he is faced with the ever changing aspects of his special needs he won’t back down. He may not face them head on though. He may sneak around the back and pounce on it from his trampoline.

What new and exciting activity or tool will you bring into your home school this week? Make learning come alive for your child! Have fun and create learning memories that will impact him for a lifetime. I hope you’ll share your ideas and experiences here with me. I’m looking forward to learning from you!

Check out my original posting of this article and lots of other interesting articles by talented writers at the Home Educating Family Blog.