Big people dont have homework!

I sat between them as we tried to get math and phonics done. Now usually I keep my phone next to me. But on this day I pulled my Bible and a note book and decided to start writing. Just like they were writing!
Ziva watched me for a few seconds

Isaac looked up occasionally from his math book. Finally
Isaac: Amma why are you writing from that book
Me: Because I have homework
Ziva: Big people dont have homework
I laughed out loud!
Me: Oh Yes! They do!

We have recently been doing an accountable bible study with our church. One study was a book of Acts in so much detail, it was nauseating.
The second study was writing the words of Jesus from the bible. I was writing about the wise and foolish builders ... I got a chance to tell Isaac and Ziva the story. I ended by telling them
ME: Isaac and ziva will not fall if you stand on 'the rock' ... Jesus
Ziva waits for a few seconds and then starts to cry...
Ziva: 'But I am scared I will fall!'

 I wish I could say ... But I will catch you. But truly I know that there  is only one person who can catch her when she falls. Hope she finds HIM :)

The Insatiable need to get more answers

Whats your favorite animal?
Whats your favorite alphabet?
Whats your favorite color?
Whats your favorite bird?

It started with these simple ones. He asked everyone including a clueless Ziva .. when she had not even started speaking. He even decided that Ziva's favorite animal was a Zebra.
And then it went on to  ...
What does a baker do?
How do you make bread?
How do you make cupcakes?
How does the car go to the garage?
How does the car get lifted up?
How does the bags come go to the airplane?
Where is the control tower?
Why is the light blinking?
Whats your favorite truck?
How does the digger dig mud?
...
You get the idea...
I know I should encourage these constant questions. But there are moments that he catches me while I am trying to do something and am just able to keep up with his questions and then he gets snapped at.
'One minute Isaac!'
But the other day I got the most interesting question.
ME: 'Isaac XYZ is going to have a baby sister or brother soon!'
Isaac: 'Where is XYZ's baby sister/brother now?'
ME: 'In her mama's stomach'
Isaac: 'How did XYZ's baby sister/brother come in her mama's stomach?
I took the shortcut out of this one
ME: 'God put XYZ's baby sister /brother in there'
Isaac: ' But how did God put it there!'
Time out - mommy needs to think! He is almost 5 is it too early for him? I wondered. I managed to slime out of the question and then I found this book a few days later. It was perfect - just what I needed.
It was actually part of the 3-4 year old curriculum.


I had always thought that dad would teach Isaac about how we make babies and I could teach Ziva (gave me at least another year or two !) But in the light of recent events in Bangalore I decided I would teach them both and definitely be the one to tell my son. I believe moms need to actively teach their children (especially sons) about respecting women and its starts from right here - Where do babies come from?

Isaac listened intently as I used words like sperm and egg and while I was a little giddy he just seemed interested. At one point he looked and said - That looks like a tadpole!

I do not know how much he will remember of this,  but I am glad I got to be the first one to speak with him on this topic. Here is to more parenting topics such as these! Here is to being able to answer those questions! Here is to being there for them!

What will you pray for? Quotes from Isaacland

So Appa and Isaac are reading bible stories. First the story of Abraham and Isaac. Second, how the servant of Abraham prayed to find the right bride for Isaac.
Question session
Appa: Isaac do you pray and ask God for something?
Isaac: Yes
Appa: What do your pray for Isaac?
Isaac: A son and a wife!

Appa: Hopefully in the reverse order!

Picnic Perfect

As a homeschoooling mom, I am always looking for something new to do. If everyday was math and phonics and writing .... a 35 year old would get very bored... imagine a 4 year old and a 2 year old.
So last week when the maid took a day off, I went on a 'picnic' to the park. It didn't go great for me, but Isaac enjoyed himself. So I promised myself to do it again. This week, I was better prepared and we had a picnic yesterday. A breakfast picnic. Isaac helped me get the basket, he put in what he wanted to take for the picnic ... ball ... books ... and of course we needed food. Bread  and egg was on the menu with cheese slices and plenty of fruits: apples and guava.
But I didn't want to miss and educating moment ... So I took blank pieces of paper and a Swiss army knife. We had a lot of fun. The kids ate, played around and I even got Isaac and Ziva to stick leaves on the paper I had taken. We even did a few math/sorting pages from one of Isaac's work books. It was a lot of fun.
When I told Suresh how much fun it was and he saw the pictures, he said 'You should have outdoor classes.' I like the idea ... it gives me a chance to get some much needed Vitamin D as well.
The best part ... when I was packing up the picnic basket to return home Isaac said 'Thank you Amma'  -- unprompted. More incentive to keep homeschooling!

Great weather to kick off your shoes

 excited about the Swiss Army knife

 Learning material

 Running around

Sibling conversation

Let the games begin

Jack be nimble... Jack jump over the candle stick

They ran 3 laps around the park

Look at them go

Basking in the sun

Leaf collection

Naughtiness begins

Troubling Isaac ... but he's laughing

A halleluia moment - Joys of homeschooling

I have been trying to get Ziva to recognize her alphabets. It has been a painful experience. I keep reminding myself that she is ahead of her game with great vocabulary, excellent spatial skills, can pretty much beat any chap her age and size to a race and has figured out how to turn on 'livin la vida loca' on the keyboard!
But I still cannot give up the fact that by 18 months Isaac recognized all his alphabets. So I tried to push Ziva. But the little fireball resisted all the pushing.
Finally I gave up and switched gears. I phonically taught her the alphabets. We have an alphabet stack set from Baby Einstein. Each alphabet had a few words associated with it. So for instance ... A had apples, aeroplane and alligator. But to get my fireball's attention for longer than two seconds was very hard. I still tried a few alphabets everyday.

Today we came home from some shopping and I had purchased a plastic file that had the word 'PHEASANT' on it. We were sitting around the table eating Katti roll and Ziva was randomly pointing at the alphabets and singing the alphabet song. With minimal expectation I asked her.
Me: 'Ziva where is T for tiger'
Ziva: 'There it is!' pointing correctly to the T. My eyes light up. I look at Suresh ... he has pride floating around him.
Me:'Ziva where is P for Penguin' .....
Ziva moves her finger over the entire word and then points at P: 'There it is!'
Now I am overjoyed. I have a CD with the word MOD written on it.
Me: 'Ziva where is M for monkey'.
Ziva points to O: 'Hmmm thats O' She point to M ...'That W for whaler ' .... I know she got it flipped but Iwas still struggling to control my head growing into the size of a pumkin.
Isaac joins the game.
Isaac: 'Ziva where is D for dog'
Ziva: 'There it is!  D for dog ... D for dinosaur!'

Lesson complete! I could hear  Handel Messiah' Hallelujah in my head

Appa and Amma -school --- Homeschool a joint venture!

The term homeschool is a little deceptive. It gives people the idea that school is at home. The end!
But the effort that mom and dad put into its seems to be over or under looked.

Here is an example of a great idea that came up for our school at home.  While I want to share it so other parents can be inspired and use it to teach their own kids, I want to also share how the idea came about.

South america ... with Brazil, Argentina and Peru colored

It was the brain child of my super smart husband Suresh! (Yes he had been a good boy recently ... and so getting a lot of praise words in my blogs)
We have been teaching Isaac the names of countries and their location on the map. I got the idea from friend Veena who has taught her little one Dhruv all the countries in the world before the age of three (and their flags. Right Veena?). Now some kids are great at memorization. Isaac does not fall in that category. You need to get him to relate to what you are trying to teach him. Of course Isaac was not always interested. So I added an interest factor for him. Animals!
Every time I told him a country name I showed him the national bird and animal of that country. We started spot travelling around the globe and pointing out to big countries that were easily recognizable. India being a favourite with the peacock and tiger!

                                Brazil, flag, country, national animal, national bird and traditional costume

Suresh was watching this and decided to add his 'vishesh tippany' (translated: special pointers')
Suresh: Why don't you add more to this?
Me: Like what
Suresh: Show him what the people look like. What is their favourite sport? (because that soccer comes up a lot in South American countries). Tell him what clothes they wear there.
Me in my head ... yeah right that going to happen.
Another thing Suresh suggested. Stop spot travelling ... get organized.

                                                          Venezuela in progress

So this year we started with one continent. It gives me a chance to keep track of what I am teaching Isaac. It also helps to talk about sports and culture because they are normally common for one continent. We started with South America. Brazil, Argentina and Peru were covered in one week. Talking and looking at pictures of people form there.  Coloring the flag with fingers and coloring the country on its own an then in the map of South America. Of course ... you got to have the national animal and birds. It was fun and Isaac wanted to do more.
We had a one week break after that due to a wedding but we are set to get back to Chile, Venezuela and Guatemala!
Its moments like this when I can get creative about teaching Isaac that I love homeschooling.

Peru, Flag, Vicuna, Rock of the cock and a little Peruvian girl dressed up. We learned the names of some new animals too!

I have one more creative idea that I will blog about that has gotten Isaac back on phonics and reading words

                                                 Some finger painting by Isaac ... in progress

.. but lets save that for another blog shall we?