Living Math that works ...

This morning was yet another example of how well Unschooling works with the Hippie.

I knew that I had a pretty long "to-do list" today, so I suggested that the girls pick out a game for us to all play together.  "I'll play a game with you guys, which gives you time and then you guys can play and give me some time to get some things done, okay?"
 
Great plan.  

They brought me Yahtzee Deluxe to play.  

I decided to just sort of help ... or, according to them, I was "on the Princess's team".

This one game was a fantastic MATH LESSON for both children.  

Throughout the game, each girl got to practice addition, multiplication, counting by 2s, 3s, 5s and 6s.  They got to add doubles, think about strategy, probability (where to put that ZERO ... which of these are you LEAST LIKELY to get) and so much more.  

I was pleased as punch to watch as each of my children multiplied 6 x 4 and 5 x 3 and add one number to another to another and so on ... all in their heads.  

Now, if you asked one of them "Do you know your times tables?" or "Do you know what multiplication is?", they may look at you with a bit of a blank stare.  

But, can they DO IT (you know, the part that actually matters)? 

Absolutely.  In the context of something useful and fun ~ a game.

Anyway, I would have been pleased with just that, but I decided to attempt to take it one step further.  

When the game was over, the Princess ran off to draw (her millionth or billionth horse drawing, I'm sure), and I asked the Hippie if she'd like to add up the scores to see who won.

Keep in mind, a month or so ago, I attempted to show her how to "carry" while adding two digit numbers where the ones place added up to more than ten ... she was not having that at all!  

In that context (a worksheet), she freaked out and said I was "blowing her mind".  So, I backed off.

Now, today, I showed her how to add the scores and she did it with no problem, no freaking out, no "blowing her mind".  

She added columns of numbers, she carried numbers ... she did this up to the hundredths place. 

And, did it well.  

Awesome!

She did this:

  15       15       105      70         22       143         6         73      
  25       16       +92    +35         25     +108       12       +35   
  30       15       197     105        50        251       16       108    
+22     +24                               25                    15
  92       70                            + 21                   +24
                                             143                     73

Needless to say, I was one pleased Momma today.  And, the really fantastic thing was that the Hippie was one pleased little learner today!  She was so excited to realize how much she'd learned and done today, with ease.  Especially when I pointed out that it was the same thing she had turned her nose up to only a month ago as being "too difficult" and "blowing her mind". 

So, my plan for the coming year?  I'm leaning towards a Living Math approach ... books, activities, games, fun, cooking, baking and more games and even more fun!  

Why?  

Well, duh.  Because it works! 

p.s.  In case you were wondering, the Princess won the game .... but, the Hippie won at her own math challenge today!  

Unschooling is THE BOMB ...

Last night I had the pleasure of hearing beautiful words come out of both of my children's mouths ... both directed right at ME.  

If you read this post, you know about my tender moment with The Princess.  

Well, moments earlier, as I was tucking in The Hippie, I heard this statement (with the enthusiasm of a college cheerleader):

"See, I told you, Mom.  Unschooling is THE BOMB!"

Words to yank on Momma's unsure and worrying heart.  

Words to show me that it really is working.  We really are getting closer by the day.  They really are learning more these days than they ever did when I had it all "planned out just so".

Of course, this came after an hour long impromptu "science lesson". 

After dinner and teeth brushing, the girls were in our "learning room", doing their thing while Daddy and I were washing dishes (the girls washed breakfast and lunch dishes, so it seemed only fair).

The Princess was drawing.  The Hippie started playing with our wooden balance.  

She started trying to tell Daddy that it must be broken.  Even with nothing hanging on either end, it kept tilting to one direction.  

Daddy stopped doing the dishes and came into the room.  They started talking about weights and he showed her how if she put her arm out and placed a heavy bag in her hand, her hand would drop; it would be HEAVY.  Then, he placed the same exact heavy bag up around her bicep, and nothing happened.  Her arm didn't drop.  It wasn't nearly as heavy.

He discussed this concept with her for quite some time as she looked at him intently.  

Then, he made her figure out how to "fix" the balance.  After multiple tries (and quite a bit of "not getting it"), she eventually figured out where she had to place the metal things on each side to get it to even out.

Then, the fun really began.  

They (the Princess had joined in by now) started weighing various objects, moving things around to get them to balance out.  

Fun, fun and FUN!

The discussion moved to the kitchen.  We talked about weight, gravity, density, terminal velocity, hydrogen and helium, airplanes, forces, pendulums ... all things science!

The Hippie continued with "But, what I don't understand is ...".  

Question after question.

Answer after answer.

This whole "event" went on for an hour!  We finally had to just cut it off ... it was now an hour past bedtime! 

Anyway, as I was tucking the Hippie in, I mentioned how she had had a FULL SCHOOL day, complete with "all the subjects", even without planning any of it ... she had done art, cooking, math, reading, poetry, science and more.

To which she replied, "See, I told you, Mom.  Unschooling is THE BOMB!"

A beautiful thing, I tell ya!   

The Hippie ... born Activitst

I know I am supposed to be on hiatus.  I am, really.  I have no time for this computer thing.  But, hey, I'm sitting here, drinking my tea anyway.  No reason I can't write and drink simultaneously, right?  

After my tea I can take care of the post office and picking up the key and cleaning the new place and dropping off the donations (for the umpteenth time) at the Humane Society Thrift Store (we like that the money goes to the animals) and take the Princess to her annual well check (Hippie had hers yesterday ~ perfect health, as always) and get more boxes and keep packing and ...

But, for now.  I wanted to tell you the latest venture my little activist has started.  

I told you about our adventure with a Momma Cat and six kittens here.  Well, ten weeks later, we still have Momma Cat and four kittens (not to mention the dog and cat we already own/claim).  

I have been driving the kittens to our local Petco each Saturday and Sunday to be shown for adoption.  Two were adopted on the very first Saturday ~ woo hoo. 

I must say the whole experience is bitter-sweet.  Difficult, to say the least.  No matter how old and responsible you try to be, it's only human to get a little bit attached to animals you care for for ten weeks!  Babies that could barely walk ... you watch them grow and develop little personalities all their own.  Especially if you are an animal lover, as we all are in this house.  

The girls were told (and me) from day one, "We are NOT keeping any of these kittens" ... "We are NOT keeping them" ... "We are NOT keeping them" ...

Why?  You may be asking. 

Well, we've always had and done well with two cats and two dogs and two kids and two parents.  It works for us.

Yes, our other cat had just died.  But, we are in very tight financial times.  

We are recovering from my husband being laid off and unemployed for four months.  Things are tough. 

Caring for an animals should require more than just food, water and love.  It should at least require flea and heartworm prevention and annual shots/check-ups, too. 

It should also require that you can afford to take them to the vet when something is wrong.

That is where we struggle.  I'm working on that.  Hubs has a good job, a career and we are working to understand the amount he will make (it changes by the week, based on work, not hours).  I'm learning to budget and have been doing a lot of educating myself.  We will be setting up a new budget once we get settled in our new place.  I will make room for savings and for animal care.  

But ...

At the time we found these kittens, things were not looking especially promising.  It would be unfair to the animal and irresponsible to take responsibility for any of their care (permanently) and not be able to afford more than the minimum.

That doesn't even prevent a 34 year old woman from getting attached.  How do you think a 6 year old handles that?  

Needless to say, we all love the kittens (and the Momma).  But, we are smart.  We are working hard to find them homes.  But, we are invested ~ we've spent so much time with them, so much money on food and litter, so much care and love and stress and cleaning out litter boxes and ...

We want them to find homes, but we want them to find good homes because we care about them.  

*****

Wow, I went way off topic from my original post idea.  Let me get back to that.  

So, I started taking the kittens to Petco three weeks ago.  This wonderful organization is helping me by showing the kittens at their weekly adoption events.  

It was difficult to find help.  Most places I'd call would not accept any animals.  But, Jennifer (at TARAA) agreed to help immediately.  She does not euthanize ~ she rescues animals from being euthanized at the local shelters.  We love her!

Well, the first Saturday that I took the kittens with me, the Hippie fell in love with one of the dogs available for adoption.  Her name is Stella, and she had been saved from being euthanized.

The Hippie cried and begged and pleaded for us to adopt her.  


Obviously that is not an option at this moment (coming soon ... we do want another dog, a playmate for Sweet Pea, but not until we are moved and we want a boy because Sweet Pea is a girl and same sex dogs don't get along as well).


She begged and cried and begged and cried.  She understood the reasons and eventually accepted them, but could not wait to go back to Petco with me to see Stella. 

They noticed a limp on Stella that day.

The next time we went to Petco to take the kittens, the Hippie ran right up to Jennifer, asking where Stella was.  

They'd left her at home.  They'd x-rayed her and discovered that she needs a new hip.  It looked like someone had kicked her and shattered her hip (precious baby).  

It is going to be a $1,000 surgery. 


They are trying to raise the money.


The Hippie came home and made a poster and took our family's "piggy bank" (a giant plastic jar that we cut a slit in the lid) to begin raising money for Stella.  


The next time we went to Petco, she took the stuff in and said they should set it up for people to make donations.  




Anyway, the Hippie decided to leave the piggy bank, money and poster with them for the week in hopes that they could raise some more.


Of course, that hasn't stopped her from raising money here at home!  She's got a TON of change to add to the jar tomorrow when we take the kittens again!  


She makes me so proud.  I just know she is going to change the world one day!

Stella on the right, that's Tessa on the left