I've waxed poetic (or talked with excitement) about this great PBS tv show called Martha Speaks. Yes it's an educational show, but unlike all the rest, it is actually well done, so funny, and enjoyed by all ages. It's MY favorite show people! And lately I've been noticing some great things coming out of the kids mouths that I can relate back to this show.
As we all know, I have the vocabulary of a long shoreman. If I need a word, I too often rely on slang jargon that sounds crass, juvenile and cheap. I don't hide this, and I have no time to care about it, for myself. The kids know I have a lazy, unimaginative vocabulary, and I encourage them to find the right word for how they feel, to not fall back on my standards.
So Leif and I are out playing tennis one day this week, and I hit it too hard to the back of the court, and he returns it with such force it clears the fence behind me and heads into the field. Then he says "Sorry Mom, but you hit it so hard to me and I had to retaliate". Oh yeah, that's a word. I would've said 'get you back'. Lazy.
I'm trying to explain the title of an Avonlea episode to Hannah. The title is a play on words, based on a common saying. I'm falling all over myself trying to explain what a saying is, it's a thing we say Hannah, to describe a moment or a feeling, but it's a standard sentence we use . . . argh. And she says "You mean it's an expression?". Thank you lord for providing me with the word I was looking for! Yes Hannah, an expression is what it is.
Hannah has been hired for a dog walking job this week. It sounded lke a great idea, a perfect opportunity for this kid who wants to have responsibilities (and money). Benny is a young shitzu type of guy who lives 2 doors away. When Hannah went for her first walk, he wouldn't leave the house with her, and their bigger golden retriever dog kept knocking her over. We're working on a solution.
Leif continues to enjoy playing hockey, watching the playoffs and tracking the hockey pool. Our wekly homeschoolers hockey days are going well, and are the highlight of his week.
Both kids have been enjoying playing a game that Leif came up with. You go in the back yard and hide somewhere in plain sight, using camouflage. So Leif wears all green and hides in the trees, for example. Then I come out and stand in one spot and try to see them.
Ivy just stands in the playhouse doorway and says "I'm in here!".
We've started lighting candles at dinner, and it has become an issue of who gets to light them (Leif or Hannah). There are 3 candles, and they've worked out a solution of how to share this task. Hannah lights 2 candles, then blows one out. Then Leif lights the remaining two. Pretty smart huh?
I'll leave you with a little chat on motivation, and how what you think motivates people doesn't really motivate people.
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html
C
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