Keeping in Progress

For this month's Keeping Company link-up, some questions were proposed, and I decided to use them as the basis for this post.  I like easy. :)

My favorite part of keeping a commonplace is being intentional.  Knowing I want to keep a record of what is important to me, I begin to *seek* for what is important.

One of several pages since I began "keeping" last month

I do my common placing wherever I read the book.  Sometimes its in the bedroom - that's my reading home-base.  I keep all my colorful gel pens and my notebooks in the bedside table drawers, and the books I'm currently reading (or plan on reading this year) on top.  I also enjoy reading in my comfy living room chair, which is just outside the bedroom, so its easy to bring my notebook and pen out and write there instead.  The other place I write is next to my computer - usually only when I found the quote online and that's the easiest way to save it.  (I do also use Evernote, and have a Commonplace notebook there for saving quotes as well, which works when on the go.)

My reading and keeping "home base"

I get my inspiration from whatever books I'm reading each week.  I follow several book discussions at Ambleside Online (what a great forum!), plus I'm reading the Bible through in a year again.  I'm also reading a couple more books on my own!  I love having a different book to read each day of the week, plus a "fun" one to fill in any extra reading time I get.

Currently, in addition to the Bible, I'm reading Stepping Heavenward (love it!), Charlotte Mason's Volume 2: Parents and Children, Tennyson's Idylls of the King, Chesterton's Everlasting Man,  Adler's How to Read a Book, and I am about to begin Watership Down.  In spurts I also get back to Endangered Minds, Handbook of Nature Study, and books related to health challenges, such as Trim Healthy Mama.

Does Gymnastics Help Kids with Sensory Issues?

Our local homeschool group has been trying to find some good indoor activities that aren't too expensive, so that winter and rainy days don't keep us from meeting up.  After all, we mamas need fellowship and kids need to build friendships, even when its not nice enough to go to the park.

We have started meeting monthly at a local church for parties and crafts, but really needed an active option, so I contacted the local gymnastics business that has a great new facility, and the coach was totally on board with a daytime class!  So now, we  have a small class of homeschoolers meeting monthly or more to learn gymnastics.  In addition, we pay a bit more some days to have open gym, so the kids can just go crazy in there. :)

So what does this have to do with sensory systems?  Lots!  In OT, they work on mid-line crossing activities, hand-eye coordination, balance, core strength, and following directions, in addition to the feeding therapy that I've talked about before.  Gymnastics supplies most of this, especially in a small class setting.  The balanced, they followed directions, they jumped and practiced good landings.  They did warm-ups, learning to stretch their muscles.  They used the uneven bars, strengthening arms and core.  There is so much good in gymnastics for those with SPD.  I wanted to start years ago but could not get The Boy to agree, but he loves it with his homeschooling buddies around.

At home, we have an indoor trampoline, a large outdoor trampoline, and a playset with a climbing wall that see good use.  Plus, plenty of space to run.  Most kids pay attention better, control themselves better and have fewer meltdowns when they are well exercised because it ups the feel-good hormones and burns off excess energy.  It also activates vestibular systems, which is a particular focus for this child - if we can't get outside or he doesn't want to jump, he spins.  Lots of extra spinning in the winter!

What opportunities do you provide for your child to get the proprioceptive and vestibular inputs he needs?

An InLinkz Link-up

Learning by Hand: Beginning Woodcarving

Woodcarving is not something I thought I would ever do.  It still isn't, really, but in my quest to find a handicraft that my son will work at willingly, here we are.  I bought the video months ago, and put the book and carving knives on his wish list, and he got them for Christmas!  Thanks to the grandparents :)

So far, he has watched the first few chapters on safety and the basics a couple of times, and has been practicing holding the knives and making small cuts.  Just this week, he progressed to making an actual shape, which he says will be a sword.  The video has the first object as a bird, but hey, he's a 10 year old boy, so sword it is!

Why do we spend time doing things like sewing, painting, leatherworking and woodcarving?  Because all learning does not come from books.  Its important for a child, or adult for that matter, to have areas of competence, and to be able to contribute beautiful, useful things to the world. Not to mention the dexterity it builds, the habit of attention, and more.  We are creative beings, and need outlets in which to be creative!  I like to knit and scrapbook, but those don't appeal to my son in the least, so we are trying different things, looking for the one or two things that he can really love and stick with over the next several years, if not for his whole lifetime.  It may remain a hobby, or it could turn into a supplemental income.  Only God knows!

This post is linked to Learning By Hand at Crossing the Brandywine, a fellow CM educator's blog.