Wednesday, March 17, 2010
First Soccer Game of the Spring Season
Jasmine ready for her first game.
Go USA. All the teams are named after World Cup teams. We played Spain last night.
The twins got their shirts and had their first practice.
The twins got their shirts and had their first practice.
Jasmine warming up. It got too dark to take pictures by time the game started. We won 3-1.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Not Ready
Ever have a child that just seems to sabotage himself? One of mine has a hard time earning trust. Not long ago he snuck out on his bike, so it has been locked up in the shed. He seemed to be doing a little better, so last night I was talking with the child about getting some privileges back. Also talked about some activities coming up. Not an hour later I hear my trac phone turn on loudly. I only carry it on trips and Jessica had turned the ring tone to the highest volume so we'd hear it in the car.
I said, "That was my phone."
Child: "I didn't hear anything."
Me: "It was my phone. Did you take my phone?"
Child: "No."
Me: "Why did I hear my phone turn on?"
Child: "I didn't hear anything."
I walk to the kitchen and look under the wall phone where it had been.
Me: "My phone was right here and it's gone."
Child: "I didn't take it."
Me: "You had to take it. It was just here and it's gone."
Child: "I didnt' take it. Look my pockets are empty."
Well, since I'd heard it turn on, it was on, so I just picked up the wall phone and dialed it. It rang from about six inches behind him on the backpack shelf where he'd hidden it.
Child: "How'd it get there?" very perplexed.
Me: "WHY did YOU take my phone."
Child: Shrug, absolutely no emotion or remorse.
Obviously he is not ready for the particular privileges we were discussing. They require him to be where he says he will be when he says he will be and I can't trust him to do that right now. It's sad that not only does he do these things, but that there is no remorse. He could have confessed when I first said I'd heard the phone turn on. But even this morning there is no remorse for taking the phone and lying about it repeatedly.
I said, "That was my phone."
Child: "I didn't hear anything."
Me: "It was my phone. Did you take my phone?"
Child: "No."
Me: "Why did I hear my phone turn on?"
Child: "I didn't hear anything."
I walk to the kitchen and look under the wall phone where it had been.
Me: "My phone was right here and it's gone."
Child: "I didn't take it."
Me: "You had to take it. It was just here and it's gone."
Child: "I didnt' take it. Look my pockets are empty."
Well, since I'd heard it turn on, it was on, so I just picked up the wall phone and dialed it. It rang from about six inches behind him on the backpack shelf where he'd hidden it.
Child: "How'd it get there?" very perplexed.
Me: "WHY did YOU take my phone."
Child: Shrug, absolutely no emotion or remorse.
Obviously he is not ready for the particular privileges we were discussing. They require him to be where he says he will be when he says he will be and I can't trust him to do that right now. It's sad that not only does he do these things, but that there is no remorse. He could have confessed when I first said I'd heard the phone turn on. But even this morning there is no remorse for taking the phone and lying about it repeatedly.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Seven Weeks Home
Immigration holding area Jan 24.
Finally ready to leave and take our twins home Jan 25 1 a.m. What a horrible 36 hours!!!
Yesterday, ready to go to church for the first time.
What a lot has changes have taken place in just seven week!
Schedules have been changed around, new routines formed, attachment taken place....
Mornings are still not my favorite. We have family devotions at 5:45 a.m. with the high school bus arriving at 6:10. The twins still wake up by 5 a.m. but know they have to stay in bed (well, usually Jessica's bed) until 5:30ish. Then they can come out and join us for devotions. They are very social in the morning and some of us aren't! After the older ones leave, we watch two videos before we really start the day.
School. The first two days they were a little mad at me when I went back to pick them up, but now they love to go and they are happy to see me when I pick them up. Could be that they know that means it's lunch time. They know when I say it's time for school that they need to go put their shoes and on get their backpacks. They are in different classrooms. It was due to class size and one teacher not trying to meet the needs of both twins, but it has really worked out well because Kayla tends to do everything for Kaleb and he is more than happy to let her do that. Kaleb has been stubborn about doing what the other kids are at school. If they are in circle, he is in a play area. He will sit down and refuse to move. They report better behavior since I had to pick him up and take him home last week.
Mornings are still not my favorite. We have family devotions at 5:45 a.m. with the high school bus arriving at 6:10. The twins still wake up by 5 a.m. but know they have to stay in bed (well, usually Jessica's bed) until 5:30ish. Then they can come out and join us for devotions. They are very social in the morning and some of us aren't! After the older ones leave, we watch two videos before we really start the day.
School. The first two days they were a little mad at me when I went back to pick them up, but now they love to go and they are happy to see me when I pick them up. Could be that they know that means it's lunch time. They know when I say it's time for school that they need to go put their shoes and on get their backpacks. They are in different classrooms. It was due to class size and one teacher not trying to meet the needs of both twins, but it has really worked out well because Kayla tends to do everything for Kaleb and he is more than happy to let her do that. Kaleb has been stubborn about doing what the other kids are at school. If they are in circle, he is in a play area. He will sit down and refuse to move. They report better behavior since I had to pick him up and take him home last week.
Church. We went to children's church for the first time yesterday. At their age, it is just a playtime following Sunday school. They had a couple of optional crafts that had to do with the Sunday school lesson. They will be together for this.
Food. They eat about anything except vegetables. At first they would just spit them out, but that didn't go over well with me. Then they'd put them on the other twin's plate which wasn't popular with me or the opposite twin either. This was followed by stuffing them in their mouth, saying they had to pee pee and spitting them out in the bathroom. Nope. That one didn't work either. I give them just a tablespoon of vegetables first at supper, and they have to eat them before they get the rest of their meal. They realize now that the best thing is to just eat them and be done with it. I have not found any vegetable that they like.
Milk wasn't a hit with them either. I only give them milk at breakfast since they haven't had it before. If they don't drink it at breakfast, I just put it away until lunch. They have to finish it before I give them seconds at lunch. That is usually motivation enough.
We don't have any hoarding food or stealing food problems. I think they realize that there will always be food at the same time each day--breakfast, snack at school, lunch right after school, snack right after nap, supper and popcorn with a video at bedtime.
Language. They are doing well. That was part of the reason for putting them in preschool (besides my sanity, that is). They understand a lot. I try to talk to them some in Creole because I don't want them to lose it, but I only know a few words. We don't have a Haitian community anywhere near us. Anyone know of books on tape or CDs in Creole?
Obedience. Typical. At first they would disobey and run away laughing. That has diminished. Now it's the little stuff like flipping light switches or the TV on and off repeatedly. We really haven't dealt with any significant behavior issues--yet. They have two speeds--asleep and full throttle, and two volumes--off and loud. Those things may be annoying at time but I don't count them as behavior problems. And they are getting better about both.
Play. They can now play for a little while with toys without me sitting right next to them. They are very behind in play of course since they've never had toys. I put out one bin of toys a day with a variety of toddler-preschool toys. They choose toys that have a concrete use--stack the block, bang on the drum and so on.
This is getting long so I'll end for now. It's 7:45 and we're in play time.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
At the Park
I bought these sleeping bags (small and cheap unfortunately!), pillow/flashlight/nightlight sets the day after Thanksgiving 08 hoping to use them at Christmas 09. I just gave the twins theirs this week for when they get up way too early. I put in a Miss Pattycake DVD or something until I'm ready to deal with life.
Tyler and Jessica worked a festival with the Explorers this morning.
They got in at 11 last night, left by 7:30 this morning for the festival, went straight to work from it and won't be home until close to midnight which will really be like 1 am with the time change. Ugh. Bet it's going to be a battle to get them up for church.
Jessica on traffic control and parking.
Yep, it has been windy all day.
Tyler on duty
I took the younger three to our local park, but it was being cleaned and painted. So we went through McDonald's drive through, got a 20 piece nugget combo and headed for a park on the other side of town. I like it much better but rarely go since it's much farther away. I don't think I've been to it for over two years.
Everyone was worn out after playing at the park. I was too but had to stay awake to drive!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
School Issues and Giggly Girls
Yesterday I had a call to come pick up a child from school for behavioral reasons. Probably not the child you are all thinking of. This time it was Kaleb! Twice this week I had reason to go back into his room after class had started, and both time he was walking around, and they weren't making him join the circle. I asked why he was allowed to do that, and they said because they couldn't keep picking him up and moving him. I think they let him do whatever he wanted at first, so now he won't do what they say. I told him in Creole to go to the circle and sit down. He ignored me first, so I got down in his face and repeated it, and he went.
Yesterday they called and said he wouldn't walk to chapel. He was refusing to get up off the floor, and he wouldn't sit time out. The director wanted me to come talk to him or to take him home. I said I'd come take him home, but the only reason I was leaving Kayla was that Jessica didn't have school until 12 because she didn't have to take the FCAT. Otherwise I would have taken Kayla home to so I didn't have to reload Kaleb and go back to the school yet again. It's only few minutes away but the in and out of booster seats gets old.
They had him in the office, and I told him in Creole (mine is VERY limited) that he was not good and did not obey his teacher so he was going home, and he would go to bed and not play and not get snack. Very basic but that's all I have the words for. The reason he wouldn't get snack is because morning snack happens at school,and he chose to not behave at school. I do not withhold meals. I asked him if he understood, and he started crying so obviously he did. Then the director said he could stay, and I said no. I took him home. I don't need to be running to the school whenever they can't get him to obey. I told them that if it becomes a problem I would get him on the waiting list for the local school where they have personnel to deal with these issues.
I was really annoyed because he is only four, and he is not violent nor does he act out. He is silently stubborn at times, and I have to get right down in his face, but he always comes around and does what he is suppose to. Last week Jessica and I were at writer's conference, and we got a lot of good advice from novelist on changes to make to our youth adventure book. It was only a half hour after we dropped the twins off and we had just tidied up the house and had just sat down to work on chapters one and two when we had to go get Kaleb.
I made him stay in his room until Jessica went back to get Kayla, and we did not interact with him so that he understands if he gets sent home it is not a fun mommy time. His teacher wants a conference after school today but it's not like there is a lot I can do. Either they get in his face and make him do what the rest of the group is doing or not.
All in all I think the twins are doing fabulous for only being home six weeks. They don't have any major behavior issues. They will test boundaries once in a while. I try to redirect them or make obeying fun. If that doesn't work, they sit time out for five minutes or so. If that doesn't work, I move them to their room to sit on their bed.
They are very loud and excited when the first get up, like to turn the lights on and off and shut doors which I just try to ignore, and they don't like to eat vegetables at all but I give them those first and when they are done (just a small spoonful) I give them the rest of their meal. These things aren't major to me. They are generally very happy and they fit very well in our family although now we have quite an age span--19, 18, 16 (Jeff who is away but visits), 15, 9 and now 4-year-old twins.
Since Jasmine has had FCAT this week she hasn't had homework, and that has been wonderful!! We usually spend up to two hours on homework, so she doesn't have much play time with the twins. This week she's been able to play everyday.
This is some sort of special Christian school celebration week at the twins' school. Monday was teddy bear day, Tuesday was red, white and blue day, Wednesday was Christian necklace day and they made one out of macaroni at school, and today is silly sock day. They borrowed Jasmine's Merry Madagascar sleep socks. I don't know if they really understand why they are wearing these goofy socks but since everyone else is wearing mismatched or goofy socks I think they'll get it. I hope they don't want to wear them everyday now! Tomorrow is silly hat day.
Yesterday they called and said he wouldn't walk to chapel. He was refusing to get up off the floor, and he wouldn't sit time out. The director wanted me to come talk to him or to take him home. I said I'd come take him home, but the only reason I was leaving Kayla was that Jessica didn't have school until 12 because she didn't have to take the FCAT. Otherwise I would have taken Kayla home to so I didn't have to reload Kaleb and go back to the school yet again. It's only few minutes away but the in and out of booster seats gets old.
They had him in the office, and I told him in Creole (mine is VERY limited) that he was not good and did not obey his teacher so he was going home, and he would go to bed and not play and not get snack. Very basic but that's all I have the words for. The reason he wouldn't get snack is because morning snack happens at school,and he chose to not behave at school. I do not withhold meals. I asked him if he understood, and he started crying so obviously he did. Then the director said he could stay, and I said no. I took him home. I don't need to be running to the school whenever they can't get him to obey. I told them that if it becomes a problem I would get him on the waiting list for the local school where they have personnel to deal with these issues.
I was really annoyed because he is only four, and he is not violent nor does he act out. He is silently stubborn at times, and I have to get right down in his face, but he always comes around and does what he is suppose to. Last week Jessica and I were at writer's conference, and we got a lot of good advice from novelist on changes to make to our youth adventure book. It was only a half hour after we dropped the twins off and we had just tidied up the house and had just sat down to work on chapters one and two when we had to go get Kaleb.
I made him stay in his room until Jessica went back to get Kayla, and we did not interact with him so that he understands if he gets sent home it is not a fun mommy time. His teacher wants a conference after school today but it's not like there is a lot I can do. Either they get in his face and make him do what the rest of the group is doing or not.
All in all I think the twins are doing fabulous for only being home six weeks. They don't have any major behavior issues. They will test boundaries once in a while. I try to redirect them or make obeying fun. If that doesn't work, they sit time out for five minutes or so. If that doesn't work, I move them to their room to sit on their bed.
They are very loud and excited when the first get up, like to turn the lights on and off and shut doors which I just try to ignore, and they don't like to eat vegetables at all but I give them those first and when they are done (just a small spoonful) I give them the rest of their meal. These things aren't major to me. They are generally very happy and they fit very well in our family although now we have quite an age span--19, 18, 16 (Jeff who is away but visits), 15, 9 and now 4-year-old twins.
Since Jasmine has had FCAT this week she hasn't had homework, and that has been wonderful!! We usually spend up to two hours on homework, so she doesn't have much play time with the twins. This week she's been able to play everyday.
This is some sort of special Christian school celebration week at the twins' school. Monday was teddy bear day, Tuesday was red, white and blue day, Wednesday was Christian necklace day and they made one out of macaroni at school, and today is silly sock day. They borrowed Jasmine's Merry Madagascar sleep socks. I don't know if they really understand why they are wearing these goofy socks but since everyone else is wearing mismatched or goofy socks I think they'll get it. I hope they don't want to wear them everyday now! Tomorrow is silly hat day.
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