Yay! Our Week

 AIDAN

 Math

 This week we've been practicing a lot of arithmetic. Aidan and I play the arithmetic game where we make up problems and ask in turns. I really want her to have her math facts down so that she'll never have to stumble like I do. (I'm only now learning arithmetic) We've also continued playing with the numbers in our heads. For example she'll see 8 and say "5 & 3." It's fun and it's great reinforcement. She has also started using Dreambox again. For a little while now she has refused to play it because she became frustrated over something she had been doing. So I've let it be and this week she finally asked to play it again. Whatever she was having problems with beforehand seems to not be a problem now. She decided to use her abacus to work out the math problems that she doesn't automatically know.

Writing

 She's worked in her workbook a few times. We haven't found a lot of time for labor- intensive schooling this week.

Reading

 Again, Aidan read a lot of books this week. There isn't really anything I can say about her skills anymore because I just keep repeating myself. She is continuing to move forward in leaps and bounds. Sometimes, this week, she hurried through her words but mostly she figured them out.

 Art

 Aidan is on a kick lately of using tracing paper to draw things. I have no problem with it because at her age I think its a great way for her to learn to add all the little details. When she is older I might find a curriculum or book or whatnot and require her to draw it all on her own but really she draws wonderfully for her age so its not a big deal. She spends most of her free time either reading or drawing/coloring. I'd like to add that her coloring is really improving as well. She's started using different colors for depth and for shading although she has no clue that she's doing so.

AINSLEY

 Ainsley played with the 24 piece puzzles I had brought with us. She really enjoyed them this week. I was somewhat shocked at how easily and quickly she'd figure out where the pieces went. One of my sister's neighbors happened to be here while Ainsley was putting one together and I think her head started spinning. LOL!  Also this week Ainsley demanded her time with me to read as well. So she practiced reading CVC words that I wrote on a portable wipe board. Next week I'm planning on using the first Bob book with her and seeing how she does. It wont be long before I'm pulling out all the 1st step readers again. If there was any doubt in my mind if Ainsley would turn out to be profoundly gifted like Aidan.... it has definitely disappeared. Watch out Aidan... Ainsley is right behind you!!

**********

 Schooling for us has completely become "unschooling." Amazingly its actually working. Our piddly efforts combined with discussions and usage of the computer have moved both Aidan and Ainsley forward exceedingly. However that doesn't make me a supporter for unschooling. A lot of their progress is because they are exceptional children and will move forward without help. Anyway, I've been torturing myself lately over the lack of schooling. Aidan needs school. Her brain wastes away if its not fed and I expect Ainsley to be the same. I feel so terrible that I let our family situation interfere with what she needs. I have the best excuse in the world but Mommy Guilt doesn't care. I know that my slackness is "holding them back" and I know too that it probably doesn't matter and that there is no reason to have them at the level they could be at. But I read blogs of others who do so much with their kids... projects, folder games, etc that I feel downright negligent. Aren't I just silly?