From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Gosh, it took me so long to complete my post, that y'all have had an entire conversation here in the interim 🤣

Thanks for the links Watty 😁

Greying X

Cherryfudge

Would an alternative for the diary be for you to write one of your own, be seen looking through photos for one to print out, ask LG 'can you remember the name of that cafe we went to?', etc. If it's seen as a valued experience for you to do, that might help them value it for themself? Or perhaps they could film a vlog (doesn't have to be public).

The thatched cottage sounds intriguing. We don't have any at all round here but they are lovely.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good suggestion Cherryfudge - and would certainly add to the 'memory' making of the holidays, but part of the point of the diary is to keep LG writing.  Their handwriting isn't the best (it did used to be neat and legible, but a fool of a KS1 teacher informed LG that their writing was 'too big' and they've sought to fit 'War & Peace' on top of a pin-head ever since ☹️), so it's trying to keep practicing during the 6 week break.  LG is handwriting and sending the odd post card to 'Aunties' too.

I do accept your point though, that if LG saw value in it for themselves, it would get done.  We are having issues at the moment of LG only wanting to do what they want to do - even if they have done it 12 times already.  I suppose it's 'safe & known', but left to their own devices they will just choose the path of least resistance - for no other reason that too many peers have now made comments about what they're doing, or what they've done, or just for the sheer heck of making a negative comment.  The trouble is, all these comments land, and chip, chip away at LG's confidence, to the point that they're unwilling to try much anymore.  LG had learnt to ride a bike quite early in age, and towards the end of Reception class we went on a bike ride, it's a known 'loop', relatively quiet/traffic free and it's about 12 miles.  For sure it took us several hours, we had to have a snack stop, plus LG fell off once 🫤but we did it.  And we've done several longer trails (off road) since.  But fast forward to now, and if LG goes out on their bike with DH, they both go to the same place (the town park) and back.  OK, so sometimes there are things going on in the park, but it's a couple of miles round trip and is now more about the snack they take, not the journey.  Whilst our inability to carry the bikes to trails further afield is part of the issue, LG has lost interest in cycling, because someone made some snarky comment about cycling being boring or somesuch.  When I was a kid, we were forever on our bikes - they gave us freedom 😁

Part of the reason for trying a different set of books over the hols is to expand their vocabulary (mentioned in school report).  They have been reading the same set of books over and over - but if they read something out loud - say a sign, or a TV listing or something, they very often mis-pronounce words, or only say half of a word.  The set of books that they have been reading is challenging, but we've no way of knowing if they are saying the words correctly - even 'ordinary' words, never mind character names.

Lest anyone should read this and say 'oh Greying, you just want LG to be a mini you/DH', that isn't our intention.  We're trying all sorts of activities/experiences to see what LG enjoys - irrespective of whether it interests us.  Left to their own devices they would spend all day watching tv - or better yet gaming.  Those activities have their place, but not 24/7.

Tea last night was Black Olive Pizza and wedges.  The pizza rose beautifully in the tin and was a nice wodgy rectangle.  I used up the last potatoes I had to make wedges, and there was enough for everyone.  LG ate a normal portion and I think we can say that their system is 'restored', and back to normal function.  Which is great, but it does rather indicate that they did let anxiety get the better of them, and missed out on an opportunity to have an adventure without ma & pa, and with others, last night.  

There were 3 slices of pizza left, and they have gone into the freezer for another day.  

I'm not too sure what is on the cards for today, as the forecast rain has finally arrived, and we'd originally expected a broken up day with having to collect LG.  DH isn't interested in going out, which isn't helping matters.

Ho hum.  I am a miserable auld cuss!

Ah, I did get the washing done yesterday and it dried beautifully, so that is our 'everyday' clothes cleaned and dried.  I'm more or less up to speed with workwear, enough for the start of the new week, anyway.

Greying X

Sunshine_girl2

GP with regards to the reading , have you tried both reading the book together. You read a couple of pages out  aloud and then LG does the same. Just a thought , disregard if you already do this. 

Greying_Pilgrim

Sunshine_girl2 said:

GP with regards to the reading , have you tried both reading the book together. You read a couple of pages out  aloud and then LG does the same. Just a thought , disregard if you already do this. 

You're right, that's what I'm trying to work towards - as yet LG hasn't sat down near me so that we can attempt to read anything tho ☹️.  Part of the reading together/out loud is to see if LG can actually handle the harder/different genre, texts.  They carry big books around, but I'm not sure they understand some of the vocab/themes contained in that series.  However, I also think that the teacher is being a bit disingeneous with the comment about vocab expansion.  I mean goodness knows what the other kids are speaking/writing if LG's vocab is limited 🙄

I wouldn't disregard your comment Sunshine_girl2 - I'm just finding difficulty making it happen 🫤

Greying X

beanielou

Coming at it from a different angle. LG will one day just grow into them selves. When my DS was in P4 made a big issue about his spelling. It passed. His handwriting is terrible but the only thing he ever writes is a greeting card so it doesn’t matter. 

Greying_Pilgrim

True beanie, very true. X

in_need_of_direction

My son also has terrible writing that I think stopped developing around p4 or p5.  His keyboard skills are excellent. I wouldn’t worry too much gp as, if it’s ever a concern to lg, they can take steps to improve this in the future.  

badmemory

Is it possible that the teacher knows that LG is capable of expanding their vocab & is trying to encourage it.  Not everyone is capable.  It is possible that LG's vocab is quite large but having only read the words doesn't know how to pronounce them.  It does not mean LG does not completely understand what they are reading, just can't say it out loud.  As an aside to this have you noticed that certain adverts are now saying something along the lines of this car name is actually pronounced like this.  Doesn't wikipedia? have pronunciation guides.

LotsOfTea

I'm about to rant about reading, apologies in advance!

There's plenty of research that shows that children reading FOR PLEASURE is a key indicator of future success. I've shouted the for pleasure bit because the education system we have (which is better than what I went through in many ways) doesn't recognise this part and is set up to constantly push towards more difficulty, more hitting targets etc rather than more fun. It does not matter one iota if our children are reading books that are 'too easy' or re-reading the same books again and again as long as they are enjoying it. If they enjoy reading they will have a wonderful source of comfort and joy for the rest of their lives and they will move on to more challenging texts in their own sweet time. If we push them to read things they don't enjoy they'll see reading as a chore and just stop doing it. 

I've loved reading all my life and as an adult if someone tried to make me read things I wasn't interested in I'd find it annoying and off-putting. I still also sometimes want to read unchallenging books some days and re-read old favourites for comfort so I can't blame kids for feeling the same. I also still occasionally pronounce words wrongly because I learned then from reading and I refuse to get embarrassed by it. I just say I'm an auto-didact (I'm assuming I'm pronouncing that one correctly 😂).

As for the school report, teachers seem to be obliged to put something in the 'things to work on' box no matter how well the child is already doing. I noticed it in my son's reports. You know your own child better than they do.