1. NCMTA State
John and Mary competed several weeks ago for the North Carolina Music Teachers' Association and not one, but both!, advanced to the state level. Last Saturday, Chris took them to the competition and not one, but both!, received Highest Honors and were invited to perform at the Winners' Recital!
We attended the Recital as a family where Chris graciously offered to walk the one- and three-year-olds around the grounds so I could sit in and watch. (Afterward, he took us all to a celebratory dinner.)
Each student had competed with three pieces, and then got to choose one to perform at the recital.
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| The statewide recipients of Highest Honors |
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| John and Mary with their piano teacher Randy Jones |
2. Mercurial Spring Weather
On Saturday, I gathered the children to help me weed the front flower bed and add some fresh soil. (I had thought I needed one bag, so I asked Chris to buy me two bags. Turns out I probably needed ten bags.) Some neighborhood kids came over to weed because it was a fun thing to do.
The spring flowers were so beautiful on our Sunday family walk!
Then on Tuesday morning--the day after April Fool's!--it snowed: for-real snow, even sticking and accumulating to about two inches in parts of Charlotte.
The next day? Sunny and 70s again!
By Friday? Pouring grey rain all day!
3. Managing Solo
Chris was out of town Sunday through Friday, so I knew it would be a week full of opportunity for me to grow in virtue . . . with garden variety tasks, like managing all the night wakings for the three littlest ones (this week: nursing baby, growing pains in the legs, and repeated nightmares about moths) to some more challenging adventures, like taking everyone up to the Steinway Gallery for Mary's practice on the $200,000 piano she gets to compete on next weekend, and taking all six to an hour-long, two-child orthodontist appointment (in the snow! see out the window?). I normally protect our school mornings like a guard dog, so losing two of them threw me into a tizzy. |
| Doing school at the orthodontist while it snowed |
Thomas (3-1/2) dresses himself and I was way too tired to care that we were going in public with him wearing a striped shirt paired with a train sweater vest, camo pants, a John Deere cap, a too-long red scarf, and blue shoes (without socks) on the wrong feet.
I thank God that we're half a day from Chris' arrival home as of this writing and we haven't faced any truly dramatic misadventures. Thomas walked into a metal swing going full force that hit him on the bridge of his nose--which, based on bruising all the rest of the week, I do actually think he probably fractured--but I didn't take him into a hospital or anything.
4. Artwork
Thomas' sweet baby hand of a three-year-old next two his little drawings . . .
"Eagle with Fish" by Mary (10) . . .
Margaret (8) working on a series of dinosaur drawings . . .
5. Principle of Subsidiarity in Parenting
The Catholic principle of subsidiarity "is an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. Political decisions should be taken at a local level if possible, rather than by a central authority."
I realized this week a couple of areas where I could (needed to) have lower levels of competent authority take over tasks, freeing me up to do tasks that only I can do. For example, each week I am turned into a raving lunatic trying to get six of us out the door (waking two from the middle of sound naps) on time to drive an hour to Scottish Dance with baggage that makes it look like we're going on a weekend trip. It's a worthwhile endeavor because the children are in 90 minutes of an excellent, culturally wholesome dance class while the littler ones get a playground visit, then everyone plays for another hour at sports organized by the older children, and all the mothers involved offer each other spiritual encouragement and joy-filled conversation during the afternoon. However, with an hour-long drive on each end, the latter in rush hour, and needing to feed ourselves dinner, it's a really exhausting outing sometimes five hours long.
It just hit me last week: my 10- and 12-year-old kids can do this work, but only I can drive.
So, I wrote up lists, explained what I needed, and they enthusiastically took on the job. All I did was wake up two boys, help with potty checks and shoes, and drive both ways.
Lastly, when we got home from dance this week, which is always at the little ones' bedtime, I instituted new policies.
1. I unveiled an improvement to the Van Unloading Procedure. Maybe you don't know any children like this, but I have witnessed on numerous occasions that one child behaving lazily will unload an item from the van, walk it into the house, and disappear for five minutes. In the meanwhile, another child who is being industrious that day will have unloaded five items, running back and forth into the house. Cue the big fight of "it's not fair" and "he/she isn't doing enough work."
I'm sure you don't know any siblings like this.
This week, because I'm slow on the uptake, I figured out to require the children to UNLOAD EVERYTHING (e.g., Scottish Dance, groceries for the week, Sunday church outing belongings) before EVEN ONE of them is allowed to go indoors. (They were totally foiled!) Then we all walk the items from the giant pile on the driveway into the house together so that nobody can shirk.
Because nobody likes a shirker.
2. On Thursday night, we piled everything on the kitchen table, but nobody was allowed to leave the kitchen until every last item was put away in its proper place so it wouldn't be Mama up at 9:00 p.m. working at it for half an hour.
Many hands make light work.
The principle of subsidiarity is so valuable to a Catholic homeschooling mama. About every six months, I review our chore lists and see if anything can be knocked down to children lower on the hierarchy so that the oldest children can take on bigger tasks.
This week, with my husband gone, I could see some good fruits (as we Christians say) in my 12-year-old son, who would see something that needed repair and just do it. Who would do his own laundry without being asked. Who came up to me and said, "Mama, I need your van keys. I'm going to replace your washer fluid. You're out and it's Pollen Week." Who immediately halted school and took over when I was sick one morning and had to go lay in bed for an hour--who especially kept my one- and three-year-olds safe.
I'm counting the weeks or months that David (19 months) is still content and willing to be strapped into his high chair while I cook a meal, as I know that won't last forever. Then he will join three-year-old Thomas whom I keep "captive" by "letting" him help me. One night, he stacked all my ingredients for me, which was very "helpful," indeed.
Indeed, sometimes David is on the loose while I cook, and he loves to stand at the counter and stack my K-cups, while declaring "ta da!"
In Really Big News (in my tiny world) and related to the Catholic principle of subsidiarity written about above, this week, my older kids cooked breakfast for all seven of us on four out of five weekdays so that I could exercise on the elliptical by myself.
My bloggers don't know--but some of my friends do--how many tears I've cried and immature tantrums I've thrown over the last couple of years as I have not been able to figure out how to exercise because I always have the little ones around me (and, no, there is no waking up early enough before them, not even 5:00 a.m.).
On various days, the 10- and 12-year-olds cooked toast and eggs, bagels and sausage, and pancakes on the griddle, while I huffed away in the other room, my 1-year-old was happily locked in his high chair being entertained by siblings, and the three- and six-year-olds played. Nobody fought! No TV was even used!
This has been so many years coming.
But I'm a real control freak! a reader might say. I couldn't let my kids that young cook without my even being in the room. I think they'd mess it up!
Within the bounds of what I hope is still healthy psychology, I'm at the far end of the spectrum of Control Freak: it's healthy spiritually and important to let kids clean and cook, even though it won't be as good as an adult can do.
** Note that if you're one of my teenage readers, you should check with your parents before watching the below videos because one includes some vulgar language and all include a lot of video of open-air drug use and public urination and defecation on the streets, as well as description of violent crimes. **
A one-hour news video was sent my way this week and provided fascinating watching, in intervals, while I exercised on the elliptical. I was aware of the horrific problems in San Francisco (which I visited many times, growing up nearby) and Paris (which I visited about 15 years ago), but hearing the shocking statistics and seeing the revolting video and photos of the state of Seattle was news to me. Beautiful Seattle and San Francisco now have far higher crime rates than do either New York City or Los Angeles.
It is grievously sad to see the drug-addicted and seriously mentally ill allowed to suffer with their "freedom" on the streets, living in more filth than an animal should live in. No amount of tax-payer billions can cure a drug addict who is allowed to keep doing drugs or a mentally ill person who is allowed to live without medications and structure.
It is also grievously offensive to see hard-working and honest folks who are choosing not to use drugs having their private property, homes, businesses, health and safety, and taxpayer-funded public parks destroyed by this filth.
I can say that I won't be visiting San Francisco when I go back to California this summer and I wouldn't visit Seattle or Paris either.
"Seattle is Dying" by KOMO News (one hour)
Kassy Dillon on San Francisco's Homeless Crisis and the Opioid Epidemic
A 13-minute video on Paris by Paul Joseph Watson (warning about language and general sarcasm)
For more 7 Quick Takes Friday, check out This Ain't the Lyceum.
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| John (12) is in charge of all our baggage. |
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| Mary (10) is in charge of our picnic dinner. |
Lastly, when we got home from dance this week, which is always at the little ones' bedtime, I instituted new policies.
1. I unveiled an improvement to the Van Unloading Procedure. Maybe you don't know any children like this, but I have witnessed on numerous occasions that one child behaving lazily will unload an item from the van, walk it into the house, and disappear for five minutes. In the meanwhile, another child who is being industrious that day will have unloaded five items, running back and forth into the house. Cue the big fight of "it's not fair" and "he/she isn't doing enough work."
I'm sure you don't know any siblings like this.
This week, because I'm slow on the uptake, I figured out to require the children to UNLOAD EVERYTHING (e.g., Scottish Dance, groceries for the week, Sunday church outing belongings) before EVEN ONE of them is allowed to go indoors. (They were totally foiled!) Then we all walk the items from the giant pile on the driveway into the house together so that nobody can shirk.
Because nobody likes a shirker.
2. On Thursday night, we piled everything on the kitchen table, but nobody was allowed to leave the kitchen until every last item was put away in its proper place so it wouldn't be Mama up at 9:00 p.m. working at it for half an hour.
Many hands make light work.
The principle of subsidiarity is so valuable to a Catholic homeschooling mama. About every six months, I review our chore lists and see if anything can be knocked down to children lower on the hierarchy so that the oldest children can take on bigger tasks.
This week, with my husband gone, I could see some good fruits (as we Christians say) in my 12-year-old son, who would see something that needed repair and just do it. Who would do his own laundry without being asked. Who came up to me and said, "Mama, I need your van keys. I'm going to replace your washer fluid. You're out and it's Pollen Week." Who immediately halted school and took over when I was sick one morning and had to go lay in bed for an hour--who especially kept my one- and three-year-olds safe.
6. Sous Chefs
Margaret (8) graduated to being allowed to make Sunday dessert for the family: this week, she made fresh chocolate chip cookies! Good job, Margaret! (It wasn't snowing yet, so we enjoyed them on the warm back porch with milk.)
I'm counting the weeks or months that David (19 months) is still content and willing to be strapped into his high chair while I cook a meal, as I know that won't last forever. Then he will join three-year-old Thomas whom I keep "captive" by "letting" him help me. One night, he stacked all my ingredients for me, which was very "helpful," indeed.
Indeed, sometimes David is on the loose while I cook, and he loves to stand at the counter and stack my K-cups, while declaring "ta da!"
In Really Big News (in my tiny world) and related to the Catholic principle of subsidiarity written about above, this week, my older kids cooked breakfast for all seven of us on four out of five weekdays so that I could exercise on the elliptical by myself.
My bloggers don't know--but some of my friends do--how many tears I've cried and immature tantrums I've thrown over the last couple of years as I have not been able to figure out how to exercise because I always have the little ones around me (and, no, there is no waking up early enough before them, not even 5:00 a.m.).
On various days, the 10- and 12-year-olds cooked toast and eggs, bagels and sausage, and pancakes on the griddle, while I huffed away in the other room, my 1-year-old was happily locked in his high chair being entertained by siblings, and the three- and six-year-olds played. Nobody fought! No TV was even used!
This has been so many years coming.
But I'm a real control freak! a reader might say. I couldn't let my kids that young cook without my even being in the room. I think they'd mess it up!
Within the bounds of what I hope is still healthy psychology, I'm at the far end of the spectrum of Control Freak: it's healthy spiritually and important to let kids clean and cook, even though it won't be as good as an adult can do.
7. Bonus Viewing
** Note that if you're one of my teenage readers, you should check with your parents before watching the below videos because one includes some vulgar language and all include a lot of video of open-air drug use and public urination and defecation on the streets, as well as description of violent crimes. **
A one-hour news video was sent my way this week and provided fascinating watching, in intervals, while I exercised on the elliptical. I was aware of the horrific problems in San Francisco (which I visited many times, growing up nearby) and Paris (which I visited about 15 years ago), but hearing the shocking statistics and seeing the revolting video and photos of the state of Seattle was news to me. Beautiful Seattle and San Francisco now have far higher crime rates than do either New York City or Los Angeles.
It is grievously sad to see the drug-addicted and seriously mentally ill allowed to suffer with their "freedom" on the streets, living in more filth than an animal should live in. No amount of tax-payer billions can cure a drug addict who is allowed to keep doing drugs or a mentally ill person who is allowed to live without medications and structure.
It is also grievously offensive to see hard-working and honest folks who are choosing not to use drugs having their private property, homes, businesses, health and safety, and taxpayer-funded public parks destroyed by this filth.
I can say that I won't be visiting San Francisco when I go back to California this summer and I wouldn't visit Seattle or Paris either.
"Seattle is Dying" by KOMO News (one hour)
Kassy Dillon on San Francisco's Homeless Crisis and the Opioid Epidemic
A 13-minute video on Paris by Paul Joseph Watson (warning about language and general sarcasm)
For more 7 Quick Takes Friday, check out This Ain't the Lyceum.
Seeing these lovely cities deteriorate is heartbreaking. I toured Paris over 30 years ago with my sister and returned 2 years ago with my children, sisters, and nieces. The city has changed so much over time. Good governance truly matters!
ReplyDeleteI’m so impressed with John and Mary’s piano performance!!! Bravo!!! They are fine musicians ! And bravo to a wonderful mama:) at what age did they start lessons and what books do you use to start them off in piano?
ReplyDeleteThank you! John started at age 6, I think, when we got our first piano. His first instructor was not a good fit, so he started with our current instructor at 7 and his piano took off then. Mary started with our current instructor at 5 (and started violin 6 months later). Our instructor made his own instructional sheet music to create a course of his own. Once our children got the hang of that, then he was teaching them songs off of the competition lists for various competitions, just working their way up the levels.
ReplyDeleteOur next two children started piano at 4. Our teacher and I think that is a very good age to start children, but I will say that it is probably too early for a large family like ours because young children NEED a parent to sit with them during lessons and every practice. Otherwise, it's lesson money going down the drain. So, my later kids got a much slower start because I could rarely sit with them. But now I have accomplished older children whom I can hire to sit with their younger siblings during practice, so now it's going well again.
WHat a blessing to have found a wonderful teacher at such a young age! I have a degree in music and I paid a big price for having had a bad teacher from age 6 through highschool. I was put on probation as a freshman and was able to audition into the music department but how I would’ve benefited from learning right the first time!
ReplyDeleteYour children are blessed!!!
I have a 5 yr old now and am very hesitant to begin teaching her. I think I’m a bit traumatized from my experience and I don’t want to mess her up. It is one thing to master an instrument and a very different one to be able to teach others ( especially little fingers). I have seen wonderful pianists, natural prodigies, unable to explain the how’s of their execution. And not the best performers be able to train up the best musicians! It’s funny how that works.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your blog thank you for letting me peek into your beautiful family ❤️
ReplyDelete