Month: January 2021

crafting

Easy and Inexpensive Valentine’s for Kids

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Hey Loves!

As weird as 2020 was, I am sure we all learned a thing or 2. I for sure learned that people in our life love us so well. Almost too well to be honest. So, it is important to me to teach my kids how rare this kind of love is and to pay it forward. I love using holidays to do so. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought I would share some easy valentine ideas and ways to share them in these quarantine streets.

Let me start by saying I apparently have no control over myself or what I end up purchasing when I walk into a well-stocked Dollar Tree. It honestly blows my mind that my restraint is inhibited so badly. Anyway, my inability to show restraint is your gain.

Next, I over-love a free printable. If I don’t have to design it, I am as happy as a clam.

Cupid’s Glasses: I mean what’s cuter than little faces with bright colored sunnies? Attach a cute printable like this and, easy-peasy Valentines to share.

  1. Pencils: This is probably the most inexpensive and the most versatile. You can leave solo, attach to a crossword or note pad, pair with treats or game. When 12 cost $1, you have a little wiggle room to make a few things happen.
  1. Slinkies: I’ll say it, I really don’t care for them but kids love them. Soooooo, with a little washiest tape and a printable like this, spring goes my heart! Get it?

You’re Number 1 in My Book: Who doesn’t love a bookmark? Especially when it’s crafted by little hands with lots of love! I chose DIY heart stamps but you could certainly do paint, stencils, hand or finger prints and delight the hearts of readers dear to you. 

Tic Tac Toe Sets: I saved this one for last because it is the most time-intensive. I grabbed two colors of heart table throw, and burlap sacks from Dollar Tree and Paint Pens from Michale’s. I had my kids write “X” on one color and “O” on the other with the paint pens. Then, after letting them dry and printing, cutting and laminating a tic tac toe printable, I put them in cute burlap sacks. Fun for days!

Now, how would one share these safely whilst still in the throws of a Pandemic you ask? Here are my answers:

  1. Door stop drops: These are my favorite they bring so much joy and such a pleasant surprise.
  2. Social Distance Meet-ups with masks: If you have a Quran-team or those you trust, this could be a great time.
  3. The USPS- I know, they were all the way slacking and some of us are still getting Christmas presents. However, they still work and they need to be supported.

I’ll be doing a combo of all this because extra is as extra does.

Love you. Mean it.

crafting

Fun DIY Galentines

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Hey loves!

As I am sure your feeds and favorite stores have been bombarding you with Valentine everything, here I am with more hearts and flowers. I get it. Hear me out-mamas need love too!!! Aunties need love!!! Your girl who will gather you quickly but also bail you out of jail definitely deserves love. So, for a few years now I choose Valentine’s Day to show it. 

There are two parts to my galentines- a handwritten note and a practical gift. 

By practical I mean anything from wine, to coffee, to accessories. This year hit different though. Not to harp on 2020 but if nothing, it made me really value those in my life that needs showing up. Also, almost all of these would have to go in the mail so it couldn’t be heavy, crazy expensive or require batteries. Enter Pinterest. 

Pinterest is the unsung hero of my holiday celebrations. I mean, it knows me so well, it will suggest things that aren’t even in my peripheral. So, in November when this Galentine idea landed in my lap, I took it and upped the ante a little. 

If you know me, you know two things about me: 1. I believe you shouldn’t leave home without a monogram and 2. I am always in need of a scrunchie or hair tie. 

I feel like these are things my girls could benefit from so I gathered my supplies. 

I used:

–This printable (I printed on white card stock)

–Initial charms

-Scrunchies

-Needle and coordinating thread

-Note cards, pens and a bleeding heart

Method:

Using a needle thread with coordinated thread close to that of the scrunchie, attach the initial charm with a few stitches, securing well with several knots.

Then, wrap the scheunchie around the printed and cut tag. Next, write out your feels for your girl. Layer in envelopes or present gifts bags. Viola! Galentine for your gal pals. 

Yes, I made one for me too. 

Love you. Mean it.

Homeschool

Homeschool Curriculum Update: Black History and Math

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Hey Loves!

I am back with another homeschool curriculum update. If you need a refresher on how and why we ended up using these curriculums, check out this blog post.

Let’s start with Black History…

If you follow me on IG (and if you don’t, join in the fun!), I shared my planning method for the Black History curriculum I created for my kids (and still working on for others to purchase). I also shared how Black History is not just a month in our house. It is a tether that anchors us and inspires. Through my planning, so much was erupting in our country and Black History was being made before our very eyes. It was important to me that my children learn about the history being made, as it was being made. Which meant chucking what I planned. Why? That history wasn’t going anywhere. It would still be relevant and valid history in a few months or next year. The opportunity for my children to witness History being made in real time is a once in a lifetime chance. I wasn’t going to forfeit that experience for them. 

In return, we’ve had some really good and really tough conversations. Conversations I’d always prepared for but was never ready for. My children have seen me cry tears of mourning, anger, relief and joy. My children also got to play a role in making this history. They got to ask questions and share their opinions on solutions. Honestly, I pray I never forget that.

So, Black History went way off course but in the absolute best way.

Now to math. 

If you asked me to choose the subject I am and have always been the least comfortable instructing,  the answer will always be math. What is James’ most favorite subject? Math. Yes, this is my lot in life and I have no idea why.

What I do know is that I could either foster and be a good steward of his love for Math and let it rub off on his brother or I could be the reason he deplores it. Obviously, the goal is the former.

So, I knew what we ended the year with, Horizons Math and Math U See, where the ticket. To date, they are still working extremely well for us. James has made more gains than I ever imagined. It is working so well that I nixed the Spectrum math I got Jude and started him on Math U See Primer. I personally love the no-frills, minimal approach to both of these curriculums and I see no reason to change them going forward.

That’s all for now loves. I’ll be back soon with more curriculum updates and other fun things.

Love you. Mean it.

Raising Allies

Diverse Book Round-Up: Leaders, Activists and Wave-Makers

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Hey Loves!

New Year, more book collabs! Lakeisha from Maya’s Book Nook and I have planned content out for the next six months to keep your book shelves and library hold lists diverse and interesting! For our first one of 2021, we are celebrating all things Activists, Change-Agents and Wave-Makers. With all of the historical first in our country, we are excited to share this book list! Don’t forget, all the books are linked to bookshop for purchase or library hold or you can find the complete list here.

A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara is a great way to both introduce and remind young readers of how everyone can act and help our world. It introduces terms such as democracy, feminist, and indigenous with diverse and captivating illustrations. It carries the theme that we must individually work for the greater good of all.

We March by Shane W. Evans tells the story of how protests lead to change. Starting from an early wake up, the story follows a family as they prepare to march. With their family, community and civil rights and religious leaders, the reader sees glimpses of the historic March on Washington for freedom. 

Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton and Raul Colón is centered around the Freedom Riders and their protest in Atlanta. This collection of short stories told from the child protagonists point of view follows a family returning back to the south to fight for equality and against the evils of Jim Crow and racism. 

Superheroes Are Everywhere by Madam Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris is full of examples of superheroes around us every day. Each page is filled with a special memory of Harris, a person who is a superhero to her and a prompt for the reader to recognize what those around them do. This book is great conversation starter for how your little one can be a superhero. The book ends with a superhero pledge because it is easier to be a superhero than you think.

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford tells the story of the incomparable Fannie Lou Hamer. From her childhood in Mississippi, being 1 of 20 children in sharecropping and seeing the harsh reality of inequity and her love of learning. The reader will be moved by the prose that explains her forced sterilization and all the hurdles she jumped through to be able to vote and register others.  This is very detailed and a little lengthy so it is suggested for older readers, age 8 and above.

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi is a board book that features nine ways parents can raise their children to be antiracist. I’ve used this book as a baby shower gift since it was released. Not only do adults have to confront all of our biases, we have to be intentional when talking about race with little ones. As the research shows, it’s never too early to start the conversation.

Shirley Chisholm is a Verb by Veronica Chambers details the life of the most influential politicians, Shirley Chisholm. Not only was she the first Black woman in Congress, Chisholm was also the first to seek the Democratic nomination to be president. The vocabulary in this book is very rich and we had great conversations using verbs to describe our personalities after reading it. I love this one because it details her childhood and life prior to becoming a politician.

Kid Activists: True Tales of Childhood from Champions of Change by Robin Stevenson tells the stories of many of our favorite activists. I really like this one because often we hold these iconic figures to such a high regard, we forget that they were children at once. The stories told are extremely relatable and inspire both kids

Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War by Duncan Tonatiuh told a story that was new to me. Although he was treated unfairly, Luz always fought for what was right. He was bullied as a child for being a Mexican American and many showed prejudices towards him as he got older. To show that Mexican Americans loved the U.S., Luz volunteered to join the army during World War I. Unfortunately, he was still discriminated against and did not receive recognition for many of his contributions. Luz responded by helping to start the League of United Latin American Citizens, which is the oldest Latinx civil rights organization, to fight for equality upon his return home from the war.

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom is a book we were introduced to last year on Earth Day. This powerful tribute to water demonstrates its life-sustaining importance. The metaphors in this book are beautifully illustrated. We Are Water Protectors is a call to action for us all.

Homeschool

Homeschool Curriculum Update- Language Arts!

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Happy New Year Loves!

How is 2021 treating you so far? I surely hope you are well. If you can’t tell by the title, this is the first in a series of blog posts where I will be updating you on all of the curriculum we’ve used this year. If you need a refresher on what we are using for language arts (LA), check out this blog post. 

I would also like to preface this with homeschool curriculum is an experiment. It just is… you honestly really never how well something will work until you try it. 

Alright now to LA!

I’ll start with the All About Reading (AAR). This was the biggest investment for us, time wise and financially. After prepping both sets for each of my kids, I planned out the lessons. I’m not going to lie- I was intimidated. I was used to open-and-go, easy peasy instructions. Here’s what I’ve learned thus far. 

This curriculum is exactly what my kids need. I honestly can’t express to you the gains my kids have made since September using this curriculum. Not only is James reading more fluently, he now loves reading. It excites and delights him. It’s opened up a new portal for us in all subjects. Jude started this year not being able to recognize any letters consistently or know any phonemes. Now we are at 20/26 with 95% accuracy. Even better-I’m learning and growing with them. The curriculum comes with letter tiles and syllable tags. However, we opted to purchase the app for $20. I know, that’s a crazy amount for an app. However, it’s a lifetime purchase that I can use for both children through their matriculation of this program. 

I will also add this-once we got into a rhythm of homeschool the lessons became way easier to implement and much less intimidating. 

So, basically AAR is a hit and both my kids are excited for me to purchase the next levels for them. 

Our other LA picks for James were for grammar and spelling. Because I felt like AAR was going to need more times and reading is where I wanted the most focus, it was important to me that spelling and grammar were kinda bare-bones. I mean no frills, no videos, no manipulatives. Just simple lessons taught principle by principle. Growing With Grammar and Spelling You See are just that. I also like that there is plenty of time to practice previous lessons while learning new principles. 

Same goes for spelling you see. It was also important to me to have some things that James could easily complete independently so I could work with his brother, Jude. The copy work, rhyming and rhythm practice is just what the teacher ordered. 

Handwriting for both boys is Learning Without Tears (LWT). I honestly can’t say enough good things about this company. Even their price point is really good. For someone who never understood the schematics of teaching writing, let alone to children with a fine motor delay, LWT takes the cake, frosting, sprinkles and candles. Hands down. 

Lastly, we introduced journals this year. While we are still trying to find our footing with using them daily, we use them as frequently as I can and I love seeing their creativity, fine motor skills and critical thinking skills improve. 

All in all, language arts is a hit! I am still looking for good books to add to our library that challenge James and won’t be over Jude’s head… a tough one for this wanna be minimalist. Maybe I just need to cave and let us have a more expansive library? What do you think?

I’ll be back with all our other subjects in the coming weeks.

Love you. Mean it.