Mr. Deacon turns FIVE today! What a little man he has become. Still a scamp and a whirling dervish, yet kindness remains. He's becoming a little more physically affectionate and loves books, army guys, Legos and anything camo. He's become a whiz on his two wheeler.
The most exciting madness we are starting this month .... being on a budget! I'm putting Jesse in charge of groceries and take out treats. It just seems we have so much waste. Cereal goes stale, greens wilt, and leftovers need to be dated. I will clean out the fridge on grocery day. He will plan the menus and make the list. When I first moved back, they were on food assistance from the State.... less than $400 per month. I'm being very generous and starting out with $200 per week. It sounds like a giant sum of money but will include toiletries as well. Breakfast is always at home. Boys take packed lunches. I've been treating to take out food 5-7 times a month.
We are tightening the cash flow so we can send the boys to Montessori school in the fall. Braeden is so shy/anxious and rarely volunteers to answer in class, even though he knows the answer. Deacon is totally bored in preK and needs a challenge that HE is interested in. I fell in love with this type of teaching when I was in high school and read the book Summerhill, which is about a learn through play style without grades. I was one of those students who got great grades but not for the sake of learning ... just pleasing people with my grades.
Kate was originally more interested in the Waldorf system. I was more in favor of Montessori because of some of their graduates and their achievements.
MONTESSORI
Many parents choose Montessori because they believe it helps their children acquire leadership skills and independence in general. Kids work at whatever level they are working at. You don’t organize the room according to a specific age, but by a certain topic of discovery. Montessori students typically become high achieving lovers of learning.
WALDORF
This play-based approach is characterized by a predictable structure, providing children with a dependable routine, such as certain days of the week for set activities like baking or gardening, as well as mixed-age classrooms with the same teacher for multiple years. “There is an emphasis on creative learning, reading, singing, acting … It’s great for kids who want that predictability, but there is creativity there. It’s a blend
But NO technology. None. Which turned me off immediately. So easy to go in depth on a topic via the internet.
FAMOUS MONTESSORI GRADUATES
- Larry Page and Sergey Brin – founders of Google
- Jeff Bezos – founder of Amazon.com
- Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis – former first lady (John F. Kennedy)
- Sean ‘P.Diddy’ Combs – singer
- Prince William and Prince Harry
- T. Berry Brazelton – pediatrician and author
- Julia Child – author, chef, TV cooking shows
- Elizabeth Berridge – actress
- Kami Cotler – actress
- Melissa and Sarah Gilbert – actors
- Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Nobel Prize winner for Literature
- Katherine Graham – ex-owner of the Washington Post
- Anne Frank – author, diarist from World War II
And yes, I have to have my will and other such legal stuff re-done in Oregon. What happened to the days where I could just write it on paper and put it in an envelope "open upon my death"?
This is pretty exciting for the boys and for you and their parents. I read a bit about the Montessori learning method in the 70s, when my son was that age, but I didn't realize that it had been around for so long. I looked it up and now know that Montessori's first school was the Casa dei Bambini in Rome in 1906. I hope you write more about this after they've attended for a while.
ReplyDeleteI will post updates! Kidults go for tour and observation tomorrow. So exciting ... they have a list of great questions to ask. My main goal is to teach them how to love learning ... not just grades. I'd be a different person, I think.
DeleteAm I understanding that you can feed a family of five on $200 a week? That sounds impossible, judging by my own grocery bills.
ReplyDeleteI'm lost when it comes to educational systems.
We are ALL thinking $200 is too much! I read too many frugal blogs ... feeding a family of 5 on $75 week. But they eat PBJ every day for lunch. Check out on FB "Living on a Dime" ... her Mom on very small SS showed what she ate for a week for $14. So I feel VERY generous about the $200.
DeleteThere's a learning system for anyone these days! Montessori is a tried but true experience.
The weekly allotment does NOT include my wine, as that is solely for me. Nor does it include their caffeine drinks as they each have their own bad habit! But everything else including laundry and cleaning and TP. Very doable. Jesse is great with coupons and comparison shopping. What a gem!
DeleteI'm glad I don't have to live on a dime and I refuse to be that frugal just for the "fun" of it. I know if I ever have to do it, I've got a ton of ways to save money on grocery shopping. A few weeks ago after the power outage when I had to throw out all the groceries in my refrigerator and freezer, it cost me roughly $180 to restock and it was still barer than before. I routinely spend $80 a week but that includes laundry supplies, filters, over-the-counter meds, etc.
DeleteIt can be a BIG number ... or as thrifty as possible. there are many items I will ONLY use a "brand" name as we grew up on generic or store brands and some are NOT as good as the real thing.
DeleteMy sister and husband tried to live on food stamps for a week to show you CAN eat healthy. They were constantly hungry and ran out of money. I think anyone who works for welfare department should try to live on the allotment. At least for a week if not a month. They would be a lot more understanding!
A senator tried to do that once. Couldn't make it.
DeleteI mean a little bit helps ... but if you are a single mom with two little children so impossible to get a job (it would ALL go to daycare ... and the kind where kids end up hurt or dead) ... how can the small amount sustain them? It's crazy
DeleteBy the way--reading one of your other posts, Ambien can cause daytime tiredness, grogginess and loss of energy. I gave it up and went to natural Melatonin--5mg. Does the trick just great.
ReplyDeleteI've gone off for a while several times ... but if I don't get enough sleep ... nothing goes right. IF I have sleep apnea and we get that under control, then I probably don't need Ambien!
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