Fledglings Fly into July!

[BlueEyeshadow]

Welcome to the July 2012 Fledgling Flyers thread. Park your mops, buckets and microfibre cloths here!!

A huge "thank you" to SanguineChompa for leading us throughout June!!

If your house is a mess and you are strugging with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of chat, support and wine along the way.

We advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's tips on restoring order to our homes, and as we are all at different stages we will be using one of the following methods:

• repeat or start baby steps

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

All welcome!!

Apologies for starting the thread so late - it took SC lobbing the duster at me to make me remember it's July tomorrow (and I've blatantly cut and pasted her OP too)!

The first baby step is to shine your sink! See here for the Fat Fairy's tutorial...

No mission because it's Sunday. But here's the flight plan for established flyers

ok...have blitzed kitchen,tidied hallway and rebooted laundry....
1 hour till school pick up...what next more tea maybe!

Very interesting to read about all children's battles (or triumphs) with phonics. I wonder if reading is just more difficult for spectrumy children, OFM? (Although it doesn't sound as if you Aspie son had any problem, Swan). We had no choice but to battle through the phonics lessons because that was how it was done at school, but DS2 just 'got' reading almost at once and happily sits and reads chapter books to himself at six. So long as they all get there in the end, it's fine.

Slept for two hours this morning and woke to find the house in silence. Eek! What had happened to my DC? In fact, they were exactly where I'd left them: one glued to the computer, the other to the TV screen . I am feeling, if anything, even worse than this morning, so DH is coming home from work early.

DS1 did keep an eye on his little brother, but that seemed to involve a lot of shouting at him . DS2 asked me if we could go camping on our own in the summer and leave DS1 at home . Maybe it's time for me to read that 'Siblings without Rivalry' book, Swan.

I should get DS2's report this afternoon - I've asked a fellow mum to collect it for me. I'll have a look for the phonics screening result. And I want to see if we are definitely getting That Teacher next year.

Feet - sorry life is feeling such a struggle at the moment. Sounds like you need a break.

Right, am going back to bed in DS2's room, so that he has company. Am hoping I can doze .

DS (now Yr 3, with AS) clicked with reading in the summer of Yr 1 and just took off. He has never been the most "phonic" of readers, more the see a word once and remember it type. His reading has overtaken his comprehension, so we need to work on that now. DD has certainly improved a lot overall, our school doesn't seem to be obsessed with phonics (they are obsessed with comprehension, but that's OK by me). THey don't seem overly worried about DD, but have agreed to giver her some phonics intervention next term.

Feet - you sound like me. Bodyclutter - fail, Flying - fail, school disco x 2 tonight - aargh! Plus DD having a friend round after school and the Scout AGM tonight

Ds started a reading scheme using phonics at 3 because he had been demanding to learn to read since he was 2 and half. i made him wait Phonics was brilliant for him. I think for child with auditory processing issue it is a nightmare as OFM has said. However me and my sister learnt to read at different eras of opinion. I had the look say opinion she had phonics and I can categorically say that for a dyslexic the phonics approach is better, much much much better. I was nearly in high school before I learnt. Also ds applies the rules of phonics to spellings and builds it up in reverse meaning he rarely has trouble with spellings. It can be a good thing but I think learning to read is just a case of what words for one doesn't necessarily work for all. And personally I found in the early days it required a lot hours upon hours of input into helping him learn the basic rules. So that there wasn't fluency just sounding out sounds to build the words and to recognise how the sounds build. School I worked in said you could always tells which parents read with their children and which didn't. I had one boy complain he didnt see the point in learning to sound out until I gave him a very very complicated word way above the level he would be expected to read and should him that if you used the rules and broke it down into the phonics groups that he could actually read what it was even if he had no idea what the word meant. I see the arguement from both parts but learning to read is a high input activity, it's hard when schools struggle to find enough time to do everything and parents have to work all hours to survive. Then again learning to read is just plain fucking hard!

Any how. I would appear I too have a soap box to get down off wrt reading

Just gave up and slept today. Done fuck all so far. Must get up for school run. Perhaps this afternoon will be more productive now I feel so much less tired.

whoknows ds' reading has over taken his comprehension too, but when he is determined to read words such as photosynthesis, photon and other such not quite sure what to do about it. Going to have to try to use the summer reading challenge to redirect him back to more age appropriate reading I think.

Toffee I know you are jumping around about the van BUT our local dump won't accept stuff brought in a van as they say they are for house holdres and not businesses and vans are typical householder amounts or some such nonsense. Might be worth checking before you fill the van and drag it all up there?

To do:
Laundry
Must find library card -ds' preferably
do something about the chaos that is the minefield where my bedroom once was
training
erm
erm
erm
well whatever catches my eye and annoys me in the moment.

Whole house is a bombsite again (well except the lounge) so anything that gets done is a bonus.

Good point - we're not allowed into the tip with commercial vehicles unless you have a permit. There was a big fuss here a while back because a man who had a little estate car type van for his business tried to get in the tip with stuff from his house and they wouldn't let him.

I used to read regularly with children in DS's class and agree, you could tell the ones who never read at home, even without looking in their diaries. Thankfully it wasn't many of them. It's hard for us to do phonics systematically at home though, as we don't use phonic type books in our school so you just end up doing random sounding out as needed.

OFM LOL! I am thoroughly confused now that I've read the Diet Trap...had for lunch three pieces of cheese, some peas and a piece of red pepper. Surely it was better to have a sandwich, whatever he may say about his carbs...
I was doing nicely until I remembered the nuts on Thursday, since then I feel a strong desire to gobble handful of nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds just because he implied nuts were better than potatoes. I think it was better when I was just plain hungry and motivated. Thinking too much about your calories makes you fat!

I have been putting my phonics thinking cap on again. Disclaimer. I learnt all my phonics from Dr Seuss. I suppose I dislike the way they now concentrate on different vowels, send long lists of words to learn with those vowel sounds and assume that is the way that reading is learnt, and without it, no child can learn to read. For some children it will be the best way to learn to read (formalised blending of sounds), but for lots of children it doesn't actually work, despite all the time they spend on it in class. Either it is not the efficient method it claims to be, or it only works if it is done to exclusion of some other beneficial Reception and Yr activities...

Toffee oh that is so familiar...I mean the rooted to the spot on screens scenario, time standing still. Also the looking out of window for DH cavalry.

Now, if you read Siblings Without Rivalry, she would suggest that you respond to ds2' request to go camping without ds1 by repeating back to him the words, Ahh, I see You Don't Want Your Brother to Go Camping, nodding wisely, and see what happens next. Frightening isn't it? My instinct would be to say, oh we cant leave him behind, fudge coverup false cheery, whereas what you are meant to do is ACKNOWLEDGE how annoying he finds his brother, and leave it at that.

Nothing is working, my throat remains sore, and I'm incredibly tired [sigh] but can't either go to sleep or get anything done..

Ironing board

swan must say I was not overly impressed by The Diet Trap. mostly as I thought it was moving away from traditional "restrictive" type diets , but then enbded up with a loooong lists of all the things you weren't "supposed" to eat....including ALL grains - far too restrictive for me.
I liked the premise of Beyond Chocolate - eating when truly hungry and not totally banning ANY food....but the thought of going out and buying 30 odd chocolate bars just so I knew that they were not a BAD food....seemed a bit of a recipe for disaster!
The Normal Eating Book I like quite a lot - talked lots about eating when truly hungry and not using food for emotional reasons , with some tips on overcoming this. Also talked a lot about not Obsessing over weight, and accepting your body etc...
I am definitely an emotional eater , so hoping maybe the Paul McKenna book can help me even more kick the emotional eating habit!

whole phonics issue very complicated it seems1 I am just thankful that after our struggles with reading with dd3 , dd4 has taken to it like a duck to water.

right, back from school pick up....feeling a bit grim actually - not sure why, hopefully not being struck down by bug
now need to sort tea and try to restore and maintain some sort of peace and harmony to 4 over tired dc
BBL

Wooohooo exam marking done. I can live again. Sorry for absence. Have been snowed under with exam marking/emotional trauma but i am slowly coming out the other side.

On a personal level. I am doing ok. I am really sad but not crying into my pillow every night which suggests it was the right thing to do and DH has said the same. He has just found a place to live and it is all becoming very real now. Dc's are coping remarkably well but I think they have realised that most things are staying the same and that they still get to see lots of DH. DS also said, quite perceptively, that the time he gets with Dad now is proper Dad time and is better. He has also cottoned on to 2 lots of pocket money. It's hard but not quite as hard as I thought it might be.

Flying has been non-existent but I am awaiting the summer holidays to re-start in earnest. Am planning a big clearout and spring clean in the first couple of weeks, completely ignoring all of the fat fairy's advice.

I have had a quick scan through posts to try and get back up to speed. Noticed the talk about phonics/reading. DS always struggle with reading until Year 2 when he seemed to take off. I had no idea how they taught it at school and was always wary of teaching him the wrong thing. Ironically, being a teacher myself, I am often one of those parents who doesn't write in reading books. I read with him all the time but never write it in. I also find it hard to engage ds with reading. He will read for a bit and get excited about a new book but then it will all fade away. Any recommendations for reluctant 8yr old boys. We have tried Roald Dahl, early Harry Potter, famous five and Horrid Henry to name a few. Dd on the other hand will wander around the house reciting her phonics to me and she's not even in reception yet.

Going to pick dc's up from cm's now. Report day for both of them. Eeek.

On the plus side...i have found emotion trauma is the key to Body Clutter. 10lb lost. It is but a mere drop in the fat ocean but onwards and upwards! If you are using MFP, i am on there under my mn username.

whoknows don't worry about the phonics test. I see it more as a way of the school seeing how they are teaching and the children progressing. DD dis it and passed but I know quite a few in her school and the school that I work in didn't. It just means that the school will know where the gaps are any they will retake in June next year.

ellie have been thinking about you. sounds like you are handling it really well. It must be very hard though. and yay for final count down for summer hols !
right...had forgotten dh was going out tonight so will need to distract myself to avoid usual Friday chocolate nibbling/wine drinking
BBL

Ellie I am exactly the same re writing in dd's reading diary but then have to speak to parents at my school about not doing the same (although I do read with her every night)

Sounds like dc are handling things well.

Well it's certainly not a migraine so another day off school fighting this bug. Not a great time as loads to sort out being end of school year. Only positive I can find was that was in for two parcel deliveries today and managed to book an October half term holiday whilst feeling sorry for myself. No flying done though

Thanks everyone for kind words re phonics test. I was not surprised she'd failed it, but she really did get a pretty low mark. Some of the other threads about it made it sound like a catastrophe if you failed by more than a couple of marks. Knew I would find common sense here!

Good to have you back Ellie I will find you on MFP, quite a lot of us are on there with MN usernames neglects to mention the fact that she hasn't logged on to it for a fortnight

Just in a lull in proceedings at the moment. DD and friend are at the KS1 disco, got to go back for the switchover with DS at 7 then drop DD home before going to Scout AGM and back to school, luckily all are only about 5 mns walk from the house. It was strange having a boy over to play with DD. They have been by fond of each other since Yr R, an odd dynamic though, friend played football with DS most of the time and DD was referee. Which was fine. Was quite reassuring to find that friend is as big a fussy eater as DS, in fact made DS look quite non-fussy!

I am listening to a circus from my front room! There is one on the field opposite, can hear it all happening, we are going to go tomorrow, it is usually very good. Fascinating watching them getting it all ready and packed up, when it goes they have the entire thing packed away and gone in about 2 hours, you see all the acrobats etc out there doing all the heavy work. Once we were walking past on the way to school and this rather attractive man emerged fom the big top, ran up the outside of it and planted a flag on top. The DCs were wowed so was I but for different reasons.

Well despite DD being under the weather today has been a productive one!

Ta da:
Cut grass front and back
School run
Walked dog
Visited my mum
Had a potential new mindee round to look around- fingers crossed!
Hoovered
Cleaned kitchen floor
Cleaned kitchen tops
Washed up and shined sink
Laundry- on going
Had new tyres put on car and went for petrol

for DD whoknows It must be so disheartening for you both!

Hope you are feeling better swan

at the run ofm! You certainly put me to shame , at all the diet books!

Get well soon toffee and makingchanges!

I'm glad you are feeling ok about things ellie and it's really good you have had an amicable split! You sound very positive about things! And congratulations on the body clutter!

Ta-da!

Walked to school and back (saw SENCO, dropped DCs)
Morning routine and an hour paid work
Coffee with friends - took a bag of paperbacks and gave them all away
Walked to school and back (gardening club)
Shopping
Home - an hour of tidying + 2 loads of washing
Walked to school and back (get DCs and friend)
Fed and entertained DCs etc
Walked to school and back (KS1 disco)
Collapsed for a bit
Walked to school and back (disco switchover)
Walked to Scout AGM and back (opposite direction)
Walked to school and back (last disco pickup, also took another friend home and GOT SOAKED)
Chinese takeaway ordered - DH to fetch

Just got to get the DCs into bed then here I come

Just read through the thread but can't remember who posted what about phonics and reading and diets etc.

Unrelated to dieting - the feast/famine cycle of freelancing has swung heavily onto feast for the first time in months. 'Tis good but seriously cutting down my MN time!

Ellie - glad to see you again and that you're doing OK. Do you want to take over the thread next week or shall I keep posting the links? (I'm happy either way.)

Hope your feel better soon Toffee and MC

*
Links:

No mission for Saturday - Family Fun Day...

Babystep 14 is another reading one...
*

Waves to all. Good night!

Morning!

Bit of a daunting day at what should be a lovely family BBQ, only my ex and his new girlfriend will be there...I have the upper hand in that I have multiple texts of XP begging to get back with me whilst he was with said girlfriend, however I will be super smiley and nice and a social butterfly and pretend they aren't there...(my life isnt really like an episode of Jeremy kyle I promise!)

To do:
Walk dog
Tackle BBQ
Put laundry away, wash DD clothes
Tidy playroom
Hoover

That's probably all I'll have time for! BBL!

Good luck, lauren.

Spent most of yesterday in bed. DH came home from work and took over the house and children . However, I was up and down like a yoyo with DS2 all night because he kept coughing, waking up and shouting, "I'm scared!" Ended up sleeping with him. Anyone know a good nightlight? I think it might help. We leave the door open with the landing light on, but he still says he's scared of the dark .

DC both seem much better and DS1 even went off for another sleepover with his best friend last night, so it's just me that's ill now. Still, it's a good excuse to spend Saturday morning in bed on MN.

morning all.....
lauren enjoy BBQ if you can.

am feeling reasonably ok this morning - glad now I didnt give in to Friday night wine craving!

so....to do today:
DD3 and 4 to dancing- 9.30
dd1 and 2 to horse riding 2.30
buy new trainers for dd3 for trip on Monday
sort back packs for dd3 and 4 for trips on Monday
buy jar for sweets for end of term gift for dd2 teacher
sort gifts for other numerous teachers - maybe bake? make pretty labels? be creative?
long walk for dogs - maybe brave the VVVV muddy woods?
bath dogs!
LOTS of washing clean clothes away
dust/ hoover our room
listen to Pual McKenna cd!!!

right...best get girls sorted...BBL

toffee xposts - hope you're feeling better soon.

Well bugger me, tis a lovely morning here and we have a strange round thing in the sky emitting warmth.

Just come back from dropping DS at the bus for a cub fun day so it is just me and dd today. Plenty to do however as the house is a shit tip. Am not list posting because there is so much to do it would take forever, suffice to say my list is.... Whole House.

Dc's got their reports yesterday and I have a few issues and need to pick your lovely brains later as to what to do but to do it now would just be procrastinating.

blue i will take over on Monday if you want.

lauren hope bbq goes as well as it can.

toffee glad you are feeling a bit better

Better go. Tesco delivery due any moment and currently have no worksurface clear in the kitchen to put it on. My kitchen is very small though.

Whoops. toffee i read that you had been ill and now felt better. Clearly not! Hope you feel better soon.

Morning all - hope you manage some rest today Toffee. We've got a little plug-in eco nightlight that gives out a gentle glow, like this but ours is green, we got ours in the Oxfam shop but they haven't got it on their website Nightlight. Some great stuff on that website!

Lauren - sounds as though you definitely have the moral high ground, just feel sorry for the new girlfriend and rise above it all.

Ellie - I have read the reports once through, I did get a bit fixated on the phonics stuff, but I have decided to leave the rest of it for a few days to digest.

Blue - thanks for all the links and rounding up, don't worry if you are too busy to spend much time on here, it's good that you have plenty of work.

OFM - that sounds like an impressive list.

OK, today I have despatched DH with the DCs to their swimming lessons so I can get on with my OU assessment, but I feel more like re-organising and tidying, I got on quite a roll with it yesterday afternoon. However I am going to make another cuppa, stick the WM on, have a quick shower and get on with the OU stuff. Back later

Urgh. I am awake I think. Don't want to be though.

Loads and loads to do but will copy Ellie's excellent example for list:

Whole house.

New pe top
shorts will do - just
new school bag
pencil case - cheap colours and pencils etc
new lunch box
trousers will do - but check length
new jumpers - need to name
3 polo shirts will do - need to get 3 more

Can anyone see anything I have forgotten in that list. Bag, new shirts ad jumpers need naming? Old jumpers and shirts need names removing. Shoes and pumps will be bought closer to sept as his feet are currently growing.