We may be in our lockdown cages but our wings aren’t clipped! Flapping Fledglings Flying Amicably Through April, thread 2!

[LaneBoy]

Just opening the new thread while I have a chance! All welcome here, join in with the housework chat, the keep calm corner and general ramblings about life in lockdown!
Any of us have been here a long time so we may seem cliquey but it’s never intentional - newbies and returners are always welcome.

Spoken to my family on video call just now which always leaves me feeling a bit sad, I really want to see them properly the kids keep interrupting and I don't feel like I've had a proper chat. I think I'm missing other adult female conversation, I love my dh to pieces but he doesn't really just chat!

You guys are great for chat though

Oh, foxes, I'm sorry, that's tough. I have totally failed on the housekeeping apart from stripping our bed and getting the linen washed and on the line, and getting to Tesco for stuff we can't manage without.

We did speak to to FIL - Fluff, you have him absolutely nailed! As long as I can laugh at it it's ok, but I know he drives DH (only child) to distraction with his endless selfishness.

We ended up talking about family history on his mother's side, and now I am happily ploughing that furrow while DH stews rhubarb for crumble and gets the beef in the oven!

Hugs foxes and anyone else missing people! 💐

Just done another 1.5hrs work, it’s been surprisingly quick so far which is fab as I’m paid per section not hourly. I think after finishing this section tomorrow it’ll be a few weeks until the next bit. I realised today I’m also probably helping her feel less isolated! As we chat a bit too.

Not done much housework today. I’ve had another activity idea for Cagletini so I’m tempted to just crack on with making that :o it involves the Velcro tape as well as the laminator. Mwahaha.

I do use polish. I use it on everything even probably some things I shouldn't. I have a dust allergy and I think the polish keeps the dust away longer? Maybe not but it's just what I've always done 🤷‍♀️

Thanks give :) I’m going to make her a sort of paper doll type thing with loads of clothes but just printed/drawn and laminated with Velcro on the right bits. Then we can talk about the patterns, matching etc. The older two might want to draw some pictures on some of the t-shirts too.

Still haven’t made the lacing cards as I can’t find the hole punch FFS 🙄

Aw foxes, I'm missing my family too, especially my mum. We normally see each other throughout the week. I miss just hanging out with her and mooching around garden centres. There are going to be so many hugs when this is over.

I have a resource question. Do any of you have any recommendations on resources to teach children how to read? DD's nursery did some phonetics with her and she's been asking about learning to read herself. I'd love to do some more structured activities with her but I'm very clueless about phonics and the stuff I find online is all American.

Jolly phonics songs are quite good for teaching the letter sounds.

Do you know what school she will be going to? You could have a nosy on the website to see what scheme they use.

Teach your monster to read app is supposed to be really good.

The more hands on stuff the better too (IMO) - letter magnets are great, put a bit of sand/shaving foam/rice in a tray and draw the letter shapes, you can get all sorts like letter sand moulds and stamps etc to just play around with

One really important thing is to be careful how you say the sounds - eg m is mmmmm not “muh” if that makes sense - the latter gets too confusing when starting to put sounds together

Jeez give how awful :( that’s so upsetting. Bloody lazy journos 🤬

Thanks everyone, I'm making a list.

Yes, I'm trying to say the sounds correctly. Although I struggle with e, i, u and r. Keep second guessing what they are meant to sound like, especially with my strong Lancashire accent!

Oh give that's terrible!

Ahh give that's shit!

Fluffiest the read write inc videos are good for learning phonics and that's what DS3 teacher has set as some of his work while they're off.

House is clean, kids are sleeping I've had a bar of galaxy caramel and now snuggled under my blanket on the sofa watching empire. Perfect Sunday evening 👌

Hi all, only read last few posts so hope everyone is as ok as they can be.

give, how awful . I know that MN is public but wish there was something that could be done to stop threads being picked up .

ta da
💜bit of work
💙started making the paper doll things
❤️kicked DH’s butt at Scrabble. Although what’s really amazing is that I stayed awake, I was super tired and having just put the game away I think I’ll be asleep in minutes now. It was sweet though - the set belonged to his late grandmother, and in the box he found some old papers where she would write new words she discovered. The last one was a word DH had written himself as a child as they used to play it together. 💙💜❤️

Ah that’s lovely Lane.

If you are teaching phonics please check which method your child’s school uses. Letters and sounds are available to use but some use Read,Write ,

I haven’t done much flying but I am nodding off now.

lane i think you have missed your calling as an early years practitioner

I have heard from zoo and she will be around at some point i think

Up at 5 with baby ds

Think this is meant to be last day of decent weather so want get plenty of washing done and a walk through the park

Morning all.

Happy birthday to SmallestCluck!

Give, that's shocking, hope you are ok.

That, great that you heard from zoo. Less good that smallest DS got up at 5!

Lane, Fluff I'm so pleased my phonics days are behind me.

I am absolutely losing the will to power homeschooling today. DD and DS3 are self-propelling, so to speak, but DS2 is not and is doing bugger all unless I actually sit on him. DS1 is doing even less, having passed his first year at Uni by default, and is now majoring in sleeping and drinking beer. I am not very happy about this.

I, frankly, can't be having with Flylady either today, as no-one else is doing anything house-related at all. I thought the entire point of automated routines was that anyone could jump in, but it seems it just means I do it by default.

Meh. Am going to go and have a sulk with a coffee and my book in an effort to reset.

Haha thanks that I’d be terrible in reality though, far too many children at once :o I did remember after doing the “dream job” KCC question that DD1’s senco said I should be an SN teacher (I showed her some of the work I’d designed around DD1’s needs while she was home ed) so that was a lovely ego boost (much needed at the time TBH) but again I think in a practical sense I would not enjoy it! I like the making stuff/designing/planning side rather than carrying it out. :o

I haven’t moved yet since waking up! I’m already exhausted at the thought of being back to home ed today

Just having a quick coffee in the garden before starting work, rain forecast after today. Have done sort out and put away yesterday's laundry, S&S, run vac round, check DCs are up for "school" and watered patio pots.

Yesterday was mostly spent gardening then we had a bbq dinner and I went for a walk. We finally saw the satellites at about 10.30!

Give - that is shit, I'm sorry to hear about it.

Meg- no, the only thing that automated routines seem to do here is keep me busy. DH does a bit of housework but the DCs generally have to be reminded.

That - thank you for letting us know about Zoo, Zoo there's a here for you when you're ready.

Right better get cracking.

Been tough week physically(palpitations and breathlessness very bad,as is muscles are aching superfast.think aneamias unhappy after tsunami period)and mentally(lest said soonest mended)
Spent last few days try rest as averaging 2-3 hrs sleep a night,I've no idea wtf is going on by 2pm!!

Anyhoo,big girl pants are secured.friday dd1 drop some shopping from Tesco,and I started cooking again.saturday I upgraded from resting/food prep to few chores and Sunday pottered in garden(roses and buddhlias are sprouting new leaves,so I've not killed them yet) and started clear up the hideous state of place as nothing much done at all whilst I felt so rough...

Had 3hrs last night,so that's more than previous 2 .up at 5 determined straighten up the place as depressingly craptacular

Tada
Wash on
Fed cats
Harpic lav

Living room
Cleaned lampshade
Pull out sofa one,and clean behind
Sort out cat tree corner(wipe with damp cloth to defluff)
Tidy all wires(best I can)
Tidy and wipeTV unit
tidy/put dvds away
Sort girls drawers(private art stuff)
Clean manylepiece)/around fire
Clear and wipe blanket box
Sort three stacks of my stuff (put away stuff as went)
Tidy my me drawers
Pull out sofa 2 and liberate cat toys
Sweep centre of floor
Clear two of the chair piles

Breakfast for me,D's and lil zoo
Wash in drier

DS room
Clear up dry furball off window sill
Scrub h.potter cushion that copped it too
Chuck it in wash as stained AF
wipe bed over
(DS made bed)
Water cacti that prickly(he did succulents)
Wipe chest drawers
Wipe bookcase
Sweep floor
Empty bin
Clean windows

Clean living room windows and wipe sill

Nah D's to exercise.je won't if I don't so half killed self do 30 mins routine on you tube

And that's where we are at...
Lil zoo and D's now dressed and online doing school work,I'm about drag dd2 out bed

Not read back,you guys moving thread along so fast.apologies missed anything major

Will do best keep up!

I may need collapse naughty corner later.just throw soft blankie over me and hit me with rubber mallet so I can catch some zzzzz