Monday, April 25, 2005

We finally got to Michael's craft store today. They don't do educator's discounts, but I still got a lot of stuff for less than $40. I got pipe cleaners (they're called "chenille stems" now - did you know that?), googly eyes, modeling clay, popsicle sticks, pompoms, stickers, small beads, craft thread, paint, large foam squares, and small hinged wooden boxes for them to decorate. I found out there was a kids craft going on there at 1pm so all my kids stayed for that. It was a good 45 minutes and it was one wooden piece fitted into an L shape that they painted (for Mother's Day). K's was a cat and cathouse (?), J's was a bird and birdhouse, and W's was a dog and doghouse. Very cute. There's one every day this week since the ps kids are off from school.

When we got home W played with the modeling clay (the color came off all over him! LOL) and the girls made mini beach flip-flops out of the foam squares. They found this idea in one of their craft books. K then made a nice lunch for everyone - her own recipe, consisting of spaghetti, tuna, sauteed garlic, and cream of mushroom soup. It wasn't half bad! J spent the next hour talking on the phone with her friends, testing out our new 3-way calling feature, K made me an awesome bracelet by diagonally braiding 4 pieces of craft thread and beads, and W is just running around with blue all over his body.

I have decided NOT to put W into full-time PreK in September. He will go to what's known as "universal PreK" which is free here in NYC. It is 2 1/2 hours a day (9-11:30am), 5 days a week. This will save me $315 a month and have more time to spend with W. I originally felt he should do full day since I was now "teaching" J and she needed all the 1-on-1 possible with me and no distractions. Now I feel differently about all of that since we have started unschooling. I want W to be a part of everything we do.

3 comments:

Janet said...

I'm reading your latest entries backwards. Are you still going to put W in the pre-K program or are you playing it by ear? Just a curious reader here, not judging any decisions by any means. You'll do what is right for your family. I'm just enjoying your story.

NYCitymomx3 said...

Hi Janet. I want to take him out of his current preschool, but put him into a new one in September. the new one is closer, a shorter day, and free. He says he doesn't want to go, but then in the morning he changes his mind, LOL. As long as he wants to go, he can. Oh and read from the bottom up!

Janet said...

I try to check for updates everyday, so I keep up. I just fell behind for a few days. ;-)

The plan sounds great. He can always try it out for a few months or weeks and stay if he loves it or come home if he doesn't.