Homeschool Suprises from Grandmaman
Mom & Dad were in Thunder Bay last week for personal business. Before leaving she had asked me for ideas as to what she might pick up that I can’t get here in the way of materials for Emeraude’s home schooling. I had given her a few ideas but did not really have any expectations as I knew they would be busy while there and not necessarily have time to shop.
Not only did she find time, the things she picked up were more than I could’ve dreamed of (as usual, she always goes over and above!). She went to both the Dollarama & the Buck and Two wanting to compare kits and materials from each to get the most age appropriate, fun and educational supplies she could. She also searched Staples while there getting me ink for school books as the supply she had bought for us last year while in Quebec is almost depleted.
Here in Ontario, unfortunately, it is difficult to find French Pre-K school books but when they are Math books this is not much of an issue as I just read them in French, translating in my head as I go. I do worry about confusion that my come from her watching the words in the Math books as I am reading and the fact that they are English and I am reading out loud I French so that any recognition she is doing is inaccurate but I can only hope this will not cause too much confusion.
Language, spelling, and pre-reading books however must be in French as I believe it is best for her to learn her letters in French first as most kids (Lloyd certainly did, and my Mom has told me I did too) will learn to read/write in English just by virtue of the alphabet being the same and the fact that they are inundated with English every day in the world around them.
Yesterday, she could no longer wait lol… After one of my many trips to the hospital for pain meds (dilaudid injections) we drove by her house and she ran in to get the bags full of supplies she had found. 
I was so excited and certainly understood why she had been as well. The things she found are absolutely perfect for Emeraude!
Some of our new supplies included:
· 1-10 Math Book
· Pre-K Maze Book
· 4-6yr Pre-reading activity book
· Plastic Cross stitch project with
§ 2 plastic yarn needles
§ all needed yarn
§ heart frame for finishing
· Multi-coloured felt sheets
· Adhesive magnetic
strips & circular
adhesive magnets
· 2 Science kits for bug
exploring (will have
to take a photo to show it, magnifying
glass, plastic tweezers, magnifying
holders, etc.
· Dreamcatcher kit
· Handbag kit
· there is more but I will have to remember
later…
She also picked up 4 new decorations for Emeraude’s ceiling which Emeraude is going to go crazy when she sees because she had been admiring
very similar (not quite so nice) hanging spirals at the bargain for more than a month now. I had explained to her that it was not in our budget to buy something so unnecessary at such a price (it was over $10). More recently I had thought of
bringing her back and suggesting if she wanted that she spend her Easter money she had received (she & Lloyd had received $20.00! from Great–Aunt Dale that they had split, Lloyd used his towards his badminton tournament trip) but now obviously she will be able to continue saving it for something special. I’ve been thinking maybe a nice spring outfit from Fields. Theses hanging decorations are a fish, a seahorse, a butterfly, and a flower, each are stuffed and have multi-coloured spirals hanging below them. Lloyd and I put them up in her ceiling this afternoon and she is going to be thrilled when she comes home tomorrow and sees them, of that I am certain.
Needless to say I am very excited
about using our new supplies homeschooling this week. I have yet to decided with which we will begin, I think I will leave that to Emeraude. I am so appreciative to Mom for having found the time to buy all this stuff for us, she helps so much already, things like this just blow my mind. Thank you Lord for blessing me with a Mother who is always thinking of myself and my children and trying to do what she can to improve our quality of life and support my efforts with them although they differ quite a bit from her parenting style with my brothers and I she is still incredibly respectful of them and as I said very supportive!
Science supplies... Divider for taking a closer look at leaves, rocks or creatures. Magnifying holder, tweezers, magnifying glass.
multi-coloured felt sheets - crafting fun!
