No More Hippie!!!

Boohoo...
I have so enjoyed doing the Hippie programe with Cameron and Cody. It has been so rewarding being able to have done this with them and watch them learn first hand! It has also taught me alot as well! PATIENCE is one thing that springs to mind! Also the fact that it does not have to be perfect!!! We are allowed to make mistakes, infact we need to make mistakes to learn!
On the last weeks work, one of the questions was "Now that hippie is nearly finished, what are some other things we can do together?" Both replyed to me "make up our own Hippie homework!!" tell you what our tutor LOVED that answer!
I must say that the first year doing Hippie was a bit of a challenge, finding my feet spending 15 minuites a day with 2 kids! trying to be a teacher! The only thing that kept me going was the fact that Cameron and Cody absolutly loved it! Soooo glad I stuck in there as it has paid off in so many ways, seeing the progress they are now making at school is so good and I am proud that I can say "I played a big part in their education!" Which is so precious, I go back to one of my previous blogs called "Patience" where I said we only get one shot at raising this child! lets give it our best.

Another thing I did learn in Hippie and I think it is awesome is "Specific Praise" I used to just say "Well Done" or "Good Girl" "Good Boy" now my praise is alot more specific.
So if Cameron brings me a picture she drew (which she does alot!) I would say "wow Cammy that is wonderful, I really like the pretty hearts you drew for me, and your butterflys are so colourful"
Or if Cody reads me a book I would say "I really liked how you read that book to me all by yourself, you are such a great reader" I always try to say what I like about what they did, and I get a great responce. Much better then "well done!" I guess it makes them feel special that you are explaining how great the did and being specific on the task.
Even on the challenging tasks/homework where they were a bit hoha and maybe did not listen as well as they normally do, I would tell them how I liked how they were listening and paying attention - hmmm now you may be thinking, why would I say that if they were not actually listening as they should, I actually asked myself that question, and the answer for me (and it seams to work for me) is they realise that I did not even notice that they were not giving their best work, therefore I am not giving them the attention or reaction that they were possibly after, so they just get on with it!
I am not perfect! believe me it was NOT like this all the time, Mummy gets hoha too! But this is what I strived for most of the time and this is what gave me the great results.

Before we did Hippie we also did PAFT, that was amazing also! And it is so funny, every day things that our children do, that we may think nothing of it, is actually a bit part of their learning.
Doing PAFT with Cameron and Cody and learning about those ages has made me more aware of Dallas and stages he is going through.
For example, about 6 months ago, we were up at Nana's and I took the kids for a walk down the driveway to the mail box (its a long driveway! and uphill on the way back) when we got to the top Dallas was stepping up and down the kerb, which was quite steep for this little man, my instand reaction was "Dallas stop doing that, you will fall and hurt yourself" but instead I stopped and thought hmmmm he is challenging his balance to see what he can do, and really if he did fall he would have grazed his knee maybe and that would have been a few tears, but nothing dramatic! So I decided to clap and cheer him on and he loved it! and was laughing and clapping with me!
I think being so aware of these stages I have been able to stop and think before I give my instant reaction. And I notice in Dallas he picks thinks up really fast, it honestly blows me away how much he knows!

Something interesting!!!
Who thinks eating rasins is learning? well, do you know what, when your little one picks up rasins intividually and they are using their thumb and forefinger to pick it up, what are they learning??? Think about it.......................What do we use everyday with that in mind? Holding our pen or pencil!!! The Pincer Grip (hmm not sure if I spelt that correct, but you get it)

Ka kite apopo
xox