Metro New Orleans DISers - check in!!! - 09/2009

[Ms Marigny]

Hey y'all!

I'm a proud owner of a gently used RAV4! It's beautiful and white, let's see how long it stays that way! I'm really bad about washing the car... I'll admit, I started crying a little cleaning my stuff out of the Subaru when we traded it in. We bought it in April 2005, so it went with us through Katrina and all of our Katrina travels, a Gustav hurrication, 4 WDW trips, and the birth of two children. I felt like I was betraying the car when I traded it in. I know, I'm a dork.

Thanks everyone for the advice about preschool- it really does help! Nowadays, the new moms act like your kid will be wayyyy behind and doomed to a life of faliure if they don't go to preschool (I get crazy looks that I didn't send her to pre-K 3!). I'm considering all kinds of options right now- I have lots to think about!

Lorie- Disappointed to hear about S not "winning" the lottery, but honestly, those odds looked pretty extreme. She wasn't bumped because of one of the Jolie-Pitt kids, was she? I am glad y'all were able to make a deal on the RAV4. So, the big question is who'll get to drive it? You or DH?

The bad luck seems to be that Orleans Parish doesn't provide enough decent education for its residents, but that a whole other conversation. I love Brad and all, but Ima kick his butt if we got bumped because of one of his kids! Oh, and the RAV4 is mine, all mine! DH doesn't have a good track record with cars, in case y'all didn't notice...

 

[shovan]

Serena, I pm'd you. So sorry I scared you, that didn't come out right at all!!!

Lorie, Congratulations!!! I'm glad you have a car for your very own!

I don't think you're a dork. I know I've had that same sad feeling getting rid of cars.

cajunmommy, Glad you are getting to see some of it! Nothing down here but very cold wet rain.

 

[zipuzee]

Lorie - your comments on schools on so on target. I think you (and your kids) will do just fine. The most important thing is to be involved in whichever school your kids you end up at.

And I hear ya on the car. Its amazing how we can get attached to an inanimate object!!

I heard from both my daughter and husband earlier to tell me all about the snow on the north shore! It was heavy but not sticking. I told Bob to take pictures so that I could at least see it that way

 

[Terry36]

Boy you guys sure are quiet today...must be getting ready for the parades.

I made my first homemade vegetable soup and it came out great!

Aly is off for the next week and she is ecstatic.

 

[littlepeppers]

Lorie- I am SOO happy for you to be getting your cute car!!!

I am sorry that Sienna didn't get into the school, though. I know my opinion(b/c I am a homeschooler) may not be a good viewpoint from your perspective-BUT before I even had the horrid thought of homeschooling planted into my heart, and Ashton was 3 and 4 years old, I had these same fears. Because she was on chemo, we had to keep her home, so I got a lil program for preschoolers and worked with her 45 minutes to an hour per day(the curriculum was planned out and this is how long a whole day took us). Didn't help with the social part, but at least she was familiar with ABC's. I am here to tell you that it made very little difference. I really think it is in personality whether they socialize well or not at that age. Ashton was shy at first, but within a few weeks she had a new best buddy and they stayed best friends for 2+ more years. We never had problems with her crying to go home or clinging to my leg on the way out of the door. She may have dried once at naptime but the teacher told me about it later-no one called me to come get her and that is what I wanted-unless she was sick or something.

I am unsure I even needed to do any type curriculum with her in preK. I think it was more fear of my kid being the ONE kid with no knowledge of the alphabet or numbers- but they DO naturally get it-esp with a good momma like you- and I am sure she watches Sesame streeet or other educational Tv so you can have a few moments reprieve. I mean, you cook a lot in front of her, you are with her- I PROMISE you she will not go into kindergarten the dumbest or least socialized if you do not put her somewhere.

I used to have Ash in Montessori/day care 2-3x a week before she got sick(and she was out by 2 years 10 month, when she was dx'd). While I DO think it can be good for them, I had Haley in a formal pre-school program at our church 3x a week till she hit kindergarten (then we homeschooled)and her readiness was even LESS than Ashton's. Even her teachers told me this. She is just not interested. This is why I think it is personality based. At least for regular kids! I don't have geniuses on my hands, but I can tell you that Ash excels and Haley holds her own pretty well. I just want to help put your mind at ease- you're such good momma!

I am sure the teachers out here in NOLA Dis-land , can help you more.

I hope you can get her into a great lil preschool program somewhere, but know that if you cannot, or have reservations, that it'll be OK. Do you all have any part time Montessori programs nearby that doesn't cost a body part?

Hope I am not stepping on your toes- just my way of trying to help make you feel a LIL better. That school lost out on a GREAT kid!

Lori

Loving your Mickey Saints Icon

 

[lori1043]

Boy you guys sure are quiet today...must be getting ready for the parades.

I made my first homemade vegetable soup and it came out great!

Aly is off for the next week and she is ecstatic.

That sounds SOOOO good.....

Loving your Mickey Saints Icon

Umm, it was someone elses and we all have them now. I am sure you can copy and paste it. I don't think anyone will object here.

Lori

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

It is cold out here!!

 

[TigerKat]

Just popping in to say Hi! We had a horrible travel day yesterday...delayed flight & horrible weather but we're making up for it today. We opened up the Tequila Bar aka The Ditch today....Margarita flight...yum! Oh and we had an excellent meal at Il Mulino last night!

Sorry if I've missed anything, haven't read back.

 

[shovan]

Hey y'all,

I've been packing all day! Whew but the big stuff is in the van! We'll be taking off tomorrow morning!


Kathy, I was worried about your flight with the weather. I'm glad you are more than making up for it!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO MY NOLA GIRLS!!! LOVE Y'ALL!

 

[portocall]

Oh well, Sienna didn't get in. The bad luck continues....

Hey y'all!

I'm a proud owner of a gently used RAV4! It's beautiful and white, let's see how long it stays that way! I'm really bad about washing the car... I'll admit, I started crying a little cleaning my stuff out of the Subaru when we traded it in. We bought it in April 2005, so it went with us through Katrina and all of our Katrina travels, a Gustav hurrication, 4 WDW trips, and the birth of two children. I felt like I was betraying the car when I traded it in. I know, I'm a dork.

Thanks everyone for the advice about preschool- it really does help! Nowadays, the new moms act like your kid will be wayyyy behind and doomed to a life of faliure if they don't go to preschool (I get crazy looks that I didn't send her to pre-K 3!). I'm considering all kinds of options right now- I have lots to think about!



The bad luck seems to be that Orleans Parish doesn't provide enough decent education for its residents, but that a whole other conversation. I love Brad and all, but Ima kick his butt if we got bumped because of one of his kids! Oh, and the RAV4 is mine, all mine! DH doesn't have a good track record with cars, in case y'all didn't notice...

Spencer isn't in pre-K. Granted he does go to daycare during the day, but he is the oldest there. I just don't think that formal schooling that early is that necessary. I prefer them to learn through playing. Fletcher did end up going to Pre-K because my sitter didn't get back and going until Dec post Katrina. He learned to read that year, but he was really upset when he got to Kindergarten the next year and it was the same thing. They didn't get much time to play in Pre-K because they spent so much time teaching them formally. But I did spend a little time talking with Ms. S and she seems to be very bright and full of the knowledge she will need to enter Pre-K. I am going to be checking out our reading program in March to get Spencer going. He still doesn't know all his letters and can't tell you how to spell his name, but he can write it. Math is his area though. I just need to teach him that letters can be just as useful as numbers. I am glad he will be an older 5 going into K since I know he is immature compared to both of his older brothers at the same age. I say all of that to say you are doing a fantastic job, school of any kind may not be the answer just yet. You might just want to get her into a play group or a dance class and get what she may need in the form of socialization that way. She might enjoy a tax class too

 

[lori1043]

"I prefer them to learn through playing"

Cara- I mean this with alll the respect in the world: I am SOOOO glad to meet a fellow mom with like ideas on those preschool years!!!

99% of my friends thought differently when our kids were that age. I have a good friend now that has a 2 year old that is BRILLIANT, but she is not in any kind of program. Mom does work with her b/c mom is a language/speech therapist(not sure if that is right term but she helps kids with hearing impediments and has her masters in it and works for the school ofthe Deaf on the southshore somewhere). So mom pays attention to things I never would've even been concerned over. I just wanted them to play and I think they have done fine. Sometimes I think Haley could do with some more socialization, but you know what? She is my kid that can play by herself, she knows her boundaries and I think that is good.

Sorry - gotta go!!

Lori

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Good morning!

Read this, you'll like it.
http://www.nola.com/mardigras/index.ssf/2010/02/mardi_gras_who_dat_nation_just.html

 

[Terry36]

Happy Valentines Day my Dispals....I hope you enjoy your day with your love ones .

Kathy girl I'm glad you made up for that lousy flight.

Lorie thank you again; I hope you've recouperated....

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

As for the pre-school situation: (And I'm generalizing throughout this post....there are always exceptions, of course!)

I think many kids can get the basics at home, as long as they are interacting with their parents so their language can develop, as long as they are being read to so their literacy skills develop, and as long as they play both alone and with others so they develop imagination and social skills.

I think what may have happened in America is they have pushed the need for pre-school for so long, that many parents have been led to believe that if their child does not attend pre-school they are doomed to not get into college. I think there needs to be a distinction between the need for formal pre-school and the need for school readiness. School readiness is critical for all children, formal school before kindergarten is not.

I think it is critical that children with special needs be identified early so they can get early intervention in pre-school. It's also very important for children in poverty and children who come from homes where English is not spoken to be in pre-school programs. These kids are, statistically, the ones who will benefit the most from structured school early. Without it, they start kindergarten (and/or first grade) behind their peers as well as behind where they should be in relation to the academic standards. Their foundation will be weak and they'll suffer for it for a long time.

Teaching first grade in an area with a lot going against it, I had a LOT of kids with foundation gaps. Metaphorically, it's like trying to build a house on a slab that is broken. Before I can build structural beams, I've got to fix holes in a slab and there's not enough time to do both in one school year. I can try to ignore those holes and cracks in the foundation, but gaps in understanding will remain. I might be able to see some academic progress, but at some point, the kids "top out" and plateau academically until those foundation gaps are filled.

Lorie, I think Sienna will be fine if she waits another year for the formal school to start. Can you try again for the lottery next year? So far, it seems like it's not meant to be, that there is something else out there for her. It's depressing though, the school situation in Orleans Parish.

 

[lucas]

Good morning!

Read this, you'll like it.
http://www.nola.com/mardigras/index.ssf/2010/02/mardi_gras_who_dat_nation_just.html

Great article!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Here's an article on Newsweek:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/233573/page/1

I'm debating going to Bacchus or not. Friday night was cool; I could have been done with the parades then. But I wanna see the Saints!

 

[portocall]

"I prefer them to learn through playing"

Cara- I mean this with alll the respect in the world: I am SOOOO glad to meet a fellow mom with like ideas on those preschool years!!!


Lori

Thanks Lori

As for the pre-school situation: (And I'm generalizing throughout this post....there are always exceptions, of course!)

I think many kids can get the basics at home, as long as they are interacting with their parents so their language can develop, as long as they are being read to so their literacy skills develop, and as long as they play both alone and with others so they develop imagination and social skills.

I think what may have happened in America is they have pushed the need for pre-school for so long, that many parents have been led to believe that if their child does not attend pre-school they are doomed to not get into college. I think there needs to be a distinction between the need for formal pre-school and the need for school readiness. School readiness is critical for all children, formal school before kindergarten is not.

I think it is critical that children with special needs be identified early so they can get early intervention in pre-school. It's also very important for children in poverty and children who come from homes where English is not spoken to be in pre-school programs. These kids are, statistically, the ones who will benefit the most from structured school early. Without it, they start kindergarten (and/or first grade) behind their peers as well as behind where they should be in relation to the academic standards. Their foundation will be weak and they'll suffer for it for a long time.

Teaching first grade in an area with a lot going against it, I had a LOT of kids with foundation gaps. Metaphorically, it's like trying to build a house on a slab that is broken. Before I can build structural beams, I've got to fix holes in a slab and there's not enough time to do both in one school year. I can try to ignore those holes and cracks in the foundation, but gaps in understanding will remain. I might be able to see some academic progress, but at some point, the kids "top out" and plateau academically until those foundation gaps are filled.

Lorie, I think Sienna will be fine if she waits another year for the formal school to start. Can you try again for the lottery next year? So far, it seems like it's not meant to be, that there is something else out there for her. It's depressing though, the school situation in Orleans Parish.

I absolutely agree with this. I also witnessed the very best Pre-K EVER in at a school with an 100% poverty population in the middle of the projects. The children learned in a very informal play like setting, had a strong bond with their teacher, and learned to love school. The teacher was very hands on, rolled around on the floor with them, allowed and encouraged messy activities, spent more times doing centers than at desks and the kids absolutely thrived. If all of the Pre-K's were like that one, I might rethink my position, but they aren't. In fact, in the same school, the three other Pre-K classes were structured, the kids were miserable, the teachers were loud and nasty, and although the children attended, I am not sure they were better off for being there. I was with those children before and after school for the entire school year and the only real growth to be noted was the kids from the other three classes could open their own milk carton by the end of the year. (cause if they didn't get it open, they wouldn't have anything to drink at lunch. I was a big softie and opened them for them at breakfast until they could do it themselves) I also say that because often I stayed and volunteered in the classrooms and on field trips and got to witness the teachers do things like drop a container of same colored items on the table and tell them to look at them. No direction, not even telling them what color they were playing with. Then talk amongst themselves for an hour. If it were a one time only occurance, I would look past it, but it happened everytime. The foundation for success is extremely important, and for children at high risk those programs can and often do make a big difference. I just wish that more people could understand that often that foundation can be achieved at home when the child has interested and educated parents involved to see it through. I will get off my soapbox now

 

[Terry36]

Happy Monday peeps...its COLLLD again. I absolutely hate parading in the cold. I keep going back and forth as to whether I will go to any additional parades due to it.

Bethany thank you for the articles.

I have no comment on the education system in the NOLA area other than that Aly started daycare at 3 months old and has been in Private Schools ever since, which has been 11 years and she has turned out great! Now my wallet is another story.

Lorie where are you girl? Are you still recuperating? I hope you guys have gotten over your colds.

 

[Ms Marigny]

Hey y'all!

I'm rising from my ruined house to say hello...just kidding. Well, my house did get trashed (don't worry, no one here ) and I spent the entire day yesterday cleaning it. But that's all I'm going to say about that. I will say that next year's hoedown won't be nearly as large- I guarantee it!

Lorie, I think Sienna will be fine if she waits another year for the formal school to start. Can you try again for the lottery next year? So far, it seems like it's not meant to be, that there is something else out there for her. It's depressing though, the school situation in Orleans Parish.

We can try the lottery again next year, and we will be trying three other schools' lotteries as well (those schools don't offer pre-K). I would hope that between 4 schools she'll get into one!

I've never been really gung-ho about formal education before kindergarten because I think kids are being pushed too hard to be little adults nowadays- they aren't allowed to be kids! Childhood goes by so quickly- why not let them act like children and play? But, like I said, everyone acts like its a terrible thing to not start school in the toddler years.

Lorie where are you girl? Are you still recuperating? I hope you guys have gotten over your colds.

Girl, I am worn out! I am going to sleep tomorrow, that's for sure! We are still fighting these colds, but the kids are much better- just runny noses. I, on the other hand, thought that I had kicked this cold but it seems to be coming back today.

 

[lori1043]

Afternoon, gals!

Terry- if I had worked full time all the way through, private school is where my kids would have wound up after elementary in the school DD12 was in.

Lorie- feel better!

Getting ready to go see a homeschool drama club meeting....just checkin' it out for the girls. YES, we gotta bring the dogs with us. They cannot be left. I love them dearly, they are spoiled rotten but this is getting old. The dogs have not been left yet b/c they bark like crazy when we leave and wait for them to calm. It may be time for muzzles and treats with hops and chamomile.

It's gorgeous today! Thinking of Sheryl and Kathy b/c I am hearing the lines are long........

Lori