Launching Rocket Babies

Parenting is not rocket science, but this is one not-technical mama's experiment in raising curious, adventuresome explorers.

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Category: Math

Seasons

On December 2, 2018 By launchingrocketbabiesIn Adventure!, Creativity, Math, Parenting, Science, Space StuffLeave a comment

It's been a busy season around here. I'll spare the details, but suffice it to say, combined with my low energy/pregnant state, I'm sorry to say this little corner of everyday adventures has fallen a bit by the wayside. Don't get me wrong, things are still happening, but I miss chronicling them, documenting them, all …

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Introducing Big Concepts to Little Kids

On March 21, 2018 By launchingrocketbabiesIn Curiosity, Math, Parenting, STEM Education2 Comments

Opening a file, I've heard it called. Imagine your child's mind like a computer hard drive. They are sponges for information, and ask a million questions, storing away the answers. Even when it's a concept they cannot possibly grasp completely, there is no harm in explaining it simply, opening a file on that subject so …

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Welcome! I’m Kali

I am not a rocket scientist. Not even close. It’s not my natural inclination to explore, ask questions, experiment, be curious, research, figure things out, etc. I need a place to keep me intentionally adding a bit of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to this mothering gig. Who knows? Maybe we’ll end up launching some rocket babies.

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Watching history in the making over lunch today! Hooray for the successful launch of an American rocket carrying American astronauts from American soil again! @nasa @spacex #crewdragon #falcon9 #launchingrocketbabies

Summer is here! And it never ceases to amaze me how dirty these boys get living their best backyard life. Join me in repeating: they’re washable. Play clothes are made for grass stains and watermelon juice. Lately, I’ve taken to stripping Ollie down to his diaper, dusting off the worst of the grass clippings and leaving his (usually soaked) clothes outside to dry as we head in for lunch and nap. A nice siesta in only a diaper is just fine, and when we head back out in the afternoon, those same clothes go back on for more outside antics. Thus laundry is reduced. #letthembelittle #whatlittleboysaremadeof #playinthedirt #soakedheadtotoe #learnbydoing #summertime #childhood #toddlerlife #laundryfordays #playclothes #goodthingtheyrewashable #launchingrocketbabies

Reset what's most important. Remember, the go-go-go of our lives screeching to a crawl for the time being can be a really good way to open our eyes again to the important things. . Notice. Notice the ways this being stuck at home is a really good thing for our kids. Notice how eating so many meals together connects us. Notice how their little sibling relationships are blossoming. Notice how you're getting creative with everything from snack time to rest time. If you're like me, there are plenty of days I'm not functioning on that level. Sometimes I'm just surviving. Sometimes my best efforts are derailed and then I'm faced with whether I'll let my attitude and perspective be similarly derailed (spoiler: way too often, I do, as much as I hate to admit it). . But let's not be so quick to heap on the guilt. I find a deep breath and a step back to notice what wonderful, important things are filling these blurry, boring, beautiful days at home helps me reset my perspective. . #launchingrocketbabies #covid19 #quarantinelife #slowparenting #noticethelittlethings

I can't even remember the last time inspiration struck to write. Since whenever that was, it's like the world has been turned upside down and shaken for good measure. It's weird. We've been thrown off balance and had to redevelop our sense of normal and routine. There's a lot going on and I don't really want to be just another voice in the great chaos of internet chatter; that's some of why I've stayed away. But feeling that little flicker of wanting this creative outlet again, has me hesitantly stepping out with some observations. . . Here’s one: my energy level ebbs and flows. How about yours? Sure, I could pull out the archives of activities we've done and encourage you all to build them into your homeschooling STEM curriculum (they're in there if you want them, more power to you!). But some days I'm just not feeling that over here. Usually it's not wanting to add another clean-up job to the thousands of monotonous messes which daily require attention as 5 of us live 100% of our life in less than a thousand square-feet. And mustering up the energy for what's required: schoolwork, 3 meals a day, tidying our small space so it doesn't become one huge clutter pile...I don't have much left over for all the myriads of ways the internet is suggesting we fill our kids' time. Remember it's more than okay to be bored. It can be wonderful! . . I'm trying to let them play. And as I've done that, I've started noticing something. Maybe it's just the luck of their arriving at better ages for playing together, but I'm noticing that my 6-year-old and 3-year-old are learning to disappear into their own joint world for hours, be it LEGO or a patch of dirt or seemingly every toy from their room strewn all over the living room. Don't get me wrong, they fight too. And drive each other crazy, not to mention me! But join me in noticing the times they do leave us alone for half a minute. . . Celebrate the small things, because they’re the big things!

Backpack hanging on the chair because school at home is the new normal. Stir crazy baby in a bucket hat keeping us entertained. This is #stayhome #covid_19 for us right now.

Right around the time a certain little someone turned three some new defiant behaviors started showing up in our everyday routines. Suddenly he wouldn't want to get in the car or snuggle in for nap time. Getting him to put shoes on, eat his lunch, all kinds, would trigger this stubborn refusal. And while I'm also trying to lug around the stuff associated with a baby under one, manage his eating/sleeping schedule, it quickly registered as terribly inconvenient. . . What is one to do? Please send help. Thank you. This is three, y'all. Everyone says "terrible twos", but threenagers have always been more challenging for me. . . We've tried this and that, done our fair share of venting, we recognize it's just a phase and we'll get through it. But the only thing that consistently helps to keep life running smoothly is a solid dose of creative distraction. . . Here's what I mean. Take getting in the car: if he's refusing, getting stern with him only makes it worse, but saying something like, "Hmm...what do you think we'll see on the way there? Maybe a crane? Remember the other day we drove by that construction site and the crane was moving? Do you think it will be working today too?" while ushering him in to his car seat and buckling. The thing is, it's a whole lot easier to demand he do what I say and GET. IN. THE. CAR. My fried mom-brain doesn't want to make the extra effort of coming up with something he'd care enough about to be distracted by enough to participate in what I'm asking him to do. I'm desperate enough by nap time I just want him to fall asleep already, but playing a little game like, "Now, remember, don't lay down on my pillow, you know I don't like that!" (reverse psychology at its finest as he plops his head down, giggling), actually gets the job done faster, even though it may take a few more brain cells. . . All I'm saying is, I'm embracing it. I'm calling it a nice little brain exercise to keep my creative spark alive and trying not to go insane. . . #threenager #toddlerhood #lifewithpreschoolers #creativity #creativeparenting #distraction #amomsbestfriend