Tag Archives: works for me wednesday

Family matters

Use your camera phone to back up your memory

Poppy spent last weekend with my brother and sister-in-law. They’ve spent a lot of time together, but this was the longest visit she’s had there without a parental unit. So I had a few extra instructions/tips for them, including this one:

Works-for-Me WednesdayIf you go somewhere that’s particularly crowded — such as the zoo or an amusement park — take a head-to-toe picture of her with your phone before you get there. That way you have a ready reference in the event that you get separated. I know that if I couldn’t find one of the kids, the panic would likely override any chance at remembering what they were wearing.

Their reaction?

“That’s a works-for-me Wednesday! You never do those any more!”

Poppy had a great weekend, and I’m pleased to report that they didn’t lose her even once. (Or if they did lose her, they didn’t tell me.)

Child loss-prevention isn’t the only situation where a camera phone comes in handy for the memory-challenged. It’s also handy anywhere that might otherwise call for writing things down on a slip of paper that you’ll most likely lose. For example:

  • Snap a picture of where you’re parked in one of those giant parking lots. (I’d recommend taking a picture of a landmark or the row letter/number rather than just your car, though. That wouldn’t be so helpful.)
  • Record product numbers, names or locations at Ikea (or Pottery Barn, where I once took a picture of a fork that I liked. Or other stores.)
  • Grocery lists. Particularly if you’re shopping for a specific recipe. Take a picture of the ingredient list, and off you go!

    • Do you have any handy-dandy bonus uses for your camera phone?

    Bandwagons, National Blog Posting Month

    How writing keeps me sane

    NaBloPoMo 2010I wasn’t the most meticulous note-taker in college – that was Rockford – but I did make an effort to take notes. Before a test, I would transcribe all of my handwritten notes. Not so I could more easily refer to them again, but to help the ideas stick in my head. I don’t find myself needing to take notes on lectures very often anymore (although maybe I should take notes on the nightly news to help me stay abreast on current events. Or maybe I could just start watching the nightly news), but I do still write a lot.

    Works-for-Me WednesdayCommitting words to paper (or the internet) helps me to remember things more easily, whether they’re Funny Things the Kids Have Said or Things I’d Like to Own or Laundry: How to Do It.

    OK, so I don’t really have a How to Do Laundry cheat sheet. I do, however, keep lists of:

    Books I’ve Read.
    I have a very nice reading journal just for this purpose. If I don’t keep a record of what I’ve read, I am 98 percent sure to forget. And I have been known to reread a book without realizing it until halfway through. Which isn’t a tragedy, of course, but it’s annoying.

    Chores
    Not just for kids! I have a list of things that need to be done in every room of the house. I try to tackle one room every day, and when I actually accomplish that I flip to the next day. I will readily admit that cleaning toilets aren’t the first thing on my mind every day. Having a list helps me stay on top of things that I know wouldn’t get done if I didn’t have it written down.

    Meals We Like
    What I said about having a remarkably bad memory? I usually make our meal plan and grocery list on Friday night or Saturday morning — it’s a wild, wild life – and there have been many, many times when I’ve been unable to think of any meal I’ve ever made. Sad but true. This is why I started doing Menu Plan Monday – so I’d have an ongoing record of things we’ve had.

    What I’ve Eaten
    I haven’t actually done this in awhile, but I need to start again. I first started a food journal when I did Weight Watchers several years ago. I’m certain it would help again in my ongoing (and, for the last few years, fruitless) effort to lose weight. The primary reason I need to start again, though, is so I can figure out what’s causing me to feel so rotten a good bit of the time.

    So clearly that stuff isn’t writing in the Hemingway sense of the word. (And neither, if we’re being honest, is any of the other stuff I write.) But beyond making lists and keeping records, writing keeps me connected. I spend the majority of my time with the under-6 set. They have their charms, but it’s nice to have an adult conversation sometimes. And right now, the best place for me to do that on a daily basis is here and through various social media outlets. There are so many people with whom I would not be in contact were it not for the internet and, of course, writing therein. (Three cheers for you, internet!)

    Writing helps keep my mind, my house and my body* in order. It doesn’t just work for me; I don’t think I could function without it.

    *Well, it helps my body when I make an effort. Let’s go with that.

    Family matters, National Blog Posting Month

    How my daughter learned to read

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    This morning my 5-year-old daughter sat down with my 3-year-old son and read “Walt Disney’s ‘Cinderella’ ” to him. It was, of course, an entirely heart-melting moment. But beyond the cuteness, I was also so, so proud of my little girl. She’s been reading words here and there for Works-for-Me Wednesdayquite awhile, and I’ve known for some time that she could read. Until recently, though, she hasn’t been confident enough to pick up a book and read it. Here’s what we’ve done to get to this point:

  • Read, read, read and then read some more. I’ve been reading to Poppy since way back in her pre-crawling days. (I haven’t done as well at NaBloPoMo 2010this with Pete.)
  • I love to read, so the kids see me reading frequently. I think this plays a big role in showing them that reading is important and can be fun.
  • Poppy started her “official” reading lessons with the Bob Books. It’s a graduated system that very slowly builds reading skills. We used the first three sets last year for preschool.
  • We haven’t used any sort of reading curriculum this year. It’s been a lot of reading out loud and trying to encourage her to read on her own. And here’s what I credit for her recent leap into independent reading: Pizza Hut. Seriously. Their BookIt reading incentive program is available to homeschoolers, so I signed Poppy up. The promise of a free pizza all her own? It’s motivated her more than my cheerleading ever could have.

    • So. Reading and pizza. They work for me and for my daughter!