5 Good Things
Posted by Cottontimer on 23 Sep 2007 | Tagged as: Parenting, Reading, Shopping
Here are a few items that we currently can’t live without at our house.
The LEGO brick separator. If you’re like me with a little LEGO artist in the house, chances are you’ve cursed the LEGO bricks for a number of offenses including moments when they can’t be separated. This brick separator can be used in a number of ways. The head area has sockets that you can fit onto a brick that’s stuck and leverage it off. The flattened tail section can be used to pry off pieces that are too flat and small to hook on to the head of the separator. Buy more than one. You’ll be glad you did.
Stephen was doing fine at reading according to his teachers but I could tell he was struggling with the concept of “sounding it out.” Using this book, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelman, Phyllis Haddox, and Elaine Bruner, he’s already made noticeable progress and we’ve only finished 25 lessons. Everything is scripted out for the person teaching the child so it’s an easy way for both teacher and pupil.
The Logitech QuickCam Pro 5000 has some great features but the two that I like best are auto-focus and light adjustment. The picture quality and built-in microphone are excellent as well.
Technically we can live without this magazine but Real Life Bugs & Insects is the most fantastic magazine for kids that I’ve ever seen. Sponsored by the London Natural History Museum, each bi-weekly issue comes with a bug encased in plastic resin. All of us look forward to each new issue!
And I can’t forget about my fabulous Nespresso machine. I haven’t been to Starbucks in weeks because I can get my cappuccino and almond latte fix at home and all with an automatic nozzle for steamed milk and froth. It’s so easy to use, I hope to train Stephen to make me my daily cup soon!
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Yes, the Brick Separator is a must-have for us too. But it does not work on two very small pieces that are stuck together. : (
Hi Angela, I agree. Those tiny pieces are reeealy hard to separate. I also found these tips that might help:
Taking LEGO pieces apart:
People use teeth, fingernails, screwdrivers, penknives, …
Dennis Holmes: What you need is TWO separator tools. Stick one on top and one underneath, with the handles facing the same direction, and then squeeze the handles together. Works like magic!
1×1x1s are easy - twist one of them through 45 degrees, and then prise them apart with fingers.
To separate 2×1 flats Clive Jones writes:
Let: - …be the 1-wide cross-section of the 2×1 block, so:
-
-
represents the two blocks stuck together. Now find two 12×2 plates.
Apply them like this:
———— < - wiggle
-
-
------------ wiggle ->
…and wiggle them backwards and forwards *hard*. Within a second or so, you’ll find that all but the most stubborn plates separate, and getting the 2×1s off the 12×2s is then easy.
Joe Garlicki has another way to separate 2×1 flats. First, take two 2×1 blocks (the regular size). Put one on top of the 2×1 flats, and put the other one on the bottom. Then, snap the two 2×1 flats apart. After that, it’s easy to get the 2×1 flats off of the 2×1 blocks. Note: This method can be applied to other small plate sizes as well.
The reading lessons sound fantastic. I wonder if they are much different than the program I use with my students.
I just clicked through and switched to Amazon.de so I could buy it. I hope you still get the referral fee.
Let me know how the method works for you! There were almost 400 reviews at Amazon.com ranging from 1 star to 5. I don’t follow the script precisely but it’s a great guideline. I’m not too worried about “killing a child’s love of reading” by using such a regimented method because sometimes structure is needed. Besides, any child can see that reading is necessary. The fun can come later or not at all. Not everyone has to read great literature to have the desire to read.
(No worries about the referral fee. *mwah*)
Oh, and I was going on about “love of reading” because a number of Amazon reviewers harped on that.
I live by my press pot—-that nespresso is too tempting!
Kristina, I’ve tried the French press before but always found it had a peculiar taste. I’m not sure why. And yet I drank instant coffee for many years! lol
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