Fridays Fabulous Five #50

(source)

• First up a little bit of fun.  Turn your favourite quote into a piece of art here at recite 
• Jackson Pollacks art is spotty to say the least.  So have a go and make your own Jackson look a like.
• If you enjoyed hunger games then this list of books you might like too.
• Then these incredible wood carvings.
• Finally since winter is not too far away these crock pot recipes might come in handy.

Have a great weekend.

A First Meal.

So McKenzie is now of an age when I feel she should start to learn to make meals.  She can bake cookies but they are not going to be much good to here when she is hungry for an evening meal and out in the world fending for herself.  She is not learning food technology at school so it is up to me.

So when we got home from camping I decided we would start with a meal that was very versatile.....mince.  So under my direction for the meat and by herself for the rest here was our meal that night........mince (with the hidden vege in it, new potatoes and garden salad.

So she will have another go when school has got underway and I think she should have a try at meatloaf.  Hmmm what do you think?

When Teaching Tweenagers that Everything Costs Something.

'When I get a touch phone I will be able to get free internet.' was what my 11 (12 in 6 days) daughter promptly told me when she got off the school bus.  Now I know that the hours ride on the bus gives plenty of time for talk amongt the girls but free internet promptly got me thinking about the value of things and how to teach the above 11 year old that everything costs something.  Luckily just a few days later the right moment to make my point came about. 

As I have mentioned before I have been very fussy about my daughter having a phone.  Firstly she did not need one and only wanted one and secondly I did not have clearly in my head what rules I would need in place before such a device would be in her care.

For months and months I with stood the ..'but everyone has one'.....taunt.  I promptly replied the standard ...' when you can pay for one you can get one.  I don't see why you need a phone.  I will reassess it when each needy moment arrives.'

October bought about that moment to get the phone and I bought the cheapest one with the basics on it.  Nothing fancy at all.  6 weeks later it is lost.  Hmmmmmm not a happy mother.  I then went to the ...'well you were not responsible'.....'and I am not getting another one'...mode while secretly thinking well I suppose when the new school year comes around I will give it more thought especially as she had come home sick (vomiting) that day and I had a little empathy for her.  To my surprise my 11 year old said that ....'the phone I had bought her was a piece of junk'.    Well any thought of me replacing the phone prompty went and a whole week went by before I decided that if she was to have a phone she would need to buy it herself secretly hoping she would not have much money and the basic phone would be what she would be able to get.

I must say she was happy to spend what she had in her 'spending' (as opposed to her savings) stash leaving no money left for anything and she bought a phone.  Hmmmm same rules in place.  The plan came with a data package, calling minutes and a txt 5000 plan.  So I quickly rang the phone company just to confirm that this phone would not let said daughter spend more credit than she had and while I acknowledge that the phone was a good deal it was still not necessarily teacher her that everything costs.  Hmmm my plan was backfiring.  Then to my disgust she told me that the headset that came with it was a piece of junk not as good as the ones she lost. Lesson still requires some work I am thinking.

All I can say is thank goodness she has only a few days of school left and she still does not know how to tap into the wireless system we have at home.  That is giving me time to work out how to change the passwork for when I need it.

The phone for my Tweenager

So it has been a hot topic of conversation this year.  You might know the one that says

                         'Mum everyone has a phone and I don't.  I need one."

My standard response has been something like this

'What do you need a phone for?  Who is going to pay for it? When theright moment arrives then I will reconsider this decision.'

 

Of course that first moment to challenge my decision arrived and I agreed that now was the right time for a phone.  Naturally it comes with a set of rules which we have agreed to.  Here they are;

 

• the phone is not to be one the table during meal times
• the phone must not be taken to family/ social events where social intereaction is more important that sitting there txting.  It must be left at home.
• the phone is to be switched off during study and homework times.
• the phone is to be left it's overnight spot by 6.30pm.  (Oh yes we go to bed early in our house because we get up early)
• I will only pay for txting and in return the bedroom of said child. will be spick and span every weekend with no exceptions. Dusting, vacuuming, cleared surfaces and all washing out in the basket
• I can check the nature of txting going on and no txts can be deleted until I have done so.
• the phone must be used in a way that complies with the school rules.  I will not be rushing into school to get back for her if it get conviscated.  Well not in any hurry.

Naturally I bought the cheapest phone I could get.  It can not take photos, it can make phone calls and send txts.  This is despite the protests that friends
          
                         'all have touch phones and I want one too'.

Thankfully my tweenager has not yet realised about wireless connectivity because then a new set of rules will need to be thought about.

Then there are the consequeces that would see the removal of a phone for a specific lenght of time.  Yes a boundary has been breached and yes I have had a phone sitting in my sock draw for a week.  I think the lesson has been learnt, well for the time being.