The treasure hunting game at home

I had a day off yesterday, so I came up with a good idea to enjoy the snack time with my children.

The idea was "The treasure hunting game".

 

************  How to play this game  ************

I prepared several pieces of paper and wrote the quizzes on them.

For example, I wrote the first one, "There is it in the bedroom and its blades go round and round.
What is it?"

The answer is "The electric fan".
   
If they go to the bedroom , they will find  the next paper which I hid in advance under the electric fan.

Then they try to answer the quiz to find the next quiz.

I hid twelve pieces of paper and they would find their snacks at the place of the answer of the last quiz.

********************************************* 

When I went to the nursery school to pick them up, I told them about the game and my five-year-old son was so excited hearing it.

He wanted to do it as soon as possible, so he asked me to go home and be in a hurry.

I explained how to play the game and I let my children keep the promise to solve the quiz peacefully together.

He enjoyed this game very much.

But it was a little difficult for my 4-year-old daughter, so I asked him to read the quizzes to her and they have to solve it together.

Finally they succeeded to find their snacks hidden in the microwave!

They were glad to find the treasure, and enjoyed the snack time more than usual.

My son told me "I want to try it again!".


I was so glad that they enjoyed it very much.

Their smiles made me happy!



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The lunch boxes for my children's field trip

My children went on the nursery school's field trip to the park near my house yesterday.

I need to make their "bento"(the lunch boxes).

I usualyy make my lunch box when I work (I wrote about this in past post→http://a-o-j-m.blogspot.jp/2014/10/today-lunchbox.html).

But to make lunch boxes for my children need more time because I have to consider their tastes, the hues that seems to be delicious,  amount of food that they can eat and so on.

I also needed to make breakfast and dinner, do the laundry in the early morning.

I was so busy that I wasn't able to attend my English class.

I spent my time doing the householdchores.


These are their "bento".

The pink one is for my 4-year-old daughter, and the yellow green one is for my 5-year-old son.

To tell the truth, I didn't think these "bento" were good.

These were too normal and especially my daughter's "bento" didn't look delicious.

(She doesn't like tomato, so I could not put "red" food any more.)


After we came back home, they told me that they ate all of "bento" and these were delicious.

But my daughter told me,

"... In fact, it was not very yummy. My friend's "bento" looked more delicious."

I really thought that she will tell me that!

Her friend's "bento" was  made by her mother's great devotion.

According to her, it was so fancy that it has sausages cut into the shape of octopuse or cartoon character-shaped seaweed on rice.

This is the image of such kinds of "bento"→http://cookpad.com/recipe/2858383


I am not good at cooking, and first of all, I don't have much time and energy to make such kind of "bento".

I had mixed emotions.

I want to do what you wish but I can't do.



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Her Elsa & His Elsa (from "FROZEN")

"FROZEN" is the movie which our family watched  together for the first time.

They enjoyed very much and we often sing "Let It Go", "Do You Want To Build a Snowman?", "For the First Time In Forever"  together (We sing in Japanese).


Yesterday my 4-year-old daughter drew a picture of Elsa and showed me.

She likes Elsa very much and I could see that how much she likes Elsa from her picture.

She drew this picture without seeing something, she definitely has a strong impression to the scene of "Let It Go".

She likes Elsa's dress very much and she wants to wear it like Elsa.




Since I was impressed by her picture, I asked my five-year-old son to draw the picture of Elsa.

He consented unwillingly and drew.

......Don't you think it is funny?

WHY did he draw Elsa by red pencil??

Besides, he drew this picture on the paper which a picture was drawn on on the back.

I could see how much he has no interest in Elsa.



Although they are brother and sister, their interests are completely different.

This is so interesting for me.



By the way, both of my children like drawing very much and they often get absorbed in drawing.

My son likes the dinosaurs and fishes, so he often draw their pictures.

I could see from the picture that he drew it eagerly unlike Elsa's picture!



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A valuable experience of raising the tiny life

After we came back home in the yesterday's evening, I told my children to clean up the insect cages where our caterpillars stay in.

First, my son put them out from the cages, and removed their wastes.

After that, he returned the caterpillars, then my daughter cut off the leaf of the carrot at our kitchen garden and put them in the cages.

The insect cages became very clean.

They brought them into the house and were looking at what the caterpillars are doing.
Suddenly my son said, " Mom, look! They are eating the leaves!"

He looked very happy to find them eating the leaves.

I told him, "Because you cleaned up the cages and feed them fresh leaves!"

My daughter were scared of any insects like me, but now, she can touch the green caterpillars!

I don't know how long we can keep raising the caterpillars, but it seems to be a good experience for them to take care of the caterpillars.

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How do I teach English to my children?

I take a bath with my children every night.

Before we step out of the bath, I sometimes tell my children "Let's count ten before we go out!".

But last night, my four-year-old daughter said "Let's count thirty in English! One, two, three..."

She can count from number 1 to 30 in English.

She continued, "Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, forty!"

"No, thirty!"

I said and we laughed together.

Even if she can count the numbers in Japanese, she also sometimes make mistakes.



My policy for them when it comes to studying English, if for them to have fun and enjoy it.

I am very careful that studying English will not become a "duty" for them.

I would like my children to become interested in learning English by letting them listen to English songs.


I bought some CD's  of English children songs.

While listening to the music many times, they will be able to learn their favorite songs by heart.

I am so surprised that sometimes they sing English songs with correct pronunciation like a native speaker.

Even though they don't know the meeaning of the song, they just imitate the correct pronunciation of the lyrics of the songs.

I envy them because they can easily remember many things!

I need time more than 3 times to learn the English words than my children, but I will do my best!


These are their favorite songs.
↓
・Hickory, Dickory, Duck"
・Three Little Monkeys
・Walking, Walking
・The ABC song
・We Wish You a Merry Christmas

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The caterpillars have increased than yesterday

I went to work yesterday.

Since we work by the shift, I need to work on Sunday once or twice a month

When I came back home, I couldn't believe my eyes.

I asked my son, "What... what are they?"

Instead of him, my husband answered, " They are the larvae of Old World Swallowtail. They were on  the carrot leaves planted in our kitchen garden."

Raising the vegetables is my husband's hobby.

I felt that their striped patterns were gross!

I asked my son to move "Aomu-kun" to another gage to protect from the other striped caterpillars.

*Aomu-kun : from my 10/26 diary entry
→http://a-o-j-m.blogspot.jp/2014/10/hoshigaki-dried-persimmons-sukiyaki.html

The members of our family have increased again!

I don't like any insects but I am surprised at myself that I didn't ask my son to set them free.



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"Hoshigaki" (Dried persimmons) & "Sukiyaki"

My husband made"Hoshigaki" (the dried persimmons) yesterday.

"Hoshigaki" is a kind of dried fruit made by drying Japanese persimmons.

The persimmons used for "Hoshigaki" are astringent persimmons.

These persimmons will finish drying in approximately around two weeks.

I feel the autumn in Japan by seeing "Hoshigaki".


The green caterpillar which my son caught at the elementary school(from my 10/24 diary entry) is fine now!

He named it "Aomu-kun" because the green caterpillar is called "Aomushi" in Japanese.

He also caught a pair of piggyback grasshoppers.

I didn't like any insects before, but recently, thanks to him, I am getting used to them little by little .



My husband made "Sukiyaki" for dinner  last night.

He usually doesn't cook.

But as he is good at making "sukiyaki", I asked him to make it for us.

Wow! It looks yummy!

 He cooked some beef and vegetables and prepared beaten raw eggs as a dip.

Let's eat!

......How delicious it is!

Thanks to the "sukiyaki", I will definitely be energetic tomorrow too!


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Doraemon speaks in English!

I borrow some picture books for my children at the library once in two weeks.

My aim is to read more than 100 books a year for my children.

We have been achieving this aim for nearly 3 years because we like to read picture books very much.


Last week, I borrowed the "manga" books of "Doraemon" at the library.

"Doraemon" is one of the most famous and popular animation character in Japan since I was a baby.

These books were published for Japanese people who are learning English and these could also be used as teaching materials for English.

"Doraemon" speaks in English but Japanese translation are also written in the book.

Moral lessons that are written in English, and are explained in Japanese could be found at the end of the books.

 

These are very interesting for me!


I heard on the news that "Doraemon"  started  being broadcasted in America in this summer.

The news said that some bilateral cultural differences in "Doraemon" were revised.

Actually I don't think this is a good idea.

I think that it is better not to correct the cultural differences because they are the most interesting things.


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Hurray for my son's green caterpillar!

My son visited to the elementary school near our house with me yesterday to take a health examination for children starting school age.

This was the first time for us to go through the gate of the school.

He will enter the elementary school next April.

In fact, he couldn't fall asleep soon at the previous night because he was looking forward to going to school and was too excited.



After the health examination, many children were playing at the athletic field of the elementary.

Of course he joined in them.

He run around  in the big athletic field and played  the big playground equipments with his friends.

I was anxious whether he would be able to stand the changes in his environment.

And I guess he had the same anxiety before he visited the school.

But I was relieved to see him having fun.

I was able to easily imagine the figure that he would enjoy his school life.

After we came back home, he told me happily, "It was very fun today! I will study hard, and  play with friends a lot!"



He caught a green caterpillar at the school and brought it back to home.

He put it into his insect cage.

He looked up the insect dictionary, and he found it was a larva of "Common Bluebottle".

This larva will become a butterfly by the time he enters the elementary school!


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I dislike an injection!

I took my children to the hospital to get a flu shot yesterday.

My 5-year-old son was able to put up with the injection, but my 4-year-old daughter was scared of the injection and she was terribly panic when she was about to get the  injection.

When my car reached the hospital, she started crying and said, "Oh, I don't want to get an injection, I hate it! Tell the doctor  "Don't give me an injection", mom!!"

She kept crying while we were waiting in the waiting room.

Because she was crying too much,  other patients were chuckling at her.

When the nurse called their names as it was their turn for the injection, she shouted "No! I don't want to go! I dislike injection! I hate pain! Oh no-------!!!!!"

I held her in my arm and with enough strength and still she was crying so loud.

She acted too violent while crying, I and 3 nurses had to press down on her so that she couldn't move.


In contrast to her, my son didn't cry at all and he was praised to the doctor.

After the injection was given, she cried for a while.

But she stopped crying soon and started  playing the tissue with an illustration of the animation character which the nurse gave her as a prize for working hard.

She didn't cry any more.

After we came back home, she asked me,

"Why can't I manage to be injected yet some children with the same age as me can?"

I told her,

"You can cry! I think it is normal to cry for an injection because it is obviously painful.

 If you are scared of an injection, you may cry.

You don't have to put up with it.

But you have to get an injection to build up a shield on your body against any diseases and infection before it gets worse.

I guarantee that you will be able to get an injection without crying in the future.

You don't need to worry about it."

She smiled to me cheerfully and said,

 "I will do my best to put up with the injection! Because I am already 4 years old!"

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Is it early to go to bed at 8:30pm?

I hope my children to wake themselves up at 7:15am on weekday.

I set the alarm at 7:10am, and it has a snooze function, so I  want them to wake up by 7:30am at the latest.

But recently they could not wake up on the time.

Especially my 4-year-old daughter, she was likely to fall asleep during breakfast.

It is because they don't have time for a nap at the nursery school  after the sports day.

(But strangely enough, they wake up before 7am on weekend.)

We go to bed at 9:00pm every day, but I suggested for them to go to bed at 8:30pm because they need to sleep more.

They understood it and I told them if they want to go to bed at 8:30pm, we need to take a bath at 7:30pm.

We usually take a bath by 8:10pm at the latest, so it meant that their free time would decrease more than 30 minutes than usual.


I said to them around 7:20pm, " Time to clean up!"

But nobody answers me and I have no choice but to start cleaning up.

They didn't show at all the behavior that they began to clean up.

I asked them, "Can you help me?"

My five-year-son answered, "Nobody will help you!"


I could not control my anger.

The advices that I have learned could not help me.

I clean up by myself immediately in silence and I go to the bath alone and calm myself.

I get sad and wonder how I make them punctual.



After a while,They follow me and come to the bath.

I express  my honest emotion  to them.

They apologize to me and we finally could go to bed at 8:30pm , but it was a very hard work for me.

I only want them to have more sleep, and they only want to play more.

I hope they will be able to wake up early today!


This photo below is a clock in the living room.

I put the seal indicating the "minutes" for my children, but they cannot tell the time yet, especially my daughter.

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The unlucky day to my son and me

It began raining hard when I left my office.

When I went to the nursery school to pick up my children, my son's teacher told me that he injured his forehead.

According to her, when my son went to the bath room, suddenly the other student opened the door of bathroom stall and it hit my son's forehead.

He got a lump on the forehead.

I told his teacher,

"Oh, what an unlucky day we had!  In fact, my car hit the neighbor's wall  before I came to the nursery school. In addition, my umbrella was broken and it doesn't open!"


My son and I often feel the same together.

For example, when I am in the good mood, he is also in the good mood.

And it's surprising that he and I spent an unlucky day at the same time!


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A lovely gift from my son

Last night, my son told me, "Though it is a little bit early, happy birthday!" and gave me a little box made of milk carton.

I knew he was making something, but I didn't expect that it was a gift for me!

It is written in Japanese " to mom".↓

When I opened the box, I realized that it is a message card.

This is written in Japanese(even if there is a little mistake) "To mom, I will try to do my best from now on."

I asked him, "Thank you so much, but what are you going to try to do your best on?"

He answered, "I will put away my toys, and prepare for the nursery school."

I told him, "These are very nice! And I want you to do one more thing. Do you know what it is?"

He answered, "Yeah! I know! I will wait for the gift until Christmas!"

I was very glad that he understood my thoughts.

Thank you my son, I am going to try not to get angry easily.

I also need to have longer patience and keep myself from getting angry easily.


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My son's waywardness at the crowded airport

I went to the international airport with my parents and my children to see the event held there today.

The many airport vehicles were exhibited at the spacious temporary parking lot in the airport.

I expected that my five-year- old son would be glad to see these vehicles because he likes cars.

But he wasn't glad to see them and he wanted to go to the airport terminal early.

I was able to guess the reason immediately.

The festival of toy train was being held at the airport terminal and he knew it and he was supposed to ask my parents to buy a toy train.

He has already toy trains too much, so I told him that we had no intention of buying any toys for him today.

He said he would not ask his grandparents to buy a toy.



When we reached the airport terminal, it was so crowded by many families and it was hard to approach the place where the train toys were exhibited.

My four-year-old daughter told me that she wanted to see the planes landing and taking off, so I asked my parents to be with my son , and my daughter and I went to the deck.


Since it was nice sunny day today, there were many visitors around in the deck.

We enjoyed seeing the planes.

After a while, my son and my parents came to us.

My son was holding the shopping bag in his hand and said, "Grandpa bought me this train!"

I couldn't believe my eyes, he didn't keep his words.

What's more is, the toy was just a set of rails and no train was in it.

I thought there was no sense at all.

My parents always spoil my children too much because my children are the only grandchildren they have.

I know I need to thank my parents to take care with him, but I was disappointed him very much.

I wanted him to put up with his desire until Christmas.

I am at a loss of how he can put up with his desire (want toys).

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