Weekly Wrap-Up

This week we finished reading a second book of the Little Cousin Series, the Dutch Cousin.  Here is a site we found to do additional studies on the Netherlands.

We also read about Delftware.  Delftware, or Delft pottery, is the blue and white pottery and the tin-glazed pottery made in and around Delft in the Netherlands from the 16th century.

Delftware is a type of pottery in which a white glaze is applied, usually decorated with metal oxides. Delftware includes pottery objects of all descriptions such as plates, ornaments and tiles.

All in all I think my son really enjoyed the story of the Little Dutch Cousin. Although he found it quite funny that the ladies in that time period wore every skirt they owned at all times.  The wooden shoes seemed very uncomfortable to him, and we had an interesting discussion about dikes and waterways of that region and how and why they were created.

At one point in the story a woman was throwing a pailful of water on her house, and it was explained that the Dutch preferred cleanliness over everything.  It was not uncommon for the women to wash their homes even when it was raining.  There was no regard for pedestrians or children nearby.  They were washed along with the house.

In those days they used dogs to pull carts because it was easier for the dogs to crawl under the carts to get out of the sun and rest, and the dogs were better at protecting their owners wares from being stolen than a horse could.

We also finished reading The Child's Day.  As far as an introduction to health studies this was a very informative book.  Though some of it was outdated I found it full of valuable stories.  It was a great way to explain the many advances we have made in the health field.  My son was most interested in the wonderful diagrams of the body.  Here are just a few of his favorites:

My son was extremely pleased with the first one that he described as, "a man who looks like a tree with brain-lips."   (I am not sure about that description, but he has an artists eye. lol)  This, of course, is a diagram of the nervous system.

He is also learning to appreciate the comforts he enjoys that were not available in the past.  To him plumbing seems to be the biggest major improvement over the years.  He has on numerous occasions been astonished at the indignities of outhouses, no dishwasher and washing machines, and wood stoves or fireplaces for cooking.

There are numerous stories about how children lived in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  My mother was born on a farm with no plumbing and was able to add even more valuable insights into the lifestyles of a bygone era.

We are enjoying the older texts which have very useful and pertinent information for studies.  My son is learning more and retaining more information due to the story-like approach to these older books.

We spent more time this week on math and grammar.  There is an immense amount of whining and complaining when it comes to these subjects, and I decided he was not ready to advance until he becomes more proficient in the basic skills.  His attitude dictates that slowing down may be the best approach rather than introducing more skills he is bound to get frustrated with.  Though I would prefer to advance and not "get behind" I am allowing him to decide when he is ready to move on.  I have learned the hard way every child learns at their own pace.

So, that was basically our week.