CEO Series: Teach your kids a Foreign Language

You can teach your kids a foreign language, even if you cannot speak it!

If you want your children to learn a foreign language, there are great resources available that are FREE or next to nothing in cost.

I must include this aside: If you only speak English, have never taken a foreign language class yourself, and listening to foreign speakers is just, well, Greek to you, don't fret. Put you parenting panties on and show no fear. You can provide a solid foreign language foundation for your children, and you may learn something too! Here's where to start:

Free Foreign Language Resources

1. The Radio

The best instruction I received during my Spanish Class days was to listen to the Spanish speaking radio. Don't try to understand it, just have it playing in the background. Why? Our brains are awesome, that's why. After continuous exposure, what normally sounds like nails on a chalkboard will turn into a natural sound. Trust me on this.

What's that? You want your child to learn a language other than Spanish so you have no radio stations to play? Ah, yea of little faith but with internet connection check out numbers two and three.

2. TuneIn Radio Application for Smart Phones and Tablets

I love, love, love this app! There are two options with it, keep the free version or pay a small app fee and upgrade. TuneIn Radio streams radio stations from around the world! It is searchable by language. We listen to the Italian stations just about everyday, everywhere.

3. YouTube

I'm a stickler about watching TV during the day. One exception: YouTube videos in Italian. Search the language you want your children to learn and see what pulls up. Be sure to narrow your search parameters so you're not pulling up smut. "Cartoni Italiano" "Disney Italiano" "Italian Lessons" are my main go-to searches. I also use YouTube during the homeschool year for Italian culture lessons.

4. Websites & Website resources

Google is my bestie when it comes to finding free foreign language resources. There are oodles of sites that offer free lessons, free printables, free anything for the language you desire. I stumbled upon a gem just the other day, Chillola Foreign Language for Kids. Type in "Free 'Insert Foreign Language Here' Lessons for kids" and start clicking. Bookmark the sites and use them regularly. Printable word cards and worksheets are great, they can go with you anywhere and be used at any time. Taping word cards on their corresponding objects throughout the house provides passive immersion for your young readers and you! Quick tip: Always say the foreign equivalent to an object when referring to it. 


Also, if you know your country of choice internet handle (i.e. .it for Italy) you can pull up popular children programs in that language. Warning, some of the sites allow access to only those in the country, just keep looking and you'll find one that will accept you with open arms.

If you are willing to shell out a bit of dinero, then the world of foreign language learning at home is infinite.

Resources that Cost, but won't break the bank

1. International Television Subscription

Dish Network offers international programming packages at quite reasonable pricing and from many countries. In our home RAI & MediaSet Italia are watched regularly. Some international stations lack children programs which is okay. Learning the culture and language through native programming is a necessity for complete immersion. Be forewarned: many foreign cultures are lax on modesty compared to the US. It is part of their culture so I suggest lightening your censorship when viewing. The less of a deal you make of it, the less your child will and the easier a new culture will be understood. Trust me, Italian programs utilize women's assets big-time. Women don't hide their beauty but use it to their advantage.  Side-note about Italian culture: Age is revered. The older women are beautified seemingly more than the younger ones. Its a refreshing change.

2. DVDs, CDs, Workbooks, Textbooks

Amazon & Ebay are foreign language meccas. I especially love the option to order from Italy direct on Ebay. Start a library of foreign language learning tools. The number one tool to have is an English/Whicheverlanguage Dictionary. It helps with pronunciation and inquisitive children asking "how do you say...".

3. National Consulates

If you are suffering from summer cabin fever and want to get the kiddies out, check out your language choice national consulate. Most offer language classes throughout the year and at reasonable prices.  Going to the consulate for a few lessons also provides culture exposure.

There are many more options out there to facilitate you exposing your children to foreign language. Be creative and consistent. You'll be amazed at the comprehension ability of your children and surprised at what you yourself will learn. When the summer is over and you want to take the learning to the next level, look into foreign language immersion schools in your area. In Illinois and Washington D.C. Language Stars is a great school.

If you have any questions about language learning at home, feel free to ask, I do it everyday with my daughter!


*Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, just an educational one from Me, Myself, and I.*

Answer Pages in a Preschool Workbook

Um, I think you may have some bigger problems if you need to refer to the answer pages in your child's PRESCHOOL workbook. Wow!

CEO Series: What I Learned Homeschooling Preschool

Rookie Homeschooling a first year Preschooler

Three Lessons learned by a rookie homeschool teacher! It took a full school year to figure out what works best for me & my daughter.

Thank God for summer! Little does my daughter know but I have put her on a summer break from planned homeschooling. I need time to regroup and apply the lessons I learned to a more productive and smooth second year preschool. (Of course yesterday she eagerly set everything up then came to me smiling "Let's do a reading circle!". It was nice. I just had to show up and read with no learning objective.)

Lesson #1: Planning

Even with homeschooling, and it only being preschool, I must plan ahead and have the weeks set. This past year I was planning the week/day the couple hours I had to myself before she woke. My printer took the brunt of my angst for my poor time-management. Lack of planning on my part does not constitute an emergency on yours, I'm sorry Epson CX9400.

The month of June is my planning month. Since this will be her 2nd year as a preschooler I will be reusing much of what we did last year saving me TONS of time. She turns four June 17th so a main planning tool I am using is Active Learning for Fours. I used the version for Threes, more as a last minute reference. This time it's a manual!

Lesson #2: Winging it

Even with the best plans, it's OK to wing-it when necessary. This was a big lesson for me. My Type-A, slightly OCD side wanted to stick to whatever last minute plans I made. Near the end of the year I learned it's OK to throw the day's plan out the window and do something else. I can incorporate the learning objective on the fly. Example: chucking the day's plan, jumping in the car and go to the mall. While walking and during our intense conversations asking pertinent questions like "What letter does that store's name start with?" "Which color bracelet do you like?" "Let's count the steps to the next store." etc. all were opportunities to reinforce what she already learned and teach new stuff as needed.

Lesson #3: Relax, she still has 18+ years of schooling to learn everything!

All parents want their children to accelerate at learning. When I was feeling flustered B wasn't learning as quickly as I, her MBA mother thought she should, a close friend and fellow homeschool mom would remind me "Kim, she's ONLY 3!" Then I'd look at B and let it sink in that less than a year ago she was still in diapers! Reading the encyclopedia is not necessary right now; learning to wipe her butt is!

Though I've taken the summer off from active homeschooling, B has a very filled one! She will be attending a preschool-like program through the park district one day a week. My goal is for her to learn more discipline and group behavior with other kids. She is also registered for swim lessons and dance. This girl will be busy starting Monday! 

If you are thinking of homeschooling and it seems overwhelming or that you are not capable, learn from me. One, yes you can teach your children. Two, the best plans are organic and ever evolving. Leave the static plans to the schools!

Foreign Language Learning

We took a break from Italian School for the summer so it is on my & my in-laws shoulders to keep her moving forward in her bilingual education these next few months. Mondays will still be Italian Day and I have the curriculum book from last year to use. Also there are many ways to immerse foreign language throughout the day, even if the parent does not speak it! Stay tuned for my next CEO Series post "Language Immersion The Mom Standard Style".

DIY on a Budget: Little Tikes Kiddie Pool turned Flower Bed

How to convert a kiddie pool into a flower bed

Year 4 of our Little Tikes Butterfly Beach Sandbox & Wading Pool  meant total repurpose. B is too big to sit in it as a pool and she has a big sandbox behind her playhouse. This year she needed her own space for flowers, per her request.


Queue the drill and some dirt! My husband drilled a few holes for drainage in each wing then filled it with planting soil. A family trip to Menards for flowers, a couple garden signs from Target's dollar bin, and presto! B's very own flower bed in front of her Little Tikes Victorian Cottage home. She has a pretty good set up I have to say!


I love watching her tend to her flower bed, gingerly kissing the flowers, patting them lightly and telling them "good night honey". Since I'm lightening up on the homeschooling for the summer, this bit of nurturing nature is a perfect learning experience for her.


I foresee at least another four years of use from this pool turned flower bed now!

CEO Series: Adding suspense to learning-Eggs in a Basket

Eggs in a basket.
Its Spring and time to kick our daily lessons up a notch. No longer does me saying "hey, want to practice writing your letters?" elicit an exciting "Yes Mommy".  Nope, suddenly it makes her run screaming "Noooooo".

While gathering up Easter remains I was inspired to keep the plastic eggs out for a full season to make lessons exciting again. So far it is working!

On slips of paper I wrote lesson activities and put one in each of the eggs. Things like: practice writing your letters, reading circle, sing a song, 10 minutes quiet time, trace____, etc. Pretty much any and everything I want her to be practicing for lessons.

When she is showing signs of boredom, I need a few minutes to get something else ready, or she asks, I pull down the basket and have her gleefully pick an egg and watch her carefully open it to see what she'll do next.  She loves it!

CEO: Figgy the Italian Fairy by Kimberly Demetrio

Figgy the Italian Fairy

The Fairy Figgy loves all the trees

but her favorite of all has big sweet fig leaves.

She sings and dances and glows with much love.

She even talks to the figs in their own native tongue.

Figgy speaks Italian,

a language so sweet.

Another fairy who speaks it

she has yet to meet.

The Fairy Queen one day had a sorrowful job.

One lonely fig tree, she had heard it sob.

"This cannot be, all trees must be sprite

I'm sending Figgy to tend, immediately tonight."

Figgy was sent to an area unknown.

She didn't know the fairies,

she didn't know the gnomes.

Figgy was scared when she arrived late that night,

she ran to her tree and sang "It'll be alright".

She looked at the house and in the window she saw

a fairy like human a couple feet tall.

Figgy grew happy, she knew she'd be fine

she had her own fig tree and a little human divine.

One day her humans were out in the sun

her little human divine was having much fun.

The language they spoke made the fig stand with pride,

Figgy's ears perked to listen and her heart happily cried,

"I found more like me, this was the Queen's plan

She sent me to live where they speak Italian."

-Kimberly Demetrio

Figgy the Italian Fairy copyright 2012

B is in Italian school. She understands the language quite well, yet, doesn't use it much on her own. To encourage her to speak more of the language I made this wool fairy to hang in our window, looking out at our fig tree. I wrote the story to go along as a reference. B loved the story and the fairy. She still doesn't like to speak Italian much, but I have caught her using her new language skills whispering to Figgy in the window. My plan is working!

CEO Series: Reading Circles

Homeschooling Reading Circles

2 Books for our Circles:
"Pancakes for Breakfast" by Tomy Depaula
& "Pancakes, Pancakes" by Eric Carle

Reading Circles. This is the term for our themed reading time during lessons.  My daughter has the attention span of a gnat so to get her to sit and listen to a story and talk about it is VERY difficult. Create a hands on experience adventure and that's a whole other story! 

Day 1: Prior to her waking I cut out a craft to go along with the stories (I love my Cricut), after our morning routine I laid a blanket on the floor (which peaked her curiosity--she asked if we were having a picnic while doing lessons), found a tin of small tea light candles, and got B all excited about our new thing.

I read somewhere while doing research on Waldorf educating about lighting candles during quiet times. So, I applied that to my student. She picked out which scent she wanted to burn and I explained the goal is to not make the flame go out. This meant she had to be very still and not talk during the reading. Worked like a charm! 

Day 1: Pancake Craft

After the stories were read she worked on her pancake craft while retelling me the stories and answering questions I posed. The covers of the books were used as intro to reading while I had her sound out letters I did not cover up and say what the new word was. 

Day 1: Final Result

Day 2: The night before I sat in my cold basement and sewed three play pancakes to use for our next Reading Circle.  She woke and actually asked to do a reading circle, grabbing the candles and heading toward the living room. Knowing I had to spice it up a bit to avoid boredom I gathered all her kitchen play items that would be needed to go along with the first story "Pancakes, Pancakes" by Eric Carle.

We lit the candle and as the story proceeded she performed the tasks that were being read.  Once the stories were finished she cleaned up her kitchen and we moved on to the rest of the day.  

Day 2: getting ready to make pancakes

Day 2: Pouring the batter in the pan on her grill

Day 2: The final result, a plate of maple syrup covered pancakes

Day 3: We lit the candle and I let her read me the books. When daddy came home she read them to him too!

I am working on some other ideas for the Reading Circle because this is a total WIN for our homeschooling day!

Learning to Iron-a Practical Life Activity

Oh today you and I are not on the same page. I woke late due to your lack of brightness caused by your overcast sky & pouring rain. Though I overslept, I really could have stayed in bed longer had my morning companion Cuppo Coffee not been calling.

B and I are in my library-her home classroom. She had a "milk" tea party and I a cappuccino party. I'm trying not to hate today while she is enthralled in her new practical life toy we bought yesterday, an IRONING BOARD & IRON!

After a few minutes of intense ironing she proclaims "thanks for the best new toy!"

When I was four or five I learned how to iron. It was not a fun experience, nor was it with pretend toys. No, I was taught to iron because in reform school you have to iron your own uniforms or get spanked with a wooden paddle inlaid with nails.

Ironing is not my favorite thing and for the longest time I thought I was really being sent to reform school.

Gotta put the pen and coffee down. She has her iron flat on the board, time to teach her the do's and don'ts of ironing...without fear of corporal punishment.

Chief Education Officer Series

Image via Wikipedia

I am fully embracing my newest role as Chief Education Officer for the Demetrio Family, Inc. As with any new venture, considerable planning time is being invested up front to guarantee an ample return. My goal to is officially start pre-school in August.

While researching I have come across some great resources: electronic, brick & mortar, and human. This CEO Series is going to be my sharing of such resources as well as a record of my progress & plan.  If you are thinking of homeschooling for pre-school & K and are a bit overwhelmed, I hope to I can help you too!

Any current homeschoolers interested in guest posting PLEASE let me know!

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