Learning at home, sometimes...

See you in a bit!

2009-01-19T05:20:00.000-08:00

I am beginning to do a short stint of work outside of our home, and I have a feeling that I won't be back on here for a little bit. I apologize in advance. I look forward to seeing you soon!! :)

Today

2009-01-14T17:37:00.000-08:00

I'm really not a complete sheltering my kids kind of mom... I let them climb tall trees, play sports, watch the news (with me only though, so we can talk it through), have friends, just do lots of stuff. I look at homeschooling as a chance to prepare them rather than solely protect them. As they get older we shift more and more from protecting to preparing... But I do worry. I worry about the "today" that they're growing up in. I worry that they are growing up familiar with terms like "compromising photos", "school shootings","private drug rehab", and those much more intense. I applaud that we are talking about hard things, and not just brushing them under the carpet, but it makes me sad that some of the hard things have been trivialized to pop news....

Okay enough deep thinking for tonight :). My brain is ready to shift gears to the mindless activites that occur after kids' bedtimes: folding laundry, watching a non-animated tv show, balancing the checkbook (maybe I should save that one till the morning :).)

G'night!

Reclaiming school

2009-01-13T17:36:00.000-08:00

Any other homeschoolers having a hard time getting back into it after the holidays? I JUST now feel like I'm starting to regain some semblance of a schedule... I stress about sometimes, but in my happier times I take a deep breath and remember that each sunrise holds a fresh start :).

Finding your way online

2009-01-07T16:19:00.000-08:00

As you know if you've looked around, I've got a couple of kiddos here. I love having internet access for them, but it also comes with the responsibility of teaching them how to use it wisely. We have parental guards, locks, and filters in place. We have our computer located in a main area where there are no "secrets" online, but still, we need to teach them how to, little by little, make more of their own choices, good choices, online.

Even once you get through the moral choices of what to look at online, it can be challenging to find quality stuff online. Searching for good information, or for an ideal product or service on the net can be a real hassle. There are some new services to specifically help with this issue. Hottest Products is one of services designed to help with this. Their site is jam-packed with a ton of items that are conveniently categorized in an orderly fashion, from Wedding Planning Guides to television services to learning to play the piano. Good stuff! Check it out and let me know what you think....

No more hiding

2009-01-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

I hope you enjoy me sharing these little blurbs. I figure that if they are helpful for me, they might hit upon someone else that could use this tidbit of wisdom today... What do think about it?

No more hiding

Gen. 3:9-10: But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid" (NIV).

After Adam and Eve ate from the tree, they realized they were naked. In response, they hid from God and sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. God's response to Adam's sin was a question: "Where are you?" Now, you can be certain that God had not misplaced Adam! He asked the question for Adam's benefit, not His.

The legacy of Adam and Eve's act is that we are still hiding today. Shopping, food, drug and alcohol abuse, and sometimes even exercise represent our "fig leaves." Still, God continues to ask us, "Where are you?" He is calling for us to come out of hiding and into a relationship with Him.

What an example for parents! Call your kids out of hiding by asking open-ended questions and listen to their answers with understanding, rather than meeting them with judgment and shame. If you need to give consequences for their disobedience, choose to give those consequences with empathy.

Meeting your kids with empathy helps them come out of hiding and into relationship.

E-cards

2009-01-04T15:12:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how quickly young minds learn! My ten year old, and even my eight year old, can navigate around the internet (with safeguards in place) so adeptly, and are able to figure out all kinds of things. They amaze me. I truly don't know how they learned this stuff, as we homeschool, and they are with me most all of the time. I've never really sat and taught them this stuff. It wasn't computer lab at school, just trial and error and watching me I guess. Anyway, my ten year old has this thing with e-cards. She loves sending them, and will even send them for me if I mention forgetting someone's birthday or something like that. She knows her way around several sites. I think I'm going to be able to impress her with finding one that she doesn't know about yet (always good to occasionally be able to look cool in front of your kids!! :)).

Cardfish is an exciting new personalized greeting card and messaging service that allows users to send innovative multi-media cards to their friends. You select a card, send it to a friend, and then when they open it and watch the video clip, Cardfish Phone call calls them at a specific point in the video, just when it makes it very funny. I like it.... There's even a free discount code for people to try the service out, using the word FREE as the coupon code. Fun, free, good stuff, right?

So, we'll see. I think I'll send one to my daughter, placing my phone right near her when I know she's checking email... Maybe, for a brief moment anyway, I will be "cool mom". Here's hoping, right? :)

Successful children

2008-12-31T08:57:00.000-08:00

This is a good read. It grabbed my attention especially because it's not what I thought the article would be about, looking at the title. Successful children... It was a good reminder about what I really should be searching for my children to succeed in! Read on...

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

--Luke 10:27

I know you want your family to be successful. Whether you're a parent or grandparent, you want your children to be healthy, successful, and productive.

But what is true success? Jesus addressed this in Luke 10 when he was confronted by a lawyer asking, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus replied with a question, "What is written in the Law?" The answer is our verse today: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

Jesus said, "Do this, and you will live" (Luke 10:28). If you want your children to really live, a successful life comes from a strong faith.

You may be asking, "So how do I instill that faith into my children?"

It's not as hard as society likes to pretend. You see, God wants your children to know and love Him even more than you do.

That is why He has provided you with an instruction manual, His Word. If you and I simply apply the Scriptures to our lives and homes, we will raise godly children!

IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING IN A PARTICULAR AREA AT HOME, SEE WHAT GOD'S WORD HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT.

The Seduction of Covetousness

2008-12-30T04:16:00.000-08:00

I received these thoughts in an email today and thought that they would be appropriate to share at this time of year. If you're like most of us, you spent a little bit more than you planned on your Christmas shopping, and now you are left with an envelope full of receipts, a few memories of smiles, and well, bills to pay. Why do we do this? Why are we always after more? What are we teaching our kids about contentedness and covetousness? Here are a few thoughts from someone smarter than me on this....

One of the verses we read in our last devotional was Luke 12:15, which says,

And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

Jesus begins His teaching regarding prosperity in this passage by saying, "Beware of covetousness." In our society, even in the Church, there are a lot of people whose lives are tied up in "things." The focus of their life is their stuff, and doing whatever they can to acquire even more things.

It is what the Bible calls covetousness.

I want to ask you today, is your heart filled with covetousness? Do you find yourself thinking, "I know the missing ingredient in my life, I just need a little more. If I could just get a little more, I would be happy. If I could just build a bigger house and fill it with a little more stuff...if I could get a nicer car...if I could upgrade...then I would be happy, and then I would be successful."?

A little more, a little more, a little more.

The problem is, however, that desire for more never stops. In fact, as we will see in our next devotional, God called a man a fool because he never realized that riches are only temporary.

If you find your life driven by the need for more things, if you are consumed with stuff, if you define your success by what you have (or do not have), then you have been seduced by covetousness, and you will never find the happiness you are looking for.

Do not be a fool seeking after things. Instead, make the passion of your life seeking after God.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God

The Real Santa

2008-12-25T10:45:00.000-08:00

The Real St. Nicholas
This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

Many families choose not to include Santa Claus as a part of their Christmas celebrations. The legend of Santa, the North Pole, flying reindeer, keeping naughty and nice lists, and coming down the chimney can seem as just too much distraction from the true meaning of Christmas for many Christian families. But, whatever your family chooses to do with Santa Claus, it may be worthwhile to consider the historical St. Nicholas.

"Nicholas lived long ago, in the third century, in a place called Asia Minor, what is now the country of Turkey. His parents died from an illness while Nicholas was a teenager and left him a large inheritance of money. Nicholas' parents taught him about Jesus. As he grew older, he followed the teachings of Jesus and sold all his possessions, secretly giving money to those in need.

"Nicholas became well-loved by the people and later became the Bishop of Myra. He died on December 6, 343 A.D. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration in his honor, called St. Nicholas Day. On this day, children would give and receive small gifts of candy, chocolate initial letters, or riddles hidden in baked goods or in elaborate packaging. Children also hung stockings by the fire or placed shoes filled with carrots and hay for the horse, eagerly awaiting gifts from St. Nicholas. Gold balls or oranges were given to represent the gifts of gold once given by St. Nicholas."[1]

Influenced by St. Nicholas' popularity in Europe, immigrants brought his story and tradition to America. Over the years, legend was wedded to historical elements and developed into our modern day Santa Claus.

While we celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus, we can have an appropriate appreciation for the lives He has touched. This includes those whose lives demonstrated compassion and selflessness out of their love for Jesus. St. Nicholas was such a person.

Money matters

2008-12-19T14:01:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited about one of the classes that one of my kids will be taking through our homeschool co-op: a twelve week class called "Money Matters" aimed at teaching the kiddos a bit about managing their money responsibly. I wish I had spent a little more time learning about that kind of stuff when I was growing up. Perhaps it would have spared me some costly mistakes.

My husband and I had a nasty brush with getting over our heads in debt a few years back, and we had to do a lot of research into the options that were available to dig out from under. It is such an overwhelming spot to be in, until you realize that there are helps available. One of the things that we checked into was debt settlement, a process where you get help negotiating with lenders to reduce interest rates and even amounts of debt, to make getting out of debt a little bit easier. There are even more options out there now than there were then, thankfully.

I've come across a company recently called NetDebt. They've revolutionized the debt industry by creating the nation’s only completely online enrollment solution. Their entire process is online. They have representatives standing by if you need them, but don't require monthly counseling sessions and such, that can be tricky to fit in if you're trying to work extra hours to get out of debt! I haven't used their services personally, but it looks like it merits checking into. Let me know what you think!

1 Corinthians 13 - Christmas Style

2008-12-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

I came across this neat interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13. It's full of good reminders for all of us this holiday season. I think I should print this out and stick it on my fridge, or maybe on my forehead :). Have you read this before?

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style
©By Sharon Jaynes

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family - It profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

An Obesity Epidemic

2008-12-08T10:51:00.000-08:00

I was reading some back magazine issues today and found an article in a Ladies' Home Journal Magazine that gave these statistics:

16% of 6 to 19 year olds are overweight, triple the proportion in 1980
43% of adolescents watch more than 2 hours of tv each day, with additional time spent on computer and video games
Only 31% of parents of obese children are aware that their children are very overweight
71% of ninth graders take physical education , compared with 40% of 12th graders
Being overweight increases a teen's chance of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and depression

Scary stuff. I have no idea how those numbers compare to adult statistics, but I'm sure that that those are high too. In our culture it's so easy to be sedentary, and so hard to change once you're there...

Boys being boys?

2008-12-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

As my girls get older, and interact more with other kids, I'm noticing that there are definitely differences between boys and girls. Shocking, eh? Really, I went through public schools in the 70s and 80s, and I was kind of fed a unisex ideology. Girls can do anything boys can, and boys can do anything girls can, and there really is no difference between the two. Even when I got married, I didn't fully acknowledge that we were different, just figured I was right and my husband was not quite there with me.... Nice, right? Well, with age comes a little wisdom I guess. Adding a little boy to our home through foster care has been an eye opener too. We've had this little guy since he was a year and a half, little, so we know all that he's been exposed do for a good chunk of his memorable life. We've been careful to not expose him to a lot of violence and junk, just like we were with our girls. Yet, you know what, his plastic golf club has still become a gun. He "shoots" trees with sticks and chases the dog around the house going "pow pow" with a dull pencil. He just naturally, truly on his own, has developed an interest in weapon type stuff. Obviously we're not rushing out to buy him a real gun, but it's got me thinking. Just because there are some kids who have lost it and done horrible things with weapons in recent years, does that mean that it can't be okay for boys to have beebee guns and do target practice? I certainly want to keep my kids and those around us safe, but if my child is interested at looking at Blackhawk CQC Holsters and other "guy things" in catalogs, might that just be a good opportunity to sit with him and look with him, talking about the responsibility of weapon ownership, and of the dangers of not exercising that responsibility and good judgement? I am a firm believer in teachable moments, and think that so often we miss them in being careful to do what we are "supposed" to be doing.
Anyway, that's my random rambling for the day....

Walking in the light

2008-12-05T22:30:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, you don't always have, or take opportunities to back up and reflect too much. I mean, the kids are around you pretty much non-stop. The to-do list is ever present. You know what, though, even a few minutes can make a big difference. Sneak away for a moment and recharge with this little devotional...

Isa. 50:10: Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God (NIV).
In a world of darkness, it's easy to lose sight of our path. At times, we may feel like we are stumbling through life, trying to feel our way in the dark. But the hope for believers is that there is light, and it is found in the Lord!

Don't get discouraged living in a world of darkness. We will experience God's full glory in heaven soon enough. Until then, obey the Lord. He promises to light your way. By living in obedience to Him and following His leading, we can be an example of hope to our children as they go through life.

Try not to get discouraged by the things of this world. Rely on God as the lamp unto your feet.
Parenting by Design (http://www.crosswalkmail.com/ohbbvtnff_qsmymwyqrtm.html) was created by Chris & Michelle Groff with Lee Long, MA, LPC to help parents understand the Biblical model for parenting their children. It is a faith-based parenting series that compares current parenting paradigms to the ageless parenting principles in the Bible.

Click here to sign up for your free "Designs for Parenting" newsletter!

Vacation time?

2008-12-05T19:08:00.000-08:00

I grew up in western New York state, and as a kiddo we vacationed in southern New Jersey quite a bit. It was far enough away to feel like a real trip, but close enough to not be crazy to drive with kids. Even though we've been near this area in recent years, and even driven pretty much through it, I've never taken my kids on a Jersey Shore beach vacation. I really think that I'd like to, to show them where I went and what I did with their aunts when I was a child. I still remember playing in the sand, diving in the waves, and visiting all of the souvenir shops. We have beaches near us now, but swimming in a lake isn't the same as swimming in the Atlantic ocean. It's definitely a different and memorable experience.

I found a neat resource online in Morey’s Piers. They are a great place for a “New Jersey Vacation” and their website is a great place to find hotels & motels in Wildwood. Morey's Piers is a staple among New Jersey attractions, with its amusement park rides and many other boardwalk attractions. They're even having an annual holiday sale right now, from December 1 through January 9. There are specials discounting nearly 40% on a Season Pass to both waterparks. Wow!! That could make a family vacation a lot more affordable.

I'll have to do a little more digging and a little more planning, but maybe I'll see you at the boardwalk before too long!!

Detour

2008-12-03T10:56:00.001-08:00

"When you come to a roadblock, take a detour."

-Mary Kay Ash

One of the very cool things about homeschooling is the flexibility that we have to make detours when we need to. If our children are having a hard time learning in a certain way, we can change the way of teaching it. If our children are interested in a certain topic, we can detour from our planned studies and dive into it for a bit. If we need to place more emphasis on something at certain times, even non academic things like character training, we can do that. Our roadblocks don't need to be a source of frustration, but a source of guidance and an opportunity for thinking through our path...

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

2008-11-18T17:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not super up to date on lots of political stuff, but I received this blurb today... Read through it and let me know what you think. Our children definitely need to be safe, but should it be at the expense of every family? It seems as though it's a slippery slope we're heading down. Anyway, what are your thoughts?

"Imagine If..."
The Reality of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Imagine an Air Force mom, serving her country on a month-long deployment, who learns that her daughter has been secretly removed by local authorities, claiming the child has been "abandoned." Children begin mandatory sex-education at the age of four, regardless of their family's opinions, beliefs, or convictions, and parents are imprisoned if their children fail to receive any of their mandatory vaccinations. Parents live in a state of constant supervision and suspicion.

Imagine if your national government had the audacity to appoint a "guardian" to monitor your child from birth, charged with the legal responsibility to evaluate your decisions as a parent and armed with the legal authority to "intervene, prevent or rectify" any violations of your child's rights. Public and private schools alike are policed by the national government, and classes begin with singing about the principles of peace, tolerance, and the United Nations. Your child's confidential medical records, stored in a nation-wide electronic register from birth until age twenty, can be accessed at any time, without your knowledge, by any physician, teacher, or government social worker in the nation.

Now stop imagining, because for parents in the 193 countries that have ratified the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child, each of these scenarios is true. Read the rest of this article.

Marriage, what's that?

2008-11-18T03:31:00.000-08:00

I heard a blurb from Mike Huckabee on a news talk show last night, and he was talking about how our country was designed by our founding fathers to operate within a moral framework, within a certain structure. When parts of that structure start crumbling, we start having problems reverberate throughout our country. One of the most basic parts of our country's framework is the family, and we know that families are having a harder time than ever staying together in recent years. Please take a moment to read this press release from the National Institute of Marriage. It's important, to you, to someone you know, to our country. Thanks....

With the national divorce rate around 50%, there is no doubt that many marriages run into communication problems at some point. There is a communication epidemic. The National Institute of Marriage has created marriage counseling programs and resources utilizing a structure that is the most powerful format they have found for helping couples who feel stuck and hopeless. They have designed several programs to help couples move past the barriers and experience the marriage of their dreams.
NIM's Intensive Marriage Counseling Programs are unique from weekly marriage counseling in three distinctive ways:

· Intensive Marriage Counseling Format: Committing to an extended amount of concentrated time like the 2 or 4 day Marriage Intensive allows people to get to the root of the problem and stick with it in order to work through it. If you’ve been in traditional marriage counseling before, you may have experienced how you spend the first half catching up from the week before, the second half getting into the real issues, and then the time is gone. The Intensive format is designed so that people have the chance to go deeper without many of the other distractions of daily life and have enough discuss to consider solutions.

· Efficiency: One of the first steps in the process is an extensive assessment with some questionnaires. This allows the therapists to gather background information and can get an idea of the best strategy to proceed before you arrive for your session.

· Marriage Counselors: The counselors at the National Institute of Marriage are specialists in this area. One analogy we like to use is that of the Mayo Clinic: people go to their regular physician but may be sent to a specialist to work with specific areas. The NIM marriage therapists have been trained in this format to maximize its effectiveness. Also, the NIM marriage counseling programs provide the perspectives and insight of two professionals rather than one.
If you are considering divorce, you must try the National Institute of Marriage before giving up. They have developed a continuum of care that meets couples wherever they may be in their relationship. Regardless of the health of their marriage they have a service that can help couples improve their marital satisfaction. Visit their website at http://www.nationalmarriage.com. Read the incredible testimonies from the couples that saved their marriages by attending a Marriage Intensive at the National Institute of Marriage.

Saying No

2008-11-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

I received this in an email from Parenting by Design, and just wanted to share... It's no fun to say no, but we know that it's necessary sometimes. It's even less fun to hear no as an answer, but we will. Take a quiet moment and read and think on it... Let me know what you think.

Matt. 7:9-11: "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" (NIV).

Sometimes our kids ask for things that are not good for them. We say "no" out of love even though they may accuse us of being mean. We are able to handle their disappointment and anger because we see the bigger picture. Some parents, however, are so anxious to avoid conflict they say "yes" to things that are against their better judgment. They can't bear to let their kids down or they fear their kids' angry reaction.

Parenting provides a wonderful window into the Father's love for us. We may feel as if God is punishing us when He doesn't say "yes" to our prayer requests. But how many times have you prayed for something you later realized would not have been in your best interest? Without realizing it, we sometimes pray for "snakes," but God loves us enough to say "no."

Demonstrate your love by being strong enough to tell your kids "no."

Tough stuff

2008-11-13T19:09:00.000-08:00

As I've jabbered on about before, one of the things I really like about homeschooling is that we can grab up the teachable moments and really run with them. One thing that I wasn't really prepared to talk to my daughters about yet was the issue of drug and alcohol addiction. I'd like to pretend that this kind of tough stuff isn't an issue for kids their age, but I know that it is. I know that there are kids in middle and junior high schools all across our country having to tap into alcohol rehabilitation services in order to deal with problems that they already have! We have had to hit this topic recently because of someone somewhat near to us having a struggle... Unfortunately they are resistant to help. There are so many great resources out there that it's sad to not use any of them!! I found a place called Promises Treatment Center that does look to offer what it's name says: a promise of treatment. They treat addiction to a variety of drugs and substances, including: Alcohol, Cocaine, Codeine, Heroin, Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Oxycodone, and many others. If you find yourself in a place where any of these are an issue, please do check it out. Don't make life harder for you and for your family than it already is. Take the hands reaching out to you!

G is for goat

2008-11-13T19:07:00.000-08:00

I've been rambling on here before about my procrastination... Well, tonight at 10:00 I find myself looking for books and material for my preschool class tomorrow, based on a goat. We live in a rural area, so with a little forethought I could probably secure a goat. No forethought here though, and material for preschoolers on goats is pretty thin. When will I learn?!?!?

Learning about ourselves

2008-11-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

With the kids with me all day homeschooling, we have opportunities to learn about so much more than academics. Conversations pop up about everything from celebrities on tv to what a lapband surgeon is. The conversations so often feel like they're taking us away from our studies, but I need to step back and realize that I've got a unique opportunity to help them learn to make sense of the world that we live in. Our learning may not always organize neatly on a planner, but learning we are!

First Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

2008-11-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving day doesn't really mean much more to most folks than a big meal with family, does it? A fun thing, a good thing, but not what it was intended to be. Check out what George Washington said when declaring a nationwide observance of Thanksgiving. Read it through slowly and really chew on it... Thoughts?

A Thanksgiving Proclamation
October 3, 1789

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3rd day of October, A.D. 1789.

-George Washington

Panama, anyone?

2008-11-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

I have not traveled tons outside of our country, but I have traveled enough to know that you can learn a lot more about another culture when you actually allow yourself to be immersed in it, ideally academically and physically. If it is financially a possibility, traveling with your children is a huge plus in their learning. There are more and more options available in the way of doing this. You can stay at conventional hotels, timeshares, and all sorts of varieties of these. I found a neat looking condo style hotel in Panama - Hotel Casco Antiguo - that might offer a chance to really get to know another country and its culture.

You can Register for an eBrochure Here to get more information about it for yourself. It looks like a really interesting location, and in this day of uncertain investments, a second home that you can physically touch is a nice concrete investment, I would think. Our family is not quite in the place to do this right now, but if you have done something like this yourself, share. I'd like to know how it worked out for you!

Vote!

2008-11-03T13:51:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is a big day in our country, a big election. Hopefully you've registered already (too late now!), so now just be sure to get out and vote!! Times polls are open can be found here, so check it out, make your plans, and don't miss it tomorrow!!

Extra-curricular game time!

2008-11-01T03:31:00.000-07:00

My kids are a little young to be doing too much in the way of gaming. We have an OLD playstation in the basement, but that's about it. As they do get older, though, especially if our little boy ends up staying here, I'm sure that we'll get much more aware of all of the gaming units and the fun that they can offer. And you know, in moderation, they are a great "extra-curricular activity." I know that it really helps my girls to know that there is some sort of a treat available at the end of their schoolwork each day, and this might be the magic carrot for us down the road!

Combine the above with my interest in things free, and the Charter Communications Xbox Sweepstakes has caught my attention! Here's the deal. If you order any Charter service online or even just register, you'll be automatically entered to win an Xbox 360! They'll be giving one away every day until December 15th. Ooh - free Christmas present!!!

Here are the details on what's actually being given away:

XBox 360® Pro Console
XBox LIVE Headset
Wireless Controller
Component HD AV Cable
20Gb Detachable Hard Drive

Ooh ooh, I should probably let you know what services Charter offers. Good stuff for gaming, but also for your schoolwork, home business, whatver. They offer HD and "blazing fast" high speed internet. They even offer a risk free trial period for 30 days, so why not?

Let me know if you win - I sure will share if I do! :)

2008-10-30T09:51:00.001-07:00

Don't forget to change your clocks back one hour this Sunday!!!

Discoveries in art and history

2008-10-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

I was digging around for an idea for art at co-op tomorrow and thought of using stencils (it's munchkins doing art, and I'm not feeling in a super messy mood - we've done plenty of those lately :)), so did a google search for art involving stencils. I came up with this photo taken in "Cuevas de las Manos" in Argentina. It's estimated that these handprints were stencilled in 550 B.C. . So 550 years before Christ was born as a babe, some young men were holding blow pipes made with bones, and spraying mineral paint over their hands to make these hand stencils. Pretty wild that they've been preserved so well for so many years. I'm sure part of it has to do with where they are in the caves, but still, pretty neat to get a glimpse back into someone else's life, and even into their art projects :).

Teaching vs. Assigning

2008-10-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

I received this email from HSLDA, written by Betty Statnick, and it's a great read. It's meant for parents of struggling learners, but really, they, and we, all struggle to a certain extent, don't we? Grab a cup of coffee and read for a moment. It's one of those realigning yourself reads....

There is not a shred of doubt that you have been called to homeschool. Your child was making minimal academic progress in his previous school setting and you reasoned that surely he can do better than that at home under your instruction.

However, you have been homeschooling for six weeks now and you are not as far along in your teaching him as you had expected to be by this time. Something else tries to whittle away at your confidence, for you overhear your child’s homeschool friend boast that he is already on page 65 of the same math textbook that you and your child are inching your way through. That comment may initially have been ego-deflating, but it has the potential to spur you on. You determine that you will not retreat; you have your assignment from the Lord to teach this child.

You will need to remind yourself that even a robot can “bark out” assignments: “Work page 32 in math book. Do page 25 in your language workbook. Reading textbook: Read the story beginning on page 40 and answer the questions at the end of that story.” In that sort of setup, you would simply function as a study hall monitor who would peek in occasionally to see if your child appeared to be on task.

Teaching, however, is in stark contrast to that kind of arrangement. As one homeschool mom quipped, “Teaching is not just checking off pages and clocking in time.”

Guidelines are valuable and published curriculum can help steer you toward your goal for your child to achieve his maximum potential. There are some red flags in selecting curriculum. For instance, you may have purchased a highly recommended curriculum that is at the grade level where your child is “supposed” to be. After using this curriculum, you come to realize that your son has scattered skills: He is on grade level in math but below grade level in Reading, so you must select other materials for instructing him in reading. (Note: If a child has trouble decoding/pronouncing five words on a page, that text is above his current functioning level.)

There are also published scope and sequence charts. “Scope” tells what is taught and “sequence” tells when (at what grade level) it is typically taught. Some parents refer to a scope and sequence chart in their eclectic approach to selecting curriculum materials. That is, they may purchase math materials from one publisher and reading and language arts materials from a different publisher.

You do not always have to be “locked into” exactly when to teach something. A teachable moment may occur at any time. For instance, there may be a need or desire to know something which isn’t “scheduled”—according to the textbook—to be taught until 50 pages later. Free yourself to seize that teachable moment when your child has high motivation to learn. Other circumstances may also require that you deviate a bit from “routine.” I was helping to homeschool a teen whose mom forewarned me that he was in a foul mood on that autumn day. I told her not to worry—that her son and I would take a parts of speech walk for that particular day’s session. In our trek along the bike trail, we “retrieved” (not picked up) “crimson” (not red) and “gold-colored” (not yellow) leaves, etc. That lesson about vivid verbs and more precise adjectives didn't involve use of pencil and paper. However, that teen became actively engaged in the learning process, and he left my home in a cheerful frame of mind. Remember: Curriculum is to be a tool to assist you and not a tyrant to enslave you.

Some schoolwork is just plain hard work. However, schoolwork can also be delight-driven, interesting, and relevant—not just workbook-based. For instance, when you are presenting lessons on fractions, “take to the kitchen.” Bake pizzas, and cut them into halves, fourths, eighths, etc. and everyone will enjoy eating his fractional portion of those pizzas. Connecting learning to everyday life and showing your child practical applications will help to cement learning. You will know that your child has really grasped a concept or skill you have taught when he can apply it in other settings.

It’s not just the what and the when you are to teach but also the why and the how. You address the “why” because you are considering not just your child’s present but also his future. You are thinking long range—about his possible post-high school education, about his employment, and about his becoming a marriage partner. All of these things must be on your prayer list as well as on your heart when you are teaching.

Carol Barnier, author-speaker and veteran homeschool mom, sums up the “how”: “Don’t call anything “teaching’ unless it results in ‘learning’… Find out what sparks her (your child’s) enthusiasm, secures her attention, and pulls her in. Set aside traditional assumptions about how your child should learn and begin the journey of finding out how your child does learn.”

There are many published resources available about learning styles and how to use that information to guide your teaching and increase your child’s learning. Among those resources is Howard Gardner’s “Theory of Multiple Intelligences.” He lists these nine intelligences: Verbal-Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Spatial, Musical, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalistic, and Existential. Existential is the intelligence that Gardner refers to as “half-intelligence” because he could not find a physiological location for it in the brain. Some have referred to existential intelligence as spiritual intelligence because those who scored high in this intelligence are concerned with life’s big questions like “What is the meaning of life? Why do we die?” Remember that no teaching is really complete unless it also addresses those big questions as defined by the Word of God.

Bon voyage as you continue this year of teaching—not just assigning.

Points to Ponder

Am I modeling before my child enthusiasm about learning?

Do I say “I don’t know” and just move on when we come to a question we can’t answer or do I stop and model the look-it-up habit? (In other words, do I guide my child in learning how to find the answers?)

Do I allow myself to take detours from the workbook and manual to embrace teachable moments?

Isaiah 48:17

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.”

teaches = lamad (in Hebrew): To instruct, train, prod, goad; teach: to cause someone to learn. The origin of the verb may be traced to the goading of cattle. Similarly, teaching and learning are attained through a great variety of goading, memorable events, techniques, or lessons. (from Strong’s Concordance)

Luke 2:47

“And all who heard Him (Jesus) were astonished at His understanding and answers.”

understanding = sunesis (in Greek): Literally “a putting together;” hence: quickness of apprehension, the critical faculty for clear apprehension, intelligently assessing a situation. Comparable to the modern idiom, “putting two and two together.” (from Strong’s Concordance)

Math Games!!

2008-10-20T03:38:00.000-07:00

I found a great math resource at a website titled Hooda Math.

A middle school math teacher named Michael Edlavitch developed this website to give students a place to practice their math while having fun. It's got a variety of games to work on a variety of skills, and is designed for grades 1-8. We can use all of the help we can get, right?

Check it out :).

Good Mom?

2008-10-12T18:43:00.000-07:00

Good Mom, Bad Mom, Good Mom

Lysa TerKeurst

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26(NIV)

Devotion:

Good Mom?

Bad Mom?

Good Mom?

Bad Mom?

Do you ever feel as though you are the ping-pong ball in a heated match bouncing constantly between feeling like a good mom to a bad mom?

One minute I have a great discussion where my child finally gets it... GOOD MOM!

The next I get an e-mail from a teacher that lists the three parents who have yet to turn in that permission slip and I am on the list for all the world to see... BAD MOM!

I calmly handle the stresses of the morning routine... GOOD MOM!

But then during the afternoon homework session, my child's irresponsibility over a last minute project just about sends me over the edge. I find my neck muscles tensing and my voice rising... BAD MOM!

I make sure they pack something healthy for lunch... GOOD MOM!

The schedule falls apart in the late afternoon and I wind up feeding them sugar cereal for dinner... BAD MOM!

Sometimes I feel like that ping-pong ball mom bouncing from feeling good to bad. Yesterday morning I sat down at the kitchen table after getting everyone where they needed to be and cried. Sometimes having kids is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life. Other days I feel like the task of parenting little people is driving me to the brink of craziness.

Just the other day I was processing some recent family things with my friend, Renee, over the phone. Suddenly a strange theme seemed to arise. I just started laughing. I told Renee that so many of my days seemed to tell the same kind of story... I was on the verge of a breakdown and then I spent time with Jesus and He made things better.

Renee quipped back to me, "Well, isn't that where most of us live every day?"

Not that we are on the edge of a breakdown, but we live in a place of utter dependence on God. I know as a mom, I live in constant need of His love, encouragement, wisdom, perspective, strength, patience, and grace.

Anything I do right as a mom is because of my constant dialogs with God.

Anything I do wrong as a mom is because of trying to do things in my own strength and slap wearing myself out.

That's where grace steps in. And I need lots of grace. God's grace steps in and says, "Lysa, you are doing better than you think. Stop bouncing from feeling good to bad to good to bad. In the good times, rejoice and thank me. In the not so good times, call out to me quickly."

And suddenly it occurred to me; with God I'm never a bad mom. I might be having a bad moment... or two... or seventeen. But a few bad moments do not define me as a bad mom.

God's grace is there to cover me. Teach me. And even in the middle of a bad moment, interrupt me, redirect me, and change me.

Forgiveness is there.

Love is there.

A second chance is there.

You are a good mom my friend even if, like me, you've had a few bad moments... you is the exact mom God knew your children needed. Let's live in that truth today.

Dear Lord, being a mom is a great privilege but one that can be so challenging at times. Teach me how to lean on You with every action and every reaction. And when I mess up, please help me to not define myself by my mommy failures. Help me to only be defined by Your love that assures me and Your grace that covers me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Paper and Art Sale

2008-10-08T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hey guys - not a paid post or anything like that, but I got an email about a really good art supply, curriculum, and paper sale that I wanted to share. I've bought things from these guys before and they really have nice quality products, so when you can get them for a reduced price besides, that's very happy! Let me know if you end up ordering stuff - what'd you get? We can compare notes....

First Annual

End of the Season Book Sale!

Save 25% to 50% Plus earn Free Shipping!

10/1/2008 - 10/31/2008 (or while supplies last!!)

The Back to school rush is over and things have calmed down at the warehouse, so we are pulling together these GREAT DEALS for you.

* FREE Shipping for Book Orders over $50.00!!

Sale good on ALL books (sale, close-out, overstock or regular priced).

· Over 50 Titles have been marked down in our Close-Out and Overstock Section! Prices are for in stock books. While supplies last.

· Free Money Free Stuff (Book on Great Deals for families!) Reg. $15.95 Sale $7.95

* Childsize Masterpiece Starter Set Reg. $72.00 Sale $49.00 (Set includes: Level 1, 2, 3 and Teachers Manual)

· Miller's Sketchbook Bundle Reg. $11.99 Sale $8.50
Three Sketchbooks - One each in 9x12", 6x9" & Pocket Size ( 80#, 60 sht. Spiral-bound Sketchbooks)

* Bare Book Bundle Reg. $20.95 Sale $15.95 Bundle includes: 3 Large Blank and 3 Small Blank Bare Books.

* Lambs Book I by Barry Stebbing Reg. $12.95 Sale $5.99

* The Wonderful Art of Drawing Horses Reg. $12.95 Sale $5.99

* Klutz Magnetic A-Z Activity Book Reg. $12.95 Sale $9.75

* DK Ultimate Presidents Sticker Book Reg. $6.99 Sale $5.50

***For More GREAT DEALS go to www.millerpadsandpaper.com & Click on Closeout/Overstock!!

Money stuff

2008-10-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

My girls are only 8 and 10, but they have picked up on the fact that our country is in a bit of a money problem right now. I'm trying to make the most of this "teachable moment" without scaring them to death. We've talked about debt, about people getting in over their heads, about the government's role in the economy, fun stuff. They've also seen some of it play out here in our home and in our family's business. We added credit card processing to our business last year, as a method of payment, because so many people really rely on credit to pay for just about everything. It's a nice option to offer, and has perhaps led a few people to choose us for their business, so I'm glad that we did, and, like everything else, the girls asked questions about it as they saw me setting it up on our website. I think this is my favorite part of homeschooling, as well as the part that scares me the most - they see everything I do!!! It definitely challenges me to try my best to do it all the right way, without regrets.....

Future

2008-10-04T12:25:00.001-07:00

"The future depends on what we do in the present."

Mahatma Gandhi

I like that quote. What I'm doing today, and I'm thinking of all of the time and energy I'm investing in my kids, is hugely impacting the future. That gives taking five minutes out of my "plan" a new sense of importance, doesn't it? That changes up priorities on the daily level.....

Second Chances

2008-10-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

"How many times in your life have you wished to go back in time and do something over? Maybe you wouldn't have bought that expensive car, chosen that college, or passed up an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. All of us would like a "do over" in something."

This is the beginning of a great, encouraging devotional for the homeschooler in need of a second chance (that'd be all of us, I think :) ).

Are you interested in a printed version of this devotional? Then check out the new Daily Focus devotional book, perfect for your own Bible study or as a gift. Order your copy today!

Are you really a homeschooling family?

2008-10-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

How long do you need to teach your children at home before you "officially" become a homeschool family? Like the tests that evaluate a child's academic performance, you can assume homeschooling has arrived at your house when the following are true:

You have more books in your house than groceries.

Your children show up for school in their pajamas.

Your house décor consists of time lines, maps, assorted craft projects, and half-finished science experiments.

Your trips to the library require a laundry basket to hold all the books.

Your refrigerator is perpetually covered in art projects and completed assignments.

Your children think reading history is best achieved while lying on your bed with the family cats.

Your kitchen pantry holds more school supplies than cooking supplies.

Your child's favorite classmates are his siblings.

Just a silly one, but how scary that each thing is true!! :)

Why Math?

2008-09-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

I had a little debate with my ten year old today about the merits of completing her math lesson. Ironically, I just read an old email from Home School Heartbeat today on this very subject.

Professor Fred Worth shares:

From a purely practical standpoint, the more mathematics you learn, the more you have a chance to use it. There are numerous areas in life where mathematics can be used. Geometry and algebra are very helpful in building projects, and understanding statistics and logic can be helpful when trying to analyze advertising, speeches, polling data, and so on.

And having a strong mathematical background can present people with more diverse career opportunities. Many career paths require mathematical expertise. Our pharmacy and pre-med majors have to take a lot of mathematics. Even in the social sciences, a number of majors require statistics courses.

But, Mike, I think one of the greatest benefits of a good mathematical background is the development of thinking skills. Studies have shown that a good high school geometry course is a great indicator for college success. That’s because, in order to do geometry well, you have to think logically and often deal with multi-step problems. The problem-solving skills developed in order to do word problems are also useful in all kinds of areas. You have to be able to recognize what’s important, how to break it down into parts, have an orderly process for doing it, and all of that is useful, even if we don’t ever do any mathematics ever again.

First Step

2008-09-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

I like this quote for someone just starting out in homeschooling, or just thinking about starting out.... (not what it was intended for, but it certainly applies!)

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dry times

2008-09-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

Have you ever experienced those moments during your homeschooling year when creativity seems to have shriveled? You know your lessons, but the inspiration on how to make them fun has dried up. Your children have already done the suggested activities in your teacher manuals, and they need something new. You try to think of what to do, but the ideas are just not there.

The above is just the beginning of a devotional from AOP (click link for the rest!!) but is something that I'm sure we all struggle with... For me a key part of keeping going is being plugged in, to other homeschoolers who act as a support, and also to my God. How do you keep going during your own dry times?

Science Savings

2008-09-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

A $10 coupon to use on your next online order of $80 or more to help you with any supplies or equipment you still need. We’ll even increase the amount of the coupon as your order increases! We’ll take $10 off every $80 you spend!

(To activate offer, apply promo code WCOUP during checkout. Offer expires October 3, 2008.)

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As close as it gets

2008-09-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near" (Isaiah 55:6).

As I read the statistic on the Internet, all I could say was, "Wow, praise God!" According to the National Home Education Research Institute's website, approximately 1.9 to 2.4 million children were educated at home in the United States during 2005 and 2006. What a difference from when I started homeschooling in the early 1980's! At that time, there were only an estimated 50,000 children being educated at home each year. As I considered the figures and did the math, I realized that since 1985, homeschooling has grown over 4,700%!

Are you interested in a printed version of this devotional? Then check out the new Daily Focus devotional book, perfect for your own Bible study or as a gift. Order your copy today!

The incredible growth of homeschooling in America can be attributed to many factors. However, I think the greatest factor is that parents are rediscovering God's original design for the family. Children and parents were never meant to be separated for days (sometimes weeks) with overloaded schedules that keep them passing in the night. How can any family be expected to have loving relationships with that routine? Homeschooling continues to grow because it provides a unique, nurturing environment where families can communicate throughout the day. Loving bonds are formed, and mutual respect is cultivated between siblings and parents. With God as the head, the family functions as He intended, and we reap the rich blessings of family togetherness.

Like our homeschooling families, God never intended for us to live apart from Him. Daily, we must come to Him in prayer and Bible study to continue to grow spiritually. Without the loving and nurturing guidance from the Holy Spirit throughout the day, we will lose the intimacy God desires with His children. How about you? Can you remember the last time you had a heart-to-heart talk with Him? If not, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you" (James 4:8a).

Quiet encouragement

2008-09-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I'm overdoing in sharing these little thoughts from Alpha Omega Publications, but they are just right on target for me, so I figured I could share with you too....

"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:3-4).

Children love secrets, and one joy I experienced as a homeschooling parent was teaching my children the thrill of being secret gift-givers. Following Christ's illustration in Matthew 6, I encouraged them to ask God's guidance to think of ways to bless their family, friends, and neighbors. At first, this task was difficult, since little ones like to tell everything they know. However, as my children grew older, not only did they become thoughtful and generous givers, they also became quite adept in disguising any connection with the gift. Countless times, I found myself humbled and encouraged when receiving a gift at day's end without knowing who had laid the treasure on my pillow.

What about your homeschooling family? In a world where most people are trying to take and get ahead, teaching your children to give secret gifts from God can seem quite contrary. Like Christ Jesus who died for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8), help them bless another homeschool family, church family, or unsaved neighbor near you today. Let your children discover the exciting truth of Acts 20:35b: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Poetry and reading ideas

2008-09-27T20:17:00.000-07:00

I read a great write up on literature by Mike Smith, of Home School Heartbeat, and thought I'd share...

Fall provides a perfect opportunity to explore the works of many regional poets and storytellers. Do you remember learning James Whitcomb Riley’s poem "When the frost is on the punkin" as a child? Your children will delight in the rich dialect and colorful images of that fall favorite!

From John Keats’ "Ode to Autumn" to Robert Frost’s poems celebrating New England fall, explore the poetry of the season with your children. You might check your library for poetry magazines and journals, which often contain topical or seasonal poems.

The rhythms and rhymes of poetry appeal to children of all ages, so even if your child can’t read yet, he’ll enjoy hearing you or your older students read fall poems aloud to him.

Once your older students have read some fall poetry, consider having them analyze the form of the poem. Guides to the rules and patterns of poetry are available online, in literature textbooks, or in books at your library on how to write poetry. Finally, have your student write her own autumn poem.

You may also enjoy reading aloud favorite short stories of autumn, such as Washington Irving’s "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and seasonal selections from longer works, like the "Little House on the Prairie" books.

There are many classic autumn picture books for your youngest learners, including "Ox-cart Man"; "Hello, Harvest Moon"; and Reeve Lindbergh’s "Johnny Appleseed."

Have fun reading together!

Free Curriculum Contest!

2008-09-26T21:13:00.001-07:00

Would you spend two minutes to win an entire year's worth of curriculum? That's all the time it took Rebecca Day from Amarillo, Texas, to register in last year's spectacular homeschool giveaway at Alpha Omega Publications® (AOP). After winning the grand prize of $500 in homeschool curriculum, Rebecca wrote, "It was such a blessing to get your phone call about the prize! This is going to help our family out tremendously!"

Now, here's your opportunity! Register to win in this year's giveaway at AOP. From now until February 28, 2009, enter for your shot at the grand prize of $500 in award-winning homeschool curriculum, or other prizes like a complete, 5-subject set of Switched-On Schoolhouse® computer-based curriculum, the fully animated Character Builders™ 8-DVD set, or a complimentary copy of the uplifting and encouraging Daily Focus® devotional book.

Don't miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain outstanding curriculum and products for your homeschooling family. It's easy to enter. Simply click REGISTER NOW below and fill in your information. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age, and there is a limit of one entry per household. For more details, check out AOP's contest rules when you enter and remember that no purchase is necessary. Don't delay. Register to win today!

Who should enter AOP's Homeschool Giveaway?

EVERYONE!


	AOP's Giveaway Prizes: Grand Prize: $500 in Homeschool Curriculum 1st Prize: Switched-On 5-Subject Set 2nd Prize: Character Builders 8 DVD Set 3rd Prize: Daily Focus Devotional Book

Saving money when homeschooling

2008-09-26T16:13:00.001-07:00

PerX Discount Program

REAL VALUE

Legal representation and homeschool advocacy aren’t the only benefits that make HSLDA membership a top value for your family. We also provide a wide range of other services and money-saving discounts.

LOOKING AHEAD

October
Home School Foundation

November
Clicks for Homeschooling

December
Contests

January
GPA Smartstore PassPort

Dozens of Discounts Hotels, Car Rentals, and Insurance Magazines and Education Resources	Family-Oriented Internet Services Request a PerX Discount Now
SECURE YOUR BENEFITS TODAY

HSLDA membership has its privileges—but it is our privilege to save you money!

Through HSLDA’s PerX program, HSLDA members automatically qualify for discounts with dozens of vendors and services. You can save 10% off homeschool science supplies or driver’s ed. Save 20% on room fare at more than 5,600 hotels throughout the Choice Hotel worldwide network (savings normally exceed AAA discounts). Save on insurance, magazine subscriptions, education resources, and much more.

The PerX program is easy to use. Simply visit our PerX webpage and select the discount you are interested in. Provide your active HSLDA membership number and an email address. Within a few minutes, you’ll receive an email with instructions on how to obtain the particular discount.

Save enough money with your PerX benefits, and your HSLDA membership just might pay for itself!

The Great Pretender

2008-09-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:13).

Someone has once said that children can see right through you. If you doubt, watch as you attempt to teach your children or a class of young people. If you are nervous, scared, or unprepared, they will quickly take advantage of your weakness.

Your credibility as a homeschool teacher will also be compromised when you pretend you know the answers to all the questions your children ask. Admitting you don't know and saying, "Let's find the answer together," will hold "more stock" than pretending.

God knows when you are pretending with Him as well. You may try to hide behind righteous actions, but He can see the condition of your heart. Christ had much to say about the Pharisee hypocrites of His day when He was here on earth. He rebuked them by saying, "Woe to you!" and called them "white sepulchres" who were clean on the outside but not on the inside. He condemned them for their pretending.

What about you? Are you pretending today? Do you change your speech or actions depending on whom you are with? God can see right through you. He knows your heart and what you really think. What He desires is your broken heart instead of your false worship. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Psalm 51:17).

From Daily Focus Devotional

Fall Science

2008-09-26T05:08:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from a neat broadcast of Home School Heartbeat:

As fall fruit and foliage peak, help your children learn what makes it happen! You can find botany information in biology books or online. Anna Botsford Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study is an interesting guide to studying nature firsthand through observation.

This fall, explore with your students why leaves change color. The main factors are temperature, moisture, and length of day. If you live in an area with fall foliage, make a list of factors that might have contributed to the brilliant or lackluster display you see this autumn.

There are simple chromatography experiments that your students could do as a science project with either green leaves or leaves that have changed colors. Check online for instructions.

Remember pressing leaves? Let your students preserve the splendor of autumn by pressing leaves with a warm iron in wax paper. Collect leaves from as many different trees as you can, and use them later in the year to identify trees by leaf characteristics.

If you live in an area without fall foliage, you can still focus on botany! Take advantage of the harvest season to learn about how fruits mature. Choose a locally-grown fruit and illustrate a chart of its development process.

Have fun with fall science experiments!

Science Supplies on Sale

2008-09-25T05:12:00.001-07:00

I caught this sale from Ward's Natural Science...

10% off Owl Pellets, Activities, and More
Illustrate concepts of ecology, the food web, and predator behavior with safe, sterilized owl pellets from Ward's. The dissection of owl pellets helps students understand the life of owls and their prey. Now save 10% off any Ward's owl-related product, including pellets, posters, and activities. Take advantage of this offer before it flies away - promotion expires Saturday, September 27th.

» See more Owl Study Products

Hoo Eats Who? Making an Owl Food Web Lab Activity
Reg. $17.95Sale $16.16

Ward's Introduction to Owl Pellets Lab Activity
Reg. $48.95Sale $44.06

Owls and Owl Pellets Reference Poster
Reg. $9.99Sale $8.99

Ward's Owl Pellets Northwest, Pkg/15
Reg. $41.25Sale $37.13

Free coffee!!

2008-09-25T05:04:00.000-07:00

Starbucks Offers Free Coffee for Homeschool Parents
This coming Monday, September 29, homeschool parents will be able to pick up a complimentary tall size (12 fl. oz.) cup of Pike Place Roast from Starbucks. Read more >>

Saving Sammy

2008-09-24T05:27:00.000-07:00

Another neat thought from aophomeschooling.com....

"Quench not the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Have you ever had those moments in time when you saw something about to happen, but felt helpless to stop it? I was having one of those moments as I watched my son's black lab take notice of a car coming over the hill over a mile away from our home. In that instant, I could see and sense what was about to happen in my mind.

For several months, we had included dog obedience training in my son's homeschool curriculum. Both my son and I had become frustrated with his black lab, Sammy. We had taught him many things, but the one thing we couldn't teach him was to give up chasing cars. Even though we had a long driveway and lived in the country, our space wasn't enough for him. We had even resorted to tying him up, but today we had let him loose to play as we worked outside.

Before I could grab the collar on this fifty-pound fireball, Sammy started running toward the car he had seen. Both my son and I ran after him, screaming for him to stop. Everything went into slow motion, as I saw that the dog and the car were on a collision course. We did all we could, but Sammy would not obey and stop. He was broadsided by the car at 50 mph.

The disobedience of Sammy provided a significant spiritual lesson for my son. Although Sammy had learned to do many things right, his death was caused by the one vice he refused to give up: wanting his own way. He literally ran headlong into trouble, and met death at the end.

God grieves over your sinful disobedience each day, too. You let the Holy Spirit teach you the Word, but then refuse to be disciplined in the areas you are weakest. Because you do not see an immediate consequence, you run headlong into your vices of laziness, selfishness, or criticizing, and think they will never hurt you. But you are always on a collision course when you remain in known sin. The Holy Spirit is quenched by your defiance, and soon you are unable to hear His voice calling you back. Don't wait for a wreck to turn you around. Stop and yield your life to the Lord, today! "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).

Reading help idea

2008-09-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

I was reading a great book this past weekend, "Homeschooling the Challenging Child" by Christine Field, just for reference of course :), and came across a neat idea for working on reading skills.

As your child learns words, write them out on index cards to build up a word bank... Lay them in front of him and call out each word. Have him pick up the correct card from the array until all the cards are gone.

Sounds simple enough, right? This seems like a great trick to utilize that kinesthetic learning (that kiddo that just needs to move move move). I will be trying this one!

Discipline

2008-09-16T10:38:00.001-07:00

"A child's back must be made to bend, but not be broken.
He must be ruled, but not with a rod of iron.
His spirit must be conquered, but not crushed."

-Charles Spurgeon

Homeschool Complaints

2008-09-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm on a list now to receive encouraging little tidbits from Alpha Omega Publications, so I'll pass them along here! This one is encouraging, and also challenging, for the students and the teacher....

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings" (Philippians 2:14).

Is your homeschool infected with the whining disease? Like the early stages of most health problems, you may not recognize its symptoms at first. When assigning schoolwork, especially in your child's least favorite subject, this dreaded disease usually starts with an exasperated sigh. Next, it spreads into a short question such as, "Do I have to do this assignment?" If not diagnosed and treated early, the whining disease finally takes over your homeschool completely until you hear things like, "Why do I always have so much schoolwork to do? I don't want to do this!"

Whining, grumbling, murmuring, and complaining all stem from the same, sinful problem-rebellion. In Numbers 12, God reveals His attitude towards this deadly disease when dealing with the murmuring of Miriam and Aaron. Thinking they knew better than their brother, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses and said, "Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us" (Numbers 12:2b)? God heard their whining and quickly applied His cure. Calling all three to the tent of meeting, He defended Moses' leadership and struck Miriam with leprosy for seven days.

Are you allowing a whining, rebellious spirit in your homeschool? Unfortunately, children are not the only ones who can become infected with this disease. Parents, too, can find themselves easily complaining to God about the sacrifice and work responsibilities involved with homeschooling. Don't allow a negative spirit to destroy your homeschool family. Like Aaron, confess your foolish complaints. Pray for the joy of homeschooling to be restored in your home.

Super Scholastic Book Sale

2008-09-11T13:51:00.000-07:00

I received information about this incredible Scholastic book sale via email and wanted to share - what a great deal!!!!

	50-Book Collection Grades 7–9 PTP064052 $50.00		Qty.
	Also Available
	75-Book Collection Grades K–2 PTP513845 $75.00		Qty.
	75-Book Collection Grades 3–6 PTP513846 $75.00		Qty.
	Promotion Code:
	First Name:
	Last Name:
	School:
	Address:
	City:
	State:
	ZIP:

	Please click only once to avoid multiple orders.

Comparable substitutions will be provided for titles no longer available.
Offer valid through 12/31/08.

A 9% shipping and handling charge will be added to your order.
Sales tax will be added to your order unless we have a sales tax exemption certificate on file. Unless otherwise noted on your purchase order, Scholastic's terms are FOB shipping point.

You may also order by calling us at
1-800-387-1437 ext. 747
or by mail: Scholastic Inc., PO Box 7502, Jefferson City, MO 65102-9964

IMPORTANT: Be sure to mention promotion code PTP
when you order to receive your special discount!

Homework versus the home

2008-09-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

This is a neat article that I read by the folks at God's World News. David Chilton puts into words some things that have bounced around in my brain before....

I once knew a teacher (let's call him Willie) who used to spin absurd theories with elaborately inapplicable applications, and try them on his students. He had a gift for talking fast. So fast that his listeners were often convinced that even if they didn't know what he was talking about, he surely did.

One of Willie's methods of turning his students into walking eggplants was by assigning homework. Now, I have nothing against homework. But Willie subscribed wholeheartedly to a falsehood known as the priority of intellect. He regarded himself as a great intellectual, and since he spent all his life looking up irrelevant data, he saw no reason why his students shouldn't do the same.

It was easy to spot Willie's students. They were the ones who dragged wearily into school every day, bleary-eyed from staying up past midnight to complete his assignments. When they complained, Willie accused them of laziness. When other teachers protested, he airily dismissed them as "humanists" who were more concerned about the children's need for sleep than about "dominion."

But it wasn't only sleep that the students needed. They needed time with their families. Willie never understood the thrust of Deuteronomy 6:6-7: "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." The instruction spoken of here is not structured; nor is it simply a time for regular family devotions. The point of the passage is that in all family activities, the implications of God's word are to be repeated, impressed upon children, and worked into the fabric of daily life.

Children should live in an atmosphere of praises for God's providences, of awe at his judgments, both in world history and in their own circumstances. But this requires time well-spent at home; time spent with the family-working, building, mending, playing games, enjoying hobbies, shoveling snow, planting gardens, and expressing the love of God in a multitude of ways.

A major problem with any institution is the sinful tendency to view itself as central to all of life. The Christian school does have an important responsibility in teaching. But our students have needs and commitments that go far beyond the demands of formal education. The school should support the aims of godly homes. Children should be encouraged to spend time with their families. And parents should know that school intends to help rather than hinder their efforts in building family relationships.

Administrators should make sure that homework assignments are coordinated. Teachers should teach, not dominate. Be sure that you don't assign homework for the simple reason that you have not done yours.

Finally, let weekends, holidays, and vacations alone. Don't ruin them with schoolwork. Give yourself and your kids a break. Tell you students to have a good time with their families-and then go thou and do likewise.

If you're reading this you likely homeschool too, but these are some of the reasons that I am glad that I am able to teach my kiddos at home. The days can be tiring and the wallet strings tight, but there are many good reasons for us to be teaching at home right now.

Ouch!

2008-09-09T19:58:00.001-07:00

I am a wimp when it comes to surgeries, even though I've had a few. The rest of my family enjoys watching surgeries on the Discovery channel and stuff like that, and I just have to leave the room. Ouch! Just thinking about them gives me the heebie jeebies!

Watching surgeries on t.v. as they present themselves has led us into some interesting discussions with our kids. We've chatted about bariatric surgery and lap band surgery, not typical conversations for elementary school kids. Interesting stuff though.... It's amazing how popular this surgery is. There are doctors who specialize in it all over the country. You can google terms like central florida lapband and quickly find a qualified doctor in moments. Like any surgery, it's good to do your research, so click away and learn more! I will not be looking into details with you :).

Who speaks for God?

2008-09-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

I love getting great reads sent right to my inbox! I got this one today from Alpha Omega Publications.

"And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long" (Psalm 35:28).

During the early 1980s, there were few voices that publicly championed the cause of homeschooling. Fortunately, the men and women who did speak out were effective, powerful, and passionate communicators who left a lasting impact on my life. As a young parent with two preschool-aged children, I paid attention to their knowledgeable research, books, and advice against traditional schooling. Willing to go against the flow, they set the precedent for today's modern homeschooling movement and inspired thousands of homeschooling families just like mine to do the same.

After Christ's ascension to heaven, perhaps no other man furthered the cause of Christ during Bible times more than the Apostle Paul. Being willing to go to the Gentiles, he too set a new precedent when sharing the Gospel message. The Jewish leaders were upset as Paul established new churches with thousands of Gentile believers who came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. As these new believers suffered for their faith, they also boldly spoke the truth of Christ crucified, and the world was forever changed.

How about you? Are you willing to speak for God in today's world? Although you may be tempted to succumb to the world's intimidation, you have an opportunity to use your voice to speak out for Jesus. As you homeschool, know your Bible and boldly share its truths. Then watch as God uses you to make a difference in the lives of your children, as well as countless others. May we all be like Paul when he declared, "That therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak" (Ephesians 6:20b).

What an encouragement, and a challenge! How am I doing on this??? I'd have to rate myself in the needs improvement neighborhood....

Homeschooling's Price

2008-09-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

I received this email today from Alpha Omega Publications and I thought it was a good read for the beginning of another school year, and the realigning of my schedule and priorites. Challenging stuff...

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20a).

I'm feeling selfish today. I look at the schoolwork waiting to be corrected and this week's lesson plans still waiting to be finished, and I want to escape somewhere. My life seems like it's not my own, and I resent the fact that I can't do what I want, when I want. Homeschooling requires me to be so disciplined, and I'm starting to feel trapped. I want to take a break from housework, diapers, schedules, and endless questions, but I'm the one in charge. I feel like a huge burden is on my back.

Does the above scenario describe you today? Do you wish you could experience the wonderful benefits of homeschooling and escape the responsibilities? Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. If you want your children to achieve academic, as well as spiritual success, you have to give yourself 100% and commit to homeschooling. Like the man who calculated the cost in building a tower or the king who assessed his army before he went to war (Luke 14:27-33), following the Lord's call to homeschool your children requires giving your all. Yes, God knows when you need to rest and will show you how to catch your breath, but He also asks His disciples to carry their cross. So who will you follow today, yourself or the Lord? "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23b).

Lord, forgive my attitude and help me refocus on the call You gave to homeschool. Teach me again that Your will and Your way is better than any life I can conceive. I love You and thank You for my family. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Copy-worthy?

2008-09-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

"A student... who is fully trained will be like his teacher." Luke 6:40, The Bible

Wow!! This is a bit scary - do I really want my girls to be just like me? Am I truly copy-worthy? I guess homeschooling, and parenting, is about getting it right with the kids, but also with me...

Music Curriculum

2008-09-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hey - I found a music curriculum that is great for musically challenged folks like me and thought I'd share... Music Ace Deluxe is a software program that includes 36 comprehensive music lessons and assessment games. It teaches theory, rhythm,pitch, note reading, ear training, and keyboard. It can be paced at whatever works for your kids, and just looks EASY. I like it :). Not a paid plug here, just sharing...

FREE Educational Materials!

2008-09-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

I have something FREE to share!! Yippee!!! Puzzles, handouts, worksheets, photos, maps and more in ready to print pdf format, all at no charge. Check out http://www.studenthandouts.com and let me know what you think. I haven't wandered around too much myself, but like what I've seen so far :).

Homeschooling through high school - Evaluation of High School Credits

2008-09-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

I pulled this off of HSLDA's website - a great resource!!!

Evaluation of High School Credits

There are several ways to evaluate credits. If your child completes a high school-level text by a reputable publisher in an academic course (math, science, English, foreign language, or history), consider the material covered to be one credit. A one credit course typically requires one school year to complete. A one-half credit academic course (such as American Government or perhaps Constitutional Law) typically requires one semester or one-half year to complete.

Covering the material in a textbook does not necessarily mean doing every problem, answering every question, or reading the book from cover to cover, but you should diligently cover the material presented. Some authors calculate teaching 75% of a textbook to equal one credit, but the bottom line is, don't shortchange your child. As an example, you may not spend as much time nor go into as much detail on the Vietnam War as you do on World War II, but you would still want to be certain that your child has an understanding of the main points regarding the Vietnam War. Let integrity be your guide.

(California residents may want to see the California supplement in the following book that explains credits in their state: The High School Handbook-Junior and Senior High School at Home by Mary Schofield.)

For courses that do not use a standard high school-level textbook (perhaps you are putting together your own unit study, or you are using an integrated curriculum), log the hours that your child spends completing the course work. One credit is approximately 120-180 hours of work. The upper end of this range (180 hours) is usually appropriate for lab science courses, while 150 hours is the average for a year long academic course such as English or History. Don't become legalistic in keeping track of each minute, but generally, when evaluating credit for an academic course, a good rule of thumb is 50 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 36 weeks, for a one-credit course.

Logging hours is a good method of determining credit for elective courses such as art, music, sewing, carpentry, web page design, etc. The lower end of the range (120 hours) is fine for elective courses. For a half-credit elective, log approximately 60 hours; for a quarter-credit elective, log approximately 30 hours.

If your child is enrolled in a course at a community college, you should keep in mind that a one-semester college course is comparable to a one-year high school course. Therefore, if your child takes English 101 for one semester at the community college and earns 3 college credits, this is comparable to satisfying a full-year, one-credit high school course. High school credits and college credits are calculated differently. College credits are determined by hours of instruction and don't equate to high school credits. Local policies may differ so it is best to check with a specific college or state to see how they treat dual enrollment courses.

For a more in-depth discussion of calculating and evaluating high school credits, the following are handy references:

Article: Preparing for College

Resources:

Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission by Jeanne Gowen Dennis

Senior High: A Home-Designed Form+u+la, Updated by Barbara Edtl Shelton

Transcript Pro (Version 3) by Inge Cannon (Software designed to help calculate credits—Version 3 is especially helpful for residents of California, Indiana, and South Carolina)

Secrets to Success

2008-08-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

Colin Powell

What a great reminder!!!

New York LEAH discount

2008-08-30T08:54:00.001-07:00

I got this little blurb via email - always fun to find a way to save a few dollars!!!

NYS Loving Education At Home is pleased to announce discounts on homeschool curricula and supplies available to LEAH members through the GPA SmartStore, an online store carrying a wide selection of homeschooling items. LEAH members receive an additional 3% discount from already low, discounted prices (the LEAH price is listed as the State Association price - it will be applied after you register and/or login).

A small fraction of each sale is returned to LEAH to help support the organization. Please consider using the GPA SmartStore to satisfy your homeschooling needs and help support LEAH. Go to www.leah.org and click on the GPA SmartStore to check out this great new benefit to LEAH members.

Free Six Flags Tickets!!

2008-08-26T09:50:00.001-07:00

Not too long ago we got to go to Six Flags Great Escape in Lake George for FREE :) because of Six Flag's Read to Succeed Program. Gotta say - loved it! I just checked the website, and registration is now open at the above link for the 2008-09 school year. If you have children in K-6 check it out. If you're part of a homeschool group, order for the group, or part of a school, let your teachers know. Registration wraps up in early October, and they tend to run out of kits soon!! Happy reading and playing!

Locked out of Little League

2008-08-26T08:48:00.001-07:00

I was reading a news story about this little guy today - a nine year old with a 40 MPH pitch. His name is Jericho Scott, and he's being banned from pitching in his little league team in Conneticut because he's too good!!!

As I read the articles a bit further, I do understand the concerns about safety and the other kids being a bit overwhelmed, but still, what kind of message are we sending when we say that you can't play because you are excelling too much?

Any ideas on this one?

Global Perspective

2008-08-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

I enjoy getting other people's perspectives, especially when they might be different then mine. I enjoy reading books by people who have lived very different lives than mine, even people who I totally disagree with, just to see what and how they're thinking. I like to hear what people from different cultures and people groups think about the same topic. I was thrilled when the blog Foreign Perspectives chose to talk about homeschooling, and this blog online! I'm interested to hear how homeschooling is faring, in all of its forms, around the world. So anyway, thanks for mentioning me over here! I wish you well over there!

Money money money

2008-08-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about homeschooling is that we can cover things that might not be covered in school, or change the amount of focus that a subject is given as the need presents. One area that I'd like to spend some time learning on is money. It's so easy to let money issues out of control, and I wish that I had a better plan up front when I was younger!!

I found a neat tool to use to give myself a "check-up" financially right now on bills.com/iq, and I found out that I scored a B on my financial health. Not too awful bad, but I hope that someday my kids will score As. I realize that I am really behind on our savings, for school and for retirement, and it's hard at this point to set aside much, as my husband is really the only one working full time (for pay anyway :)).

I do plan to visit this site with my kids as part of our money training. It will give us a starting point for talking about debt consolidation, debt relief, and debt help . I hope that they are able to learn their lessons well, from my and other's mistakes.....

Mission Accomplished, partly

2008-08-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so some planning work got done last night, but I still have a long way to go. So far there are about ten entries in my little teacher's planner. The girls would like the look of it, but I think the school superintendent might raise his eyebrows a bit. Tonight's the county fair, so it won't happen tonight... There's always tomorrow, right??!?!

Tonight's work

2008-08-19T15:39:00.001-07:00

Okay, this is it!! My kitchen table is covered with all of my materials and curriculum for the coming year, my calendar/planner is unwrapped, the pens and white out are ready.... I am going to finally get cracking on the details of what's what for this year. I have NEVER waited this long!!! So, hold me accountable, and we'll see what I have to say tomorrow. Off I go!!

Flirting?

2008-08-16T03:56:00.000-07:00

One of the fun, but scary things, in homeschooling is that your kids are with you practically ALL of the time. They learn so much, good and bad, from watching you. Now I've got two girls, one approaching adolescence, and they are learning how to interact with boys by watching others, especially me, interact with those of the opposite sex.

When I was a young adult, I think I formed many of my ideas about guys from television and movies. Lines like "You had me at hello" were my idea of how we were supposed to interact. Maybe some people can pull that kind of stuff off in real life, but me, well, I'm better off avoiding the lines and just being me, and just being friendly.

There is a fun opportunity at www.VO5VictoryHair.com to play the Extreme Style by VO5's Ultimate Flirting Championship to and just have some fun with it. Can we put flirting education in the curriculum for this year? That may be a stretch, but you know, I'm sure we'll talk about it!

Teacher's planning book

2008-08-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

I am such a geek!! I was at Staples yesterday getting my crazy sales goodies, and I got a new teacher's planner. There's something so cool about the nice clean planner at the beginning of the year. It's wide open, waiting to see what's going to get scribbled all over its pages. For now, until I start whiting out and rearranging, I look very very organized. I need to enjoy it while it lasts!! :)

Free and Low Cost Homeschooling

2008-08-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

Unless otherwise noted, all of these resources are free. If you find that any of these sites have become paid sites, please let me know so I can remove them from the list. Thank you. :o)
------------------------------------------------------------
In the process of becoming a seasoned homeschool mom I've found many free or low cost ways to educate our children. I've acquired quite the list and today feel the need to pass it along to my blog friends. :-)
I hope this helps someone trying to pinch a penny. :-)
----------------------
FREE COMPLETE CURRICULUM
http://www.amblesideonline.com/
http://www.letteroftheweek.com/
http://www.baltimorecp.org/lessons/lesson_titles.htm
http://www.baltimorecp.org/lessons/draft_lessons.html
http://www.tanglewoodeducation.com/
http://oldfashionededucation.com/
FREE K-8 ONLINE CLASSROOM
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/month2month.htm
SCIENCE
http://www.harperchildrens.com/hch/LRFO/stage2.asp
http://www.noeoscience.com/
http://msnucleus.org/membership/index.html
http://www.newtonsapple.tv/
http://www.stellarium.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/
HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY
http://www.kewlcartoons.com/show/watch/LibertysKids
http://www.historyforkids.org/
http://www.travelforkids.com/
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/matrix.html
http://www.geomatters.com/products/details.asp?ID=75
http://www.geomatters.com/products/details.asp?ID=266
http://www.homeschoolshare.com
http://www.squidoo.com/geograhyunitstudy
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Stream/1639/BragPage.html
http://alexml.blogspot.com/2007/07/galloping-globe.html
http://www.worldatlas.com/
http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Cooking%20by%20Country.htm
http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/k-2/index.html
http://50states.com/
http://www.rainbowkids.com/HTMLFiles.aspx?page=KidsActivities
http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/index.htm
http://www.circle-of-friends.com/funColor.aspx
FREE PLACEMENT TESTS: We use placement tests to find learning gaps at the beginningof each school year. Depending on the tests we use, we can easily take AT LEAST a week to do all of the testing. No matter what grade our child is in they begin with the lowest grade level and work their way up until they no longer know what's going on.
AOP LANGUAGE AND MATH PLACEMENT TESTS: **You do have to fill out the online form to have the kids take the test online. They also offer the test for sale to put on your computer so it can be used over and over each year without logging in each year.
http://www.aop.com/sos/Contact_index.php?form=SOSplacementtest
K-6 READING: https://eprcontent.k12.com/placement/placement/placement_langarts_2.htmlMATH: http://www.sonlight.com/horizons-readiness-evaluations.htmlREADING: http://www.sonlight.com/quick-reading-assessment.htmlENGLISH: http://englishenglish.com/englishtest.htmLANGUAGE: http://www.peakenglish.com/placement_test/partnerPlacementTest.jsp
FREE HIGH SCHOOL AP COURSES
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/online_hs.htm#elective
FREE ALGEBRA!
Algebra.help...a site of lessons, resources, and calculators to aid in the learning/teaching of algebra
AlgebraLAB...this site focuses on building the connections between science and basic algebra by including lessons, activities, practice pages, study guides, career overviews, and much more
Ask Dr. Math...an archive of math questions, searchable and arranged by grade level; you can also submit your own questions
Calculators On-line...over 5000 types of online calculators to use
SPELLING
http://ourelementaryhomeschool.blogspot.com/2007/01/spelling-by-grade-1-8th.html
http://www.spellingcity.com/
BIBLE
http://www.christian-parenting-source.com/homeschoolbiblecurriculum.html
http://www.dltk-bible.com/http://www.faithfirst.com/html/catechist/downloads/downloads.html
http://www.daniellesplace.com
CHEMISTRY:
http://www.chemicool.com/
DRUG AND ALCOHOL INTERACTIVE LESSONS:
http://www.drugs4real.com/portal.aspx?AcceptsCookies=yes
TYPING:
http://www.goodtyping.com/
READING and LANGUAGE ARTS:
SIGHT WORDS PRE-PRIMER THRU THIRD GRADE: http://www.createdbyteachers.com/dolchboardmain.html
http://http://free-reading.net/index.php?title=Main_Page www.carlscorner.us.com/
http://www.literactive.com
http://www.starfall.com/
http://learntoreadfree.com/
http://www.tanglewoodeducation.com/ReallyReading2.pdf
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/picturematch/
http://bookadventure.com/
http://www.studydog.com/
http://www.headsprout.com/
http://www.funnix.com/
FREE BASIC MATH EXERCISES:
http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/math/addition/index.htm
http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/default.htm
http://www.mathmammoth.com/
http://www.thevirtualvine.com/math.html
http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/seqlps/sudisplay.asp?SUID=242
HANDWRITING PAGES:
CURSIVE: http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive.htm
MANUSCRIPT: http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/manuscript.htm
http://www.carlscorner.us.com/Handwriting%20Highway.htm
http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/kplus_writing.htm
RECORD KEEPINGhttp://highland.hitcho.com.au/attendancecalendar.pdf
http://donnayoung.org/forms/planners/index.htm
http://www.homeschooltracker.com/tracker_basic.aspx
http://www.homeschoolplanner.org/
ARThttp://www.crayola.com/
lesson_plans/index.cfm
http://www.dltk-kids.com/
http://www.dickblick.com/lessonplans/2007lessonplans/
http://www.theteachersguide.com/Artlessonplans.html
http://www.geocities.com/theartkids/artlessons.html
http://artkidsrule.com/
http://www.thetoymaker.com/
DOWNLOAD CHILDREN'S STORIES & CLASSICS
http://www.kiddierecords.com
http://librivox.org/
http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov/
http://kids.learnoutloud.com/
MUSIC
http://community.learnnc.org/dpi/math/archives/2005/06/grades_k2_resou.php
http://www.8notes.com/recorder/
http://www.philtulga.com/
http://www.wannalearn.com/Crafts_and_Hobbies/Woodworking/Building_Musical_Instruments/
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/nametune1.htm
ONLINE GAMES
http://www.learnnc.org/students/K/
http://faculty.usiouxfalls.edu/arpeterson/computer_lab.htm
http://pbskids.org/
http://www.uptoten.com/
LESSON PLANS
http://www.coreknowledge.org/CK/resrcs/lessons/index.htm
http://www.ckcolorado.org/units.asp
http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/
http://teachers.net/lessons/
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/
http://www.lessonplans4teachers.com/
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/LPview?grade=0
PRESCHOOL
http://www.preschoolpost.com/Months.html
http://www.preschoolrock.com
http://www.first-school.ws/
http://www.preschooleducation.com/
EDHELPER INFORMATION
If you go to edhelper.com and spend $19.99 - $39.99 you will findeverything you need to teach children for an entire year...Grades K - 12th.
They have the daily review skills packets that you can print off andhave the kids complete daily or weekly.(I'd recommend 1 packet every 3 days. They are pretty challenging sometimes.Internet use will be useful for research.) This is good for K thru 12th grade also.
Math skillsLanguage artsVocabulary/spelling skillsScience open-ended question and reviewWritingSocial studies questionsReading ComprehensionWeekly math word problems
All of this and you can even tweek it too.Here is the link for the Daily skills.
http://www.edhelper.com/daily_review.htm
Or go here to pick and chose what you want to teach them.
http://www.edhelper.com/
Here is the link to the costs.
http://www.edhelper.com/tpreporder.htm

All of the above has been copied, with permission, from "The Mom With Brownies" at http://www.icantbelievemylife.com/ .

The grass is greener on this side!!

2008-08-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

We homeschoolers can get a little grumpy about reporting and the other hoops we have to jump through, but yikes!!! In other countries it is unreal!! Following is an article published by HSLDA:

A homeschooling family in Southern Germany spent six hours in a grueling German Family Court session this week with the hopes of regaining custody of their six homeschooled children, who have been held in state custody since January. After the long and confusing session, the Gorbers regained custody of their 3-year-old son. The judge, meanwhile, retained custody of five other Gorber children now being kept in foster care and youth homes pending a court-ordered psychological evaluation of the parents. The court did allow increased visitation for some of the children up from one hour every two weeks that had been permitted since the children were seized in a surprise raid by the youth welfare office (“Jugendamt”) and police.

In January of 2008, Jugendamt and police officials surrounded the German home of the family while Mr. Gorber visited his wife at a local hospital where she had been admitted due to complications from her pregnancy with her ninth child. The oldest son, age 21, and a daughter, age 20, were not taken by the authorities, but all the other children were removed despite their repeated protests.

The siblings reported that the 7-year-old was gripped around the waist by a youth home music teacher, dragged kicking and screaming across the courtyard and thrown into a van. The terrified 3-year-old clung to his 20-year-old sister so tightly that even the police and Jugendamt could not separate them. Both had to be taken to the youth home, where at last the little fellow’s strength gave out and he could be taken into custody.

The children then received psychological exams which all reported that they were normal and well-functioning. Although these evaluations attested to appropriate parenting, the judge indicated that he was unwilling to allow the other children, all of school age, to return home because he did not believe the father’s assurances that he would enroll the children in school.

Someone who attended the six-hour hearing described the scene as “bedlam in the courtroom, without any attempt by the judge to impose discipline. The parties kept interrupting each other and everyone spoke at once.” Some of the children have reported that their court-appointed attorneys said they will fight to keep them in foster care despite the children’s firmly stated desire to return home to their parents.

Many in Europe are critical of Germany’s Jugendamt. Germany has Europe’s highest incidence of removing children from their homes. A recent article in Germany's Zeitung newspaper showed figures indicating that the removal of children from their homes was up 12.5% this year in Germany while the number of abused children remained the same.

Opponents have accused the child welfare system in Germany of corruption driven by exorbitant payments by the government to children’s homes and foster care providers. This “youth welfare industry” is financed by a 21 billion euro budget. The local operating youth welfare committees include privately owned and for-profit children’s care institutions who participate with legal sanction on the committees with two-fifths of the total vote. No other child welfare system in the world is known to allow this type of intermingling between government and commercial enterprises. Such an intermingling would appear to create a serious conflict of interest.

This is of particular concern to homeschooling families in Germany in light of court decisions and a recent change to the federal youth welfare law that was signed by German President Roland Koch on July 5 of this year. The law, BGB 1666, establishes the standard by which family courts are to determine whether custody of parents can be taken away. The law was changed to make it easier for children to be removed by the Jugendamt when the children are “endangered.” But endangerment is not defined in the law. The highest German courts have ruled that homeschooling is not tolerated because it creates “parallel societies” and is an abuse of parent’s rights. Administrative agencies and courts have stated that the failure to send children to school is by definition “endangerment.”

Until last year, homeschooling families had mostly been harassed with exorbitant fines. This year however, Rosemarie and Juergen Dudek of Archfeldt, Germany were sentenced to three months each in prison for homeschooling. In a previous family court case involving the Dudeks, the judge declined to take away the parental rights of the parents. It was thought that the Dudeks cared for and educated their children too well to justify penal removal of the children under the legal clause “misuse of parental authority.” During the Dudek’s criminal trial the judge ordered a 900 euro fine against the family for not sending their children to school. Not satisfied with this “lenient” sentence, local State Prosecutor Herwig Mueller told Mr. Dudek “you won’t have to worry about paying the fine, because I’m going to send you to jail.” His appeal of the fine resulted in the latest prison sentence for Mr. And Mrs. Dudek.

More homeschooling families have fled Germany as a result of this persecution, as it now appears that family court judges and the Jugendamt are ready and willing to take children away from their parents simply because they are being homeschooled. Nevertheless, “We are greatly encouraged by the thoughts and prayers of American homeschoolers,” said Mr. Dudek in a recent phone conversation with HSLDA Staff Attorney Michael Donnelly. “It gives us hope to know that there are people who have the freedom to educate their own children at home. We so appreciate the letters and notes of encouragement. These letters help us maintain our focus and in seeking God’s will for our family.”

These cases are drawing attention within Germany and across Europe.

Kathy Sinnott, a European parliament member from Ireland, criticized Germany’s treatment of homeschooling and the way the Jugendamt treat non-German families residing in Germany. In a recent press release, Sinnot said “…Germany’s approach to home schooling compromises this [European law on mobility] and forces families to choose between a job and the best interests of the children. The need for family-friendly employment policies must be recognized throughout the EU. We need to have flexibility in the education of children temporarily resident because of work. There is also an issue around the attitude to non-German families in the German children’s courts. I hope the dialogue between the Commission and the German State will resolve this discriminatory situation.”

A member of the SPD party in Bavaria, Germany also stated in a recent radio interview that that “Imprisonment or fines in this matter are absolutely excessive in my opinion, because homeschooling can provide very high-quality outcomes. This topic is definitely one which we must work through politically. There can be no black-white declarations, but we must discuss this without ideological blinders on.” Although encouraging, it will take more than one or two members of state legislatures to effect the needed change.

Donnelly, during a recent trip to Germany to encourage homeschoolers and to work for change, met with the Gorber family as well as with policy and lawmakers at the European Union and in the German State of Baden Wurttemberg.

“This poor, simple family is being crushed by unbearable pressure from the German state’s police power, primarily because they are homeschoolers,” Donnelly said. “This father of nine, a woodworker, told me how difficult this is and the incredible strain it’s placing on his children, his wife and himself. As longtime homeschoolers, they have irritated the local youth authorities who needed only the pretext of the hospitalization of the mother and other exaggerated claims to seize the children.” Donnelly noted that “while there are some policy makers in some of the states who are willing to take on this important issue of human rights, most couldn’t be bothered. It is going to take increased public awareness and international pressure to confront German Society with this outrageous behavior. Unfortunately it looks like more parents will have to go to jail and more children taken into state custody before German public policy makers wake up and do something. It’s very disturbing that Germany can get away with this kind of behavior with such little public comment by other Western governments.”

HSLDA is committed to working with national and international ministries and associations to support German homeschoolers in their fight to be free from persecution. The right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental human right, and HSLDA is grateful for the support of its members to defend this freedom here in the United States and abroad.

If you would like to send a note of encouragement to the Gorber Family write to them at:

Family Gorber
Max-Mutscheller-Str.2
88662 Überlingen
Germany

Summertime Learning

2008-08-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

This is the first summer that we haven't had any formal learning planned since we started this homeschool adventure. Other years we've picked one "extra", like music appreciation, and plugged through that in the summer. This year my one kiddo is finishing up some leftover workbook stuff on her own, but that's it. I feel like a negligent homeschooler. We have no big field trips to reenactments or museums planned. We're just playing. Well, and I'm working a lot on the computer. But that's good, right? Everyone's brain needs a break sometimes!! And you know what? I think I might implode if I tried to add one more thing to my plate right now, so play kiddos, play!! Hopefully by the time September rolls around I'll be more organized :). I can hope!!

Teachable moments with the Jonas Brothers

2008-08-03T04:32:00.000-07:00

My daughters and I attended our first big concert together last night - The Jonas Brothers. I wasn't super excited to be the mommy chaperone, but it ended up being a really nice time. We went with another mom and kids, the girls had a blast, and we had some really good conversation on the way home, late late at night. We talked about how hard it must be to stay humble when you've got the lifestyle that these boys do. We talked about how it's very cool that all three boys wear purity rings and have made committments to behave themselves. We talked about what they might be doing for church the next day. Just neat little snippets of thinking that were a little different from the "You're so hot!" stuff that was screamed out behind us at the concert. No doubt my girls think these guys are very cute and all, but it was neat to hear that they realize that they are also just regular kids, with some of the same struggles as them.

The bird family

2008-08-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

We've spent a lot of time watching this little bird family who decided to nest in our carport. As the chicks get bigger, and more demanding of food, momma is having to be more brave about coming near us. I caught her today just after she picked up a nice juicy worm to deliver it back to the nest. Pretty neat to see so up close :).

August?!?

2008-08-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

Yikes! Somehow it's August 1st and I have not bought my curriculum for the fall yet!! I did have some already, and I use lots of stuff from the library, but there are a few books that I know that I do need, and I've never waited this late to get them!!! Ok, maybe this needs to get moved to the top of the to do list. Well, I suppose clean laundry and dishes, and maybe helping my daughter clean out her stinky gerbil cage can go before that for now, but otherwise, right at the top!!!

IT Training opportunity

2008-08-01T15:16:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I love about homeschooling is that you can tailor the teaching, the style, the curriculum, to the student. You can try different ways of learning until you find a good fit. If a student learns better one way versus another, why not use the one that fits best? It can make such a difference!!

It's just great to have so many different learning options available today. You can take traditional classroom studies, independent studies, correspondence studies, or online studies. I get excited to see this for little ones as well as far adult learners. I love that there are so many opportunities to pursue learning for those who were once considered "non-traditional" students, or anyone over the age of 20. There are so many learning opportunities that fit into working adults' lives, and that can enhance those working lives.

A field that continues to grow in not only material to learn, but also in job prospects after learning that material, is IT, or information technology. Cisco certification is a great program to really get into this field. Cisco offers many different certifications, at varying levels, taking varying amounts of time to complete the programs. You really can fine tune which program you take to match your specific skills, desires, and available time. Training resources, from instructor-led courses to remote access labs and e-learning solutions, are also available.

Right now I am concentrating on homeschooling my children, but who knows where the future may lead for me academically, or vocationally. I may take my very limited knowledge of computers and such and transform it into a valuable working certification. We'll have to wait and see....

Promise realized

2008-07-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

And they're out!! The baby robins hatched over the weekend, and though they're pretty homely right now, they are pretty amazing!! They came out of those tiny blue eggs!!!

Viddiction

2008-07-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

One of the major tools that has been invaluable to me in our homeschooling adventure is the internet. I sign on so many times each day to get materials for school, to look something up, for an "object lesson", or just to have fun with the kids.

Lately we've been into watching video clips, and I like to be right there beside the kiddos when they do, partly because they're usually quite funny, and partly because there's a lot of not so great stuff posted that I don't want them looking at.

I was excited to hear about a new video upload site, Viddiction. It's the same general idea as some of the established sites, but it has some fun twists. On Viddiction there is more of a focus on individual, rather than corporate or big name submissions. There are also some fun networking opportunities on this site, as well as contests where they offer cash for videos, including regular monthly ones where they give away up to $500!! Right now I'm cheering for a little clip with two kittens playing hide and seek - it's cute, and it's one that I can watch my young children :). Take a peek...

So log on, check it out, sign up, vote for your favorites, and have some fun on a rainy day!

Summer Family Meals

2008-07-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

I found this piece by Ann Douglas, and just wanted to pass it along. It's full of some very good tips, and I can certainly use all the help that I can get with my cooking and meals. I was going to try and share it in my own words, but she does a great job already:). Read on and enjoy!

Summer Family Meals

10 Real-World Summer Mealtime Solutions

All bets are off when it comes to feeding kids during the summer months: who knows what foods will be appealing on super-hot days and who will even be at the dinner-table at a time of year when schedules tend to get tossed out the window on a regular basis. Here are some suggestions on zeroing in on meals that are high in kid-appeal and ways of taking the stress out of mealtimes during what should be a fun and low-stress time of year.

1. Keep it fresh. Take advantage of the wide availability of farm-fresh produce while it's in season. Foods like blueberries aren't just delicious: they're also rich in nutrients and high in kid-appeal.
2. Get your kids in on the meal-planning act. They'll be less likely to gripe about what shows up on the dinner-table or go into great theatrics about how there's "nothing to eat" in the house if they had a role to play in planning meals, drawing up the grocery list, or-better yet-helping you choose some fresher-than-fresh produce at the local farmer's market.
3. Stock up. It can be hard to predict ahead of time how many extra kids will show up at your dinner-table during the summer months. And be sure to stock up on foods that can be enjoyed on the run: cheese cubes, hard-boiled eggs, bagels, homemade muffins, and the like.
4. Get ahead of the game. Do some food preparation ahead of time or look for items in the grocery store that can save you time on the food preparation front (e.g., salad in a bag, mini-carrots, etc.). Prepare foods as soon as possible after arriving home from the grocery store or the farmer's market. That way, your kids will have plenty of healthy foods to snack on when the munchies strike.
5. Plan meals that require minimal preparation and very little clean up. Think grilled meat or fish or vegetarian protein; a baked potato; some fresh vegetables (grilled, raw, or made into a salad); and some fresh fruit. Hint: If you throw a few extra pieces of meat on the grill, you'll end up with some tempting leftovers for meals and snacks the next day.
6. Go for quick and easy menus. Load up on cookbooks that feature menus that can be whipped up quickly and easily, and that are both healthy and kid-friendly. (Ask other parents and your local bookseller for recommendations.)
7. Beat the heat. Aim for no-cook meals at this time of year or meals that avoid very little oven time preparation (to avoid heating up the kitchen) .
8. Batch cook. Make at least one extra meal on the weekends, either by cooking that meal all by itself and popping in the freezer, or by making "doubles" of one of your family's weekend meals (e.g., a double batch of spaghetti sauce or lasagna) so that you can have leftovers during the week.
9. Have "leftover night" or "make your own dinner night" at least once a week. It's a great way to clean out the refrigerator, give yourself a break from cooking, and allow your kids to make themselves something they'll really enjoy. It's a win-win situation all around.
10. Schedule family picnics on a regular basis. Even if your kids try to convince you that they're too old for picnics, encourage them to join in the fun anyway. Summer tends to whiz by in a flash: who wants to spend it being holed up in a kitchen?

Creation Science Resource

2008-07-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't actually taken the time to dig into this site too much, but I'm afraid I'm going to lose the business card, so I'm "storing" the info here... :)

Creation Ministries international has a website specifically for creation/evolution information, which sounds like a good resource for doing your reasearch as you teach basic Science to your kiddos: www.CreationOnTheWeb.com (or .org ).

Check it out and let me know what you think....

71!

2008-07-23T10:17:00.001-07:00

We are up to seventy-one kids planning to participate in our homeschool co-op - wow! Just sorting through the list yesterday - glad to have six other ladies also on a steering committee that work can be divided up with. Lots of little details to work out over the summer, but it is very much worth it!! I'm excited :).

Character

2008-07-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article today that mentioned something neat that Benjamin Franklin was said to have done for years. He picked thirteen character traits that he wanted to see developed in himself, and then studied one a week for thirteen weeks. He just kept cycling through that list. I like that idea. I'm thinking that when the girls get back we will sit as a family and make a list like this, and then use different resources to study those traits. Maybe we can even each take a day where we are in charge of sharing some of our "research". We could pull out the Bible, biographies, personal experiences... I like it, but we'll see how it catches on :).

Safe Online

2008-07-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

Whoaaa!!! The Crimes Against Children Research Center found that 42% of children ages 10-17 have been exposed to online pornography in the past year and 1 in 25 have received an "aggressive sexual solicitation" by a person who attempted to contact them offline. (Focus on the Family magazine, July 2008)

That is so sad.

This same article that shared those numbers also gave a few tips to help kiddos stay safe online.

Tell kids to never give out personal information at all (even job, teacher etc. that could be used to locate them).
Set up clear internet use guidelines. Have their passwords.
Reserve right to check behavior, and keep computers in high traffic areas, for accountability.
Understand technology. Explore "in" sites.
Set parameters for your child's list of "friends".
Visit your child's friend's pages and read their posts there.
Tailor rules for age.
Urge children to think about long term consequences. Online material is cached, and is often accessible even if deleted! Colleges even research kids online now - what will they see?

Thankfully we've done pretty well with this so far, but our kids are younger. We need to stay vigilant as they get older, and more and more into this stuff. One more thing to worry about, or better, pray about!

Memory Walk

2008-07-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I like about homeschooling is that my daughters have had opportunities to do things, and to get to know people, that they probably wouldn't have if they were in traditional school.

One of the things that we did together was, for about a year, deliver meals for the county's Meals on Wheels program. Once a week we loaded up the van with hot lunches, and drove our route. At first the girls were apprehensive about going up to the doors of the senior citizen's homes. With time, however, they warmed up, and came to really enjoy our Wednesday deliveries. When someone didn't answer the door, they would worry, insist I knock one more time, and then ask me to call to see if they were okay. They got to know each senior's name, and would say prayers for some of them.

Some of the seniors left our route because they deteriorated, physically or mentally, and had to move into assisted living or nursing homes. I had opportunities to talk with my kiddos about things like dementia and Alzheimer's disease, hard things... I hope that these relationships, and these conversations, will lay the foundation for empathy in my children in the years to come.

I recently saw something about an Alzheimer's Memory Walk , and think that this might be a nice follow up for us, a way to do something proactive for the people that we lost touch with, the people that we met that now struggle with this challenge. A typical Memory Walk is a 2-3 mile walk held on a weekend morning in the fall, and is open to participants of all ages. The walks are held in communities all over the country. Currently there is a real need for folks to sign up to walk, and also to be team captains. I encourage you to check it out...

"By teaming up with the Alzheimer's Association, you can walk with a purpose – and move us closer to a world without Alzheimer's. Together, we can MOVE a nation."

Co-op

2008-07-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

I spent a bunch of time today trying to sort out registration forms for our fall co-op. Good stuff, and I'm excited that it's going to happen, but lots of behind the scenes work. We have a bunch of good teachers, good sounding classes, and lotso kids - off we go!!

Missing child from Florida

2008-07-19T05:35:00.000-07:00

This is a departure from homeschooling stuff, but it involves a kiddo, so I thought it would be appropriate. A fellow blogger with SocialSpark at IZEA is trying to get the word out about the missing son of a friend of a good friend of hers, and he has been searching for his son, Amedeo Cuomo, for over 1 year! Amedeo was taken by his mother, who did NOT have custody.

He could be anywhere in the world, but the last known country was Germany. There is also a possibility that he may be back in the U.S. (California???), or he may be in India - the bottom line is that no one really knows!

If you recognize this child or his mother, please contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (missingkids.com).

The FBI and Interpol are also looking for the mother, so they can be alerted also if anyone has any information as to their whereabouts. Click on this poster to make it larger:

Please feel free to just copy this post, or just the poster above. We're bloggers and we're a world community. We have the power of communication quite literally at our fingertips.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Big Harvest!

2008-07-16T03:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of the first of the garden's harvest :).

Hey, it's intact! No squirrel nibbles thanks to my grandmother's tip about sprinkling cayenne pepper on the plants to keep the squirrels and bunnies from eating 'em up!! Yeah!!!

Garden beginnings

2008-07-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post this picture, way back in May. This was the beginning of our garden this year. We live in a semi-rural area, and some of our friends have acres and acres to play with - homeschool paradise! :) We do not. We have a village size yard, and we've carved a corner of it into a garden, with three rectangular slightly raised beds and a re-claimed materials compost pile (all stuff the previous owners had left in the yard - not pretty but a great lesson in being good stewards of what we have, and not making more garbage than we need to).

Last year was our first year attempting a garden, and we did a tiny bit of research before we started, but learned more by trial and error. We took what we did learn and applied it to this year's garden choices: no corn, few carrots (not enough sun). Lots of beans (did great last year and we love them) and a fair amount of lettuce (did well last year too). We also attempted a few more tomato plants, putting them in different spots, attempting to get as much sun as possible.

It's been a great learning experience for the girls (and for me too). We've been taking problems, like not having tons of sun in our garden nook, and trying to work a solution together. The girls helped remember what did well last year and we planted more of that. They also thought that perhaps since the plants aren't able to make tons of food b/c of the shadiness, maybe if we fertilize better that would help - we'll see if that pans out - we applied composted manure and have been adding compost from our pile. Sooo, it's been a good study in gardening, and also in making hypotheses and all of that fun stuff.

Additionally, my little bargain hunters are excited about the money we can save if the garden does well and we don't need to buy lots of veggies, so there's a lesson in financial stuff as well.

Homeschooling - I like that because we are doing life together we really do have moments to learn, and to really prepare the kiddos for the rest of life. Good stuff. Glad we're able to do it....

Teaching kids about money

2008-07-14T05:06:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have walked a hard financial journey. We bottomed out a few years back, and took some to recover financially. We still don't have strong savings, and with the one real breadwinner piece, it's hard to really get ahead. I wish that when we were both working part time we had done better at planning for our financial futures.

I want my girls to make wiser financial choices in their futures, and I know, like anything else, training will be easier when they are younger. We've done some training. They get $1 a week in a "paycheck" for completing their assigned chores, plus the possibility of a little extra for extras sometimes. When they get paid, they have envelopes to put 10% in savings and 10% for tithe. We talk about money stuff, in a good way, around them.

I am excited that in our homeschool co-op in the fall, a few of the moms will be presenting a class for the kids up over 3rd grade on money management. It's something I think I'd like to sit in on. Never too late to learn....

Planning for next year

2008-07-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

This is that wonderful time of the year that we with kiddos call Summer Break!! When you homeschool, however, it is also planning and preparation time. In New York state we need to have our IHIPs, or individualized home instruction plans, turned in by August 15th to our school districts, so the clock is ticking!! It's time to look back at the past year and think about what worked and what didn't, what things we need to shift our focus on. It's time to flip through the curriculum catalogs and browse the many many websites that are out there.

I think I'm pretty much set for this next year. Thankfully, most of the curriculum we used this past year worked well for us, so we'll just carry on with it. Our co-op group is expanding a bit too, so some of our needs will be met there. Just some fine tuning, and I'll call it good. Then, the planner can gather dust for a few more weeks... Yeah!!

What happened?

2008-07-12T03:35:00.000-07:00

"How have we grown so deaf? How have we grown so immune to awesomeness? Why are we so reluctant to be staggered or thunderstruck?

Perhaps the frequency of miracles blinds us to their beauty. After all, what spice is there in a springtime or a tree blossom? Don't the seasons come every year? Aren't there countless seashells just like this one?

Bored, we say Ho-hum and replace the remarkable with the regular, the unbelievable with the anticipated. Science and statistics wave their unmagic wand across the face of life, squelching the oohs and aahs and replacing them with formulas and figures.

Would you like to see Jesus? Do you dare be an eyewitness of His Majesty? Then rediscover amazement.

The next time you hear a baby laugh or see an ocean wave, take note. Pause and listen as His majesty whispers ever so gently, "I'm here."

Max Lucado, God Came Near

Often hear of our need for childlike faith. Again, it fits here. How often do my kids pull me aside to look at something that amazes them, and I barely glance as I do "important stuff"? How much I have I missed? Subtly, I've allowed the "grown up world" to rob me of amazement. I've allowed my life to become a series of to do lists. Yikes! Today I put on my list to play with my kids, blow bubbles, be amazed!

Special Services in New York

2008-07-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

There has been a back and forth battle over special services in New York for homeschooled kiddos over the last few years. This letter was just sent out by the president of LEAH (Loving Education at Home, a large statewide homeschool support group) to its members. It is a huge victory for homeschoolers, and will hopefully help parents to do the very best in meeting the needs of their children with disabilities.

Dear Friends of New York Homeschooling:
I have great pleasure to inform you that on July 7, 2008, New York Governor David Paterson signed A11463, the bill which restores special services to disabled homeschool children. This is the final step in making this bill a law in the state of New York. Disabled homeschool children in New York are once again eligible to receive critically needed special services, on the same basis as other students in New York,
As you may know, these services were abruptly terminated by the State Education Department (SED) earlier this year, changing a policy of more than 17 years of providing these services to homeschoolers. This action was in response to the outcome of a particular NY judicial case (which cited a legal technicality in Federal law). As a result of that change, parents, instead of homeschooling, would have had to enroll their children in a public or private school to receive services critical to learning and development.
However, as a result of calls, letters, emails, and prayers from New Yorkers like you, we were able to persuade the Board of Regents and the SED to see the folly of this new policy and to convince them to support legislation to restore service. More calls, letters, emails, and prayers brought about necessary changes when early legislative proposals were judged to be defective. And even more calls, letters, emails, and prayers generated support within the Legislature which paved the way for this bill to be passed. And I believe it was prayer that caused the final version of the law, which is now signed, sealed, and delivered, to be even slightly better than the version homeschoolers were actively trying to push through the legislature.
In addition to giving praise and thanks to God for his gracious providence in this matter, I suggest that you consider dropping a note of thanks to any government official (SED, Regent, Legislator) that you may have contacted in support of this effort. Listed below are some of the key legislators involved:
1) The following is a suggested message which you may put into your own words:
"Thank you for acting quickly and passing Assembly Bill 11463. This bill will allow homeschool students with disabilities to be eligible for special education services as other nonpublic school students are."
Assemblyman Michael Benedetto (Sponsor)
Email: benedem@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (Co-Sponsor)
Email: nolanc@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (Co-Sponsor)
Email: lupardod@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblyman Steve Englebright (Co-Sponsor)
Email: engles@assembly.state.ny.us
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver
Email: speaker@assembly.state.ny.us
Senator George Winner (Sponsor)
Email: winner@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Dale Volker (Co-Sponsor)
Email: volker@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Joseph Bruno- President pro tempore
Email: bruno@senate.state.ny.us
2) Please contact both your state senator and assemblyman and give them this message in your own words:
"As a constituent, I want to thank you for voting in favor of Assembly Bill 11463. This bill will allow homeschool students with disabilities to be eligible for special education services as other nonpublic school students are."
To get the name and contact information for your state senator or Assemblyman, go to http://www.hslda.org/toolbox
Please be in prayer as the State Education Department defines how the new law will be implemented on a practical basis, and sends guidance to the local school districts in regards to details and procedures. The Special Needs Task Force and the Home School Legal Defense Association are already in communication with the SED in regards to a number of practical issues. How these issues are worked out can significantly impact the degree of ease or difficulty of working with this new law.
SPECIAL NOTICE
If you have disabled homeschooled children that need to receive special services under the provisions of this new law, please note that the signing of this bill sets into motion a 30-day window in which you need to make a written request to your school district for such services. The details and the procedures of this are still to be worked out – please go to www.piccnys.com for the latest information on this. It will be posted as soon as it becomes available.
Thank you very your participation in helping protect and maintain homeschooling rights in New York,
Rich Stauter
President, NYS Loving Education At Home (LEAH)

One income

2008-07-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

I've found that one of the trickiest things about homeschooling isn't curriculum, or schedules, but money money money! It's hard to raise a family on one income, which is usually the case when you are homeschooling. I was reading an article in Focus on the Family's April magazine (I'm a bit behind in my reading!!) and it said that the cost of raising one child to adulthood ranges from $143,000 to $289,000. Yikes!!!!

We homeschooling mommies can help out by trying to keep expenses low, and maybe picking up a few hours of at home work here and there, but this is for most of us going to continue to be a tricky area. Press on. Remember it's just a season of life that will pass. Enjoy today with your kiddos. I need to go do that now...

Mud pit

2008-07-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

I posted a picture of the girls digging a hole a different day, and today they made good use of that hole. They had friends over to play, and where did they end up? In the hole, filled with water, now a great big mud pit!!

Besides that, as the picture shows, it also makes a great fishing hole!! No fish, but lots of fun :) Imaginations at work!

See New York without spending lots

2008-07-09T13:58:00.000-07:00

I was reading a magazine the other day and they mentioned a program I remember hearing about a long time ago, but it had slipped into the dusty corners of my mind... The Empire Passport Discount Program. When you purchase this season pass you can get unlimited day use vehicle entry into most all of the NY State parks, rec facilities, DEC preserves, boat launches, arboretums, and park preserves. It's $59 for unlimited use - each time a carful. I believe AAA members can get discounts on top of that too. A cool way to see lots without spending lots.

Just like the movie...

2008-07-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's funny. I found that movie clip online and laughed, and then what did my girls spend a good chunk of the afternoon doing? One of them dragged out my labelmaker (best intentions of organizing things, but I haven't used it in many many months!)and they proceeded to organize, alphabetize and label a bookshelf, with no prompting from me. Ok, so I guess we are a bit of a weird homeschool family sometimes!!! :)

Homeschool family video

2008-07-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

Funny video :)