Setting the Records Straight and High School

As I mentioned last week, we have started back with schoolwork, so I have a lot of school-related thoughts in my head right now.  It's hard to believe that I have two high schoolers this year as Briana is entering her junior year and Destry is officially a freshman.  I spent the first couple weeks of my summer reading Setting the Records Straight by Lee Binz, updating Briana's transcript, figuring grades, writing course descriptions, and planning for the future.

While I can't say I necessarily learned anything new from Lee Binz's book, I did appreciate her examples and encouragement, and most of all I gained motivation.  If a parent really has no idea what to do for high school record keeping, or how to figure grades, or where to start with a transcript, her book would be a great resource.  Even though I had previously researched this information, it was still good for me to read her book and then allow it to motivate me to actually sit down and DO it.

One challenge to parenting teens that I have encountered is helping them handle the pressure they feel to figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives.  Sometimes I think adults don't know what to say to teens, so they ask questions like "So, what do you want to be when you grow up?  Are you making plans for college?" etc.  I know we adults are well-meaning with these questions, but I have had to settle my kids and remind them that most people start college in one major and graduate with a different degree--and many people even start their career in one field but completely change careers several years later, many times making multiple career changes.  There's really no need to feel pressure at the age of 14 or 15 to have your life plan all mapped out.

At the same time, I have to fight my own (self-imposed) pressure to offer them every opportunity for every class to learn everything they might possibly need to equip them for their lives. (phew!)  Deep down I believe my responsibility is in the areas of shaping their character, preparing them to live for the Lord and teaching them a love for learning which will give them the tools to learn whatever they need to know as they grow and change.  Sometimes, however, I get caught up in "keeping up with the Joneses" (whoever that is!) and worry about depriving them of some wonderful educational opportunity they need.

I get torn between conflicting philosophies.  On the one hand, I agree with Lee Binz's philosophy:

Either I’m preparing my kids to be college-ready

or I’m providing them with the highest level of education they’ll receive,

 so I need to make it good~Lee Binz, the Homescholar

On the other hand, I hear speakers recommend that students study subjects based on their individual interests rather than spending their time checking off classes considered "college prep" by our society at large.  I don't know which philosophy is best, so meanwhile I continue one step at a time along my eclectic path trying to offer studies that appeal to their natural interests and giftings while also requiring subjects that expose them to ideas that would prepare them to excel in a liberal arts education.

Big Truths for Little Kids

I was excited to receive Susan and Richie Hunt's book, Big Truths for Little Kids because I recognized her name (I have previously read Spiritual Mothering) and I liked the idea of teaching Biblical truths to my children and using little stories of other children to help make the points.

The primary purpose of the book, I would summarize, is to teach children the First Catechism and illustrate the principles with short application stories featuring children.  At the conclusion of each chapter and story there are discussion questions and a suggested prayer for the parent to share with the children. 

The idea of catechizing children, (via "a series of questions and answers that systematically teach a body of information") is popular in the homeschool community.  On the one hand I can see the merit in taking advantage of the grammar stage when children memorize easily to fill them with biblical teaching that they can fall back on later as they learn to reason, analyze, and apply in the dialectic and rhetoric stages of thinking.  On the other hand, I am more inclined to teach my children literal verses from the Truth of God's Word rather than teaching them man-written interpretations of that Word.

So in conclusion, while I appreciate the effort to provide parents with encouragement and resources to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, I was disappointed in this application of that idea.  I will not be using this resource based on the doctrine of men with my children as it seems safer to teach them God's Word directly.

I received this book from Crossway books in return for my honest opinion.

Princess Ballerina

It's quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen.

A new friend told me about a nearby studio that "stresses modesty and integrity and uses melodious music" in its vision to "teach character through dance."  Well, that sounds appealing for Little Miss Kiana who daily expresses herself by moving to music.

I checked it out online and learned that they have a princess ballet and gymnastics camp in the summer, so we decided to try it out.  She has been absolutely beaming this week.  Each "camp" is 90 minutes long--30 minutes of ballet, 30 minutes of gymnastics, and 30 minutes with the "princess of the day" (Snow White and Sleeping Beauty so far) doing a craft and freestyle movement.

She listens so intently as she learns to point the proper foot and twirl to Disney movie songs.

I am a little surprised that her favorite part seems to be the gymnastics session as she does flips, balances, crawls through tunnels, and bounces on the trampoline with the biggest grin she has.

The decor of the studio is inspirational.  The west wall says "The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."  This mural on the north wall has scriptural verses along the waving branches of the tree with words of the fruit of the Spirit highlighted, like "The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid but gives us power, love, and self-control."

So far I'm very happy with the staff, the program, and the general environment.  On our way home Friday she asked "When will I get to go to my princess ballerina camp again?"  I'd say she's pleased with it as well.

The Homeschool Experiment

I can't say it made my list of favorites or that it was beautifully crafted, but it was fun to read as we resume our summer school schedule.

The Homeschool Experiment, a novel by Charity Hawkins, reminded me to laugh at the inherent craziness that takes place in the daily life of a stay-at-home mom or a homeschooling mom.  I wish I was better at making fun of myself (and the situation) on the challenging days, but I tend to take things too seriously.

I laughed as she described her children:

Our children are absolutely adorable, like three stair-stepped angels, with their dimples and button noses and doe eyes.  When they're in a good mood, that is.  When they're in a bad mood, they have furrowed brows and scowls and fire shooting from their eyes.  It all depends on the day, really (37).

And I laughed again at her attempts to organize and schedule her day:

"Mom," Daniel cries.  "Michael needs you!  He has a poopy diaper!"
Argh.  Poop is totally not on my schedule. (84).

 I was reassured that I'm not alone as I think her little Michael might be my Tornado Teddy's long lost twin:

I kept having to stop chopping vegetables to get Michael out of trouble.  He got into the craft cabinet in the laundry room and spilled beads all over the floor.  He  climbed up the stepstool into the sink and turned the water on. (He was trying to brush his teeth.)  He pried the lid off his sippy cup and spilled milk all over his chair and the table, getting it on Joy's math book and making her cry. (122)

The book is written as something of a journal with monthly entries.  I like the idea of the book--that of sharing both encouragement and commiseration with other moms in the trenches--but I think it would have been better if authored by a stronger writer.  It has the quality of a blog so it would have been more enjoyable to read in shorter sections rather than to read it in a couple days like a novel.  It got kind of old as it lacked plot, characterization, climax, and other elements of a well-written novel.

Having said that, I appreciated the book both as a reminder that we WILL HAVE crazy days (and that's ok!) and for its definition of some of the end goals of home education:

They have freedom to run, to yell, to tumble around.  They can work--making castles, collecting shells, finding treasures.  They don't need or want 'entertainment.' Real life works fine, thank you very much.

This is how I want to raise them and one of the reasons I want to homeschool.  I want them to get to explore the world, marvel at God's Creation, be awed by His power rolling in on the waves and breathless at His beauty hanging in the clouds.  Not that they couldn't do that if they were in school--I guess I just want to be there for it.  I want to be there with them as they discover this world, not only on vacation and in the summer, but in the quiet of ordinary days. (76)

Disillusionment

I started reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand with my cousin Jenna this month.   I will confess that I'm totally intimidated.  For one thing, my copy has 1,168 (that's one thousand one hundred sixty eight!) pages--each of them covered with fine print.  For another, I'm not sure I'm smart enough to read and actually understand this book.  But I'm all about "learning how much I don't know", so here goes.  It would be going faster were I not reading three other books in addition to this one, but this is who I am so I'm only part way through chapter three and on page 56.

That said, I am fascinated with the book already.  Her writing is simply beautiful.  I can't read the story quickly because I have to savor her talent, her word choices, her descriptiveness.  I had to stop and ponder the following description which the character described as "immense betrayal" and I relate to as "disillusionment."

The great oak tree had stood on a hill over the Hudson for hundreds of years, and he thought it would always stand there.  Its roots clutched the hill like a fist with fingers sunk into the soil, and he thought that if a giant were to seize it by the top, he would not be able to uproot it, but would swing the hill and the whole of the earth with it, like a ball at the end of a string.  He felt safe in the oak tree's presence; it was a thing that nothing could change or threaten; it was his greatest symbol of strength.

One night, lightning struck the oak tree.  Eddie saw it the next morning.  It lay broken in half, and he looked into its trunk as into the mouth of a black tunnel.  The trunk was only an empty shell; its heart had rotted away long ago; there was nothing inside--just a thin gray dust that was being dispersed by the whim of the faintest wind.  The living power had gone, and the shape it left had not been able to stand without it. (5)

 Haven't we all experienced this?  At times we put our faith, our trust, our hope in the wrong thing (or person).  But when it fails (as it inevitably will if it's not the Lord Himself) we feel betrayed or disillusioned.  I am reminded that we can't see as the Lord sees.  Something that may look like a "symbol of strength" might actually have a heart rotted away, completely absent of the Living Power, leaving an empty shell vulnerable to the storms of life.  This reminds me to be thankful for the trials of life which test us, prove us, and ultimately strengthen us as we yield to the Lord's pruning.

Playing Hair Day

I'm thinking Briana is the best big sister ever.

Kiana was playing with her favorite doll (which just so happens to be my Mandy from when I was a little girl) and asked Briana to help her fix her baby's hair with beads.

Briana patiently sectioned the doll's hair, braided it, and let Kiana choose heart beads to put on the ends of the braids.

Kiana thought she was such big stuff loading the beads on the "beader" to help.

It just tickles me that she is so matter-of-fact about this being a style her doll needs to have, just like her.

Notice the band-aid obsession is still alive and well in our family--even for dollies.

But more than that, I am tickled with Briana's sweet, servant heart that gave up doing what she might have liked to do for an hour to serve and play with her little sister.  I treasure these moments they have together as my children are so quickly growing up.

Ready to Move

I hit a garage sale last weekend and picked up some cute decorations for a little bit of nothing.  This first one looks perfect for our family with the cow, sheep, pig, and rooster.  It also has apples and sunflowers in smaller details, so I'm imagining all sorts of fun themes around this picture.

I'm going to need more "stuff" for Marcy to decorate our new house with because it is significantly larger than any house I've ever lived in!

I'm picturing this set of four pictures arranged somehow in the sitting room/library.  (Whatcha think, Marcy?? tee, hee)

Oh, I'm sorry, am I getting ahead of myself here?  I am happy to share that I have thrown away the stacks and stacks of sheets depicting homes for sale by realtor and by owner because we have found a delightful little acreage that we can't wait to move into.

I don't have pictures yet as everything isn't final--the property is in an estate and they will be selling the 80-years-worth of occupancy the first weekend in August.  We hope to be moved in by September 1.  Just know that we are excited for the 4 bedroom (6 BR potential!), large kitchen (with lots of cupboards and countertop), beautiful dining room, gorgeous living room, sitting room/library (oooh, I can't wait!!), etc.  This house has tons of living space which  is perfect for the way our family interacts and also quite well-suited for practicing hospitality.  I'm looking forward to fall get-togethers, especially imagining cookouts on the deck that spans three sides of the house, and Alan can't wait for a "project" to fill the large garage/shed.  I'm trying to decide if I'll still have time for a fall garden, and Alan is sure we can raise chickens to butcher before winter arrives.  We aren't going to worry about any other animals until next spring, but Alan loves his birds strutting around (and eggs and a freezer full of meat!) so chickens may get to move in before we do!

It's going to be so grand to actually unpack all those boxes piled in the basement and not have to make trips down to do a mad search for an item I've decided I need right now.