Last Week :
"Mom, when I'm president I'm going to make a law that says,'No more building. We don't need any more buildings in this world.' Maybe juf like six or seven."
Yesterday:
I asked Emerson if he had any ideas on something special that we can make daddy for Christmas. His reply, "Awe man, I'm already making somefing special for you. I juf want to buy him a shirt, OK?"
Today:
"Mom, I don't need to watch the garbage truck today. I fink I'm too old for that now. You know some people have different changes at different times."
Saddened, I walked over and gave him a kiss.
20 minutes later when the garbage truck pulls up he excitedly runs to the window, opens it and starts waving and shouting his usual, "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for helping to clean Mother Earf!!"
"Phew!" I thought, smiling.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
How To Make a Peanut Butter Sandwich Take 3&4
Bompa and Emerson in the first video and Bompa and Annie in the 2nd...
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Neighborhood Kids!
We love our neighbors! They really are awesome! My neighbor Jessica and her kids hosted all of these kiddos over for a tea party and a pancake breakfast. Thank you so much!
One of our neighbors has packed up their family of 6 and is moving to another country for a year! We are so excited for them and thrilled that they have this opportunity and the guts to do it! We will miss you all so much!
Co-op Kids!
Our weekend in Kerrville with our co-op kids!
We had an awesome time with Ms. Jennifer and Ms. Jennifer and all of the kiddos. We spent 2 days playing at their house and one day at Mo Ranch in the rapids of the Guadalupe River, and we saw a performance of The Sound of Music!
Thanks for an awesome time, friends!!!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Homeschool Inspiration
When I first decided to homeschool 4 years ago, I found this article and it really helped me stay inspired and work through some to those comments and questions I got from people. Today I am confident in my decision and have formed my own "talking points" based on my own opinions and the experiences of my family. But I wanted to share this article with anyone who might need some homeschooling inspiration this summer!
One Mother's Homeschool Talking Points By Krishyon Young
People often pepper me with Homeschool questions. In short order, rationalizations roll smoothly from their lips as to why they "cannot possibly" homeschool their children. It is expected that I will soothe their consciences with a sweet, "Well, perhaps it's not for everyone." One day I did not oblige. Instead of a polite nod, I volleyed. With every concern given, I countered; for every excuse the questioner lobbed, I sent back a positive twist. She finally gave up, or gave in you might say, as she is now in her eighth year of homeschooling.
Whether you consider yourself a homeschool crusader or not, you simply cannot avoid the attention you will get once you announce to a crowd, "Actually, we Homeschool." While homeschooling mothers don't get paid per diem for every convert, we often feel inclined to be the short-term "face" of our incredible movement. After all, someone inspired us once upon a time. In that spirit of giving, I offer you my own "talking points". Help yourself, take what works for you and toss the rest.
I would homeschool my children, except ...
1. I don't have the patience.
2. I can't afford it.
3. My kids won't listen to me.
4. What about socialization?
5. Sports and the Prom, will they miss out?
6. I'm not trained to be a teacher.
7. Where would I find support?
8. What would I do for a curriculum?
9. Little Johnny has special needs.
10. I don't want to homeschool.
1. Patience: It's amazing! Once your family gets into a Natural Family Rhythm, you'll be surprised how little patience is needed. In the institutional school setting, students are expected to sit, stand, move and talk when directed, mostly at arbitrary (to children) times. You're in the middle of a poem? Too bad, put it away, its time for recess. In the middle of a ball game? Sorry, time to sit down for a math lesson. Time for lunch, whether you are hungry or not. Time for a potty break whether you think you need one or not, now's your chance. Put your hand down, you already had your chance. Heaven forbid you get thirsty, that is not allowed until after reading group is over. Any sort of natural brain, body or emotional rhythm is set aside for the class schedule. When the child is suddenly dropped off in front of her house in the afternoon, she is tired, worn out, and fatigued by the craziness of her day. That's when YOU get her back. No wonder you think you lack patience.
Once a family moves into a Natural Family Rhythm, harmony happens. Families eat when they are hungry, play when they have energy, sit when they can concentrate and stay with projects until they are motivated to do something else. It's comforting to see a child relax and feel "at home". Of course, things aren't always perfect. That's all right, too. A little conflict resolution is part of the day's lessons. When a family is well-fed, well-rested and well-loved, there are far fewer calls for patience. When a family leads a whole life, versus a fragmented life, it leads to contentment all around the table.
2. How much do you think it costs? Your estimate is probably based on what you think the public or private schools spend. This is no way to estimate the cost to educate a child in your home. I have had great, academically successful years when I spent nearly nothing (under $100 for four children, combined). I have had equal academic success when I spent five and ten times more than that. You can buy a full curriculum and set your children up with a "school" that will supervise your child's work and progress. This option will be expensive, time consuming and restrictive (and stressful). Or you can do what the majority of homeschool families do. Decide what you are interested in learning and look for ways to incorporate it into your family's life. This costs very little. The public library is a great place to start. The Internet has thousands of unit studies and enough info to keep you up all night for the rest of your life, free for the taking.You will find most people are incredibly generous. Homeschoolers are learners at the core. When you are interested in something, you love to share your knowledge with others. I love this about people. Ask your family, friends and church to see if anyone has a similar interest or hobby. Look for the older gentleman who served in WW II and knows everything about airplanes. How about the amazing retired woman who has traveled the world?
You will make friends of all ages and there is nothing like learning something from someone who is passionate about his/her subject.
3. Your kids won't listen to you? Give them a chance. If your children attend public school eight hours every day, they are weary of being ordered about, usually with little context as to why they are being told to do this or that. That is probably why they question your directives at home. It's as simple as that. Bring them home. Give them some time to reconnect with the family unit. Give them space to figure out their learning style. Give them back their life and welcome them back into your life. Then you will find yourselves hearing one another. When you look at each other over the table at lunch one day, you will see that wonderful son you used to have such an easy time talking and laughing with when he was a fun four year-old and "your little guy". You are both still the same people. Re-introduce yourselves to each other and fall back in love with your great "big" kid.
4. Socialization? When this word is used with me, I believe people are saying two things:
#1 - Kids Need Friends. In the neighborhoods in which we have lived, children have attended a variety of educational institutions. Represented were Jewish, Catholic, Methodist and Baptist Schools. Montessorri, Magnet and Charter Schools also carted children off for the major part of the day. Our children homeschool -- a perfectly reasonably alternative educational option. When explained this way to friends, family and neighbors the information is easy to organize and categorize in their heads. The public school in our area still attracts the largest percentage of the families, but certainly it is not the only option. When I am asked the "socialization" question, describe to people what I see out my front door. Once children are home from "school", they find one another. No matter where they have been all morning, they are playing together in the afternoon and on the weekends. Many homeschool children belong to town baseball or soccer leagues where they meet even more children. Children attend dance or gymnastic classes where they meet friends with similar interests. My own children belong to a Children's Theatre where they perform with eighty-plus other young people from age 7-15. I am my son's Cub Scout Den Mother so each week I have many little eight and nine year-old boys running around my yard. One teenage daughter is a lifeguard where she meets a great variety of people. Another daughter meets people who share her interest in opera and classical music through music recitals. Most great friendships are based on similar interests. A few great friends who all love horses or basketball or reading, are much more likely to sustain a close and meaningful friendship over time. Mothers often orchestrate playgroups or play dates a few times a month both for themselves and their children. Just because your children aren't preschoolers any longer doesn't mean you can't arrange meetings. I met a wonderful mother recently, we knew our children would hit it off and we planned a family picnic in the park. It was as if our children had known each other all their lives. They absorbed each other's cultural beauty as easily as the sunlight. That they did not speak the same verbal language made little difference. Squeals of delight translate well. Enjoying the people you are with is a much more enriching social experience for children than being segregated by age. In the homeschool atmosphere you have the luxury of thinking Stage, not Age. If your child loves to hang out with her Grandmother and her friends while quilting, why not? If your son thinks it's cool to be in a band, open up your garage and plug your ears. If our family were any more social I don't know when we would sleep.
Parental Social Anxiety #2 - Are they going to be weird? If by "weird" you mean like their parents, then yes. Studies show children do model the major behaviors of their parents. If you are fine with "who" you are, be it shy, cool, friendly, abrupt, or far beyond description, then all will be well.
After all, YOU found someone to love and presumably to love you. Children who truly are very different or unique are often tormented in the public school environment where being different is more obvious and not at all accepted as diverse and beautiful. These children either strip themselves of their identity to fit into that narrow mold (what a shame) or suffer painful scars that can last a lifetime. I think often of one young man in my youth who could not suffer the hurt and did not live through his high school years. This is an epidemic not properly dealt with in the public school system and it is growing steadily. A kind, loving, accepting mother and father who build you up and help you see your strengths, is just the place for the truly unique. When this beautiful child grows up and goes to college or into the World with his self-worth intact, he will find a greater pool of people with the same interests, someone just as special as himself who will love him for who he is and they will have a happy "weird?" life together. That is proper socialization.
5. Missing out? There are a few schools of thought on this question. One goes something like this:
How likely is it that your child would have been one of the few kids picked to be on a high school sports team? Be honest! If s/he has a gift in that area, there are more community teams and special leagues popping up all the time. What do you think private school kids do? As for the Prom, your kids will know lots of other kids who do not homeschool. They can get together with a group and go to the Prom if they want. It seems to be less and less important to kids as the years go by anyhow.
Lots of public and private school kids don't attend the Prom, or the football games. It's rather unimportant to many homeschool kids. By the time my oldest daughter was 16, she was taking courses at the local college, going to church dances and retreats, and seriously studying classical music at a high level, not to mention playing the electric guitar. She was so involved with her own interests and talents that when the opportunity came for a date to a Prom, this was her response: "It seems so pointless to spend all that money and time to attend a dance with a guy you hardly know. I'd rather save the money and go to the movies with my sister." So there you are, a teenager's opinion.
However, if YOU want to spend hundreds of dollars so your scantily clad daughter can hang around a hotel virtually unsupervised with hormonal teenagers lookin' for love in all the wrong places, go for it.
6. You're not a teacher? You have a head start already. I have noticed the moms who have the hardest time getting settled into the homeschool way of life are the ones who were "trained" teachers. The most important skill you need is one you already have been developing for years. You are a mother (father) who loves your children and wants the best for them. That's where you start. Your most important subject to study in preparation to teach your children IS your children. Make a list of your children's attributes, their goals, hopes and dreams. Think of their strengths and areas in which they may need help. Little Johnny might need help with reading but he is a great soccer player. Keep the soccer going; it's working. Make a new plan to help give his reading a boost, maybe a fun computer game that includes reading. Fran might love to read but doesn't care much about history. Look for interesting books that are historically-based novels. She may be surprised how interesting and exciting real events can be. Use the library as a discovery island where you find treasures and interests you never imagined existed. Use nature as a guide to your children's inner loves. When you go on a walk in the woods do your kids run using every muscle they can or do they engage with leaves or sticks or animals along the way? Do they observe, do they search, do they wait or charge ahead? Be aware and amazed at each child's individual nature. If you become a student of your children, you won't fail them. You may be surprised to hear that many teachers aren't even "teachers". My friend's son, after one year of college, was hired as a substitute teacher (substitute means permanent without benefits) in his former high school. There he was "teaching" the math he nearly failed a year before as one of the students. His friends thought it was a riot. Do you? There is no magic formula that is given to teachers in college. If there were, the schools wouldn't look like they do today. The many hard-working teachers out there would have been able to "fix" them. If you don't know how to do something you feel your child needs, trade skills.
Resourceful homeschool families trade everything from goat's milk for chemistry lessons to transmission repair for Spanish classes. Make your own success.
7. Help is closer than you think. It's not like in the "old days" when I began homeschooling my children. You can now find support on your local newsstand through homeschool magazines and newspapers. You can sit down day or night at your computer and read and respond to thousands of messages to find friends and encouragement and answers to every homeschool question you or I could ever think of. You can ask around your church, playground or neighborhood and most likely end up with the name and number of someone who homeschools and is willing to help you find your homeschool community bearings. Look for your state homeschooling organization on the Internet. The Web has opened the door to a whole host of new friends just waiting for you to knock on their virtual kitchen doors and willing to help you sort out your problems. Many groups have information ready and waiting for you to access it from the state site. Get involved in a group. Be a giver, not a taker.
New homeschoolers must realize there is no "I'm here, what do you have to offer me?" seat at the homeschool group table. Go ready to offer what you can to the group. Everyone has something to give; it might be good organizational skills you can share with another mom in return for a computer lesson. It may even be cookies for the support meeting. Give support and you will find plenty in return.
8. A school and her money are soon parted. Before you spend wads of money on a curriculum (or sign up for an expensive "homeschool" school) ask yourself a few questions. Is this compatible to my child's learning style? Is this adaptable if I need to change the method at some point? Is this meant for individual instruction? Do I know anyone who has used this and can offer some insight?
Does this require lots of preparation time? Is this method appealing to me as a mother(father)? Will I still need to buy other products to complete my program? Does this material portray the message and belief system I want for my children? What are my options if this product doesn't work for us?
There are so many homeschool vendors out there ready to sell you their wares. The trick is to figure out what you want/need first. In our home we have used video algebra, cassette tape history lectures, songs and music for memorization, textbooks, workbooks, and coloring books, no books, puppets, paper mache. We have gone to camps, festivals, college classes, and crossed the country and the ocean to learn what we wanted to learn. Books are great, curriculum can work. So can so many ther things. Pretend you are in Paris and keep an open mind and a hand on your wallet.
9. Little Johnny has special needs. First of all, who told you that? Do you know how much money the school gets if they can convince you Johnny needs special care? A lot. On the other hand, Johnny may very well need a specialized program. If you feel (and you are the expert when it comes to your child) there are things you cannot do for your child, talk to your doctor or counselor and find alternative strategies to deal with the issues. Ask yourself if school is really the best place for Johnny to learn to deal with his situation. Why or how would an institutional environment be better able to equip him for the world and daily life he will need to learn to live? Can a warm home with a loving "teacher" give him a better chance for success? If he needs specialized learning instruction, you can do that better than a distracted teacher. If it is life skills he is learning, why would you send him away from life to learn? If you feel certain more help is what is needed you can make special instruction the fun weekly event instead of the daily ritual. Children thrive at home.
10. You don't want to homeschool ... though you feel like you probably should. I understand that feeling, really, many homeschool mothers do. There are times when I look at my neighbor and all her free time and think, "Wow! What would I do with all that time?" Then I realize her house is about as self-cleaning as mine and I can guess what she does. When my oldest child went to kindergarten I was at the school selling ice cream, working on carnivals, volunteering my time for reading and science groups, and attending PTA meetings. I was spending as much time at the school as I now spend teaching my children at home. Shocking, I know. Involved moms are going to spend their time where it benefits their children. Once I brought my child home, I found I had more control, more peace of mind and even more time every day. I felt liberated from the daily bus schedule. I was released from the kindergarten homework I couldn't understand!? Some mothers who are home with their children have wonderful philanthropic endeavors. Some shop at the mall. I choose to spend my life building my family. It gives me a sense of satisfaction and pride to see their comfort and contentment within the family circle and beyond. That is what I desire, that is where I put my efforts. Think back, remember when you looked into your tiny newborn baby's eyes and promised him/her the best of everything? Now is the time to fulfill that pledge. It's within your power to give him/her the best education on the planet. Homeschoolers consistently outscore and outrank both public and private school students. It is the best education available. Not many people dare debate that fact any longer.
Along with many other parents, I have chosen the home education option not only for reasons of academic advantage. Children blossom in the positive and wholesome environment of the family unit.
Physical health and safety, coupled with emotional wellness are foundation stones to a healthy adult. This is all enhanced when science happens at the kitchen table where every question, on any subject, is relevant, worth exploring and your teacher/mother thinks you are so very bright and wonderful! Parents have the chance to keep their children away from an environment that is known to demean, discourage and demoralize. By saving them from unnecessary pain and unkindness you, in turn, give your children the gift of an unhurried, happy childhood, uncluttered by painful peer pressure.
Your child can grow up when she is ready and read Jane Austin in a hammock under a tree with her roller skates on if she cares to (as my daughter is doing right now). She can study geology, theology or literature's many trilogies to her sweet heart's content. Your son, like mine, can wave to the befuddled kids at the bus stop each fall as he heads for his art class at the beach. You and your child can sleep when you are tired and eat when you're hungry and never, never, never raise your hand before you go to the bathroom ... unless you want to.
Krishyon lives in New England with her husband, Tony and their six children. She frequently writes and lectures on homeschooling and parenting issues.
One Mother's Homeschool Talking Points By Krishyon Young
People often pepper me with Homeschool questions. In short order, rationalizations roll smoothly from their lips as to why they "cannot possibly" homeschool their children. It is expected that I will soothe their consciences with a sweet, "Well, perhaps it's not for everyone." One day I did not oblige. Instead of a polite nod, I volleyed. With every concern given, I countered; for every excuse the questioner lobbed, I sent back a positive twist. She finally gave up, or gave in you might say, as she is now in her eighth year of homeschooling.
Whether you consider yourself a homeschool crusader or not, you simply cannot avoid the attention you will get once you announce to a crowd, "Actually, we Homeschool." While homeschooling mothers don't get paid per diem for every convert, we often feel inclined to be the short-term "face" of our incredible movement. After all, someone inspired us once upon a time. In that spirit of giving, I offer you my own "talking points". Help yourself, take what works for you and toss the rest.
I would homeschool my children, except ...
1. I don't have the patience.
2. I can't afford it.
3. My kids won't listen to me.
4. What about socialization?
5. Sports and the Prom, will they miss out?
6. I'm not trained to be a teacher.
7. Where would I find support?
8. What would I do for a curriculum?
9. Little Johnny has special needs.
10. I don't want to homeschool.
1. Patience: It's amazing! Once your family gets into a Natural Family Rhythm, you'll be surprised how little patience is needed. In the institutional school setting, students are expected to sit, stand, move and talk when directed, mostly at arbitrary (to children) times. You're in the middle of a poem? Too bad, put it away, its time for recess. In the middle of a ball game? Sorry, time to sit down for a math lesson. Time for lunch, whether you are hungry or not. Time for a potty break whether you think you need one or not, now's your chance. Put your hand down, you already had your chance. Heaven forbid you get thirsty, that is not allowed until after reading group is over. Any sort of natural brain, body or emotional rhythm is set aside for the class schedule. When the child is suddenly dropped off in front of her house in the afternoon, she is tired, worn out, and fatigued by the craziness of her day. That's when YOU get her back. No wonder you think you lack patience.
Once a family moves into a Natural Family Rhythm, harmony happens. Families eat when they are hungry, play when they have energy, sit when they can concentrate and stay with projects until they are motivated to do something else. It's comforting to see a child relax and feel "at home". Of course, things aren't always perfect. That's all right, too. A little conflict resolution is part of the day's lessons. When a family is well-fed, well-rested and well-loved, there are far fewer calls for patience. When a family leads a whole life, versus a fragmented life, it leads to contentment all around the table.
2. How much do you think it costs? Your estimate is probably based on what you think the public or private schools spend. This is no way to estimate the cost to educate a child in your home. I have had great, academically successful years when I spent nearly nothing (under $100 for four children, combined). I have had equal academic success when I spent five and ten times more than that. You can buy a full curriculum and set your children up with a "school" that will supervise your child's work and progress. This option will be expensive, time consuming and restrictive (and stressful). Or you can do what the majority of homeschool families do. Decide what you are interested in learning and look for ways to incorporate it into your family's life. This costs very little. The public library is a great place to start. The Internet has thousands of unit studies and enough info to keep you up all night for the rest of your life, free for the taking.You will find most people are incredibly generous. Homeschoolers are learners at the core. When you are interested in something, you love to share your knowledge with others. I love this about people. Ask your family, friends and church to see if anyone has a similar interest or hobby. Look for the older gentleman who served in WW II and knows everything about airplanes. How about the amazing retired woman who has traveled the world?
You will make friends of all ages and there is nothing like learning something from someone who is passionate about his/her subject.
3. Your kids won't listen to you? Give them a chance. If your children attend public school eight hours every day, they are weary of being ordered about, usually with little context as to why they are being told to do this or that. That is probably why they question your directives at home. It's as simple as that. Bring them home. Give them some time to reconnect with the family unit. Give them space to figure out their learning style. Give them back their life and welcome them back into your life. Then you will find yourselves hearing one another. When you look at each other over the table at lunch one day, you will see that wonderful son you used to have such an easy time talking and laughing with when he was a fun four year-old and "your little guy". You are both still the same people. Re-introduce yourselves to each other and fall back in love with your great "big" kid.
4. Socialization? When this word is used with me, I believe people are saying two things:
#1 - Kids Need Friends. In the neighborhoods in which we have lived, children have attended a variety of educational institutions. Represented were Jewish, Catholic, Methodist and Baptist Schools. Montessorri, Magnet and Charter Schools also carted children off for the major part of the day. Our children homeschool -- a perfectly reasonably alternative educational option. When explained this way to friends, family and neighbors the information is easy to organize and categorize in their heads. The public school in our area still attracts the largest percentage of the families, but certainly it is not the only option. When I am asked the "socialization" question, describe to people what I see out my front door. Once children are home from "school", they find one another. No matter where they have been all morning, they are playing together in the afternoon and on the weekends. Many homeschool children belong to town baseball or soccer leagues where they meet even more children. Children attend dance or gymnastic classes where they meet friends with similar interests. My own children belong to a Children's Theatre where they perform with eighty-plus other young people from age 7-15. I am my son's Cub Scout Den Mother so each week I have many little eight and nine year-old boys running around my yard. One teenage daughter is a lifeguard where she meets a great variety of people. Another daughter meets people who share her interest in opera and classical music through music recitals. Most great friendships are based on similar interests. A few great friends who all love horses or basketball or reading, are much more likely to sustain a close and meaningful friendship over time. Mothers often orchestrate playgroups or play dates a few times a month both for themselves and their children. Just because your children aren't preschoolers any longer doesn't mean you can't arrange meetings. I met a wonderful mother recently, we knew our children would hit it off and we planned a family picnic in the park. It was as if our children had known each other all their lives. They absorbed each other's cultural beauty as easily as the sunlight. That they did not speak the same verbal language made little difference. Squeals of delight translate well. Enjoying the people you are with is a much more enriching social experience for children than being segregated by age. In the homeschool atmosphere you have the luxury of thinking Stage, not Age. If your child loves to hang out with her Grandmother and her friends while quilting, why not? If your son thinks it's cool to be in a band, open up your garage and plug your ears. If our family were any more social I don't know when we would sleep.
Parental Social Anxiety #2 - Are they going to be weird? If by "weird" you mean like their parents, then yes. Studies show children do model the major behaviors of their parents. If you are fine with "who" you are, be it shy, cool, friendly, abrupt, or far beyond description, then all will be well.
After all, YOU found someone to love and presumably to love you. Children who truly are very different or unique are often tormented in the public school environment where being different is more obvious and not at all accepted as diverse and beautiful. These children either strip themselves of their identity to fit into that narrow mold (what a shame) or suffer painful scars that can last a lifetime. I think often of one young man in my youth who could not suffer the hurt and did not live through his high school years. This is an epidemic not properly dealt with in the public school system and it is growing steadily. A kind, loving, accepting mother and father who build you up and help you see your strengths, is just the place for the truly unique. When this beautiful child grows up and goes to college or into the World with his self-worth intact, he will find a greater pool of people with the same interests, someone just as special as himself who will love him for who he is and they will have a happy "weird?" life together. That is proper socialization.
5. Missing out? There are a few schools of thought on this question. One goes something like this:
How likely is it that your child would have been one of the few kids picked to be on a high school sports team? Be honest! If s/he has a gift in that area, there are more community teams and special leagues popping up all the time. What do you think private school kids do? As for the Prom, your kids will know lots of other kids who do not homeschool. They can get together with a group and go to the Prom if they want. It seems to be less and less important to kids as the years go by anyhow.
Lots of public and private school kids don't attend the Prom, or the football games. It's rather unimportant to many homeschool kids. By the time my oldest daughter was 16, she was taking courses at the local college, going to church dances and retreats, and seriously studying classical music at a high level, not to mention playing the electric guitar. She was so involved with her own interests and talents that when the opportunity came for a date to a Prom, this was her response: "It seems so pointless to spend all that money and time to attend a dance with a guy you hardly know. I'd rather save the money and go to the movies with my sister." So there you are, a teenager's opinion.
However, if YOU want to spend hundreds of dollars so your scantily clad daughter can hang around a hotel virtually unsupervised with hormonal teenagers lookin' for love in all the wrong places, go for it.
6. You're not a teacher? You have a head start already. I have noticed the moms who have the hardest time getting settled into the homeschool way of life are the ones who were "trained" teachers. The most important skill you need is one you already have been developing for years. You are a mother (father) who loves your children and wants the best for them. That's where you start. Your most important subject to study in preparation to teach your children IS your children. Make a list of your children's attributes, their goals, hopes and dreams. Think of their strengths and areas in which they may need help. Little Johnny might need help with reading but he is a great soccer player. Keep the soccer going; it's working. Make a new plan to help give his reading a boost, maybe a fun computer game that includes reading. Fran might love to read but doesn't care much about history. Look for interesting books that are historically-based novels. She may be surprised how interesting and exciting real events can be. Use the library as a discovery island where you find treasures and interests you never imagined existed. Use nature as a guide to your children's inner loves. When you go on a walk in the woods do your kids run using every muscle they can or do they engage with leaves or sticks or animals along the way? Do they observe, do they search, do they wait or charge ahead? Be aware and amazed at each child's individual nature. If you become a student of your children, you won't fail them. You may be surprised to hear that many teachers aren't even "teachers". My friend's son, after one year of college, was hired as a substitute teacher (substitute means permanent without benefits) in his former high school. There he was "teaching" the math he nearly failed a year before as one of the students. His friends thought it was a riot. Do you? There is no magic formula that is given to teachers in college. If there were, the schools wouldn't look like they do today. The many hard-working teachers out there would have been able to "fix" them. If you don't know how to do something you feel your child needs, trade skills.
Resourceful homeschool families trade everything from goat's milk for chemistry lessons to transmission repair for Spanish classes. Make your own success.
7. Help is closer than you think. It's not like in the "old days" when I began homeschooling my children. You can now find support on your local newsstand through homeschool magazines and newspapers. You can sit down day or night at your computer and read and respond to thousands of messages to find friends and encouragement and answers to every homeschool question you or I could ever think of. You can ask around your church, playground or neighborhood and most likely end up with the name and number of someone who homeschools and is willing to help you find your homeschool community bearings. Look for your state homeschooling organization on the Internet. The Web has opened the door to a whole host of new friends just waiting for you to knock on their virtual kitchen doors and willing to help you sort out your problems. Many groups have information ready and waiting for you to access it from the state site. Get involved in a group. Be a giver, not a taker.
New homeschoolers must realize there is no "I'm here, what do you have to offer me?" seat at the homeschool group table. Go ready to offer what you can to the group. Everyone has something to give; it might be good organizational skills you can share with another mom in return for a computer lesson. It may even be cookies for the support meeting. Give support and you will find plenty in return.
8. A school and her money are soon parted. Before you spend wads of money on a curriculum (or sign up for an expensive "homeschool" school) ask yourself a few questions. Is this compatible to my child's learning style? Is this adaptable if I need to change the method at some point? Is this meant for individual instruction? Do I know anyone who has used this and can offer some insight?
Does this require lots of preparation time? Is this method appealing to me as a mother(father)? Will I still need to buy other products to complete my program? Does this material portray the message and belief system I want for my children? What are my options if this product doesn't work for us?
There are so many homeschool vendors out there ready to sell you their wares. The trick is to figure out what you want/need first. In our home we have used video algebra, cassette tape history lectures, songs and music for memorization, textbooks, workbooks, and coloring books, no books, puppets, paper mache. We have gone to camps, festivals, college classes, and crossed the country and the ocean to learn what we wanted to learn. Books are great, curriculum can work. So can so many ther things. Pretend you are in Paris and keep an open mind and a hand on your wallet.
9. Little Johnny has special needs. First of all, who told you that? Do you know how much money the school gets if they can convince you Johnny needs special care? A lot. On the other hand, Johnny may very well need a specialized program. If you feel (and you are the expert when it comes to your child) there are things you cannot do for your child, talk to your doctor or counselor and find alternative strategies to deal with the issues. Ask yourself if school is really the best place for Johnny to learn to deal with his situation. Why or how would an institutional environment be better able to equip him for the world and daily life he will need to learn to live? Can a warm home with a loving "teacher" give him a better chance for success? If he needs specialized learning instruction, you can do that better than a distracted teacher. If it is life skills he is learning, why would you send him away from life to learn? If you feel certain more help is what is needed you can make special instruction the fun weekly event instead of the daily ritual. Children thrive at home.
10. You don't want to homeschool ... though you feel like you probably should. I understand that feeling, really, many homeschool mothers do. There are times when I look at my neighbor and all her free time and think, "Wow! What would I do with all that time?" Then I realize her house is about as self-cleaning as mine and I can guess what she does. When my oldest child went to kindergarten I was at the school selling ice cream, working on carnivals, volunteering my time for reading and science groups, and attending PTA meetings. I was spending as much time at the school as I now spend teaching my children at home. Shocking, I know. Involved moms are going to spend their time where it benefits their children. Once I brought my child home, I found I had more control, more peace of mind and even more time every day. I felt liberated from the daily bus schedule. I was released from the kindergarten homework I couldn't understand!? Some mothers who are home with their children have wonderful philanthropic endeavors. Some shop at the mall. I choose to spend my life building my family. It gives me a sense of satisfaction and pride to see their comfort and contentment within the family circle and beyond. That is what I desire, that is where I put my efforts. Think back, remember when you looked into your tiny newborn baby's eyes and promised him/her the best of everything? Now is the time to fulfill that pledge. It's within your power to give him/her the best education on the planet. Homeschoolers consistently outscore and outrank both public and private school students. It is the best education available. Not many people dare debate that fact any longer.
Along with many other parents, I have chosen the home education option not only for reasons of academic advantage. Children blossom in the positive and wholesome environment of the family unit.
Physical health and safety, coupled with emotional wellness are foundation stones to a healthy adult. This is all enhanced when science happens at the kitchen table where every question, on any subject, is relevant, worth exploring and your teacher/mother thinks you are so very bright and wonderful! Parents have the chance to keep their children away from an environment that is known to demean, discourage and demoralize. By saving them from unnecessary pain and unkindness you, in turn, give your children the gift of an unhurried, happy childhood, uncluttered by painful peer pressure.
Your child can grow up when she is ready and read Jane Austin in a hammock under a tree with her roller skates on if she cares to (as my daughter is doing right now). She can study geology, theology or literature's many trilogies to her sweet heart's content. Your son, like mine, can wave to the befuddled kids at the bus stop each fall as he heads for his art class at the beach. You and your child can sleep when you are tired and eat when you're hungry and never, never, never raise your hand before you go to the bathroom ... unless you want to.
Krishyon lives in New England with her husband, Tony and their six children. She frequently writes and lectures on homeschooling and parenting issues.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Love...
To my BEST FRIEND and the LOVE of MY life.....My amazing husband gave me a dictionary for Christmas several years ago...here is the dedication he wrote on the inside cover...
I love you, Mike. Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary!!!!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Hello 40!!
I'm number 136....next to the woman in the bikini....with a smile on my face....I was thrilled!As a 40th birthday present to myself, I decided to complete a triathlon. A triathlon is a sporting event that includes swimming, biking, and running all on the same day. I had a minor glitch in my plans. I did not know how to swim and I have major chronic pain in my feet (I have 6 tumors on the nerves in my feet).
I figured the bike would be the easiest, I might drown in the water, and the run would be very painful. After swimming lessons and a new bike, I can say I completed my first triathlon yesterday!!!!
I floundered in the water, unable to slow my heart, I swam the distance on my back....it took me a while but I did it. My legs felt like rubber running from the lake to the bike transition area. After drying my feet, putting my socks and sneaks on, I got on my bike and rode through rolling hills past creeks and farms. I got off my bike, threw my helmet down, and headed out for the run. This was the hardest for me. I walked most of it. But there was a wonderful lady who refused to pass me. Staying at my heels she encouraged me to finish strong and jog. So I jogged the last bit with her encouragement. I looked really good running across the finish line!!
I feel strong and ready to take on this decade with strength, determination, and confidence!!! Yes, I ROCK!!
Hello 40!!!
(now can someone get me some new nerves in my feet, please?)
Just after the swim and onto the bike....dripping wet...
At the end of the bike ride...this was the best part for me.
That's me in the yellow shirt...limping to the run/walk portion....
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Emerson's special gift from uncle Ryan
Posted by Daddy:
When I was a teenager, my brother Ryan and I became interested in radio control cars. These are not the typical radio control cars you get from a toy store. You assemble them yourself, and they actually have oil-filled shocks, differential gears, air-filled tires, and bodies that you airbrush yourself. They are capable of going up to 30mph or faster, and every part on them can be repaired or replaced.
It was the late 80's that I got started out with an Tamiya Grasshopper dune buggy. Ryan got the same one soon after, painted baby-blue. They were pretty fast, maybe 15mph and they got us hooked on R/C. I eventually changed the body on mine to a white and blue Volkswagen Beetle.
We both upgraded in the early 90's. I bought an Tamiya Blackfoot, and Ryan airbrushed it for me with red, orange and yellow highlights. I still have the airbrushed body in my office! Ryan eventually got a Team Associated RC10, which was considered the best R/C car you could buy at the time. It had an aluminum chassis, fully independent suspension and could go about 30mph+ effortlessly.
Ryan and I raced them everywhere. Dad helped us build a small oval dirt track in the corner of our yard, with jumps and berms. We also took them to various indoor tracks around Rochester for fun. We brought them with us to North Carolina on the beach, and even used them in the snow! It was a blast, and I really enjoyed sharing a hobby with Ryan. We even got our friends hooked (Chris, do you remember your Kyosho Icarus?).
I sold mine 2 years ago, along with my two radio controlled airplanes and helicopter. We ran out of room in our garage, and I figured I'd get back into it someday with newer equipment once the kids were older. Ryan kept all his equipment stored away in our parents basement for the last 15 years or so. My parents decided to do some cleaning, and shipped it out to Ryan.
Shortly before Emerson's 5th birthday, Ryan asked me if Emerson would like to have his RC10 as a birthday gift. I didn't hesitate to say that he would be thrilled. Ryan fixed it up, and said that after 15 years in storage, even the batteries were good!
We gave it to Emerson on his birthday, and you can't imagine how thrilled he was! Ryan included his full tackle-box of spare parts and tools (a great father/son activity, by the way!). The remote control is a little big for his hands, but he insisted on trying it by himself.
I showed him some of the techniques, and stepped back to see how he would do. Most people have trouble controlling something that you are not actually inside of. You almost have to project yourself into the drivers seat. If you don't, the steering doesn't make sense. Also, you have to be very careful with the throttle, since it is very easy to spin out of control.
Within 5 minutes, he was completely comfortable with all of these things. He never crashed into anything, despite all of the obstacles in our driveway. He also stayed in one place, even as the R/C car went all the way to the other side of the driveway (making the car hard to see). He was totally focused, but most importantly he absolutely loves it! So now we charge up the battery after I get home from work and he races it around the driveway. Soon, we'll head over to the baseball field and start working on lap times!
Thanks uncle Ryan!
When I was a teenager, my brother Ryan and I became interested in radio control cars. These are not the typical radio control cars you get from a toy store. You assemble them yourself, and they actually have oil-filled shocks, differential gears, air-filled tires, and bodies that you airbrush yourself. They are capable of going up to 30mph or faster, and every part on them can be repaired or replaced.
It was the late 80's that I got started out with an Tamiya Grasshopper dune buggy. Ryan got the same one soon after, painted baby-blue. They were pretty fast, maybe 15mph and they got us hooked on R/C. I eventually changed the body on mine to a white and blue Volkswagen Beetle.
We both upgraded in the early 90's. I bought an Tamiya Blackfoot, and Ryan airbrushed it for me with red, orange and yellow highlights. I still have the airbrushed body in my office! Ryan eventually got a Team Associated RC10, which was considered the best R/C car you could buy at the time. It had an aluminum chassis, fully independent suspension and could go about 30mph+ effortlessly.
Ryan and I raced them everywhere. Dad helped us build a small oval dirt track in the corner of our yard, with jumps and berms. We also took them to various indoor tracks around Rochester for fun. We brought them with us to North Carolina on the beach, and even used them in the snow! It was a blast, and I really enjoyed sharing a hobby with Ryan. We even got our friends hooked (Chris, do you remember your Kyosho Icarus?).
I sold mine 2 years ago, along with my two radio controlled airplanes and helicopter. We ran out of room in our garage, and I figured I'd get back into it someday with newer equipment once the kids were older. Ryan kept all his equipment stored away in our parents basement for the last 15 years or so. My parents decided to do some cleaning, and shipped it out to Ryan.
Shortly before Emerson's 5th birthday, Ryan asked me if Emerson would like to have his RC10 as a birthday gift. I didn't hesitate to say that he would be thrilled. Ryan fixed it up, and said that after 15 years in storage, even the batteries were good!
We gave it to Emerson on his birthday, and you can't imagine how thrilled he was! Ryan included his full tackle-box of spare parts and tools (a great father/son activity, by the way!). The remote control is a little big for his hands, but he insisted on trying it by himself.
I showed him some of the techniques, and stepped back to see how he would do. Most people have trouble controlling something that you are not actually inside of. You almost have to project yourself into the drivers seat. If you don't, the steering doesn't make sense. Also, you have to be very careful with the throttle, since it is very easy to spin out of control.
Within 5 minutes, he was completely comfortable with all of these things. He never crashed into anything, despite all of the obstacles in our driveway. He also stayed in one place, even as the R/C car went all the way to the other side of the driveway (making the car hard to see). He was totally focused, but most importantly he absolutely loves it! So now we charge up the battery after I get home from work and he races it around the driveway. Soon, we'll head over to the baseball field and start working on lap times!
Thanks uncle Ryan!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Horsemanship Lessons
One of Annie's greatest wishes came true this week. I signed her up for lessons with Brownie the Pony and his owner Miriam Wright. Miriam even let little brother lend a hand. The horsemanship classes will cover every part of horse care. Not just the riding part. She will groom the horse before and after each ride which includes combing, brushing and cleaning out his shoes. More to come in the weeks that follow.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A lot of information...but my intent is to educate
I am sharing this very personal issue as a form of public awareness....
For several years I have had weird annoying health problems...nothing major or too serious but a lot of minor irritating things like rosacea, painful tumors on the nerves in my feet (mortons neuroma), daily swelling of my hands and feet, carpel tunnel, bursitis of my shoulder, serious mood swings brought on by pain and hormones, hormonal imbalances, rashes that refuse to go away, gall bladder issues, weak kidneys, joint pain, slow digestion and the inability to lose weight despite regular exercise to name a few.
In November, I started going to a new medical practice. The Healthy practice has a doctor of Chinese medicine and acupuncture, a MD of western medicine and massage therapists on staff. I have seen a great improvement of my day to day life. Although I still have bad pain days, I have been generally feeling better. My body simply doesn't feel as "weighted down". Weekly acupuncture and massage has done me well.
The massage therapist mentioned to the dr that she thought I had parasites. She had parasites and was mis-diagnosed for 20 years until recently and she says she has never felt better. So, she had an awakening with me as she was working on my poor feet. She said it was the way I described myself and the fact that I am "puffy" puffy in places where I'm not fat...
So they had me fill out a questionnaire. It asked me questions about my moods, my pain, my stress, my symptoms, health issues, diet, habits, travel and work experiences. Based on my responses and the massage therapists insight, Dr. Butler decided to urge me to be tested for parasites.
Now this isn't a matter of a simple stool sample at a local lab...no. I had to send my stuff to parasite expert Dr. Ibraheem in Nigeria. What makes him different, besides the fact that he is an expert, is his microscope. Apparently he has a $50,000 microscope. OK....I asked my doctor the same question you are thinking, "Why can't the labs here find these and why don't traditional western docs test for parasites more regularly?" His response will not surprise you. He said number one, the labs here simply do not have the equipment, the average lab here in the states only has a $5,000 microscope and two, the lab techs are not experts. For example, he said, he sent a sample from a patient to a lab here in the states. He saw the worm wiggling in the sample. He sent it in knowing that they would identify it. The results came back negative. So he sent a second sample, worm wiggling, and wrote a note that said I see a parasite, please identify it. The results came back...yes, you guessed it negative.
I'm saying this simply because I am a victim and I really mean no disrespect, but basically we have idiots working the labs in this country and the lab owners don't want to invest in better more powerful equipment. So my holistic doc said the MD's don't trust the labs anyway.
Back to my story....Dr. Butler sent my stuff to the Dr. in Africa. My results came back positive. I have five different parasites and extremely high levels of yeast. This explains a lot. Dr. Butler told me that this could explain a lot of my symptoms. These worms are living off of me, taking my nutrients, excreting their waste in my body and making me feel like hell!!!!
Two of the most alarming are the beef tapeworm and a human round worm. Infections from the Ascaris lumbricoides happen when a human swallows water or food contaminated with unhatched juveniles. The juveniles hatch in the duodenum (1st section of small intestine). They then penetrate the mucosa and submucosa and enter venules or lymphatics. Next they pass through the right heart and into pulmonary circulation. They then break out of the capillaries and enter the air spaces. They can lay up to 200,000 eggs per day. Check out more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascaris_lumbricoides
And the beef tapeworm, Taenia Saginata, can grow up to 25 meters (that's over 82 feet). Here's some info from stanford University about them http://www.stanford.edu/group/parasites/ParaSites2006/Taenia_saginata/index.html
I also have two different types of Protozoan, mucus and pus in my stool....lovely....a lot of information, I know, but my intent is to educate.
So I will be starting treatment after my triathalon. Dr Butler says I will probably feel crappy so, I'm thinking I will wait the next four weeks and start right after the tri...I really don't have the time to feel crappy right now....treatment for everything will take a few months but I am so excited to get these parasites out of my body and simply the prospect of feeling better is overwhelming!
Wondering how I might have caught these friends? My guess is that I got them in Miami, in 1991/1992, doing hurricane Andrew Relief work. We had donated port a potties...they were never cleaned or emptied and we shared 10 of them with over 300 people a day for months. Many of these people were Haitian and Mexican immigrants and tapeworms are very common in developing countries. Also, I spent time in Mexico on a study abroad program in 1997. As for the beef tapeworm, I could have picked that up anywhere.
If you're brave go to you tube and search for Ascasis lumbricoides and taenia saginata.....
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Happy Birthday, Em!
Some great action shots from the birthday party...the kids are shooting rockets up into the air.
Heading off into the forest with his new wheelbarrow. It matches daddy's John Deere.
New Bikes
Not only is this my 200th blog post but my kids got new bikes to celebrate....We have so many hills in our neighborhood we figured they needed hand brakes and better fitting bikes...They are thrilled and so are we...now we can turn biking into a family event....Veloway here we come!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sherwood Forest Faire
Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
from Geoffrey Chaucer's Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
A new Ren Fest debuted this year near Austin. Very impressive for their first year. We will surely turn this into an annual event. The Sherwood Forest Faire was much more family friendly than any of the other Renaissance Festivals we've been to. We saw Jousting, a funny Puppet Show, participated in the Children's School of Sword, and attended a Fairy Tea Party!
Forsooth we had a splendid time.
Sir Emerson (in the back) participating in the Children's School of Sword.
Sir Emerson was thrilled when he was chosen to be the volunteer in a magic trick.
Princess Annie taking her leisure
We are wel frended!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Cautionary Tale
Sometimes my little guy likes to snuggle a stuffed animal when he sleeps. Last night he asked for something to snuggle and I handed him his clown. His clown was hand made in the 70's and used to be my little bro's. The clown is about 2 feet tall and so well stuffed that he has some weight behind him. As I handed it to Emerson I noticed there was a 2 foot piece of yarn around the clown's neck.
Flashback....A few days earlier the kids were playing "santa's sleigh" and their stuffed animals were the reindeer pulling the stroller sleigh.
I noticed the yarn and consciously thought to myself...nothing will happen...it will be ok. (anyone who knows me knows that I am VERY safety aware...so that thought was a BIG step for me).
At 6:24 this morning I woke up to the rattled and muffled scream, "Mommy!.........Mommy!......the clown is choking me!"
The string must have wrapped around his neck as he spent the night tossing and turning like 4 year olds do....
When I got to him it wasn't super tight and I was able to easily grab the yarn and break it.
Flashback....A few days earlier the kids were playing "santa's sleigh" and their stuffed animals were the reindeer pulling the stroller sleigh.
I noticed the yarn and consciously thought to myself...nothing will happen...it will be ok. (anyone who knows me knows that I am VERY safety aware...so that thought was a BIG step for me).
At 6:24 this morning I woke up to the rattled and muffled scream, "Mommy!.........Mommy!......the clown is choking me!"
The string must have wrapped around his neck as he spent the night tossing and turning like 4 year olds do....
When I got to him it wasn't super tight and I was able to easily grab the yarn and break it.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Special Effects
What my sweet hubby and the kids like to do in their spare time...
Click here to see Annie's Special Effects movie
Click here to see Annie's Special Effects movie
Friday, March 19, 2010
Pioneer Farms
Here we are with some of our homeschool co-op friends. This morning we went to Pioneer Farms. We saw a demonstration of the tools used to build a log cabin, cotton combing , blacksmithing, pioneer cooking, spent time practicing our stilt walking skills, and petting and feeding lots of farm animals. We ate lunch under Pioneer Oak, a 450 year old Live Oak tree in the Tonkawa Encampment. The Tonkawa were native nomadic people of central Texas in the 1700 and 1800's until they were removed to a reservation in Oklahoma. The highlight for the kids was "Buck" this longhorn mama who they all fell in love with. She was so very gentle and loved the kids back. She was also a mama and she let us watch her nurse her calf.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Happy St. Patrick's Day
The Leprechaun left us his pot o' gold once again...this year it was hidden among the Kidney Wood trees. Here they are wearin' the green with the pot full of gold....
Gramma Jan and Great Gram Dorothy came over for lunch. They made Irish Soda Bread with the kids and we all had a green, white and orange lunch.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Lucky Me!
The other night I went out for some socializing with two of my girlfriends... We were discussing our career choices and career changes.
My one friend looked at me and said something like," I want to be as sure of my choice as you are. You seem so confident in your choices."
My other friend, referring to me, interjected with a smile, "She's found her passion and she knows it!!"
You know, I am so very lucky. For now I have found something that I am very passionate about and I love the career path I have chosen. I love spending the days with my kids teaching them in an against - the - main - stream - holistic - way. I love spending my evenings learning about holistic education and planning our lessons and days. One other thing that I love....I love sharing my enthusiasm and passion for holistic education and homeschooling with others.
In this present moment I am lucky and confident!
My one friend looked at me and said something like," I want to be as sure of my choice as you are. You seem so confident in your choices."
My other friend, referring to me, interjected with a smile, "She's found her passion and she knows it!!"
You know, I am so very lucky. For now I have found something that I am very passionate about and I love the career path I have chosen. I love spending the days with my kids teaching them in an against - the - main - stream - holistic - way. I love spending my evenings learning about holistic education and planning our lessons and days. One other thing that I love....I love sharing my enthusiasm and passion for holistic education and homeschooling with others.
In this present moment I am lucky and confident!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Copper Rods
Here are some copper rod activities that we do at home. My daughter learned these from her amazing Eurythmy teacher, Barbara Bresette-Mills. I will post more as time allows.... Enjoy....
Copper Rod activities are great for midline crossing and over time can develop new pathways in the brain... They are fun and the copper is just amazing to touch and it is cool to watch the copper change over time too...
Here is a link that I found with some more copper rod activities...
http://www.movementforchildhood.com/copperrods.pdf
I will post more as time allows.... Enjoy....
Copper Rod activities are great for midline crossing and over time can develop new pathways in the brain... They are fun and the copper is just amazing to touch and it is cool to watch the copper change over time too...
Here is a link that I found with some more copper rod activities...
http://www.movementforchildhood.com/copperrods.pdf
I will post more as time allows.... Enjoy....
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Happy Birthday Annie!
Annie's friend, "Hi Annie!"
Annie's response, "Don't call me Annie...call me 8!!"
The day started with an early morning breakfast and candles with Daddy before he left for work.
And ended with dinner at an Italian restaurant where we all ate way too much...
(this picture of my "ragga-muffin" children outside the restaurant simply makes me laugh every time I look at it...I love their confidence with their sense of style)
We also hosted a small party on Sunday...we have no pictures...I guess we were having too much fun partying!!!
Annie's response, "Don't call me Annie...call me 8!!"
The day started with an early morning breakfast and candles with Daddy before he left for work.
And ended with dinner at an Italian restaurant where we all ate way too much...(this picture of my "ragga-muffin" children outside the restaurant simply makes me laugh every time I look at it...I love their confidence with their sense of style)
We also hosted a small party on Sunday...we have no pictures...I guess we were having too much fun partying!!!
Some of her photography....I love seeing the world through her eyes....
Friday, January 22, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sweet Sweet Music
Yesterday we went to see Broadway Across America's The Color Purple. I wept from the first act. The story was awesome. I've read the book at least twice in my late teens and early 20's and I've seen the movie. I knew the story well and was deeply touched by it 20+ years ago.
I wept because of my personal experiences. I was transported back to my youth. To my youth. When I was 15 we moved to a new neighborhood. A neighborhood where we were one of very few white families. Very few. A neighborhood where during the first few months of living there the neighborhood kids would throw rocks at our car and call us “Fuckin' White Bitch!” Yelling and chanting and rock throwing....”Fuckin' White Bitch”....”Fuckin' White Bitch” as my mom and I drove down the street with my two little brothers aged 5 &8 in the back seat. Not once did my mother call them Fuckin' Niggers! NOT ONCE! She didn't teach us to be racist. She did not teach us to be racist. We lived there and took pride in our home. Eventually we were no longer taunted and became friendly with the neighbors. But one very important thing about this grand house on Clifford Ave near Portland Ave was that it was 2 houses away from a Church. The New Covenant Church of God, a Pentecostal Church. A foot stomping, hand clapping, gospel singing with the windows open kind of church. The music would bellow through the neighborhood on Sunday mornings. The sweet sweet music.
In my Early 20's, when I was 22 to be exact, I ventured with a friend on a cross country road trip. A trip to find the best place to live in the US. A trip where we took no major highways only local roads. A trip in a 1983 converted Dodge Camper Van. We somehow ended up in Miami Florida 30 days after Hurricane Andrew. We drove through the streets on Miami amazed at the destruction. There were no street signs any where, no houses that weren't destroyed, no traffic lights, no stores. Nothing but chaos and Tent Cities. We heard of a group of rogue red tape rippers through the United Way and figured we could help out for a few days before continuing our trip. We ended up staying for 18 months. We eventually helped get People Helping People off the ground and ran a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter, and helped people rebuild their homes and their lives. We ended up in the poorest neighborhood of Miami. The police wouldn't even patrol Goulds in their cars. They patrolled in their helicopters, low to the ground, spotlight bright.
Once again, I found myself to be one of few white people in the neighborhood and I was living in a van this time. We found a lovely Pastor and his wife who were willing to let us use their property to house our tent city soup kitchen and homeless shelter. Showering with a cold water hose in the Miami heat with no electricity save when a cop or some city employee would siphon gas from their tanks for us to use in our generators. We served 300 people a day. We also helped Elder and Mother Moss rebuild their Church.
Anyway, to get back to the point of my writing, I spent 18 months on the property of The Glorious Church of Christ in Heaven, in Goulds Florida. This was a foot stomping, hand clapping gospel singing kind of church. There were no windows to open...there were no windows. Every Sunday and Tuesday night the music would bellow through the neighborhood. Bellow. Oh, the sweet sweet music. I listened as I cooked meals or tutored the homeless school children, or talked with the crack addict, or planned the next days out reach. I went to very few of Elder Moss' services, but I listened as he preached under the tent, and watched as the ladies in their Sunday hats fanned themselves and sang. Oh, the music, the sweet sweet music.
Back to The Color Purple, the first Act takes place in a Church in the South. A foot stomping, hand clapping, gospel singing kind of church....I wept and I wept yesterday as I remembered the love of Elder and Mother Moss and their sweet sweet music!
I have many stories to tell about my days doing Hurricane Relief. I will tell these stories. I need to tell these stories. I will tell them as I my soul allows.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Teaching Our Children To Read....
A great article on teaching our children to read....
go to
http://www.youandyourchildshealth.org/
and select the "articles" link
scroll down to "educational issues"
and select the article "teaching our children to write, read, and spell, part 1"
go to
http://www.youandyourchildshealth.org/
and select the "articles" link
scroll down to "educational issues"
and select the article "teaching our children to write, read, and spell, part 1"
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