Tag Archives: homeschooling

Why Can’t You Just Give Us $100?

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I have been curiously watching my kids count their money these last few days and I finally decided to find out exactly what all the interest in money was about.  Turns out that my drummer boy had found what he thought was a Nintendo DS for $7.98 on the Internet. I explained to him that what he had actually found was a cover for the DS and then showed him that the DS was actually over $200.

I told him that it would take a long time to save up $200 and the money he earned this month must go towards Christmas presents for his siblings. This month they are to be thinking about other people, dying to themselves, in honor of our Lord who gave up His throne in heaven to be born and to die for us. After awhile of mulling it over, my drummer boy asks, “Why can’t you just give us $100?”

“What!!!” Does he think that I just have an infinite amount of money to hand out? Thankfully his sister explained that $100 would be a lot of money, but I am doubtful she really gets it either when she will not hesitate to ask for this and that. Could it be an illusion from Monopoly when they get $200 for passing Go, along with $500 here and $1000 there for various real estate properties? We have been playing a lot of that game lately. I believe it has definitely sparked some interest in the value of money in real life. But we don’t live in Monopoly world kids! You can’t buy Park Place for the $350 that you got for doing nothing but rolling dice.

So I was left contemplating and asking God for the wisdom to show my kids the value of money in the real world. I already have them work for their money. I do not give them an allowance for doing just your basic everyday chores, but I only pay them for doing what I don’t want to do and would in fact pay someone else to do anyway. You know, the hard things like cleaning out the pantry, the refrigerator, the kitchen cabinets, the laundry room, etc. When I open up a drawer and find crumbs or sticky whatever in it, I call the kids, “Hey kids! Wanna make some money?” I pay my 7 and 10-year-old $5 an hour and the 5 year olds get $3 and hour, since most of their hour is simply watching the older kids. This month I am giving them each $20 for cleaning out the laundry room shelves and the pantry. This might take a total of 2 hours, but I am giving them a bonus, so that they can buy Christmas gifts for their siblings.

But this won’t answer my drummer boy’s question as to why I can’t just give him $100. And to simply answer that I don’t have $100 would really not be quite true, since he sees how much I spend at the grocery store, especially Costco.  Yes I could just say because I need it for food, which would be true, but I desire to really show him, to teach him, the reason that I can’t just give him $100.

So break out the abacuses kids! You’re going on a tour through the family budget. That’s right! In the month of January, they are going to sit down and budget with me. Every time I purchase something, they are going to subtract it from the book real time. Every time I pay them to do chores, they are going to see exactly where it comes from and how much is left. Then they will truly understand the reason that I just can’t give them $100.

Kids and abacus

Proverbs 10:4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Teaching Children to Give

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A teen in our church youth group went to the city tree lighting ceremony last year and her heart was moved to provide for the homeless people she had seen there. This year she rallied her fellow youth group members, and the church body, to stock bags full of items to feed and keep the homeless in the city warm during the winter.

I took this opportunity to teach my younger children the value of giving. I had them do some chores around the house in order to earn money with which to purchase items for the bags. All was going well, until we got into the car with the items we had purchased. One of the twins began to put on the beanie he had purchased for the bags. I turned to him and said, “You do know that the beanie is not for you?”

His smile turned upside down really quickly, and he almost started to cry. The other twin looked sad as well. I explained that they already had their own beanies, but there were people that did not have any beanies at all. These people did not even have any homes and they had to sleep on the streets all winter. I had already explained all of this to them before, but it obviously needed to be restated, with beanies in hand. I asked them how it would feel to sleep on the street all winter. The older kids also explained to them that it would be very cold. I am not sure if they truly understood, but they sadly put the beanies away.

Each child then put the items they had purchased in the Christmas bags, which were to be handed out on Black Friday. We prayed as a family each day that the Lord would prepare the people to receive the bags and that each person would get exactly the items that they needed.

On Black Friday, we headed down to the city. Each bag was handed out in a matter of minutes.  While hanging out in the area to witness, a man came up to us and said, “I have been out here for a while and know these guys and I wanted to let you know that each one of them got exactly what they needed in those bags.” Praise God!

My 4-year-old twins may still believe that being in need is not having a Nintendo DS or the latest Disney toy, but this experience was one step closer to giving the taste of reality beyond the plush life they live at home. It has become more and more prevalent that more of these “learning to give” sessions are necessary for all of them.  The Goodwill trips are too abstract, and there is no sacrifice in giving up extra toys. Having to work hard for the money it cost to purchase necessities for those in need is a start in instilling Godly character, but ultimately I pray that caring for those in need is a quality that will come from each of their hearts as a result of God’s love for them.

Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

 

How do you teach your children to give?

Happy Thanksgiving!

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rainey book

I have fallen in love with Thanksgiving again, and I owe it all to Barbara Rainey’s book, “Thanksgiving A Time To Remember.” Not only have I fallen in love with this holiday, but I have also fallen in love with America, especially the faithful Christians who first settled here. I no longer just grudgingly cook for days for that 15 minutes of palate pleasure, but now I cook to honor those who have come before me in order for my family and I to worship our God and read His Word freely. Praise God!

The book was actually given to me as an answer to prayer. I had been praying for a way to really make this holiday special for my family while honoring our Creator. I had been praying for a new Thanksgiving tradition, and this book is it.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions, other than eating the traditional meal? Let me know in the comment section below.

Now, in honor of Thanksgiving, I present my list of top 10 things that I am thankful for:

10       My faithful, furry, and four legged running partner

9          Our warm home

8          This beautiful country

7          Calvary Chapel Yelm and all the faithful servants there

6          Our good health

5          My faithful friends

4          My mother and father

3          Each of my 5 children

2          My amazing husband who loves me as his own body

1          God’s mercy and grace through His Son

Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless America!

Death of a Ballerina

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Ok so the title is drastic. My ballerina did not die, but she may as well have killed me! Since the ballet season began, my ballerina has protested through tears about her tights, her hair, and the long drive. Her tights are too tight and uncomfortable, she hates her hair in a bun and the process we have to go through to get it in one, and she hates the long drive to the studio. I have done my best to encourage her. I have used lotion bars to soften her skin before pulling up the tights. I have tried several different brushes and hair products to comb the knots out of her hair and I have allowed her to select stories and music for the drive. These accommodations, however, have all been in vain.

Tonight was the third time she told me that she did not want to go to ballet. Again I asked her the reason, knowing the answer all along. I asked her if she liked to dance and she confirmed that she did, but not enough to go through the rigmarole to do it. Had I had her opportunity, I would have driven to the ends of the earth, sat through torture, and worn a corset just to get to dance. But here we get to the real heart of the issue. Dancing has always been my dream, my heart, and my soul. My circumstances did not allow me the opportunity to dance as a career, which was my dream, but I danced every opportunity I had. I was always the first one on the dance floor and the last one to leave. I took as many dance classes as possible in college. I took as many ballet classes as my mother could afford, and was even captain of the dance team in high school. As a mom, I took open ballet classes at the nearest dance studio whenever possible, but these bits and pieces of dance never satisfied the dream I had to become a professional ballerina. After having 2 boys who were obviously musicians, I was hopeful when my daughter was born. She has the perfect ballerina body, long and slender, with a naturally high arched foot. She takes her classes seriously, practices at home, and performs beautifully on stage. She has all the makings to become a ballerina, except the heart. Sure she enjoys dancing, but she doesn’t have the passion, and in the highly competitive world of ballet, passion is the key to being successful.

So I am giving in. I am tired of the tears. The Lord has shown me that this is my dream, not hers. This is not easy for me. It is hard not to question God. Why do I have this desire in my heart to dance? Is it from Him? What does He want me to do with it? Why did He give my daughter a dancer’s body, but no heart for it? Why did He give us a house an hour drive from the nearest, decent studio and kids that get carsick? To see one of my kids pursue dance with the same passion I have would be a dream satisfied.

So I am left with the battle between flesh and spirit.

The Lord asks, “Does it glorify Me?”

I argue, “But Lord you give us bodies that can move beautifully.”

He responds, “ They exchanged the truth for a lie and worshipped and served created things rather than the creator.”

And He asks again, “Does it glorify Me?”

“Not in this world, my Lord, not in this world.”

So the ballerina has died, yet since I believe the Lord is the God of the living, I wait to witness a resurrection. We will dance, one day, for His glory, just as David danced when he brought the ark back to Israel, for His mercy is the only real reason to dance.

 

A Reason to Homeschool

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Since releasing his mind from the grips of autism, my drummer boy has been more inquisitive than ever. He attends speech therapy once a week at the neighborhood public school, and while there these last two weeks a series of questions have arisen which have caused him to have some “aha” moments. The first conversation went as follows:

“Mom, why do we do school?”

“So you can learn about God.”

After some silence and a curious expression, I explained further. “You learn how to read, so that you can read God’s Word. You learn how to write, so that you can write praises to Him that even other people will be able to read. You learn math and science, in order to understand His creation better.”  This seemed to satisfy him and we began our therapy session.

The next week, as we were leaving therapy, he noticed the school buses and said, “Mom, I am going to let my kids ride the school bus.” I asked why and he explained.

“It would be fun.”

“What is fun about sitting on a school bus? Last time you were on a bus, you got sick.”

“Oh I remember! I did not like that bus. I do not think I will want them to ride the bus, but I am going to let them go to the school.”

“They don’t learn about God in the schools.”

“Oh!” he said while looking down rather sad. Then with a smile, he looks up and says, “Well then I am going to homeschool them. Mom! I am going to have to find a wife that believes!!!”

Amen!

Thankful for Homeschooling

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As I reflect on the many blessings that I am thankful for this season, I am especially overwhelmed with gratitude toward God for the grace he has given me to be able to homeschool my children.  Prior to homeschooling, I was a public school teacher. I chose the teaching profession, and a degree in Child Development, in order to stay close to my then newborn son. Raised by feminist parents, my idea of being a stay at home mom was nothing more than cooking and cleaning, and heaven forbid, catering to my husband’s every need. I was mortified at the thought, but once my son was born, the thought of leaving him in the hands of someone else was even more mortifying.  If I couldn’t have him with me at all times, then I at least wanted him right next door, even as close as the next classroom over. Becoming a teacher, so that he could attend the same school that I taught at was, in my eyes, better than staying at home.

About two years into my teaching career, a dear friend wanted to take her son out of public school in order to homeschool, and, since I was swimming in the Kool-Aid of social indoctrination, I talked her out of it. (Insert foot in mouth.)  Two years after that, I felt the Lord, and my husband, press on my heart to have more children. I decided that if I was going to have more children, I didn’t want other people teaching my children while I taught theirs. I wanted to teach my own children.

As I look back, I realize that God guided my heart to a career in teaching, so that I would have the confidence to teach my own children. Because of my experience with kids in public school, I understand my own kid’s learning challenges as well as their strengths and I am able to build on what God has given them so that He may use them for His glory. My children thrive at home in delight directed learning within a classical framework. Had my composer son been in public school, he would not have had time to develop his love for music. They would have made him see tutor after tutor, and specialist after specialist, in order to improve his reading comprehension. My drummer boy would have been in every remedial class available and probably drugged with a dismal outlook on a world in which he didn’t fit. I certainly would not have had enough time to put him on the GAPS diet, and it is only due to the gift and desire God gave me to cook, that I am able to have him on this diet in the first place. It was God that taught me how to cook and gave me a love for it.  The Lord knew the path I needed to take. Now our children have confidence in the One who created them, the One who loves them so much that He sent His Son to die for them. In this confidence, they can do all things because it is He who strengthens them.

I am so thankful and blessed that God has led me on this journey. I am so grateful that he walks beside me, and goes before me in order to keep me on His path, so that our children will know his mercy and grace.  And I am most thankful for the change He has made in my heart, to desire the role He gave women, to submit to and respect the man He has given as head over me. It is a secure and peaceful place to be, in His will.

 

On Spiritual and Physical Training

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“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8

It is so difficult for us homeschooling moms to find time among the laundry, the schoolwork, and the cooking, for spiritual, let alone physical training, but we must not neglect either. I have found that my spiritual and physical training is the most essential time of my day. I need this time to be alone and quiet, so I can listen and commune with my heavenly Father.

In order to find time to be alone with God, I have combined it with physical exercise. Four days a week, after school, I go jogging with my dog at my side and Bible verse in my hand. During my 45-minute jog, I memorize scripture, pray, and listen to the Lord.

Memorizing scripture has become absolutely dear to my heart. I don’t mean memorizing random scriptures that pertain to this problem and that, but I mean memorizing entire books of the Bible. The first book I memorized was the Book of Ephesians, mostly while jogging, one verse at a time. I am currently working on memorizing the book of Romans and keeping a goal of a four-chapter rotation in my head. As I jog, I recite (in my head) the 4 chapters that I have memorized and then repeat, at least 5 times, the new verse, which I have written on my sticky note. Memorizing whole books is the best way to understand the entire context of the letter, prophesy, or story. It is also an incredible way to commune with God. He talks to me through His words. I believe it is the closest thing to Adam’s daily walk in the garden with the Lord before his fall. I am convicted, called, and encouraged through this practice.

Memorizing scripture takes extreme mind discipline, and so does jogging up and down hills for 5 miles. Both of these disciplines keep me focused and self-controlled during the day. The scripture verses help when I really need to take my thoughts captive, while jogging keeps my immune system strong and my lungs and heart healthy.

This time alone with the Lord for my physical and spiritual well-being is a life long commitment and I let no excuse prevail. When my twins were infants, I jogged with them in a stroller. Sometimes I jog when my husband is home so that he can watch the kids, but most of the time, my oldest is home to watch them all. When it rains, I get on the treadmill. I do prefer to jog outside, so if it is not pouring rain when I am ready to run, I will go outside. My dog is happier to get out too, although we have been caught in a few hailstorms.

In other seasons of my life I have exercised to workout videos. It is also possible to commune with the Lord while exercising to workout videos. Once you are familiar with the routine, turn off the sound and memorize scripture. Pilates and yoga are my favorite exercise forms by which to memorize scripture.

Spiritual and physical training is just simply a priority. It is as important to me as eating. Building godliness while physically training benefits both the present life and the life to come. Disciplined moms train up disciplined children.

Update on the Logic Boxes

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The Logic Boxes seem to be more of a hit with the ballerina than the twins. If she is playing though, the twins will join in. The Lego box has won over the twins, which also fits in the logic category of the trivium, so I am not too worried about it. However, they have only reached the surface of what is really in each box, so I am hoping that with more exposure they will dig deeper and really “play” with some of those cool “toys.”

Logic Boxes7

My one rule is that they may not ask me how to use or play with anything in the box, but I do encourage them to tell me how they are playing as a way to practice some skills within the rhetoric category. This is difficult for me. The teacher in me is always wanting to instruct and correct. It was especially difficult when I saw them flinging the counting bears across the room with the balance scale. GASP! When I saw this, I had to direct them in figuring out a way to make sure that we didn’t loose any bears. My ballerina suggested that they try to fling the bears into the cups, which were also in the box. Well that was not really what I intended with counting bears, sorting cups and a balance scale, but it did prove that their problem solving skills are right on par. They did create a fun game.

This week I may limit the lego box a bit. I am interested to see if they will discover more treasures in the logic boxes without the distraction of the legos.

Cursive First

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Cursive2

I am teaching my 4 year old twins cursive first, using the program with the same name. I used this program with my older 2, the ballerina and drummer boy, but I was too late in finding out the amazing benefits of teaching cursive before I had already taught them print. Now that they know how to write in cursive, my ballerina has turned it into an art form, and my  “intellectually disabled” drummer boy writes more willingly and with much more ease than he does with print.

There are many developmental benefits in teaching cursive first. For starters, it eliminates the dyslexic tendencies of letter reversals. In addition, it’s flowing, connected movements, are much more developmentally appropriate for little one’s fine motor skills.

Although the twins are only 4, they really want to learn how to write their names, so I am using mutlisensory techniques to get them ready. In the colored sand, I have them practice making circles and have even begun to teach them the first letters in their names. We use play dough to practice top, middle, and bottom and to create standard cursive shapes, especially those prevalent in their names. I also guide them in writing letters on the chalk board and they also practice those movements with a pencil on a blank piece of paper. Their fine motor skills are not developed yet, so their movements are large, but they sure have fun trying and always cheer each other on. It is so cute to watch.

My next goals are to teach them the numbers on the face clock and expose them to the house diagram. It may be another year before they are really ready to start this program in its entirety, but I don’t want to quench their desire to learn by telling them that they are not ready. I’ll be updating with their progress. I can’t wait to see their beaming smiles when they are finally able to write their name.

Brains and Binders

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This year my drummer boy and ballerina are getting binders. I tend to rebel against anything that looks too much like “school” but the binders are coming back with stickers and all. As I was organizing the binders, it occurred to me that our brains also store information in this way. When information is correctly categorized in the mind’s filing cabinet, recall of the information is easier. Knowledge builds on itself through semantic webs. If this information is not categorized efficiently, memory recall will be hindered. The brain’s ability to organize information comes naturally to most children, but children with learning disabilities must be explicitly taught how to organize information into their long and short term memory banks for more efficient recall. The disciplined practice of keeping school work organized in a binder, will aid in developing this fundamental skill.

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I debated whether to organize the binders with just the 3 categories of the trivium: language, logic, and rhetoric, or to simply organize according to the subject and activity. I chose to organize my own binder with the trivium categories, and organize the kids binders with the subjects. I believe this will make more sense to them, since this is our first year in the trivium. As the kids get older, and they start to take a larger role in deciding their own activities within each trivium, the natural division of the trivium roads will likely be used in their binders as well. But for now the categories are:

  • Spelling
  • Grammar
  • Literature
  • Dictation
  • Music
  • Rhetoric

Ha! At this point they don’t even know what rhetoric means, but I’ll make sure to build that semantic web and filing will become a synch. 🙂