A WONDERFUL Parenting Tool!

Parents of toddlers on up to older children still at home:  Do you desire to share Bible verses with your children when they are struggling with sin, but sometimes feel flustered trying to remember which verses are where in the Bible? I simply MUST tell you of this treasure I discovered over the summer.  It is literally a God-send and makes biblical instruction during times of discipline so much easier and more organized.  Instead of trying to remember which Bible verses are applicable to which infractions (tattling, pride, selfishness, jealousy, disobedience, stealing, etc.), someone has organized these for you and has devised a way to help you find just what you need at the moment you need it. 

 It's called The Child Training Bible.  All you need is this kit, some highlighters (I actually used Twistables colored pencils--don't bleed through the page), certain colors of Post-it flags (I ended up using regular Post-it notes I already had, and cut them down to size), and a Bible.  From the outside, it ends up looking something like this:

So, you'll want a separate Bible just for this purpose (must be a certain size, too--9" X 6"), because I think it would be awkward trying to flip through this Bible at church, Bible study, or other places.  But for the purpose this serves, the tabs are wonderful!

Here is a video telling you the details, made by the couple who created the product.  It will explain things so much better than I could write it.

 Can't view the video?  Try clicking here.

We have been using this for several weeks now, and it is so wonderful to just sit calmly down with LM, read Bible verses that pertain to his problem at the moment (and sometimes mine, too!), discuss the suggested questions which are provided, and pray together.  My husband and I have always believed the Bible is the place to go for raising a child, but sometimes in the moment the appropriate verses can just escape me.  My frustration in those times doesn't usually help the situation.  Now I can calmly and confidently pick up this special Bible, silently pray as we head toward the couch, and begin a conversation.  It really diffuses most potentially explosive conflicts, and focuses on the heart of the matter.

The only negatives are that it can be pricey if you need to buy all the different materials and it takes several hours to set it up.  But you can improvise on some of the materials like I did, and the time is MORE than worth it!

BE SURE TO CHECK THE WEBSITE TO MAKE SURE THE BIBLE YOU INTEND TO USE IS THE CORRECT SIZE!  There is a template you can print off to see if it fits in your Bible. The Bible I used was a tiny bit small, but I was able to trim the edges of the cards to fit.  This is risky, but it worked for me.

I love that I can use this Bible I've set up with LM until he leaves home (sniff, sniff) and then pass it down to him and his future wife and children if they choose to use it.  Who knows how many generations will be influenced by this simple yet profound tool? :)

Yea for Fifth Grade! :)

"You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives."  ~Clay P. Bedford

 

I like that quote, but, really, I don't need to do much "creating" of curiosity in my son.  He's curious from the moment he wakes up in the morning until his sweet, long eyelashes finally rest upon the tops of his cheeks for the night.

That's why we're having a great school year so far this year!  Well, it's only been four days, but still. 

The curriculum I'm using this year, The Weaver, is right up his alley, and he is loving it so far.  I'm enthused as well because I'm learning right along with him!  This week we've been studying cities and rocks and all kinds of topics that go along with those.  We've been a-studyin' maps and globes and have "been" to so many cool places.  We've read fascinating books, explored the great outdoors, and used a glue gun--the same glue gun I've had in storage for years.  This was "Sww-eeet!!" according to Little Mister. :)

Yes, I think we're going to like 5th grade. :)  

Some First Day Photos:

This isn't necessarily a school-related thing, but I love this "Letters Between Mama and Me" book.  Got this idea from Pinterest (big surprise, I know):  Just buy a 50-cent composition book from Walmart, a $1 roll of clear shelf covering from Dollar Tree, and then print off either a girlie or a boyish "Mama and Me" label here.  You can get the rest of the instructions there.  I initiated the book by writing Little Mister a letter on the first day of school.  He really liked it, and I know he will eventually write back.  I can't WAIT to see what he says.  He has written us the things on his heart many times, and each message is a precious keepsake.  This will be an easy way to keep them together in one place. ;)  (His father has expressed interest in having a "Dad and Me" one made, too.)     ;)

 

 

My first-ever E-bay purchase!  These are some used history books I "won" for a great price!  Why did I take a pic of them?  Hmmm . . . I guess just because I was excited to have bid and won the first time I tried the E-bay thing. :)   Not to mention how exciting it is when the mailman rings the doorbell because he has something besides bills to deliver.

 

Some of the notebooks we're using this year.

 

Our prayer box.  I have one of these that I use for my own personal praying, so I can easily remember the many prayer requests people have.  I decided to make another version of it for our school prayer time.  I really feel that one of the best ways for LM to gradually grow out of that childlike self-centeredness is to pray for others!  Behind each category are index cards with a person's or family's name(s) and what we are praying for them about.  We each pray for the first one or two in each category each day and then put the cards in the back of that category.  All the requests will be prayed for time and time again, as many times as they make their way to the front of the pile before the Lord answers one way or another.  Some, like missionaries, will stay in the box indefinitely and are prayed for even if nothing in particular is "wrong."  The "verses" in the front are what we are memorizing, and the "virtues" in the back are things we are working on building in our lives.

 

When we pray for the missionaries and the countries in which they are serving, we find the countries on the globe and then look them up on this Voice of the Martyrs map to see if they are "hostile" or "restricted" countries when it comes to Christianity.

 

I heart my white board wall!! :)

 For some reason, this pic makes me think he found a new way into Narnia.  "Follow the light!"  lol

 

Some posters

 

 This is really weird, but I love the back-to-school boxes of tissues. lol

 Someday we might get a "real" globe, but this one is more fun (and durable!) for now. :)

Creepy-Crawlies!!

"Entomology," said he without hesitation after reading the list of possible topics for his 4-H project this year.  My 10-year-old son has always liked to "catch" things--bugs, toads, worms . . .  if it's gross, he likes to catch it!

I L♥O♥V♥E♥ the duct tape on the net!!!! lol

We've always had a policy, though, that whatever he catches he keeps for no longer than a day, to observe, and then lets it go.

An entomology project, apparently, is different from that!  Oh, my.  I of course had seen the insect collections at the fair, but, though I was duly grossed out and maybe a bit fascinated, I hadn't thought much about how those collections had become . . . well, collections!  In a wooden box.  Not moving.  Ugh!

So, mother and son were in for an education.

Don't get me wrong.  I am not an "all living things are equal to or more important than humans" kind of person.  The Bible is clear on that. I have no hesitancy in squashing a spider who is invading my territory inside the house (unless one of my guys is around to do it for me).  But something commonly called a "killing jar" by insect collectors still pulled on my heartstrings a bit, and I couldn't bear to watch the twitches of the creatures' final seconds.  So I didn't.  A mom has the authority to firmly adhere to those kinds of boundaries! lol

I do understand, especially after working through the bookwork part of the project with Little Mister, the importance of studying insects--there are solid reasons that even the most self-described tree-hugging-animal-activist-leftist-liberal people would have a hard time disputing.  For me, the squeamishness caused by helping my son with an insect collection has little or nothing to do with my ideals.

Bugs are just gross!  It's as simple as that! lol

That's my opinion, of course.  Little Mister doesn't share it.  That's fine!  We respect each other's differences. :)

Anyway, it was a very hectic time.  It was soooo much more involved than even LM had imagined, and we had not been given the correct manual to start with, so we got off to a bad/slow start until we had the correct information.  When we had the correct materials, we found we had even more to do and catch up on, and, coupled with a drought that made it harder to find insects, it was bug craziness here for a couple weeks!!  My wonderful hubby helped LM with the parts that were just too gross for me (like pinning and stuff--ugh!).

I took some pics along the way.  Somehow that camera lens between my eye and the situation helped me to be a bit more neutral in my feelings about the whole thing. ;)

One thing I will always remember, and am glad to have the pics to help me never forget, is the battered, duct-taped net my dear son insisted on using.  It wasn't until his project was complete that he bought a new one at the dollar store.  The boy cracks me up!

 

LM was fascinated to look at some of the insects under the microscope.

He had to pin the bugs on Styrofoam first to get the legs in "natural position."

Lots and lots of pins were used!

 

He stained the wooden collection box.

Making labels

Pinning insects into collection box

Father and son working together. :)

Inside of finished box (Styrofoam square was removed! lol)

So, What Will it Be?

The last time I wrote about homeschool curriculum, I had no idea what I would be choosing for this upcoming school year.  I had just begun reading about classical education because I was interested in knowing the philosophy behind it and how it is implemented in the homeschool setting.

As it turns out, just like pretty much every educational philosophy I've studied, classical education has aspects that appeal to me and seem sound, and others that I feel leery of.  So, once again, I wish to implement what I consider to be the better-for-us ideas and leave behind what I can't bring myself to agree with.  I've always had an eclectic view of education, and apparently that hasn't changed. :)

One of the best things I like about classical education is the emphasis on learning from "whole books" instead of textbooks.  Textbooks typically give a limited picture of a subject, where as whole books usually include so many more details and a more complete look at a subject.  Now, this is not to say that textbooks are evil and should not be used!  Little Mister has been educated thus far using lots of textbooks, and I think that method was just what he needed for those years.

So please don't be offended if your child uses mainly textbooks, thinking that I'm saying those are inferior.  My point in blogging about homeschool is never to compare myself and my ways to anyone else and their ways.  It's simply to record and remember OUR journey, what works for US!  If that happens to help or encourage anyone along the way, so much the better.  But I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything.

I also like the idea of Little Mister doing more hands-on projects and writing and thinking through things--learning to THINK for himself.  I don't like the idea of doing away with testing altogether, but of trying other ways of examining what he has learned in addition to occasional traditional testing.

At some point after I wrote the aforementioned post, something clicked in my mind.  I found myself thinking about a curriculum my sister has been using for a few years.  It's very different, and, though I had always enjoyed hearing about it and what my niece and nephews were doing in school, I never felt ready for such a change.  But now I couldn't get it out of my mind, so I finally called my sister, Julie, and picked her brain about it for quite awhile.  She was an angel to answer all my crazy questions and very patient when I had to go back to review what we had just talked about. lol

Suddenly, this curriculum sounded like JUST what I was looking for!  As I mentioned in the other post, Little Mister had begun to dread school, and I have been feeling very unchallenged as a teacher.  I knew it was time for a new approach, at least for a year, and I was so excited to try this new-to-me curriculum.

Then Julie offered to lend me the volumes that she would not need for this coming year, and with the price of this stuff being what it is, her offer was a gift from heaven!  Not only that, but the volumes I did need to buy were available for a song at my favorite  home education used  book store.  The very ones I needed were the only ones the store owner had at that time!  My hubby agreed that it seemed almost like a confirmation from the Lord that we were headed down the right path.

So, what is this curriculum we've chosen to challenge ourselves with for the next year?  It's called The Weaver.  I don't think it's one of the better-known ones, though Alpha Omega now publishes and sells it.  I had never heard of it before Julie started using it.  I think it's what you could call unit studies, as all the subjects center around a theme for a scheduled  period of time, before going on to another theme.  All the subjects (even health!) are included, except math.

I love the central focus of The Weaver--the Bible!  I love, love, love that!  And one majorly lovely feature for families of two or more children, which doesn't apply to me, is that you can use the same curriculum and teach the same basic themes to all the kids at once.  Their activities will differ based on grade levels, but all the kids can learn together.  To me, that is very cool . . . even though it doesn't apply to me. lol

I will be challenged as a teacher.  I must research and prepare and teach more instead of relying so heavily on textbooks and workbooks.  It will take so much more of my time.  Right now I can't think of a better way to spend it, though.  Lots of things vying for that time--I'm going to have to be very careful to say "yes" and "no" at the right times!

I'm excited!

For math I will continue to use Christian Light.  Little Mister loves it and I'm 100% satisfied with their spiral learning method--LM is enthusiastic about Math and seems to remember what he's learned so much better since we switched to CL 2 years ago.  When it comes to math, I'm gonna go with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality! :)

So, that's it!  We've made our decision, and we're stickin' with it!  For this year, at least.  I always take it a year at a time anyway--whether or not we'll continue to homeschool, what curriculum we will use, what other activities we will be involved with, etc.

We'll see how it goes . . . :)


Note:  If you're new to this blog and are interested in home education or our specific home school, check out my series on home education, starting here! :)

Just Relax!

"No thinking about or touching anything school-related until at least after the weekend," says he.

Ha!  My husband knows me well.  He knows I have a hard time relaxing.

Not that I don't ever have lazy, time-wasting moments like everyone else.  If you saw last night's Facebook conversation, you know the mindless things I watch on Netflix Instant Watch when I have opportunity! lol  (If you missed it, think Toddlers & Tiaras.  Also, if you're not too tired, consider joining the occasional late-night random discussion if you see us! lol  The more the merrier! ha ha)

Anyway, Kevin made the above statement last night, on our last day of home school for this school year, as we drove home from my favorite home school store with my purchases for next year.

Yes, next year.  It's only a couple months away, folks!  A girl needs to plan ahead!  Especially when she's starting something totally new next year, but that's another post. :)

Anyway, I was thinking about my problem when it comes to relaxing.  See, I realized that I usually think, "If I finish X, Y, and Z before taking time to relax, then I'll be able to relax better."  That's okay in a way, except that I almost always end up thinking, while I'm doing X, Y, and Z, that . . . well . . . maybe I'll be able to relax better yet if I accomplish A, B, and C first.  And, of course, if A, B, and C should be done, then so should D, E, and F.  Right?  It's endless.  Just endless!

I need to learn that when I have the opportunity to relax, it's a gift from the Lord.  A wonderful gift!  If I've been diligent to keep up with things, it's okay to take a break, to rest my racing mind a bit.  Read a book for fun, more than 2 pages at a time.  Have long, meaningful or just-for-fun conversations.  Take a lengthy, leisurely walk in the woods--not just for exercise, but to take in the beauty and the fresh scents and fascinating sounds.  Slow down physically and mentally.

In quiet moments, I'm free to "hear" from the Lord as He speaks to my spirit.  He doesn't seem to speak to most of us in an audible voice, so we need to be careful to take time to "listen."

Quiet.

Quiet doesn't hurt us!  It's so hard to be quiet.  If I don't have something I'm listening to externally, I've always got my thoughts to cause chaos.  Not that I think we should stop thinking, but to slow down our thoughts, quiet our minds . . . our minds need rest, which brings refreshment to our spirits if we allow it to be so.

So, my goal this summer, besides fulfilling my responsibilities, and taking time to plan for the next school year, is to learn more about the art of relaxing.  Surely it can be done!

Just relax . . .

It's Like Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend . . .

Though I'm certainly not completely against it, I sometimes have to warm up to the idea of change.

I think it's because no matter how good the change, it still can feel like saying goodbye to an old friend.

This is on my mind as I contemplate the next school year.  Yes, I know--I can never get through one school year without already planning the next.  Hey, it takes a lot of time to pray and decide and plan and purchase and prepare!  What's a girl to do?

Anyway, I'm thinking about bursting out of my homeschool box next year and trying a radically different (for me) approach to [Our Last Name] Christian Academy.

I studied education in college, so I've always known there are other ways of doing things.  I've participated in enough homeschool research, conventions and conversations to understand that it's okay to try something new and fail . . . or succeed!

I don't like the part about possible failure, though.  See, it goes against all that perfectionism I tend to unconsciously nurture.  Me no likey failure! (ha ha)

We've always used lots of textbooks here at NCA, and that is one very legitimate, successful way of learning, and Little Mister has thrived for the most part.  It's getting old, though.  He's not as enthused about learning as he once was.

And why in the world, since I have a choice, would I not try to make learning more enjoyable for my son?  NOT that he doesn't still need to be disciplined and intentional in his studies--I can't imagine that I could ever be a fan of "unschooling," from what I have seen of it.  Well, okay, I'll just admit the thought of it makes my skin crawl and causes great anxiety to well up! lol

No, I'm just talking about a different approach to learning basically the same things he would otherwise.  I've been reading up on Charlotte Mason and "classical learning."  What I'm learning speaks to me somehow and beckons to me like perhaps . . . a new friend?

I don't know.  I still have more reading and studying and praying to do before I ditch most of our textbooks and learn from "whole books" or "living books."  It would be a big stretch for me.  I will definitely write more about classical learning and, more specifically, whether or not I choose it, in a future post. :)

For now, though, I struggle a bit with what to do.  That's okay.  Struggle brings good if we keep our focus right.  I don't doubt that the Lord will use my attempts, successes or failures that they may be, for His glory.  And that's what it's all about!

Note:  If you're new to this blog and are interested in home education or our specific home school, check out my series on home education, starting here! :)

Spring School--It Can't be Beat! :)

No matter what kind of school(s) a family chooses--public, private or homeschool (which is considered private school in my state)--there are blessings and challenges, pros and cons.

And SUPER-pros!

Like school here at [Our last name] Christian Academy the last two days.  I'm not trying to talk anyone into anything, but when spring arrives, this super-pro can't be beat.  I call it Spring School, first of all because I haven't taken the time to think of a less lame name, but mostly because I'm so excited for spring weather and to let a slightly (yeah, right!) enthusiastic Little Mister do some of his work outside.  We have to get in our 180 days like everyone else, but the environment is completely up to us!

Reading up in his tower, favorite holey jeans :)

Reading assignments are so much more fun outside.

Grubby jeans and grubby shoes are his fave, 'cuz he knows Mom doesn't care how dirty they become!

Yes, we still must study reading, writing and arithmetic (and a whole bunch more!), but the fresh air and sunshine make it all seem more special somehow.

View from the slide. Shoes always muddy. :)

My patriotic boy loves to plant his American flag wherever he happens to be.

Math under a tree in his "digging area." Minus the math this would be this boy's bliss. :)

Such beautiful days are an indescribable blessing!  Thanks for your gifts, Lord!

Health 101 . . . or Whatever! :)

Sometimes you've just gotta ditch the plan!

Our homeschool day ended early today--we skipped Health class!   Oooooo, I know that doesn't sound over the top to some, but I'm pretty strict about scheduled schoolwork being completed before play.

Hanging out in a tree. Love the holes in the knees. :)

That is, until these beautiful, spring-like days start to appear here and there after a long winter.  I figure we'll have plenty of time tomorrow, when it's supposed to be chilly and rainy, to double up on missed Health lessons.

Piling wood, "Like the Pilgrims, Mom." :)

Besides, I'm totally promoting good health by "making" Little Mister go outside, soak in some sunshine and fresh air, and get some healthy exercise as well!  Right? ;)