Dec 22, 2007
The most stressful time of the year
Why does Christmas have to be the most stressful time of the year for us? Why can't it simply be a celebration of Christ's birthday. Why does it have to get so blown out of proportion with gifts and such. We are struggling to pay bills, much less buy presents for everyone and our three children. Needless to say, I don't want anyone to give me anything. I wish I thought this way when I was a child. I hate raising my children this way in thinking the more the better. On top of all the stress, my laptop's screen has went out. I wouldn't even care, but I attend college through my laptop and I had some deadlines to meet. This unfortunate event put a damper on those plans. Oh, I just want worry-free peace. I was driving down a road near my house that I haven't went down in a while and immediately started thinking about when I was a teenager. I wish I could have those years back. I love my children and would never want to be without them, but the thought of free-ness is wonderful. What it would be like, what I would do or not do. The past is past, eh. Must move on and find peace in the future, hopefully near. Here's hoping for a Merry Christmas!
Dec 21, 2007
Dec 13, 2007
The 14 Days of Homeschooling
The 14 Days of Homeschooling (tune of "THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS")
Author unknown....
On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can you homeschool legally?"
On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the fourth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the fifth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the Sixth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU 'RE SO STRANGE, what about P.E., do you givethem tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the seventh day of home school my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the eighth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing,how long will you home school, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E.do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the ninth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you home school, YOU 'RE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the tenth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, whydo you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will youhome school, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give themtests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the eleventh day of home school my neighbor said to me, "I could never do that, what about graduation,they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what aboutP.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to college, I could never do that,what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are theymsocialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: "They can go to college, yes you can do this, and they can graduate, wedon't need the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they aren't missinganything, we'll homeschool forever, WE'RE NOT STRANGE!, We give themP.E., life it self's a test, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!
On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me,where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will helpus, can we join P.E. and we'll homeschool legally.
Author unknown....
On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can you homeschool legally?"
On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the fourth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the fifth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the Sixth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU 'RE SO STRANGE, what about P.E., do you givethem tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the seventh day of home school my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the eighth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing,how long will you home school, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E.do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the ninth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you home school, YOU 'RE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the tenth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, whydo you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will youhome school, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give themtests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the eleventh day of home school my neighbor said to me, "I could never do that, what about graduation,they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what aboutP.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to college, I could never do that,what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are theymsocialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: "They can go to college, yes you can do this, and they can graduate, wedon't need the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they aren't missinganything, we'll homeschool forever, WE'RE NOT STRANGE!, We give themP.E., life it self's a test, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!
On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me,where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will helpus, can we join P.E. and we'll homeschool legally.
Dec 1, 2007
Surviving Motherhood
Thanksgiving was nice. I posted a new Thanksgiving slide show of pictures on my website. Check them out if you like. I put a few more pictures of Jade and the girls on there as well.
Jade has been a good baby for the most part. Yesterday was one of the stressful days. She cried all day long. Wasn't happy being held or anything. There is only so much crying and screaming one can take before they just snap. Luckily, I didn't get that far. These are trying times on me lately. When you got a baby screaming at you all day and two little girls fighting with each other, you feel as if you are slowly drifting off from sanity. Then the next day is better and you recuperate. Jade is sleeping most of the day today and slept all through the night last night. In addition, my big girls are gone skating with their Meme. So, I have a little time to catch my breath. Jade even smiled at me several times today. :) She's doing so more and more each day. It's a wonderful blessing to have three little girls, but a lot of work at the same time. Sometimes I feel as if I just can't do it all. I have to take care of all of them(including Tim), teach first grade and preschool, attended college, cook for all meals everyday, and keep the whole house clean. Needless to say, all of it is not getting done at the moment. It's getting a little better with each day though. I don't feel as overwhelmed today as I did yesterday. Hopefully, tomorrow will be even better. Oh, and I still say that my sling is the best thing I have bought to date for taking care of Jade. It allows me to do so much more than I could without. I'm going grocery shopping later and I will be wearing her while I shop. :0)
Jade has been a good baby for the most part. Yesterday was one of the stressful days. She cried all day long. Wasn't happy being held or anything. There is only so much crying and screaming one can take before they just snap. Luckily, I didn't get that far. These are trying times on me lately. When you got a baby screaming at you all day and two little girls fighting with each other, you feel as if you are slowly drifting off from sanity. Then the next day is better and you recuperate. Jade is sleeping most of the day today and slept all through the night last night. In addition, my big girls are gone skating with their Meme. So, I have a little time to catch my breath. Jade even smiled at me several times today. :) She's doing so more and more each day. It's a wonderful blessing to have three little girls, but a lot of work at the same time. Sometimes I feel as if I just can't do it all. I have to take care of all of them(including Tim), teach first grade and preschool, attended college, cook for all meals everyday, and keep the whole house clean. Needless to say, all of it is not getting done at the moment. It's getting a little better with each day though. I don't feel as overwhelmed today as I did yesterday. Hopefully, tomorrow will be even better. Oh, and I still say that my sling is the best thing I have bought to date for taking care of Jade. It allows me to do so much more than I could without. I'm going grocery shopping later and I will be wearing her while I shop. :0)
Nov 30, 2007
Nov 21, 2007
Sick, Sick, Sick
My goodness at the sickness surrounding me. It started with Hannah, then Lily, then Tim, me, and eventually got to Jade. My poor little baby is miserable with a cold. It hasn't gotten too bad for her though. I took her to the doctor yesterday because she was up all night crying like she was in pain. The doctor said that her ears and lungs were fine, but she had a sore throat. So, that is what's bothering her. That and the stuffiness. I hope she gets better soon. Hannah and Lily are about to get over their colds, as well as Tim and I. If we can get Jade well, maybe we can keep from getting sick for a while.
Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Turkey Day! Hannah and Lily have been helping Meme make all of her Thanksgiving goodies. I can't wait to eat it all. ;0) I haven't cooked anything this year. With all the sickness and the newborn, I am just going to eat what everyone else cooks. Having three little ones is incredibly overwhelming right now. I can't seem to find time to get anything done. It's still worth it though! ;-)
Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Turkey Day! Hannah and Lily have been helping Meme make all of her Thanksgiving goodies. I can't wait to eat it all. ;0) I haven't cooked anything this year. With all the sickness and the newborn, I am just going to eat what everyone else cooks. Having three little ones is incredibly overwhelming right now. I can't seem to find time to get anything done. It's still worth it though! ;-)
Reasons to Homeschool
WHAT’S WRONG WITH SCHOOLS AND RIGHT WITH HOME SCHOOL?
In our current educational system, almost every school, public or private, relies heavily on certain tools which actually hinder the desired result of education. These include the obvious, overcrowded classrooms, non-standardized curricula, under-trained and unmotivated teachers, the “bad guys” everyone points at. But there are other subtly destructive ideas at work. These include grading, grade levels and homework. When a teacher gives a grade, be it for a test or a semester, the teacher has admitted his failure. Why didn’t every student learn the requisite materials? The students were there. Every “B” issued is the teacher and school’s way of saying “we taught this student MOST of the materials”. And an “F”? They’re admitting that they haven’t a clue how to teach your child that subject. Many courses are graded on a “bell curve”, in which a certain percentage of students MUST receive an “A”, a “B”, and so forth. Who determined the percentages? What do you do with a class that is almost entirely “expert”, give some of them “F”s? How about the class that is generally sub-standard, whatever the “standard” may be? Give a percentage “A”s when they can’t sign their names? It happens!Grades pigeonhole a child. Your student is “bright” or “slow” or “below average”. According to what scale? Who determines the criteria? What’s wrong with Grade Levels? Children are tossed into a group because they are the same age, and supposedly that alone will allow them to study well together. But what happens is the fastest or brightest students “slow down”, so they don’t soar ahead of the group. Slower students become “remedial”. The “average” student, whatever that is decided to be by whoever is in charge, is the governor regarding speed of study. And homework? When you, an adult, complete your eight hours of work, and you head home, do you want more work to do? If a school can’t get enough information communicated in a standard day of school, what ARE they doing? When should a student pursue his own interests? Music…theatre…sports? When are they allowed control over their own time, their own lives? Who decided it was alright for a school to become the vast bulk of the child’s activities? And don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s “number of hours spent” that determine an education. It’s not. It’s “amount of information acquired, understood and ready to be used”. Home school places the control over the student’s education back where it belongs…with the student and their parents or guardians. It allows the student to study in a safe environment…something few schools can claim they create, not with a straight face. It eliminates the need for grade levels, or homework. It allows student and parent to design a schedule the student can succeed with. It allows the student to move at his or her own pace, without comparisons or stigma. It allows the student to avoid grades, when the home school system used is a wise one. And the big “problem” with home school, that much-overrated concern, “socialization”, is readily resolved by extra-curricular activities such as sports and music studies, and the fact that the student will have far more discretionary hours in a week!
Steven Horwich
Connect The Thoughts
In our current educational system, almost every school, public or private, relies heavily on certain tools which actually hinder the desired result of education. These include the obvious, overcrowded classrooms, non-standardized curricula, under-trained and unmotivated teachers, the “bad guys” everyone points at. But there are other subtly destructive ideas at work. These include grading, grade levels and homework. When a teacher gives a grade, be it for a test or a semester, the teacher has admitted his failure. Why didn’t every student learn the requisite materials? The students were there. Every “B” issued is the teacher and school’s way of saying “we taught this student MOST of the materials”. And an “F”? They’re admitting that they haven’t a clue how to teach your child that subject. Many courses are graded on a “bell curve”, in which a certain percentage of students MUST receive an “A”, a “B”, and so forth. Who determined the percentages? What do you do with a class that is almost entirely “expert”, give some of them “F”s? How about the class that is generally sub-standard, whatever the “standard” may be? Give a percentage “A”s when they can’t sign their names? It happens!Grades pigeonhole a child. Your student is “bright” or “slow” or “below average”. According to what scale? Who determines the criteria? What’s wrong with Grade Levels? Children are tossed into a group because they are the same age, and supposedly that alone will allow them to study well together. But what happens is the fastest or brightest students “slow down”, so they don’t soar ahead of the group. Slower students become “remedial”. The “average” student, whatever that is decided to be by whoever is in charge, is the governor regarding speed of study. And homework? When you, an adult, complete your eight hours of work, and you head home, do you want more work to do? If a school can’t get enough information communicated in a standard day of school, what ARE they doing? When should a student pursue his own interests? Music…theatre…sports? When are they allowed control over their own time, their own lives? Who decided it was alright for a school to become the vast bulk of the child’s activities? And don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s “number of hours spent” that determine an education. It’s not. It’s “amount of information acquired, understood and ready to be used”. Home school places the control over the student’s education back where it belongs…with the student and their parents or guardians. It allows the student to study in a safe environment…something few schools can claim they create, not with a straight face. It eliminates the need for grade levels, or homework. It allows student and parent to design a schedule the student can succeed with. It allows the student to move at his or her own pace, without comparisons or stigma. It allows the student to avoid grades, when the home school system used is a wise one. And the big “problem” with home school, that much-overrated concern, “socialization”, is readily resolved by extra-curricular activities such as sports and music studies, and the fact that the student will have far more discretionary hours in a week!
Steven Horwich
Connect The Thoughts
Nov 13, 2007
I love my sling!
I wear my baby and it's wonderful. It frees my hands up so I can take care of my other two girls' needs and Jade likes riding in it as well. When she falls asleep and I don't feel like carrying her anymore, I just slip it off and lay her in the bed and she stays asleep! Nursing can be hands free as well. I just position her for feeding, latch her on and let go. :) I wish I would have had this when Hannah and Lily were babies. Hotslings is the brand I have. It is fitted, so you don't have buckles or rings to worry about. I'm going to get a picture of her in it and post it here. :)
Swaddling
Nov 11, 2007
Relearning Things
Since having Jade, I have had quite a few "Aha!" or "Oh yea, I remember now." moments. Trying to figure out why she is fussing so much with gas lately is one of those moments. I was thinking that it might be due to what I was eating, but after a search for info on that, I was reminded of the real reason. I have too much milk. That causes her to have gas because she gets choked, gasps for air and gets too much "skim" milk and not enough "whole" milk. It's an easy fix too, because all I have to do is let her nurse on one side for an entire feeding instead of each breast every feeding. I should have remembered that from Lily.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)