Homeschool - Boys at Play

"Do you see the boys at play? Yes I see them; there are five of them. Tom is too fat to run fast. Nat can catch him. I like to see boys at play" -McGuffy's Eclectic Primer

I have good days homeschooling. Sometimes I think I'm not getting through, but today was proof that I am doing something right.

Today as a family lesson, I used "Nature - Evidence of Heavenly Father's Love", adapted for young children, from the Family Home Evening Resource Guidebook (which I will be using frequently as it promotes good discussions on a wide variety of topics). We had a fruitful discussion about nature, how plants purify the air, and the three states of water. It wasn't the most spiritual discussion we've had, but that will come another day.

During our quiet study hour, Colin surprised me by drawing two street signs (one of which he made up): a stop sign and a "go" sign. What surprised me was that he spelled the words correctly even though I have never gone over them with him. He just sounded out the words and wrote them down, taking note that the "o" in "go" is a hard sound. I guess I'm getting it right in teaching him phonics.

Watching Colin learn to write has been interesting. He has been learning to write the way a baby learns to speak. Starting with random letters, then copying words from a page, and over time is now starting to write simple words he thinks of by sounding them out slowly and writing down the sounds he hears. I honestly was afraid for the days ahead wherein I would have to teach spelling. This might not be as scary as I previously thought.

I give each of the kids one on one instruction time and will do so until each has become proficient in reading, writing, and arithmetic.With Karyn, I have been teaching the upper and lower case alphabet, the numbers 1 through 20, colors, shapes, and to predict simple patterns and observe differences. We play a lot of "One of These Things is not like the Others".

Colin has started lesson 19 in the Mcguffy Eclectic Primer. His reading gets better each week. I've heard boys can have a difficult time learning to read, but that doesn't seem true in Colin's case. Some days are more difficult than others, but over all he is making good progress. Actually, the bigger struggle has been learning to add and subtract with accuracy. He seems to understand the mechanics of single digit addition and subtraction, but the actual functioning is still difficult for him; but he will get there.

My kids are smarter than I was at their age. They are going to challenge me.

Meeting Fear

Written as a response to an article about a boy's shyness on Free Range Kids:

If a child's fear is becoming unhealthy, irrational, overbearing, or excessively inconvenient,  then it should be addressed.

Courage is a form of self discipline that most shy people can learn. It hurts, but not as much as a lifetime being paralyzed with fear. Know your child and what he is capable of, and set reasonable expectations. Don't be afraid to say, "No. I won't do for you what you can do for yourself". If he is healthy, then expect some tears and frustration, then watch for him to either do what he wants without you, or find something else to do. If it takes more than 48 hours for him to overcome his fear or find other things to do, or he gives an extreme and prolonged emotional reaction, you may need to see a specialist.

Recently my three yer old daughter overcame her fear of water. She had very good reason to be afraid. Last year a wave knocked her over and she went under and couldn't stand back up (she was 15-20 feet away from me, and thank God I saw her go under and got to her quickly). However, her fear was becoming a nuisance to the entire family. She would refuse to play in (or frequently near) the water while everyone else wanted to go swimming and wading. Even washing her hair at bath time was traumatic at times. Fortunately she has a daddy she trusts who her took her by the hand and walked her in ankle deep in the water along the shore of a still lake. She cried, and fussed, and after a while found some daisies growing at the water's edge. Then talked with him as they went out shin deep. Then she noticed the water was at her knees and squeaked a little, but realized she was safe. Now she plays happily with the family when we are out swimming. She doesn't have any problems now.

Obviously, fear of water is not the same as shyness. The reason I mention my daughter is to illustrate that fear can be overcome in the right conditions. It depends very much on the child, but sooner or later, their fears must be met.

How Cookies Are Not Made

As I am writing this, my children are grounded upstairs. First thing in the morning, I do not coming down to the living room only to find what looks like the remains of a viking village raid...

Okay, that's overstating it, but it's really disturbing to come downstairs in the morning and see that it looks like an animal with rainbow blood (of liquid food coloring) was slaughtered on the "cocoa" table. It's rather aggravating to find that a minor explosion involving flour and sugar has occurred in the same area as the rainbow slaughter. Then I find six or seven discarded glasses with a viscous mixture of flour, sugar, food coloring, vanilla and mint extracts, and olive oil.

Upon inquiry, my two children justify the mess as an attempt to make cookies. Somehow I doubt that, as they've never seen me make cookies with ham slices and breakfast cereal.

No, children. This is not how cookies are made. Lifted from www.hurstwic.org

My Mother Told Me...

"More and more good things will happen, and everyone will be happy".

I was a screaming, angry, nine year old girl; just furious with the world. Mom made me repeat it several times even though I did not believe her and just wanted to smack someone. I was exceptionally angry with her for making me say it when I felt like the world was ending (I can't remember what had set me off in that moment).

"More and more good things will happen, and everyone will be happy", I growled, thinking just the opposite.

Wouldn't you know it... she was right.

I am happy and everyone I surround myself with is happy. Sometimes I feel like crying about what I lack; and sometimes for a moment (several times a day) I get angry about people or things I can not control; but overall things work out. I have food on the table, a warm home, good friends, a close family life, and a God in Heaven watching over all. Life is good.

My Views on the Evolution of Species

lifted from april93's blog

Mankind has been observing changes in various species our entire existence. In fact, mankind has caused much change both directly and indirectly. We have observed evolution in action.

Directly, we have caused the evolution of domestic animals. We selectively breed various animals to enhance their desirable traits, while minimizing less desirable traits. However, a dog is still a dog, whether it is a chihuahua or a rottweiler; and genetically speaking, they can still interbreed (although it might not be practical or likely).

Then there are spontaneous adaptive changes in response to changes in the environment. I call it Evolution by Cataclysm. Salt and pepper moths changing from being mostly light in color, to mostly dark in color with in a few generations is a famous example. They blend in with of trees to hide from birds and predators. Soot from factories during the Industrial Revolution darkened the tree bark, thus favoring the darker of their species. Unfortunately, this is a poor example of evolution, given that it was relatively sudden and in the face of near extinction, and most species die out instead of adapt to sudden environmental change. What's more, they are still salt and pepper moths, with no genetic change that would prevent darker moths from breeding with lighter moths.

Then of course is the classic view of creatures that started out the same, but split and migrated and became separated by vast distances, slowly adapting to separate environments and evolving over millions of years until they became so genetically distinct that they could no longer interbreed and became distinct species. This is what was taught to me as the Theory of Evolution (I had a habit of calling out my school teachers when they made the mistake of listing classic long term evolutionary theory as factual on tests, a habit that got me both punishment and commendation) As a theory it is not unscientific, in fact it's quite as an good alternative explanation if you want secondary opinions on the origin of species, besides Intelligent Design. The only problem I see is that, given the Earth's theoretically relative youth, it seems a statistical unlikelihood that such a large diversity of contemporary creatures had time to evolve.

I adhere to a Christian viewpoint of intelligent design, although I'm frequently first in line to question whether a day to God is literally our 24 hours. I also like to point out that while God spoke it and it was done, the scriptures are unclear as to the exact scientific or technological process. A belief in God does not necessitate a suspension of reason or science.

In a free society, we have the right to respectfully debate all ideas, whether they are Atheistic, scientific, Christian, well reasoned, crazy, or just stupid. The above is just my opinions based on what limited knowledge I have on the subject. Debate it if it pleases you. I know it pleases me and helps me learn something new.

I Still Disagree with the Supreme Court

I've only heard two stated reasons why LGBTs want marriage. 1 Love; however no mature people marry the people they love simply because they love each other. Marriage is not now, nor has it ever been about love, otherwise there would be no legal or social prohibitions on close relatives marrying, having multiple marriage partners; or marrying children, pets, inanimate objects, or corpses.

Argument number 2 involves financial benefits and inheritance issues. Really, says I. The obvious truth is that signing on to a work or business contract that does not provide benefits to your lover is your own fault, not the government's. What's more, while you may petition a private business owner to change the terms of the contract, he is under no legal obligation to do so. As for inheritance laws and death taxes, the government is morally wrong to override the written and notarized wills of the dead in most cases.

Change the law. Get the Federal Government out of the marriage business. They should not have the right to pick winners and losers in the marriage debate.

I have a theory why marriage is being so hotly challenged, and it has nothing to do with love or financial incentives, but everything to do with communism.

From the 45 Goals of Communist Takeover of America

Congressional Record--Appendix, pp. A34-A35 January 10, 1963

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

It seems to me broadening the definition of marriage to include gay and lesbian relationships is well in line with these two goals.

This is Me Angry and Confused at the Supreme Court

Dear NSA,
This is what I want from the Fed regarding marriage laws, definitions, benefits, taxes, inheritances, and so forth. They can eat my shorts!

I don't want anyone trying to legally force on me what they think marriage means. I have a moral definition that neither the Fed, nor any of the liberal left has succeeded at changing!

That marriage is between any two consenting adults of any sexual orientation, is an extraordinary claim, and extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence; evidence that the LGBT community and their supporters have not provided!

I want the Fed out of my bedroom, out of my marriage, out of my bank account and health and life insurance, and out of my inheritance rights.

I want the liberal whiners to learn proper, respectable debate and to start making logical claims as to why marriage laws and definitions must change.

Proselyting a new definition of marriage by legislation and the Supreme Court will not gain my respect, will not change my mind or heart, and may even shorten my tolerance.

As a whole, I don't feel hate in my heart for the LGBTs of this country, but if that's what they are trying to inspire, they are getting close.

There, I've written something angry about the subject. Maybe soon I'll write something more reasoned and gentle.