Okay, really, this post has been in my head for about a YEAR... since I don't even have a 2 year old anymore. Still, I thought it would be worth noting a few things that have really been a benefit to our family as we have had little ones to raise up. These three things have been great for my one, two, and three year olds.
1) Consistent Lap Time. When I read the Bible aloud in the morning, the bigger children fold napkins and towels and/or color. I tried having the littlest one on a blanket beside me ("blanket time"), with the idea being that I would train them to stay on the blanket while I read. For me, it worked better to put that little one on my lap. (I admit, I quickly tired of straightening the blanket, correcting the child, etc.) With G on my lap, I could hold him tighter if he squirmed and I could prevent him from getting down. This was also great practice for us because during church he needed to sit quietly on our laps for an extended period of time. In essence, we were practicing for church. (But it also comes in handy on flights, in doctor's waiting rooms, and anywhere you would like to contain a squirmy little one for awhile!)
2) Productive Potty Time. I might be the only one, but it seemed I spent a good deal of time in the bathroom waiting for little people to finish so that I could wipe them and help them wash hands. During our toilet training, I kept books on hand (which I didn't really like to have in the bathroom, anyway.) Now, I use that bathroom time to run through catechism questions. It's one on one time with my little man and he loves it when he knows the answers and I make a big deal out of it. Honestly, this just doesn't have another spot in our full homeschooling day, so I'm happy we have a consistent time now to lay down these truths in his little mind. (G will ask me to say "YES!" really loudly when he gets it right.) These are a few of the simple questions that I can remember: Who made you? What else did God make? Why did God make you and all things? Can you see God? Where is God? What is God? Where do you learn how to love and obey God? Who wrote the Bible? Who were your first parents? What did God give Adam and Eve besides bodies?
3) Brother/Sister Time. This has been part of our homeschool day, simply so that I could focus in on older children and help them with their work. However, I've now seen so many added benefits! As each older sibling has 30 minutes with the youngest one, they get to plan their time, choose their activity (usually they are only given 2 options), and I tell them that THEIR goal is to be the teacher/babysitter. G gets one on one time with a variety of siblings every day, which is such a gift! I see how he has special and unique relationships with each of them that have been fostered through their times together. (And, I'm super glad that everyone is engaged in their own activity during our school time. Fewer distractions has been a huge help to this mama!)
Showing posts with label schooling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label schooling. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Sunday, June 21, 2015
And Now I'm THAT Mom
We were at the homeschool convention last weekend. It was only the second time (in the 9 years we've been schooling at home) that I've attended, and it was the first time for my children and The Lawyer to be part of the convention. We decided to go at the last minute, mainly because Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis) was one of the keynote speakers and our children really enjoy listening to him. Plus, The Lawyer seemed inclined to have me attend, which really meant that I should go (whether I felt like it or not!).
So, I've never attended a convention like this with my children in tow. When I went two years ago with my friend Amy and her family, I was able to stroll around at my own pace, looking at vendor booths and chatting with the few people I knew, sitting in during sessions and taking notes, reviewing my notes and thinking things through in a few quiet moments between speakers. Of course, having half a dozen kids with me changed the experience! We tried not to lose anyone in the vendor area, not to disrupt all of our neighbors during the sessions, and spent a lot of time shuttling little people back and forth to the potty!
Honestly, it was a very positive experience. The kids loved Ken Ham- so much that we heard him three times! We also listened to Buddy Davis talk about creatures of the Ice Age, which was another of their favorites. They loved seeing so many of their friends and families that we know. The vendor hall was terribly exciting to all of them and we were feeling inspired!
The surprising thing for me was the realization that I'm not the kind of homeschooling mom I thought I was.
I've seen myself as a classical education kind of mom. One who is organized and structured and has a plan (including Latin and lots of classics!) to see my kids through high school at a rigorous, academically-rich pace. I identify strongly with my friends who participate in Classical Conversations. They seem to really have their act together all the time! I like their approach to schooling and I like how it looks. But that's not really where I find myself anymore. I still VALUE these things, but it looks and feels a lot different than I thought it would when I actually try to pull this off in our home.
At the convention, I saw myself as a mom wrangling some little ones and also trying to meet the needs of my bigger kids. I had a two year old who was awfully loud during some of the sessions, and a five year old who was overly tired and whining, as well. Add to that some kids who kept excusing themselves for the restroom... well, you get it. Messy.
And I found myself in a session with Melanie Young on how to homeschool when you have a houseful. And that's not a session I ever would have thought I would have attended. She was talking about eating off of paper plates and letting things go and being okay with it. She spoke of keeping the baby in bed as the only way to sleep and also mentioned eating fish sticks and other highly processed food as time-savers. These things could have been offensive to me... but I was attracted by her spirit of love toward her children. I heard her mission to raise independent learners (which apparently worked well for her son at Oxford!). She clearly loves her children and has found ways to manage her home so that she can accomplish MUCH (Prov 31). I was impressed by her attention to details for her older kids but also the way she talked about loving on her littler ones by looking them in the eyes and giving them attention that they need during the school day.
This is me right now. I'm a messy homeschool mom. I'm needing to spend more time loving on my kids and meeting the immediate needs (food! clothes! love!) than achieving the high academic standards I'd like to pursue for/with them. I simply can not pull off the rigorous schedule I have in my head... and it makes us all miserable when I try. Listening to Melanie was surprisingly refreshing! I didn't want to identify with her, and yet I do. I was challenged to clean up some things (our daily schedule, my budgeting), but also to simplify where I can and to focus on what is truly important.
That. Just that idea of what is truly important; it's a big idea. It's one worth thinking on. Voddie Baucham said that we need to think about why we are really homeschooling. Ken Ham says that we are doing this first for GOD and then for our children. We serve God first. It looks different than I expected, our home school. Yet, I'm encouraged to press on in service to the One who redeemed me. For His sake I'll embrace the messiness, agree to change, go on loving, release my expectations, and even let the world see that we're a little bit unkempt. We aren't pursuing perfection here, or even academic greatness. We're pursuing a knowledge of our Lord.
So, I've never attended a convention like this with my children in tow. When I went two years ago with my friend Amy and her family, I was able to stroll around at my own pace, looking at vendor booths and chatting with the few people I knew, sitting in during sessions and taking notes, reviewing my notes and thinking things through in a few quiet moments between speakers. Of course, having half a dozen kids with me changed the experience! We tried not to lose anyone in the vendor area, not to disrupt all of our neighbors during the sessions, and spent a lot of time shuttling little people back and forth to the potty!
Honestly, it was a very positive experience. The kids loved Ken Ham- so much that we heard him three times! We also listened to Buddy Davis talk about creatures of the Ice Age, which was another of their favorites. They loved seeing so many of their friends and families that we know. The vendor hall was terribly exciting to all of them and we were feeling inspired!
The surprising thing for me was the realization that I'm not the kind of homeschooling mom I thought I was.
I've seen myself as a classical education kind of mom. One who is organized and structured and has a plan (including Latin and lots of classics!) to see my kids through high school at a rigorous, academically-rich pace. I identify strongly with my friends who participate in Classical Conversations. They seem to really have their act together all the time! I like their approach to schooling and I like how it looks. But that's not really where I find myself anymore. I still VALUE these things, but it looks and feels a lot different than I thought it would when I actually try to pull this off in our home.
At the convention, I saw myself as a mom wrangling some little ones and also trying to meet the needs of my bigger kids. I had a two year old who was awfully loud during some of the sessions, and a five year old who was overly tired and whining, as well. Add to that some kids who kept excusing themselves for the restroom... well, you get it. Messy.
And I found myself in a session with Melanie Young on how to homeschool when you have a houseful. And that's not a session I ever would have thought I would have attended. She was talking about eating off of paper plates and letting things go and being okay with it. She spoke of keeping the baby in bed as the only way to sleep and also mentioned eating fish sticks and other highly processed food as time-savers. These things could have been offensive to me... but I was attracted by her spirit of love toward her children. I heard her mission to raise independent learners (which apparently worked well for her son at Oxford!). She clearly loves her children and has found ways to manage her home so that she can accomplish MUCH (Prov 31). I was impressed by her attention to details for her older kids but also the way she talked about loving on her littler ones by looking them in the eyes and giving them attention that they need during the school day.
This is me right now. I'm a messy homeschool mom. I'm needing to spend more time loving on my kids and meeting the immediate needs (food! clothes! love!) than achieving the high academic standards I'd like to pursue for/with them. I simply can not pull off the rigorous schedule I have in my head... and it makes us all miserable when I try. Listening to Melanie was surprisingly refreshing! I didn't want to identify with her, and yet I do. I was challenged to clean up some things (our daily schedule, my budgeting), but also to simplify where I can and to focus on what is truly important.
That. Just that idea of what is truly important; it's a big idea. It's one worth thinking on. Voddie Baucham said that we need to think about why we are really homeschooling. Ken Ham says that we are doing this first for GOD and then for our children. We serve God first. It looks different than I expected, our home school. Yet, I'm encouraged to press on in service to the One who redeemed me. For His sake I'll embrace the messiness, agree to change, go on loving, release my expectations, and even let the world see that we're a little bit unkempt. We aren't pursuing perfection here, or even academic greatness. We're pursuing a knowledge of our Lord.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Teaching the Tender Ones
Another school season is upon us (though we don't every really take a big break). For our family, this is another year of education and training at home for our six children.
This schooling adventure all really started eight or so years ago when O was a lad and many of the other boys his age were being sent off to cute little preschools wearing their adorable little backpacks while their cute little mommies were going out for coffee or out to the gym. And at first, I really just didn't want to say goodbye to my firstborn son. "It's too early!" I protested (to myself) as other three and four year-olds waved good-bye to their parents and their mothers told me confidently, "They LOVE school. They are so social; they really need this."
I thought of Hannah and the son she prayed for and how she nursed Samuel and taught him and wouldn't leave with her husband for the yearly sacrifice but knew that time would come soon enough. But not yet. (1 Samuel 1)
I think now of the son mentioned in Proverbs, who was taught when he "was tender, the only one in the sight of his mother" (Proverbs 4:3). It seems that wise men realize that much can be taught to our young ones. Not only do we lead by example, but the wise father instructed his children. Intentionally.
Back in the first days of educating at home, I wanted to give O an excellent education. Truthfully, part of me wanted to prove that I could do this better than the public school system. (O pride, my shame!) He was a willing student and I had energy and a deep desire to do this well.
Now, I'm older and have seen much more and have six children to humble me. We still educate at home and I still desire excellence, but I've also realized that I value strong family ties just as much as raising a knowledgeable adult; that I value strong character more than I value straight As. There are vastly more things going on in our home each day. (Too much on some days, I dare say!)
In the beginning, I didn't want to give away the privilege of spending time with my own children. I still feel the same way. In fact, I also don't want to give away the privilege of watching them learn, of learning with them, of interacting with my children and creating something beautiful and messy and unique (our family). I don't want to miss any opportunity to share God's Word with them, to open it up together, to linger over it, to memorize it, to talk about the gospel through our day.
I truly love this season of investing in our children. Though I often doubt that I am doing enough and I sometimes wonder if we're learning the right things or enough things or the things that really matter eternally. . . I do know we are learning and doing it together and it is surprising that God had this in store for my life and theirs and it really is passing too quickly.
This schooling adventure all really started eight or so years ago when O was a lad and many of the other boys his age were being sent off to cute little preschools wearing their adorable little backpacks while their cute little mommies were going out for coffee or out to the gym. And at first, I really just didn't want to say goodbye to my firstborn son. "It's too early!" I protested (to myself) as other three and four year-olds waved good-bye to their parents and their mothers told me confidently, "They LOVE school. They are so social; they really need this."
I thought of Hannah and the son she prayed for and how she nursed Samuel and taught him and wouldn't leave with her husband for the yearly sacrifice but knew that time would come soon enough. But not yet. (1 Samuel 1)
I think now of the son mentioned in Proverbs, who was taught when he "was tender, the only one in the sight of his mother" (Proverbs 4:3). It seems that wise men realize that much can be taught to our young ones. Not only do we lead by example, but the wise father instructed his children. Intentionally.
Back in the first days of educating at home, I wanted to give O an excellent education. Truthfully, part of me wanted to prove that I could do this better than the public school system. (O pride, my shame!) He was a willing student and I had energy and a deep desire to do this well.
Now, I'm older and have seen much more and have six children to humble me. We still educate at home and I still desire excellence, but I've also realized that I value strong family ties just as much as raising a knowledgeable adult; that I value strong character more than I value straight As. There are vastly more things going on in our home each day. (Too much on some days, I dare say!)
In the beginning, I didn't want to give away the privilege of spending time with my own children. I still feel the same way. In fact, I also don't want to give away the privilege of watching them learn, of learning with them, of interacting with my children and creating something beautiful and messy and unique (our family). I don't want to miss any opportunity to share God's Word with them, to open it up together, to linger over it, to memorize it, to talk about the gospel through our day.
I truly love this season of investing in our children. Though I often doubt that I am doing enough and I sometimes wonder if we're learning the right things or enough things or the things that really matter eternally. . . I do know we are learning and doing it together and it is surprising that God had this in store for my life and theirs and it really is passing too quickly.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Memorizing Colossians
The kids and I have the goal of memorizing the book of Colossians this year. We have worked through the first chapter of Colossians and are moving into chapter two. At this point, O and I can recite the first chapter by memory- if we help each other out. Once we can do it flawlessly, we plan to reward ourselves with a celebratory ice cream date.
This month we started on Colossians 2. Our basic plan is to say the previous verses every day (so at the end of last month we were saying the entire first chapter each day), then we learn the new verse (or portion of a verse if it is very long). I like to use some ASL to help us with this, and it teaches us another language. We then say the new verse 10 times. Each day, the big boys (age 7 and 9) are to review their verses by themselves by using the memory section of their binder. There, I've given them this version, which I find really stretches our brains and helps us commit the Word to memory.
What about you? Are you sowing God's Word in your heart? Helping your children? I'd love to do this better.
Using the first letter of each word looks like this:
Colossians Chapter 2
1 F I w y t k h g a s I h f y a f t a L a f a w h n s m f t f, 2 t t h m b e, b h t i l, t r a t r o f a o u a t k o G's m, w i C, 3 i w a ha t t o w a k. 4 I s t i o t n o m d y w p a. 5 F t I a a i b, y I a w y i s, r t s y g o a t f o y f i C.
This month we started on Colossians 2. Our basic plan is to say the previous verses every day (so at the end of last month we were saying the entire first chapter each day), then we learn the new verse (or portion of a verse if it is very long). I like to use some ASL to help us with this, and it teaches us another language. We then say the new verse 10 times. Each day, the big boys (age 7 and 9) are to review their verses by themselves by using the memory section of their binder. There, I've given them this version, which I find really stretches our brains and helps us commit the Word to memory.
What about you? Are you sowing God's Word in your heart? Helping your children? I'd love to do this better.
Using the first letter of each word looks like this:
Colossians Chapter 2
1 F I w y t k h g a s I h f y a f t a L a f a w h n s m f t f, 2 t t h m b e, b h t i l, t r a t r o f a o u a t k o G's m, w i C, 3 i w a ha t t o w a k. 4 I s t i o t n o m d y w p a. 5 F t I a a i b, y I a w y i s, r t s y g o a t f o y f i C.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
School Art- Circles
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Memory Work for 2010-2011
This website is a wonderful aid for Bible memorization. Such fun! It takes the portion of the Bible you are seeking to commit to memory, and gives you just the first letter of each word.
I've spent as much time as possible over the past few days preparing for this new school year. One thing I'm excited about is our memory binder. I put monthly memory work in tabs, including: a hymn, poetry, catechism questions, and Scripture portions. I think the website will really help with our Scripture memorization.
I've spent as much time as possible over the past few days preparing for this new school year. One thing I'm excited about is our memory binder. I put monthly memory work in tabs, including: a hymn, poetry, catechism questions, and Scripture portions. I think the website will really help with our Scripture memorization.
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