I know Christmas is over, but I wanted to ask, “What do you need for Christmas?”
All the kids, retailers, etc. will hate me for this, but what if Christmas was really about giving? REAL giving.
I mean, Christ came and died and paid the price for sin, and purchased our salvation because we needed it. It wasn’t a frivolous materialistic purchase for our pleasure. He didn’t come to throw flowers and spread love. He came to buy, pay and purchase us. It was a deadly need. Our lives depended on it.
What if we asked people what do you NEED for Christmas? What if it was truly others-focused and based on their needs? It’s a socialist idea, really, but so much different when it comes from the heart of each man for another, rather than an unchosen government imposition. There are Christian organizations that provide for needs around the world. Christmas is really a big time of year for them, because people are in a giving mood. But what if we were like that with everyone?
Here in America, we don’t really need much, but what if the kids got new pajamas, new boots, or new eyeglasses for Christmas instead of Xboxes and cell phones? What if we went around asking friends and relatives, “hey, what do you need for Christmas?” In a real community, word would get around that old Mrs. Smith just needs $50 to pay for her prescriptions this month, teacher needs a new muffler on her car, mommy needs a new pair of slippers, and daddy could use a new snow shovel.
As it is, the question is always, “what do you WANT for Christmas?” Maybe I am just too practical, but I think if we spent all the $ we shell out for frivolities at Christmas for things that folks really need, there would be a lot of needs met and some very happy people....not just materially, but knowing that someone has your back, someone is looking for how they can bless you and meet your needs.
We have a warped view of wants vs. needs here in America anyway, and I think that is a huge part of our problem as individuals and as a nation. When we think that computers and cellphones are needs, there is a problem (they are, though, for me. I know, I have a problem.) But really what do we NEED? Even if we make some allowances in the definition for us as Americans, we could certainly reduce the materialism in our lives if we looked, really looked to meet people’s needs.
I got my daughter some things she NEEDED for Christmas this year. She is living in cold, cold Rochester, NY, and so she needed a warmer coat, warmer shoes, warmer clothes, and a hat. Yet, I still felt like I should get her something fun. I feel like there is this cultural pressure to get “fluffy” things for people for Christmas. It’s not really appropriate to get practical things for people for Christmas, but wouldn’t that be better? Wouldn’t it be best to put aside the fluff, ask people what they need, and have a nice dinner for Christmas?
My youngest and I have been reading Laura Ingalls Wilder, and they were deliriously happy over the Christmas candy in their stockings and perhaps a new pair of mittens, even for just the Christmas dinner itself, and any people that joined them.
Think of the reduced pressure, the return of true Christmas Spirit, in asking people,
“What do you need for Christmas?”
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Christmas Traditions
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| Castle card for Aidan |
For a few years, we did an Advent Wreath, which I really like the idea of. It just didn’t work for our family. Honestly, we just couldn’t get consistent about it. Sometimes my husband was home for dinner, sometimes not, and dragging people back to the table each night for doing the readings and wreath was like pulling teeth. I don’t think the kids really appreciated the full-picture of the prophecies and the Christmas story, because they were too disjointed. Each reading is short, which one would think would be good for time management, but it just ended up feeling unfinished each night. The kids didn’t identify with the colors of the candles either. It seemed like most times we would do the reading, light the candle, and blow it out - done! We had somewhere to be.
Another on and off tradition in our home is the Advent Calendar. On the Advent calendar we own, each day is a little book that is part of the Christmas Story that is then hung on the tree. Really cute. I loved it when the kids were little. We were also reading the Christmas account from the Bible, and we noticed that there were some inconsistent aspects of the Advent book stories. Nothing heretical, just made up parts of the stories and some things that didn’t line up with Scripture - like the Wise Men being at the manger simultaneously with the Shepherds, Mary and Joseph stopping at an oasis, etc. I know, no big deal. Anyway, my youngest resurrected the calendar this year and consistently asked to read the book each day...so at least for this year, that is a tradition again. It became a game, asking her whether what was in the booklet really happened that way in the Bible.
That brings me to another tradition, which is reading the Christmas account from the Bible during the kids devotion time in the weeks before Christmas. This is a keeper tradition. There are so many aspects of the Christmas story that I thought I knew and rediscovered reading with my kids. I love teaching my children some of the more obscure, yet still truly miraculous stories, of Jesus’ birth. My favorite is Simeon and Anna in Luke 2:25-38. So interesting that they knew who He was. Like those fairytales, but it really happened and what they predicted, really did “come true”.
We always go to Christmas Eve Service at our church.
We have movie and book traditions too, if we have time for them. For about the last 4 years, we have read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever aloud to our kids. I thought perhaps they had grown out of it, but this year the 18 year old home from college brought the book with her for Steve to read to the family. We sat around in the kitchen while he read it and no teenager got up with statements of better things to do. Granted it is a funny story, but also insightful and touching. Another tradition was to watch It’s a Wonderful Life but we did not get to that one this year. This year we watched Elf.
As I was thinking through these things, I didn’t even think of our biggest and most significant tradition until I was faced with the late-nighters we pull to accomplish the task. As we worked on them Steve said, “this is really a great tradition, thanks for thinking of this.” Glad he said that, because he does most of the work!
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| The Tardis Christmas Card for our Dr. Who fan. I think all the older kids would have liked to get this one. |
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| Holiday Dinosaur for Tyler. Steve was just being goofy. |
The first few years we just wrote them letters in a store-bought card, but at some point, we decided, “hey, we’re artists, we should make cards.” Steve definitely has the better style for this and the kids have so much as said so. The one year I drew the cards they said they liked Dad’s better. That’s okay, I do too and I don’t mind writing the letter part. The letter is usually an applicable scripture and then an encouragement looking back over the year, it takes quite a bit of thought and time.
The cards are really focused on the kids, but I think that they help them to see that there is a larger life-picture they should be considering, a spiritual perspective on things that have happened, and also, relationships to cherish beyond presents to open.
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| We just saw this polar bear baby and thought we HAD to do this one for Elise. |
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Robot Parents
I know my last blog post was about asking for parenting advice. And I still stand by that encouragement. Just watch out for legalism, primarily your own. Let me explain.
I read a lot of parenting books when my kids were babies on up through the years. Some might consider some of the books and materials I followed as controversial, but I don’t think they really were. I think what made them controversial was legalistic robot-Christians. Following advice legalistically without using your own Biblical research, discernment, and common sense is foolish.
I will give myself as an example. When we were new parents we listened to tapes from popular Christian-parenting literature of the time, Growing Kids God’s Way and Preparation for Parenting by Gary and Ann Marie Ezzo. The information was good. I think many of the principles would be wisely taken by many parents today (things like respect for people and property, gradually allowing independence in your child, etc.) The controversy came in their advice regarding scheduled feedings (and their own legalistic views regarding their own advice, “God’s Way”, and eventually apparently their own pride. Their material was particularly “cold” as well. ) Their advice for babies was to feed your child every 3 hours on a schedule. It made sense and it actually worked. Our first child slept through the night and ate on a schedule by 2 months old. The problem? She did not gain an ounce for a month (or was it two?). Now, I don’t blame the Ezzos or necessarily their materials. Even my pediatrician said, “well, she’s not hungry if she’s sleeping through the night.” I do think, though, that if I were more in tune with my child and less concerned about a schedule, her weight may have been normal for that time period. She’s 18 now, with no known eating disorders ; ). Around that time, accusations started coming towards the Ezzos regarding parents with failure to thrive infants using their materials.
Really!? If your child is wasting away, you still follow a schedule? I’d like to think that I was at least smarter than that....maybe I wasn't. The advice wasn’t bad. In fact, the advice was good....in PRINCIPLE.
At any rate, my mistake caused me to come to the conclusion that most advice is just that, advice. With my subsequent children I did still follow Preparation for Parenting principles, but I was a little wiser. I made my own modifications (if you're interested in the details, I think I have them documented somewhere). This did work to gradually shift the “eat now” body clock to the day and the “sleep now” body clock to the night. It took a little longer with them, but they were still sleeping through the night by 12 weeks or so.....and happy and well-fed babies.
Another controversial book To Train Up a Child, was given to me when Aidan was about 3 years old (He’s now 16). Again, the Pearls book became controversial fairly recently when the book was found in the home of parents who abused and beat their child TO DEATH.
Really!? You beat your child supposedly based on someone’s advice so far as to kill him or her? This is not even robot behavior.....they were most certainly NOT following the Pearls’ advice. I'm not sure if this is the parent's testimony or if it was just the media grasping for the “why” in the minds of abusive parents and finding the book in their home as a clue.
I saw the Pearls’ materials as a major milestone in my relationship with my children. People isolate and criticize their teaching on spanking, but what I really noticed in their newsletters and other materials was the relationship they had with their children. And the extremely convicting articles that they wrote to parents challenging them, not to beat their children, but to repent and change themselves and their own thinking. That “tying strings of fellowship” with your children was by far, the most important thing. I was really struck by the encouragement to invest in my children. They didn’t say, “make your children do chores”. They said, “do chores with your children.” Their methodology advice is loaded with principles of relationship. I realized that my relationship with my children was not what it should be. I was selfishly just trying to manage them instead of investing in them, training them, enjoying them. I had my own behavior issues, specifically anger. The Pearls told me I was the problem (well, not personally). I never concluded that I had to discipline my children more, I concluded that I needed to realize that I had the power to change me and I should do so.
Their books also helped me to see practically and creatively, how I could train and discipline my children. After implementing their ideas AND changing myself, I realized that I hardly ever spanked my kids anymore. I didn’t see much change in my kids until I wasn’t such a pissy-parent any more! Now, my teens are a little resentful that their little sister is hardly ever spanked. Sorry, it took me a while to change kids...so sorry. Thankfully, they are laughing at me now, instead of hating me.
Those are only two of the many, many books that I read over the last 18 years, but definitely the ones I learned from the most.....for bad and for good. Here are a few others (and there were many more.)
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp. A great principle book, as I said in my other blog post. He hits the nail on the head in that parenting is about the heart....but such a difficult thing to know how to implement, because it IS about the heart!
Say Goodbye to Whining Complaining, and Bad Attitudes in you and your kids! - by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller. A book about teaching respect in the home, also focusing on family relationships. No corporal punishment mentioned (that I can remember.)
Making Children Mind without Losing Yours by Kevin Leman. A natural consequences book.
Age of Opportunity by Paul Tripp. Don’t remember much about this book.
Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson. What it says.
Changing Your Child’s Heart by Steve Sherbondy. Using tools (chores and tasks, mainly) to change a child’s attitude.
For Parents Only by Shaunti Feldhan. A poll of the insights and opinions of teenagers of all backgrounds. Very enlightening.
After all of this reading, I found (in some cases it was NOT included in the book!) the most essential element of parenting is relationship, relationship, relationship. Building relationships is difficult to teach. You can give specific ideas for the robot-parent to follow, but it comes down to a parent’s heart for their child and what they DO with that. Tedd Tripp’s book does teach about this and yet I could not apply it at the time I read it. I think my kids were too young; I could not see practically how to implement it. Maybe I need to re-read it. It was the stories of love and investment in the Pearl’s materials that made me see what I was missing, that convicted me, but I did read that when my kids were a little older.
I also found the biggest deterrent to a good relationship, parental hypocrisy. Find it and repent. I saw this in many articles and letters that the Pearls answered in their newsletters and also in the book Already Gone by Ken Ham. Interestingly, Ham’s conclusion as to why the church is losing children to the world was lack of teaching about origins, but the raw data in the back of the book, I thought, told a different story as to why kids leave the church - parental hypocrisy.
The early years were filled with training experiences and quite a few spankings (especially for the boys), but they were also (eventually) filled with an investment of time.....lots of time. Time spent in our own little stories that built our friendship. Yes, friendship. Now, three of them are teens and our fellowship is sweet (okay, mostly we laugh....still sweet.)
One friend when praised for her older daughters’ faithfulness to the Lord, righteous living, good choices, etc always says, “Oh, they still struggle and face temptation. I pray for them every day.” Another investment, perhaps more essential than all others.
My story is far from over. I cannot rest, but must continue to repent, invest, and pray.
I read a lot of parenting books when my kids were babies on up through the years. Some might consider some of the books and materials I followed as controversial, but I don’t think they really were. I think what made them controversial was legalistic robot-Christians. Following advice legalistically without using your own Biblical research, discernment, and common sense is foolish.
I will give myself as an example. When we were new parents we listened to tapes from popular Christian-parenting literature of the time, Growing Kids God’s Way and Preparation for Parenting by Gary and Ann Marie Ezzo. The information was good. I think many of the principles would be wisely taken by many parents today (things like respect for people and property, gradually allowing independence in your child, etc.) The controversy came in their advice regarding scheduled feedings (and their own legalistic views regarding their own advice, “God’s Way”, and eventually apparently their own pride. Their material was particularly “cold” as well. ) Their advice for babies was to feed your child every 3 hours on a schedule. It made sense and it actually worked. Our first child slept through the night and ate on a schedule by 2 months old. The problem? She did not gain an ounce for a month (or was it two?). Now, I don’t blame the Ezzos or necessarily their materials. Even my pediatrician said, “well, she’s not hungry if she’s sleeping through the night.” I do think, though, that if I were more in tune with my child and less concerned about a schedule, her weight may have been normal for that time period. She’s 18 now, with no known eating disorders ; ). Around that time, accusations started coming towards the Ezzos regarding parents with failure to thrive infants using their materials.
Really!? If your child is wasting away, you still follow a schedule? I’d like to think that I was at least smarter than that....maybe I wasn't. The advice wasn’t bad. In fact, the advice was good....in PRINCIPLE.
At any rate, my mistake caused me to come to the conclusion that most advice is just that, advice. With my subsequent children I did still follow Preparation for Parenting principles, but I was a little wiser. I made my own modifications (if you're interested in the details, I think I have them documented somewhere). This did work to gradually shift the “eat now” body clock to the day and the “sleep now” body clock to the night. It took a little longer with them, but they were still sleeping through the night by 12 weeks or so.....and happy and well-fed babies.
Another controversial book To Train Up a Child, was given to me when Aidan was about 3 years old (He’s now 16). Again, the Pearls book became controversial fairly recently when the book was found in the home of parents who abused and beat their child TO DEATH.
Really!? You beat your child supposedly based on someone’s advice so far as to kill him or her? This is not even robot behavior.....they were most certainly NOT following the Pearls’ advice. I'm not sure if this is the parent's testimony or if it was just the media grasping for the “why” in the minds of abusive parents and finding the book in their home as a clue.
I saw the Pearls’ materials as a major milestone in my relationship with my children. People isolate and criticize their teaching on spanking, but what I really noticed in their newsletters and other materials was the relationship they had with their children. And the extremely convicting articles that they wrote to parents challenging them, not to beat their children, but to repent and change themselves and their own thinking. That “tying strings of fellowship” with your children was by far, the most important thing. I was really struck by the encouragement to invest in my children. They didn’t say, “make your children do chores”. They said, “do chores with your children.” Their methodology advice is loaded with principles of relationship. I realized that my relationship with my children was not what it should be. I was selfishly just trying to manage them instead of investing in them, training them, enjoying them. I had my own behavior issues, specifically anger. The Pearls told me I was the problem (well, not personally). I never concluded that I had to discipline my children more, I concluded that I needed to realize that I had the power to change me and I should do so.
Their books also helped me to see practically and creatively, how I could train and discipline my children. After implementing their ideas AND changing myself, I realized that I hardly ever spanked my kids anymore. I didn’t see much change in my kids until I wasn’t such a pissy-parent any more! Now, my teens are a little resentful that their little sister is hardly ever spanked. Sorry, it took me a while to change kids...so sorry. Thankfully, they are laughing at me now, instead of hating me.
Those are only two of the many, many books that I read over the last 18 years, but definitely the ones I learned from the most.....for bad and for good. Here are a few others (and there were many more.)
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp. A great principle book, as I said in my other blog post. He hits the nail on the head in that parenting is about the heart....but such a difficult thing to know how to implement, because it IS about the heart!
Say Goodbye to Whining Complaining, and Bad Attitudes in you and your kids! - by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller. A book about teaching respect in the home, also focusing on family relationships. No corporal punishment mentioned (that I can remember.)
Making Children Mind without Losing Yours by Kevin Leman. A natural consequences book.
Age of Opportunity by Paul Tripp. Don’t remember much about this book.
Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson. What it says.
Changing Your Child’s Heart by Steve Sherbondy. Using tools (chores and tasks, mainly) to change a child’s attitude.
For Parents Only by Shaunti Feldhan. A poll of the insights and opinions of teenagers of all backgrounds. Very enlightening.
After all of this reading, I found (in some cases it was NOT included in the book!) the most essential element of parenting is relationship, relationship, relationship. Building relationships is difficult to teach. You can give specific ideas for the robot-parent to follow, but it comes down to a parent’s heart for their child and what they DO with that. Tedd Tripp’s book does teach about this and yet I could not apply it at the time I read it. I think my kids were too young; I could not see practically how to implement it. Maybe I need to re-read it. It was the stories of love and investment in the Pearl’s materials that made me see what I was missing, that convicted me, but I did read that when my kids were a little older.
I also found the biggest deterrent to a good relationship, parental hypocrisy. Find it and repent. I saw this in many articles and letters that the Pearls answered in their newsletters and also in the book Already Gone by Ken Ham. Interestingly, Ham’s conclusion as to why the church is losing children to the world was lack of teaching about origins, but the raw data in the back of the book, I thought, told a different story as to why kids leave the church - parental hypocrisy.
The early years were filled with training experiences and quite a few spankings (especially for the boys), but they were also (eventually) filled with an investment of time.....lots of time. Time spent in our own little stories that built our friendship. Yes, friendship. Now, three of them are teens and our fellowship is sweet (okay, mostly we laugh....still sweet.)
One friend when praised for her older daughters’ faithfulness to the Lord, righteous living, good choices, etc always says, “Oh, they still struggle and face temptation. I pray for them every day.” Another investment, perhaps more essential than all others.
My story is far from over. I cannot rest, but must continue to repent, invest, and pray.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Parenting: The Best Advice You Can Never Give
You can’t really give parenting advice anymore. People get really offended. You can give broad principle-oriented advice, but you can’t say, “hey, you really should do this.” or “you know, he wouldn’t do that if you did this.” There are a few people you can give parenting advice to, but you really need an invitation to do so. I have maybe 2 friends I can give parenting advice to freely.
I remember as a young parent asking “yes, but HOW?” to the Shepherding Your Child’s Heart principle stuff. (My apologies to Tedd Tripp, great book, but I’m a practical gal.) That lead me to To Train Up Your Child. Fortunately, I didn’t read any reviews beforehand! I didn’t know HOW to be consistent. I didn’t know HOW to address a lot of issues.
Truly there is a balance between principle-parenting and practical-parenting. (And I do think that the Pearls focus more on correcting PARENTS and addressing their relationship with their children than they do on spanking in their materials as a whole. I will take some time to review some parenting books in later blogposts.)
People believe that parenting is a very subjective thing but really some aspects are very objective. They must be, because we all sit in judgment of other people’s parenting, don’t we? Or we sit in judgment of other people’s kids.
Proverbs 20:11 "Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right."
Truly, a kid’s character is easily discerned after spending some time with them.
You can deny that you judge other people’s parenting and kids....but you know you do. At least in your own thoughts: “That kid is such a brat!”, “Doesn’t she see that he has taken 10 things off the dessert tray!”, “Hey! I almost ran that kid over. Where are his parents?” You know, those thoughts.
To what extent is a child the product of his upbringing and to what extent is he/she who she is because of his/her innate soul, personality and character?
I am thinking about 50/50. That’s my guess: 50/50.
Even if I’m wrong on my ratio (which I probably am), why not take someone’s advice for addressing the 50 or whatever % that you are responsible for? It will increase your chances of being a better parent. Ask someone that you trust to be honest with you about your parenting. We all see each other’s faults and are often blind to our own. It’s time to ask for advice and not become defensive, but be willing to look at ourselves and say, “hey, they’re right and I’m going to do something about it.”
There are many kinds of parents:
The Clueless Parent: The parent who is oblivious to their child’s behavior. Even if they are made aware of it, they still manage to miss most misbehavior issues.
The Hypocritical Parent: The parent who sees the issues and talks like a disciplinarian, but they never actually do anything to address their child’s behavior.
The Uptight Parent: The parent who sees a problem and blows it way out of proportion, making a good display for others and trashing their kid publicly in the process.
The Excuses Parent: He /she is __________. This parent always has a crutch or label to blame for not parenting their child properly.
The Helpless Parent: The Parent who has no control and is distressed by the little tyrant they have allowed to rule over them.
The All-Around Parent: The parent who is light-hearted when appropriate and strict when necessary. The parent who knows their child and their child has a secure relationship with them.
I am assuming that all parents love their children! Even the worst parent will at least say they love their child. Discerning one’s own selfishness in loving a child, is another question altogether. What sacrifices are you willing to make in order to truly love and parent your child properly?
What kind of parent are you? There is no real science to my labels....I’m just thinking out loud, but I am sure you can identify other parents that fall into those categories, but can you identify yourself?
There is a wealth of parenting advice out there, but not all of it good, not all of it is right, and not all of it works. Whose children do you admire? Whose parenting do you aspire to? What All-Around Parents do you know? Ask them to mentor you, advise you. Give them permission to point out your weaknesses.
There are parents whose parenting I did not respect and everyone could see the writing on the wall. Most of the time no one talked about it (that would be gossip), and no one said anything to them (that would be nosey), but we all knew. Sadly, what we saw coming, came to fruition. They were very proud. We could not say anything, anyone who did was rejected. These parents are humbled now, but at a great cost. They lost their child. They lost 100%. They lost their relationship with their child. You knew it was their fault. And I’m not just talking about permitting disobedience, I’m talking about parental hypocrisy and lack of love in child-rearing.
I will make a caveat here that some people may feel like they have lost their children, as Christians (I don’t mean that as a salvation label, but an outward-living label), because of some sinful decisions or lifestyle choices their children have made. But they still have their child 100%. How can that be? Because they truly have taken care of their 50% and so the relationship stands firm regardless of the difference of opinion or beliefs between parent and child. The child still trusts the parent, even if the child has been diverted in their 50%. (And there is still hope that they will be 100% for Christ at some point in their lives!)
Some people might read the above and say, “yes, that’s what happened to me!” Still, examine yourself closely, ask others if you are at fault....repent of your mistakes. Especially to your child.
As a young mother, I had three women I respected and trusted to give me parenting advice. They discipled me and often gave unsolicited advice. I trusted them because I watched them parent and I saw their kids grow up with character I admired. I saw them (parents and children) make mistakes and humbly accept advice from others that had gone ahead of them.
I’m not there yet, but I want to be that kind of parent. How about you? What kind of parent do you want to be?
I remember as a young parent asking “yes, but HOW?” to the Shepherding Your Child’s Heart principle stuff. (My apologies to Tedd Tripp, great book, but I’m a practical gal.) That lead me to To Train Up Your Child. Fortunately, I didn’t read any reviews beforehand! I didn’t know HOW to be consistent. I didn’t know HOW to address a lot of issues.
Truly there is a balance between principle-parenting and practical-parenting. (And I do think that the Pearls focus more on correcting PARENTS and addressing their relationship with their children than they do on spanking in their materials as a whole. I will take some time to review some parenting books in later blogposts.)
People believe that parenting is a very subjective thing but really some aspects are very objective. They must be, because we all sit in judgment of other people’s parenting, don’t we? Or we sit in judgment of other people’s kids.
Proverbs 20:11 "Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right."
Truly, a kid’s character is easily discerned after spending some time with them.
You can deny that you judge other people’s parenting and kids....but you know you do. At least in your own thoughts: “That kid is such a brat!”, “Doesn’t she see that he has taken 10 things off the dessert tray!”, “Hey! I almost ran that kid over. Where are his parents?” You know, those thoughts.
To what extent is a child the product of his upbringing and to what extent is he/she who she is because of his/her innate soul, personality and character?
I am thinking about 50/50. That’s my guess: 50/50.
Even if I’m wrong on my ratio (which I probably am), why not take someone’s advice for addressing the 50 or whatever % that you are responsible for? It will increase your chances of being a better parent. Ask someone that you trust to be honest with you about your parenting. We all see each other’s faults and are often blind to our own. It’s time to ask for advice and not become defensive, but be willing to look at ourselves and say, “hey, they’re right and I’m going to do something about it.”
There are many kinds of parents:
The Clueless Parent: The parent who is oblivious to their child’s behavior. Even if they are made aware of it, they still manage to miss most misbehavior issues.
The Hypocritical Parent: The parent who sees the issues and talks like a disciplinarian, but they never actually do anything to address their child’s behavior.
The Uptight Parent: The parent who sees a problem and blows it way out of proportion, making a good display for others and trashing their kid publicly in the process.
The Excuses Parent: He /she is __________. This parent always has a crutch or label to blame for not parenting their child properly.
The Helpless Parent: The Parent who has no control and is distressed by the little tyrant they have allowed to rule over them.
The All-Around Parent: The parent who is light-hearted when appropriate and strict when necessary. The parent who knows their child and their child has a secure relationship with them.
I am assuming that all parents love their children! Even the worst parent will at least say they love their child. Discerning one’s own selfishness in loving a child, is another question altogether. What sacrifices are you willing to make in order to truly love and parent your child properly?
What kind of parent are you? There is no real science to my labels....I’m just thinking out loud, but I am sure you can identify other parents that fall into those categories, but can you identify yourself?
There is a wealth of parenting advice out there, but not all of it good, not all of it is right, and not all of it works. Whose children do you admire? Whose parenting do you aspire to? What All-Around Parents do you know? Ask them to mentor you, advise you. Give them permission to point out your weaknesses.
There are parents whose parenting I did not respect and everyone could see the writing on the wall. Most of the time no one talked about it (that would be gossip), and no one said anything to them (that would be nosey), but we all knew. Sadly, what we saw coming, came to fruition. They were very proud. We could not say anything, anyone who did was rejected. These parents are humbled now, but at a great cost. They lost their child. They lost 100%. They lost their relationship with their child. You knew it was their fault. And I’m not just talking about permitting disobedience, I’m talking about parental hypocrisy and lack of love in child-rearing.
I will make a caveat here that some people may feel like they have lost their children, as Christians (I don’t mean that as a salvation label, but an outward-living label), because of some sinful decisions or lifestyle choices their children have made. But they still have their child 100%. How can that be? Because they truly have taken care of their 50% and so the relationship stands firm regardless of the difference of opinion or beliefs between parent and child. The child still trusts the parent, even if the child has been diverted in their 50%. (And there is still hope that they will be 100% for Christ at some point in their lives!)
Some people might read the above and say, “yes, that’s what happened to me!” Still, examine yourself closely, ask others if you are at fault....repent of your mistakes. Especially to your child.
As a young mother, I had three women I respected and trusted to give me parenting advice. They discipled me and often gave unsolicited advice. I trusted them because I watched them parent and I saw their kids grow up with character I admired. I saw them (parents and children) make mistakes and humbly accept advice from others that had gone ahead of them.
I’m not there yet, but I want to be that kind of parent. How about you? What kind of parent do you want to be?
Friday, December 9, 2011
What are you whining about?
I've been reading through the Psalms, backwards, for my daily Bible reading....in my paper Bible at the table because God doesn't trust me to read on the computer. He knows I'll get distracted by some email or Facebook or something. I am reading through them backwards because I always start at Psalm 1 and then peter out in the 50s or something. So I decided to start at the end instead.
I am also reading to my 9 year old from Numbers, and now Deuteronomy because she, "wanted to start from the beginning." (We skipped most of Leviticus, I don't think you need to ask why.) I noticed the Israelites are complaining A LOT and God gets really mad. Made me think of how much I complain.
Numbers 14:1-12 (NIV)-
" 1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”
”
In my personal reading I am in Psalm 88. (All quotes of "the Psalmist" are from Psalm 88.)
3 For my soul is full of trouble
and my life draws near the grave.[c]
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like a man without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care. 6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily upon me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
It occurred to me that they are in similar situations, the Israelites and the Psalmist. Both feel like they are facing death. How come God doesn't get mad at the Psalmists, David or Korah, like He does with the Israelites for grumbling?
The Israelites question God's plan.
“If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4
The Psalmist recognizes that even if God himself is responsible for his circumstances, He is still the one to appeal to for a remedy. 2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry....
....."You have put me in the lowest pit".....
....."Your wrath lies heavily upon me"...."
.... I call to you, O LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
...But I cry to you for help, O LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
The Israelites don't believe God.
“How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?
The Psalmist believes that God is loving, he remembers His wondrous works, His faithfulness and righteous deeds.
1 O LORD, the God who saves me,
day and night I cry out before you.
Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction[d]?
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
The Israelites complain and lay blame to men.
2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron
The Psalmist complains to God.
1 O LORD, the God who saves me,
day and night I cry out before you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
9 I call to you, O LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
13 But I cry to you for help, O LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
The Israelites seek their own solutions.
3 Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them.
The Psalmist reasons with God.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?
Selah
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction[d]?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
Can a dead man praise you, God? Now that's a logical argument.
(Interestingly, Moses reasons with God on behalf of the Israelites later in this same chapter of Numbers - 14:13-23.)
Honestly, how many of us are facing death? Even so, He is the God who saves.
O LORD, the God who saves me
How often do I question God's plan?
How often do I reveal unbelief?
How often do I complain to (or about) someone who has no power or remedy?
How often do I seek my own solutions?
I can complain to the One who is in control.
I can believe.
I can ask God for solutions.
I can reason with God.
I am also reading to my 9 year old from Numbers, and now Deuteronomy because she, "wanted to start from the beginning." (We skipped most of Leviticus, I don't think you need to ask why.) I noticed the Israelites are complaining A LOT and God gets really mad. Made me think of how much I complain.
Numbers 14:1-12 (NIV)-
" 1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”
”
In my personal reading I am in Psalm 88. (All quotes of "the Psalmist" are from Psalm 88.)
3 For my soul is full of trouble
and my life draws near the grave.[c]
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like a man without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care. 6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily upon me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
It occurred to me that they are in similar situations, the Israelites and the Psalmist. Both feel like they are facing death. How come God doesn't get mad at the Psalmists, David or Korah, like He does with the Israelites for grumbling?
The Israelites question God's plan.
“If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4
The Psalmist recognizes that even if God himself is responsible for his circumstances, He is still the one to appeal to for a remedy. 2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry....
....."You have put me in the lowest pit".....
....."Your wrath lies heavily upon me"...."
.... I call to you, O LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
...But I cry to you for help, O LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
The Israelites don't believe God.
“How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?
The Psalmist believes that God is loving, he remembers His wondrous works, His faithfulness and righteous deeds.
1 O LORD, the God who saves me,
day and night I cry out before you.
Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction[d]?
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
The Israelites complain and lay blame to men.
2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron
The Psalmist complains to God.
1 O LORD, the God who saves me,
day and night I cry out before you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
9 I call to you, O LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
13 But I cry to you for help, O LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
The Israelites seek their own solutions.
3 Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them.
The Psalmist reasons with God.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?
Selah
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction[d]?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
Can a dead man praise you, God? Now that's a logical argument.
(Interestingly, Moses reasons with God on behalf of the Israelites later in this same chapter of Numbers - 14:13-23.)
Honestly, how many of us are facing death? Even so, He is the God who saves.
O LORD, the God who saves me
How often do I question God's plan?
How often do I reveal unbelief?
How often do I complain to (or about) someone who has no power or remedy?
How often do I seek my own solutions?
I can complain to the One who is in control.
I can believe.
I can ask God for solutions.
I can reason with God.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Out of High School to Homeschool
Okay, this blog post will be of almost no interest to most of you! Don't feel obligated to read it, it is purely for those for whom it was written!
I have recently received about 10 inquiries from parents wanting to pull their kids out of high school to homeschool them here in RI. After answering those emails, messages and phone calls, I started to feel like I was repeating myself. I am going to attempt to compile my advice here, to save myself some time.....not that I am not willing to give one-on-one advice, but there are some steps that will fit all situations. Be advised that I am not a lawyer and this does not constitute legal advice.
Some preliminary advice from other parents who have pulled their children out of school mid-year: Don’t discuss homeschooling with your child’s teacher or the administrators at your child’s school. This often changes the dynamic between teacher and student, or teacher and parent. It can also lead to misinformation. It is very common for a secretary or principal to tell a parent that they cannot homeschool or that they must wait for approval, which simply is not true. Bring or mail your Letter of Intent (LOI) to the school department on your child’s last day of "school" and pick your child/teen up for the last time OR file your LOI with the school district beforehand, then carry the letter of approval and your child’s withdrawal form to school the same day.
Step 1. Check out the RIGHT website: www.rihomeschool.com and Facebook pages. Consider joining a support group, surrounding yourself with like-minded homeschoolers and the resources and support that those organizations provide. I, of course, recommend RIGHT!
Step 2. Choose your curriculum. The curriculum choices can be overwhelming. It is worth the time to research and find out what you think might fit for you and your children.
At this point, you are more interested in meeting college admission requirements or preparing for future goals, than meeting State requirements (and most likely by meeting one, you will be meeting the other.) Homeschoolers are not required to meet state requirements for graduation, only to teach the required subjects “thoroughly and efficiently.”
If you are unsure of what your child needs to cover to have an adequate High School transcript and prepare him for acceptance into colleges, you might want to check out the HSLDA.org website and their “4 Year Plans” for high school. This chart tells you the expected course load if your child is, a) graduating, b) hoping to attend a mid-level college or c) hoping to attend an Ivy League college. If you go under “Navigation Menu” (top right) a list comes down with many choices, under “Get Answers” is “High School” where you will find those plans and many other resources that I will probably refer to later in this post.
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing curriculum for high school: find out what colleges expect of applying students. If your child knows the college(s) he intends to apply to, look online. Most colleges state what their expectations are of applying students. Do they need 3 sciences or just 2? Lab sciences? SAT II tests? Foreign language? How many years? You can find this information on most college websites. If you have no idea where you child might go to college, at least research your state college’s application expectations.
Some curriculum options:
Some curriculum can be costly! But consider these factors, your child’s education is worth an investment in quality curriculum, and most quality curriculums have a good re-sale value.
•You can buy a whole program from one company or buy an eclectic mix of different subject resources from different companies. I personally find that one size does not fit all, but some people love their boxed curriculum.
•Is your child a Junior or Senior?
You might want to consider dual-enrollment at CCRI or a combination of Community College courses and homeschooling.
RIC is more expensive, but has welcomed homeschoolers as young as 11 as non-degree seeking students, without a superintendent's letter. After completing 20 hours of coursework, the student can switch to degree-seeking without submitting high school transcripts......contingent on SAT scores, though.
There are also online dual-enrollment college courses available through Collegeplus.org, PHC.edu, and many other colleges.
If your child can handle college-level work, it might be worth it to have them take some classes and get both High School and College Credit. Please note, there is no guarantee that courses will transfer as credits to your future college! You should check with that college. Even if you have no assurance they will be transferred, taking college-level courses in high school still looks good on a transcript even if your credits don’t transfer. (CCRI course credits and I believe, RIC credits, are transferable to URI.)
•Consider local co-ops or private classes. These may already be established if you are pulling your child out of school mid-year, but it is a consideration for the future. RIGHT has a few member-run co-ops in North Kingstown and Northeast CT. Also, there is a large tutorial "school" in Attleboro called Good Company Tutorials. If you become involved in a local group of homeschoolers, you could start your own co-op, sharing teaching duties with other committed parents.
•You are legally allowed to use the school’s textbooks.
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE16/16-23/16-23-2.HTM
These are usually available through the Curriculum Office at your local district administration office. You many choose any books that are available in the DOE textbook inventory listed here:
http://www.ride.ri.gov/ride/TextbookInventory.aspx
However, I am not sure if parents are allowed to borrow the Teachers’ Editions of the texts. Asking for the school’s texts is a good way to transition into homeschooling; using what your child has already been using until you find something better....which you most likely will.
Some curriculum is FREE! You can find a lot (all?) of your resources online!
•Khanacademy.org has teaching videos for every subject imaginable and even has online practice and teacher monitoring features for much of the math levels there (and adding more every day.)
•All in One High School is a relatively new, free online program. If you have younger children, there is also All in One Homeschool.
•The local library! RIGHT has placed many resources in our local library to assist homeschoolers. Also the Exeter Library went beyond our small collection and started the “Learning Zone”, placing about $25,000 worth of educational books, games, and resources, in their library accessible throughout the state through library loan. The libraries also have online resources for foreign languages and SAT prep, among other things - all accessible free to library members.
Many people have stated their inability or lack of time for teaching certain subjects. I want to confess here, that I do not teach my high school-aged children; they teach themselves. I find the appropriate curriculum for their grade-level, interests, goals, etc. They follow the instructions and schedule I give them. I correct their work and tests. Some classes are outsourced. I have had friends/other parents/professors teach my children SAT prep, AP US History, Spanish, Writing, American Literature, and World Literature. Our math program is a DVD program (Teaching Textbooks and DIVE DVDs are popular choices among homeschoolers). I can teach math, but I discovered when our first child started Algebra, that teaching math was a lot of work and took me away from my other students that were at points in their education that required my presence. My oldest child could easily comprehend the math processes through the DVD teacher while I taught the younger children.
Step 3. Send a Letter of Intent (LOI) informing your school district that you will be homeschooling your children. Most School Committees have designated the Superintendent as the liaison between homeschoolers and the SC so, you should send your LOI registered mail to the Superintendent’s office of your school district. Keep your registered-mail receipt because sometimes schools lose letters of intent. It’s good to have proof that they received it.
Many schools ask for a list of curriculum, check with RIGHT as to whether your town expects this.
Be advised that working papers for underage workers, and registration forms for CCRI classes must be signed by the Superintendent. You may have to talk to those secretaries again.
Step 4. If your paperwork is complete, you should receive your letter of “approval” from the School Committee. I always put approval in quotes.....they must approve your course of instruction, but they are not approving your right to homeschool! This could take a few weeks or even months depending on what other issues the School Committee is working on at the time. You should begin homeschooling anyway.
Step 5. Keep good records. You are the guidance counselor for your high school student. Keep track of what classes they are taking, a general description of the class, textbooks used, and grade received. Also, keep track of volunteer work, extracurricular activities, etc. Some of these can count as courses, but some might be more impressive as extras on your child’s transcript. At the end of 4 years, you will compile your child’s transcript (including the records from any years and course work at the public high school) and issue them a diploma. HSLDA.org has some great transcript forms, as does Donnayoung.org. You can simply enter your child’s information into the form or format you like. HSLDA.org and Homeschooldiplomas.com have some beautiful custom diplomas for purchase. Does that sound funny? You educated your child; you graduate your child. I say the proof is in the pudding. Transcripts, test grades, SAT scores, and outside class grades should all verify your child’s transcript and diploma.
Step 6. When your child applies to colleges, you will be submitting the official transcript. Most colleges now accept the Common Application. www.commonapp.org The Common Application has a homeschool supplement that asks questions about your student, why you homeschooled, how the student was graded, etc.
Some other things to keep in mind for college prep students. Your child should take the PSAT in the fall of his 10th grade and again in the fall of 11th grade. Your child should take the SAT (or ACT) in the Spring of his 11th grade and the fall of his 12th grade. You can register for the SAT and PSAT on the collegeboard.org website. FAFSA (Financial Aid Forms) should be filled out in January of your child’s 12th grade (if they are going on to college). The deadline is later, but funds are dispersed quickly so, the sooner you file the better. Even if you need to estimate your taxes and adjust the FAFSA later. You can apply for financial aid online at http://www.fafsa.com/
Step 7. What if your child doesn’t want to go to college or doesn’t have what it takes to get into college? Pray. Pray anyway, because whether your child goes on to college or learns a trade or lives in your basement, God’s the one who will give you and your child direction for his future. I’m counting on Him!
Maybe when I find out what my next two high school students have in their future, I will be able to advise people on #7!
UPDATE: As of October 2017, I edited out links to the RIGHT website as the site was updated under new leadership and the links no longer work and some of the info is missing or under construction. I still recommend that homeschoolers join RIGHT as their local support group. The RIGHT Facebook pages, one public and one private for paid members only, are the best way to find support, information, curriculum suggestions, etc.
I have recently received about 10 inquiries from parents wanting to pull their kids out of high school to homeschool them here in RI. After answering those emails, messages and phone calls, I started to feel like I was repeating myself. I am going to attempt to compile my advice here, to save myself some time.....not that I am not willing to give one-on-one advice, but there are some steps that will fit all situations. Be advised that I am not a lawyer and this does not constitute legal advice.
Some preliminary advice from other parents who have pulled their children out of school mid-year: Don’t discuss homeschooling with your child’s teacher or the administrators at your child’s school. This often changes the dynamic between teacher and student, or teacher and parent. It can also lead to misinformation. It is very common for a secretary or principal to tell a parent that they cannot homeschool or that they must wait for approval, which simply is not true. Bring or mail your Letter of Intent (LOI) to the school department on your child’s last day of "school" and pick your child/teen up for the last time OR file your LOI with the school district beforehand, then carry the letter of approval and your child’s withdrawal form to school the same day.
Step 1. Check out the RIGHT website: www.rihomeschool.com and Facebook pages. Consider joining a support group, surrounding yourself with like-minded homeschoolers and the resources and support that those organizations provide. I, of course, recommend RIGHT!
Step 2. Choose your curriculum. The curriculum choices can be overwhelming. It is worth the time to research and find out what you think might fit for you and your children.
At this point, you are more interested in meeting college admission requirements or preparing for future goals, than meeting State requirements (and most likely by meeting one, you will be meeting the other.) Homeschoolers are not required to meet state requirements for graduation, only to teach the required subjects “thoroughly and efficiently.”
If you are unsure of what your child needs to cover to have an adequate High School transcript and prepare him for acceptance into colleges, you might want to check out the HSLDA.org website and their “4 Year Plans” for high school. This chart tells you the expected course load if your child is, a) graduating, b) hoping to attend a mid-level college or c) hoping to attend an Ivy League college. If you go under “Navigation Menu” (top right) a list comes down with many choices, under “Get Answers” is “High School” where you will find those plans and many other resources that I will probably refer to later in this post.
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing curriculum for high school: find out what colleges expect of applying students. If your child knows the college(s) he intends to apply to, look online. Most colleges state what their expectations are of applying students. Do they need 3 sciences or just 2? Lab sciences? SAT II tests? Foreign language? How many years? You can find this information on most college websites. If you have no idea where you child might go to college, at least research your state college’s application expectations.
Some curriculum options:
Some curriculum can be costly! But consider these factors, your child’s education is worth an investment in quality curriculum, and most quality curriculums have a good re-sale value.
•You can buy a whole program from one company or buy an eclectic mix of different subject resources from different companies. I personally find that one size does not fit all, but some people love their boxed curriculum.
•Is your child a Junior or Senior?
You might want to consider dual-enrollment at CCRI or a combination of Community College courses and homeschooling.
RIC is more expensive, but has welcomed homeschoolers as young as 11 as non-degree seeking students, without a superintendent's letter. After completing 20 hours of coursework, the student can switch to degree-seeking without submitting high school transcripts......contingent on SAT scores, though.
There are also online dual-enrollment college courses available through Collegeplus.org, PHC.edu, and many other colleges.
If your child can handle college-level work, it might be worth it to have them take some classes and get both High School and College Credit. Please note, there is no guarantee that courses will transfer as credits to your future college! You should check with that college. Even if you have no assurance they will be transferred, taking college-level courses in high school still looks good on a transcript even if your credits don’t transfer. (CCRI course credits and I believe, RIC credits, are transferable to URI.)
•Consider local co-ops or private classes. These may already be established if you are pulling your child out of school mid-year, but it is a consideration for the future. RIGHT has a few member-run co-ops in North Kingstown and Northeast CT. Also, there is a large tutorial "school" in Attleboro called Good Company Tutorials. If you become involved in a local group of homeschoolers, you could start your own co-op, sharing teaching duties with other committed parents.
•You are legally allowed to use the school’s textbooks.
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE16/16-23/16-23-2.HTM
These are usually available through the Curriculum Office at your local district administration office. You many choose any books that are available in the DOE textbook inventory listed here:
http://www.ride.ri.gov/ride/TextbookInventory.aspx
However, I am not sure if parents are allowed to borrow the Teachers’ Editions of the texts. Asking for the school’s texts is a good way to transition into homeschooling; using what your child has already been using until you find something better....which you most likely will.
Some curriculum is FREE! You can find a lot (all?) of your resources online!
•Khanacademy.org has teaching videos for every subject imaginable and even has online practice and teacher monitoring features for much of the math levels there (and adding more every day.)
•All in One High School is a relatively new, free online program. If you have younger children, there is also All in One Homeschool.
•The local library! RIGHT has placed many resources in our local library to assist homeschoolers. Also the Exeter Library went beyond our small collection and started the “Learning Zone”, placing about $25,000 worth of educational books, games, and resources, in their library accessible throughout the state through library loan. The libraries also have online resources for foreign languages and SAT prep, among other things - all accessible free to library members.
Many people have stated their inability or lack of time for teaching certain subjects. I want to confess here, that I do not teach my high school-aged children; they teach themselves. I find the appropriate curriculum for their grade-level, interests, goals, etc. They follow the instructions and schedule I give them. I correct their work and tests. Some classes are outsourced. I have had friends/other parents/professors teach my children SAT prep, AP US History, Spanish, Writing, American Literature, and World Literature. Our math program is a DVD program (Teaching Textbooks and DIVE DVDs are popular choices among homeschoolers). I can teach math, but I discovered when our first child started Algebra, that teaching math was a lot of work and took me away from my other students that were at points in their education that required my presence. My oldest child could easily comprehend the math processes through the DVD teacher while I taught the younger children.
Step 3. Send a Letter of Intent (LOI) informing your school district that you will be homeschooling your children. Most School Committees have designated the Superintendent as the liaison between homeschoolers and the SC so, you should send your LOI registered mail to the Superintendent’s office of your school district. Keep your registered-mail receipt because sometimes schools lose letters of intent. It’s good to have proof that they received it.
Many schools ask for a list of curriculum, check with RIGHT as to whether your town expects this.
Be advised that working papers for underage workers, and registration forms for CCRI classes must be signed by the Superintendent. You may have to talk to those secretaries again.
Step 4. If your paperwork is complete, you should receive your letter of “approval” from the School Committee. I always put approval in quotes.....they must approve your course of instruction, but they are not approving your right to homeschool! This could take a few weeks or even months depending on what other issues the School Committee is working on at the time. You should begin homeschooling anyway.
Step 5. Keep good records. You are the guidance counselor for your high school student. Keep track of what classes they are taking, a general description of the class, textbooks used, and grade received. Also, keep track of volunteer work, extracurricular activities, etc. Some of these can count as courses, but some might be more impressive as extras on your child’s transcript. At the end of 4 years, you will compile your child’s transcript (including the records from any years and course work at the public high school) and issue them a diploma. HSLDA.org has some great transcript forms, as does Donnayoung.org. You can simply enter your child’s information into the form or format you like. HSLDA.org and Homeschooldiplomas.com have some beautiful custom diplomas for purchase. Does that sound funny? You educated your child; you graduate your child. I say the proof is in the pudding. Transcripts, test grades, SAT scores, and outside class grades should all verify your child’s transcript and diploma.
Step 6. When your child applies to colleges, you will be submitting the official transcript. Most colleges now accept the Common Application. www.commonapp.org The Common Application has a homeschool supplement that asks questions about your student, why you homeschooled, how the student was graded, etc.
Some other things to keep in mind for college prep students. Your child should take the PSAT in the fall of his 10th grade and again in the fall of 11th grade. Your child should take the SAT (or ACT) in the Spring of his 11th grade and the fall of his 12th grade. You can register for the SAT and PSAT on the collegeboard.org website. FAFSA (Financial Aid Forms) should be filled out in January of your child’s 12th grade (if they are going on to college). The deadline is later, but funds are dispersed quickly so, the sooner you file the better. Even if you need to estimate your taxes and adjust the FAFSA later. You can apply for financial aid online at http://www.fafsa.com/
Step 7. What if your child doesn’t want to go to college or doesn’t have what it takes to get into college? Pray. Pray anyway, because whether your child goes on to college or learns a trade or lives in your basement, God’s the one who will give you and your child direction for his future. I’m counting on Him!
Maybe when I find out what my next two high school students have in their future, I will be able to advise people on #7!
UPDATE: As of October 2017, I edited out links to the RIGHT website as the site was updated under new leadership and the links no longer work and some of the info is missing or under construction. I still recommend that homeschoolers join RIGHT as their local support group. The RIGHT Facebook pages, one public and one private for paid members only, are the best way to find support, information, curriculum suggestions, etc.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Time Talk
These past two weeks I have been reading Lysa Terkeurst's book "What Happens When Women Say 'Yes' to God". One day God told me to "stay off the computer all day. Read the Word first and I will give you the time to do things I value and you value."
I have been trying to spend the first time of my day (well, early time, at least) reading the Bible.
Amidst all of this, I also felt like He was telling me to blog and paint more. I know that sounds self-serving, but I think He was telling me that my time could be better spent. Painting could potentially add to our family income. Blogging could also be of financial benefit, although I see that as a far off benefit. In the meantime, I would hope that it would be a blessing to people; that they might gain from the insights, experience, and.....mistakes of an average stay-at-home mother.
After the "time talk", I read the next chapter of Lisa's book, which was about "I can't". She shares a woman's struggle with confidence to be a speaker and she recognized her own "I can'ts", one being running. God told her to run. It made me think of the things that I really, really want to do - paint and blog, that I have been saying "I can't" to. Why can't I? I am not prioritizing my time. I am wasting my time.
This morning I read Psalm 90 - the first verses are all about the people being consumed by God's anger, their lowly estate, and the brevity of life. How depressing. Then these encouraging words:
Psalm 90 (NKJV)
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD!
How long?
And have compassion on Your servants.
14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil.
16 Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.
17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.
vs. 12 - Prioritize your time, AMY!
vs. 14 Be merciful now...that we might rejoice ALL of our days.
vs. 15 or that we would be glad, at least the same number of days that we have been afflicted or seen evil.
vs. 16 That we would see His work and our children would see His Glory.
vs. 17 That His beauty would be upon us now.
And that He would establish the work or our hands.
Blogging and painting?
I have been trying to spend the first time of my day (well, early time, at least) reading the Bible.
Amidst all of this, I also felt like He was telling me to blog and paint more. I know that sounds self-serving, but I think He was telling me that my time could be better spent. Painting could potentially add to our family income. Blogging could also be of financial benefit, although I see that as a far off benefit. In the meantime, I would hope that it would be a blessing to people; that they might gain from the insights, experience, and.....mistakes of an average stay-at-home mother.
After the "time talk", I read the next chapter of Lisa's book, which was about "I can't". She shares a woman's struggle with confidence to be a speaker and she recognized her own "I can'ts", one being running. God told her to run. It made me think of the things that I really, really want to do - paint and blog, that I have been saying "I can't" to. Why can't I? I am not prioritizing my time. I am wasting my time.
This morning I read Psalm 90 - the first verses are all about the people being consumed by God's anger, their lowly estate, and the brevity of life. How depressing. Then these encouraging words:
Psalm 90 (NKJV)
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD!
How long?
And have compassion on Your servants.
14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil.
16 Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.
17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.
vs. 12 - Prioritize your time, AMY!
vs. 14 Be merciful now...that we might rejoice ALL of our days.
vs. 15 or that we would be glad, at least the same number of days that we have been afflicted or seen evil.
vs. 16 That we would see His work and our children would see His Glory.
vs. 17 That His beauty would be upon us now.
And that He would establish the work or our hands.
Blogging and painting?
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